Obesity in America

Obesity in America

Obesity is now the second most preventable cause of death next to smoking. Roughly twenty-five percent of children and adolescents are overweight or obese in this country. Since 1960 this number has doubled. Thirty-three percent may not sound like a lot, but that is one in every three people! "A two-year USDA CSFII survey in 1978 showed that on any given day 43 percent of Americans ate at least one of their meals outside of there homes. Eighteen years later the same survey was conducted and results showed an increase of fourteen percent!" "In 1959 there were around 100 McDonald's in the United States. Today there are at least 25,000 McDonald's in more than 100 countries!" "Statistics state that as a nation we spend $100 billion dollars a year on fast food alone, more than money spent on computers, new cars and a higher education." Obviously fast food is one of the main culprits of this out of control epidemic, but also Americans are always looking for the newest way to lose weight while still eating the things they love, and not exercising. It seems people will try anything to get out of exercising. Clearly that's not the right way to lose weight, and more than likely won't work. Obesity is no longer affecting just adolescents. It is now affecting children more and more every day. We all need to think about what we are putting into our bodies and realize that the food we are eating is slowly killing us.

Being overweight or obese is caused from consuming more calories than a person can burn off in a given day. Over time those calories build up, creating excessive amounts of fat. There are approximately 300,000 American deaths each year directly linked to obesity. Obesity can increase the risk of many chronic diseases such as insulin resistance, type two diabetes, high blood pressure and cholesterol, gallstones, gout, osteoarthritis, sleep apnea, congestive heart failure, heart attacks, and strokes.

Along with over eating and not exercising other factors can contribute to becoming obese. An individual has a greater chance of becoming over weight if one or both of his or her parents are obese. This is mostly because of genetics, for example a leptin deficiency. Leptin is a hormone produced in fat cells and placentas. It controls a person's weight by telling the brain there is already too much stored fat in the body. This tricks the brain into thinking that you are full therefore less food is consumed. In some cases there is a deficiency of leptin in the body. Without leptin it is no longer possible for the brain to know when a person is full resulting in unnecessary food consumption.

Consuming a high-carbohydrate diet can lead to weight gain. Carbohydrates increase blood glucose levels, which cause insulin to be released by the pancreas. Insulin helps fatty tissues grow. Some scientists believe that simple carbs cause weight gain. Simple carbohydrates include sugars, fructose, desserts, soft drinks, and alcohol. These carbohydrates are absorbed into the blood stream much faster than complex carbs. Some examples of complex carbohydrates are pastas, brown rice, grains, vegetables, and raw fruits. Metabolism rate is another reason for becoming over weight. Muscle burns more calories than fat therefore if a person has a lot of muscle he or she burns more calories than a person with more fat on his or her body while both doing the same activity. In most cases men have more muscle than women. This usually means that women gain more weight, and it is more difficult to lose weight.

As time progresses, we all get old, our muscles begin to deplete, and our metabolism slows down. Medications also can increase weight gain. Antidepressants, anti-convulsants, diabetes medications used for lowering blood sugar, oral contraceptives, high blood pressure medications and antihistamines are some of the main culprits.

There are many different ways to lose weight. It all depends on a person's dedication and motivation to change his or her lifestyle, or saving money to have surgery. Losing even the slightest about of weight can lower a person's chance of developing a chronic disease. Changing what someone eats, and exercising 30 minutes a day can really be a great start. Crash diets are never recommended due to the fact that people get malnutrition and develop other health problems. Group weight-loss programs can help people stay motivated to lose the weight. Some of these groups include Overeaters Anonymous, TOPS (Take Off Pounds Sensibly), and Weight Watchers. When individuals have difficulty finding out how much they should be eating and exercising per day it is good to get help from a professional such as Jenny Craig or NutriSystem. There are individual diet plans.