Obesity in the United States is a big problem and has been cited as a major health issue in the country in recent years. While other countries have the same experience, the obesity rate in the US is alarming. In the year 1962, the obesity rate was at 13% but by 2010, it has been reported that 35.7% of American adults are obese while the rate for obese American children is 17%. These rates have already been confirmed by both the Journal of the American Medical Association or JAMA and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
USA Today reported last May that by 2030, 42% of Americans will be obese. Health economist Eric Finkelstein was quoted saying, “The obesity problem is likely to get much worse without a major public health intervention.”
What is obesity?
Referred to by the World Health Organization as a medical condition, obesity involves accumulated body fat that do not only contribute to an increase in one’s weight but also involves adverse effects on health caused by excess body fat. A person is considered obese when his or her BMI or body mass index exceeds 30 kilograms per meter squared.
According to experts, obesity increases the susceptibility of a person to various diseases specifically diabetes and heart ailments. It also increases the likelihood of getting cancer, sleep apnea and osteoarthritis. But what causes obesity? Although excessive food intake is the main culprit when it comes to obesity, one’s genes can also be blamed for having this medical condition. However, it is not very often that it is one’s genes are to blame. Bad eating habits and lack of exercise are usually the main reasons why people put on too much weight. There are many ways to lose weight but because dieting and physical exercise are not really things many people are fond of doing, alternative weight loss regimens or procedures are quite popular. Liposuction for one is one of the most popular ways of getting rid of unwanted fat but one has to keep in mind that the fat removed can come back if you do not take care of yourself.
Obesity and Your Confidence
Obesity is not just hazardous to your physical health, it also has an effect on one’s mental health. This of course is not as pronounced as clinical depression but it can go there. Losing one’s self-confidence because of weight gain is a hard nut to crack and the only way to get this confidence back is to lose that extra weight. Many people resort to using slimming pills or going under the knife but these are not really advisable for the long term because you should not only focus on how good your body should look but also on how your health is affected by such weight loss programs.
Why Help Is Needed
Trying to lose weight is a difficult task especially if you are doing it on your own. While some people have enough self-discipline to exercise on a daily basis and eat right day in and day out, some people don’t. This is where a coach or a trainer comes in. Going under a diet program in your local clinic or under a nutritionist is a good idea. This should be done with daily exercise. Fifteen minutes on the treadmill for example will do you good especially if you’re just starting out. Later on, you can increase the amount of time you spend for exercise. Walking is another way to lose weight and it is something you can do with ease.
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