To say that Americans are obsessed with dieting is an understatement! Pick up any magazine, tune-in or turn-on any source of advertising and you're bombarded with the latest diet schemes and food fads. More often than not, they are endorsed by some familiar Hollywood celebrity, or promoted using some other cleaver technique.
It's no mystery that the weight-loss industry has built a thriving empire. In America, for example, we spend about 35 billion dollars every year on an assortment of weight loss products and plans. In addition, we spend another 79 billion dollars for medication, hospitalization, and doctors to treat obesity-related problems. Even with this, the obesity epidemic continues to spread. Sadly, we have become the heaviest generation in our Nation's history.
The National Center for Health Statistics reports that we have some very good reasons to be concerned about our weight-gain. Americans, for example are packing-on the pounds faster than ever before and weight-related medical problems are taking center stage. Diseases like heart disease, diabetes and yes...even certain forms of cancer have all been linked to obesity.
Here are a few of the surprising statistics about our weight:
- A whopping 64 percent of U.S. adults are either overweight or obese. That's up approximately 8 percent from overweight estimates obtained in a 1988 report.
- The percent of children who are overweight is also continuing to increase. Among children and teens ages 6-19, 15 percent or almost 9 million are overweight. That's triple what the rate was in 1980!
- Nearly one-third of all adults are now classified as obese. At present, 31 percent of adults 20 years of age and over or nearly 59 million people have a body mass index (BMI) of 30 or greater, compared with 23 percent in 1994.
(The BMI is a number that shows body weight adjusted for height. For adults, a BMI of 18.5 - 24.9 is considered normal. A BMI of 25.0 - 29.9 is overweight and 30.0 or above, is considered obese.)
Modern life both at home and at work has come to revolve around moving from one "seated" position to another: whether it's television, computers, remote controls, or automobiles, we seem to be broadening the scope of our inactive endeavors.
At times, life seems to have gotten almost too easy! For entertainment, we can now just sit-down, dial-up our favorite TV program or DVD movie and enjoy hours of uninterrupted entertainment...
And all those simple calorie burning activities that were once a normal part of our daily routine not so long ago? Long gone! You know the ones I'm talking about...activities like climbing stairs instead of using escalators and elevators. Or, pushing a lawn mower instead of riding around on a garden tractor. And what about that daily walk to school? Now, our kids complain when the school bus happens to be a few minutes late getting to the bus stop!
Along with the convenience of our affluent lifestyle and reduction in energy expenditure, have come changes in our diet. We are now consuming more calorie rich and nutrient deficient foods than ever before.
Here are a few examples of what we were eating in the 1970's compared to our diet today (information is taken from a recent U.S. Department of Agriculture survey):
- We are currently eating more grain products, but almost all of them are refined grains (white bread, etc.). Grain consumption has jumped 45 percent since the 1970s, from 138 pounds of grains per person per year to 200 pounds! Only 2 percent of the wheat flour is consumed as whole wheat.
- Our consumption of fruits and vegetables has increased, but only because the U.S.D.A. includes French fries and potato chips as a vegetable. Potato products account for almost a third of our "produce" choices.
- We're drinking less milk, but we've more than doubled our cheese intake. Cheese now outranks meat as the number one source of saturated fat in our diets.
- We've cut back on red meat, but have more than made up for the loss by increasing our intake of chicken (battered and fried), so that overall, we're eating 13 pounds more meat today than we did back in the 1970s.
- We're drinking three times more carbonated soft drinks than milk, compared to the 1970's, when milk consumption was twice that of pop.
- We use 25 percent less butter, but pour twice as much vegetable oil on our food and salads, so our total added fat intake has increased 32 percent.
- Sugar consumption has been another cause of our expanding waistlines. Sugar intake is simply off the charts. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, people are consuming roughly twice the amount of sugar they need each day, about 20 teaspoons on a 2000 calorie/day diet. The added sugar is found mostly in junk foods, such as pop, cake, and cookies.
- In 1978, the government found that sugars constituted only 11 percent of the average person's calories. Now, this number has ballooned to 16 percent for the average American adult and as much as 20 percent for American teenagers.
