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America and Obesity – Alarming statistics

Obesity is a condition when your body accumulates more fat than acceptable, resulting in unfavorable health conditions with time. There was a period when this was a word not known to most people. However, thanks to the unhealthy lifestyle and lack of physical exercise, obesity has become the most discussed topic all over the world.

How is obesity calculated?

Every person is fitted into four categories depending on his/her BMI levels. The Body Mass Index (BMI) is a measure of your fat levels and depends on the gender, age, height, and weight. When your BMI is over 30, you are usually considered obese. There are many health conditions that are directly related to obesity including:

  • Type 2 diabetes
  • High blood pressure
  • Coronary diseases
  • Bone and joint problems
  • Cancers
  • Sleep apnea and more

Obesity in America

While almost all countries are experiencing a steady increase in obesity rates, America has seen the highest increase ever, causing alarm amidst medical practitioners. Right now, two out of three Americans are obese and this is a very serious threat that needs to be addressed right away. A recent research shows that about 40% of adults aged 20 and above are obese in the country right now. This number is predicted to increase drastically over the next few years.

Causes of obesity

There are two main reasons noted for this sudden increase in obesity in America and worldwide.

  1. Consumption of unhealthy junk food
  2. Sedentary lifestyle

The World Health Organization (WHO) constantly talks about the increase in the consumption of junk food and food laden with sugar and fat over the last decade. These packaged foods and unhealthy fast food joints have contributed enormously to the increase in body fat. Most of the very popular food options in the US include burgers, fries, doughnuts, bacon and rich coffee. All these are filled with sugar and fat additives. The reduction in cooking at home and the dependency on restaurants and takeaways also are important causes for weight gain.

Most people work in front of a computer and take their cars for traveling around. This means that there is no physical exercise all through the day. Sitting is these days called the new smoking. It is unhealthy and contributes to high mortality rates. Experts say that more than 60% of people are not getting their recommended levels of exercises a day.

Solution

It is in the hands of every single American to take care of his/her health and to stay active. Switching over to home cooked meals, staying away from processed sugars and fat and ensuring there is right exercise for the body helps stay clear of lifestyle diseases. Being informative is also an important criterion. You can get latest health updates and articles from right sources like the America herald and understand what are the global changes and triggers that are affecting your body. Kids are the future of the country and ensuring they start living a healthy lifestyle is also important.

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