The overweight and obesity epidemic is a worldwide problem. There are no official statistics for spending on diet products, but estimates vary from $40 to $100 billion in the US alone, much of that on scams and fad diets that promise the impossible.
Research shows that 95% of people who have lost weight find that they regain it back when they return to their normal eating habits.
According to the Center for Disease Control's Chronic Disease Center, in 1991 in the United States, only four states had an obesity prevalence of 15 percent to 19 percent. In 2003, 15 states had an obesity prevalence of 15 to 19 percent, 31 states had an obesity prevalence of 20 to 24 percent, and four states had a prevalence of 25 percent or more.
Major medical problems associated with obesity include gallbladder disease, high blood pressure, high blood cholesterol, diabetes, and osteoarthritis.
If that isn't incentive enough to lose that excess weight statistics show that overweight people are usually given lower paying jobs, get lower salaries, receive little in raises, and are, as a whole, looked down upon by 40 percent of fellow employees and employers.
In 2002 The American Heart Association reported that more than 10 percent of US children ages 2 to 5 are overweight. That is up from 7 percent in 1994. The situation is probably even worse now, said Dr. Robert H. Eckel, president-elect of the heart association and professor of medicine at the University of Colorado.
The obesity problem among children has increased with school-age children as well. Four million children ages 6 to 11 and 5.3 million in age group 12 to 19 have increased by 75 percent from 1991.
Food habits adopted in childhood can be hard to change. As a result hypertension and high cholesterol leading to heart disease, strokes, and diabetes are going to become the nations top health problem with people of all ages within 10 to 30 years. These are ailments that usually afflict the middle age to elderly population. More than a million new cases of diabetes are already being diagnosed each year, says the American Diabetic Association.
Nearly 30 percent of American adults are overweight and another 30 percent are obese, according to University of Minnesota researchers. Obesity is usually described as a weight 20 percent greater than the persons desirable weight.
A study by the Obstetrics and Gynecology department at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle revealed that 60% of overweight women, and 70% of obese women, are likely to become pregnant while taking the pill. The researchers suggest that a higher metabolism is the reason, causing the medication to be effective for a shorter length of time. Or, that the drug interacts with the body's hormones in a way that the drug becomes trapped in the body fat instead of circulating in the bloodstream.
Studies with obese pregnant women show they are 50% more likely to die during pregnancy than those of normal weight. Complications such as miscarriage, gestational diabetes, hypertension, pre-eclampsia, pre-term labor, and stillbirth are also more common. Preliminary evidence shows that babies are also adversely affected, and are more likely to be obese themselves in later life.
Fast foods: Studies show that people who frequent fast food outlets twice a week or more gained 36 pounds over the course of 15 years compared to 26 pounds for those that frequented them once a week or less.
A major factor for the obesity crisis is a sedentary lifestyle, not enough exercise, and the eating of high calorie fast foods in place of nutritious natural food products.
Fast food is designed to promote consumption of the maximum number of calories in the minimum amount of time. This upsets the body's normal metabolism. One solution is to eat smaller, more nutritious, meals more frequently throughout the day.
Physical activity reduces the effects of being overweight, but healthy eating habits have to be followed to prevent disease associated with poor nutrition according to an expert of nutrition and epidemiology at the Harvard School of Public Health.
The new diet guidelines set by the Health and Human Services and the U.S. Department of Agriculture is basically a balanced diet and good old fashioned exercise. They stress more fruits, vegetables, whole grains and limit fats, sugar, alcohol, and salt.
Many supermarkets are open 24 hours a day making a choice of healthy food available at all times.
For more tips on how to lose weight safely see The Secret to Weight Loss at: http://www.apluswriting.net/diettips/diettips.htm
--------------------------------------------
----------------
REQUIREMENTS FOR REPRINT: You have permission to publish
this article free of charge in your e-zine, newsletter,
ebook, print publication or on your website ONLY if it
remains unchanged and you include the copyright and author
information (Resource Box) at the end. You may not use
this article in any unsolicited commercial email (spam).
You may retrieve this article by:
Autoresponder: diettips1000@getresponse.com
Website: http://www.apluswriting.net/articles/diettips.txt
Copyright: 2005 Marilyn Pokorney
Please leave the resource box intact with an active link,
and send a courtesy copy of the publication in which the
article appears to: marilynp@nctc.net
------------------------------------------------------------
Author: Marilyn Pokorney
Freelance writer of science, nature, animals and the environment. Also loves crafts, gardening, and reading.
Website: http://www.apluswriting.net
If you know someone that has been trying to lose... Read More
Dumping syndrome is an effective result of the gastric bypass... Read More
There are all kinds of fad diets and quick fixes... Read More
What is "too young" to begin a weight loss program... Read More
You could try one of the many sexual enhancement drugs... Read More
What to Do with the Leftovers?Okay, tell me if you've... Read More
Have I become invisible or are people just aiming right... Read More
The revolution is here. Weight Loss as we know it... Read More
Gaining up to 20 pounds over four years can significantly... Read More
Healthy living begins with healthy eating and healthy eating begins... Read More
Getting enough of the good fats will help you lose... Read More
Most of us are aware of the AA axiom of... Read More
You're always hungry right? The last thing you have time... Read More
Dieters have long searched for secret paths to easy weight... Read More
Obesity in America is at an epidemic level. It is... Read More
All of our behavior results from the thoughts that preceded... Read More
1. Start Exercising first thing in the morning.As soon as... Read More
New gastric bypass patients say they miss food, they grieve... Read More
If you are looking for a way to lose fifty... Read More
I just read this conventional diet tip ? and we've... Read More
Digestion is a chemical process. Our body combines different types... Read More
Imagine this ... What if you could ?Increase the rate... Read More
The only way you will ever follow through on an... Read More
You have noticed your obese friend suddenly slimmer. You want... Read More
Once in a while a good title comes along and... Read More
move in cleaning service Lincolnshire ...The chemistry sounds very straightforward. Human body fat is a... Read More
This Article was originally Published in The July 2004 Issue... Read More
"Hey, you have reduced now, compared to the last time... Read More
When it comes to weight loss, most of us would... Read More
There's nothing more fun then being creative with food and... Read More
These days, Jennifer Secrist has little interest in idle activities.... Read More
Weight Loss ? Basic Lessons for Sustained SuccessWeight loss is... Read More
Did you know that being successful with losing weight starts... Read More
As a low carb dieter, you have probably been bombarded... Read More
Most Americans do not get enough calcium in their diets;... Read More
My last article, Make Diets Work, concluded that dieting the... Read More
In many cases conventional dieting wisdom simply doesn't work for... Read More
The best exercises for quick weight loss in my opinion... Read More
Weight Watchers inspired me to change my eating habits, lose... Read More
Being overweight is no laughing matter. For those who are... Read More
One Reality TV show, The Swan, thrives on makeovers. Often... Read More
One may think that on a website called "LivingAfterWLS" you... Read More
Some Say I'm Strange. I Prefer to Think of Myself... Read More
Fasting, when done properly, can be a basic part of... Read More
Used a diet pill recently and got depressed because you... Read More
Diets, diets, diets... every where you go, anything you read... Read More
Why Making Small Changes in Your Eating Habits Adds up... Read More
Cut the Calories, Bring Out the BikiniSummer's almost here and... Read More
It's the travel time, meaning hours spent sedentary. It prepares... Read More
Temporary weight loss is easy!You simply starve yourself on the... Read More
Weight Loss |