The days of the wholesome family dinners so near and dear to our hearts, where we all sat around the kitchen table to discuss events of the day, are now a part of our sentimental past. They have been replaced by our cravings for take-out and fast-food. We have gradually come to accept that it's "OK" to sacrifice healthy foods for the sake of convenience and that larger serving portions mean better value.
And, since I have been throwing-out statistics, here's one more: Americans are consuming about 300 more calories each day than we did twenty years ago. We should actually be eating less because of our decreased activity level, but instead are doing the opposite!
Decide TODAY that healthy eating and exercise habits will become a permanent part of your life!
Begin to explore your values and thoughts and other areas of your life where change may be required, and then take action. Begin slowly, but deliberately to make improvements in the areas you identify. And remember, it has taken a very long time to develop your habits, and it will take some time to undo them?so be patient!
The information contained in this article is for educational purposes only and is not intended to medically diagnose, treat or cure any disease. Consult a health care practitioner before beginning any health care program.
Emily Clark is editor at lifestyle health news and lifestyle health news where you can find the most up-to-date advice and information on many medical, health and lifestyle topics.
shuttle from O'Hare Brocton .. Lockport Chicago limo O’HareFood is not simply fuel to keep you going. Nor... Read More
Oh, no . . . You suddenly realize that you... Read More
"I tried that diet and lost 8 pounds in the... Read More
We all have an image of "fit" - lean, even... Read More
As a weight loss mentor it never ceases to amaze... Read More
Do you tend to find your weight increases when you... Read More
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, obesity... Read More
Did you say there's a way I can eat what... Read More
Have you been surfing the web trying to find a... Read More
Generally, weight loss surgery such as the gastric bypass will... Read More
With the growing epidemic of diabetes and obesity in our... Read More
I had 14 weight/health-oriented newsletters in my inbox this morning.... Read More
According to the BMI chart, if you are overweight, you... Read More
In health clubs, they run classes that call themselves "aerobics".... Read More
Any true body transformation starts with self?discovery. It is an... Read More
One of the most talked about topics in any political... Read More
Running For Weight Loss??.Slow DownYou may be out running your... Read More
Metabolism is essentially the speed at which our body's motor... Read More
Metabolism is the process by which your body changes food... Read More
Are you Telling Yourself It's Too Hard to Lose Weight?Telling... Read More
Offer a woman the choice between a dress she likes... Read More
Fat is fuel. That is basically what it is. A... Read More
With the number of people suffering from obesity rising so... Read More
I have been seriously working on losing weight for about... Read More
To upgrade the current software in your brain you can... Read More
Chicago charter limousine service Hickory Hills ..Do you have a big event coming up? Perhaps you... Read More
If you want to find a way to lose weight... Read More
I know, I know. What a crazy question!Considering that we've... Read More
Every Journey Worth Taking Begins with a Single StepHere are... Read More
Before you try starving yourself or turning to diet drugs... Read More
It seems everyone is looking for that magic bullet -... Read More
Debunking The Ab MythAb training has been done to death... Read More
I am embarrassed to admit how many different commercial weight... Read More
Just like any other diet, the Atkins diet can become... Read More
The Atkins diet Plan breakfast can usually composed of eggs... Read More
Eighteen or twenty years ago, I was into high protein,... Read More
The perfect diet should be combined with a healthy weight... Read More
The diet that worked for meI have had a lot... Read More
Now that the temptations of the Holiday season have passed... Read More
Lets face it, most of us live pretty busy lives... Read More
Temporary weight loss is easy!You simply starve yourself on the... Read More
There is no doubt about it; Americans are eating in... Read More
Why is it so hard to lose weight and keep... Read More
1. The lower the calories eaten per day, the harder... Read More
You have decided that you want to lose weight and... Read More
Have you seen the ditty below that's roaming the Internet... Read More
Are you one of those who hate dieting? Well, you... Read More
Do a little people-watching, next time you're in the grocery... Read More
If you want any weight loss program to work you... Read More
FACT: Obesity accounts for 300,000 deaths a year in the... Read More
Weight Loss |