Feb 18 2009
Obesity, A Growing Problem
Our society has produced more obese people than ever before. Whether it is due to our more sedentary life styles, easier access to fast food, genetics or all of the above doesn’t really matter. The number of morbidly obese persons in the United States has more than doubled since the 1980’s, according to an article called “Causes of Obesity” at Anncollins.com. The fact is, the longer a person spends their life being overweight, the shorter their lifespan will be. the shape of your body, believe it or not, plays a huge role in your risk for heart disease. If you are shaped like an apple, meaning that if you carry the majority of your weight in your mid section, you could be more at risk than someone who might have their weight more evenly distributed over their body.
Being morbidly obese, (having a BMI of 40 or higher), causes or contributes to many health risks, including but not limited to:
- Heart Disease
- Risk of stroke
- Type 2 diabetes
- Certain cancers (including, but not limited to endometrial, colon, gall bladder, prostate, kidney, and post-menopausal breast cancer)
- Gall bladder disease
- Breathing problems
- Circulation issues
- Arthritis
- and so much more.
The good news is that even though it is not easy, the benefits of losing just 10% of your excess weight can improve the risks of heart disease and stroke. To read and get more information, go to this link and read more.
It’s scary, especially taking into consideration “and so much more.” The consequences of obesity seem endless. Currently, I think it’s complicated because of the high prices of healthy food. Mac ‘n cheese with tuna and peas is a lot cheaper than organic chicken breasts and brown rice and the organic vegetables for a salad. I hope the obesity epidemic doesn’t get worse.
Glad you are still online!
Roxie
You are invited to sign the Recovery Wall
http://recoveryrocks.today.com/recovery-wall
Great post . . . I have gained and lost tons of weight in my lifetime. The difference in the way I feel when I lose weight is amazing . . . in many ways.