![]() |
![]() |
Weight Loss Information from experts |
|
![]() |
![]() |
3 Surprising Statistics About Our Weight
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 Medical Health News where you can find the most up-to-date advice and information on many medical, health and lifestyle topics.
MORE RESOURCES: What Nearly Brainless Rodents Know About Weight Loss and Hunger The New York Times Jelly Roll Reveals His Goal Weight and the Risky Activities He Wants to Do Once He Hits It People.com Fitness coach says 'eating same meals every day is a weight loss hack', shares how to shed 9 kg in 90 days Hindustan Times Eli Lilly sues companies selling alternative versions of its weight loss drug : Shots - Health News NPR Woman dies after ’circus act’ weight loss surgery in Mexico FOX 9 Minneapolis-St. Paul What’s next for GLP-1s? Healthcare Brew Say goodbye to cheap versions of Ozempic and Wegovy Fast Company Cross-cultural differences in weight loss maintenance: a comparison between North America and Europe Nature Mitolyn Reviews: Doctor's Analysis – Can It Naturally Enhance Energy, Burn Fat, and Support Mitochondrial Health? GlobeNewswire Why GLP-1 Weight-Loss Drugs Are Hard to Make into Pills Scientific American AG Yost Warns Med Spas: Stop Misleading Consumers About Weight-Loss Drugs Ohio Attorney General (.gov) Association between plausible genetic factors and weight loss from GLP1-RA and bariatric surgery Nature Lizzo Reveals How She Lost the Weight and Conquered Her Anxiety. Plus, Why She Quit Starbucks People.com Music star Jelly Roll reveals his weight-loss goal Yahoo News New Zealand Novo Nordisk Just Leapfrogged Eli Lilly With A Weight-Loss Pill Investor's Business Daily Trump Sparks Ozempic Mystery With Miraculous Weight Loss The Daily Beast Daily Pill May Work as Well as Ozempic for Weight Loss and Blood Sugar The New York Times What to Know About Eli Lilly’s Daily Pill for Weight Loss The New York Times How Kristen Lost 55 Lbs With Zepbound After Breast Cancer and Years of Yo-Yo Dieting womansworld.com Column | What the science says about intermittent fasting The Washington Post Your 6-Week Ozempic Guide: Lose Weight Faster With Fewer Side Effects firstforwomen.com Trump’s dramatic weight loss at 78: Did he take Ozempic? This is what White House is saying Times of India CA drug spending doubled due to weight loss drugs, illegal immigrants The Center Square Inside Lizzo’s Weight Loss Journey: Everything the Singer Has Said About Prioritizing Her Health People.com 7-Day High-Protein Mediterranean Diet Meal Plan to Help Lose Visceral Fat, Created by a Dietitian EatingWell Mounjaro can help maintain long-term weight loss Medical News Today “We’re overfed but undernourished”: Dr Jack Mosley on carrying on his father Michael’s weight-loss legacy Good Housekeeping Reimbursing weight loss drugs for all who could benefit would push State’s annual medicines bill to €10bn, doctors told The Irish Times Lilly's oral GLP-1, orforglipron, demonstrated statistically significant efficacy results and a safety profile consistent with injectable GLP-1 medicines in successful Phase 3 trial Eli Lilly and Company Eating More Protein And Fiber Is Key For Weight Loss, Study Finds. Here's How Much To Consume. Women's Health Forget diets or gym. Ram Kapoor lost 55 kilos weight with mindset shift that changed his life forever The Economic Times Why Blue Cross Blue Shield is rolling back coverage of GLP-1 weight loss drugs in Massachusetts WBUR Do semaglutides lead to healthy weight loss? Post and Courier Healthy Tips for 'Weight Wellness' with Cypress Wellness Pharmacy Gulf Coast News and Weather - Southwest Florida News How a New Weight-Loss Pill Could Transform Health Time Magazine Jelly Roll Has Big Plans When He Reaches His Goal Weight EntertainmentNow |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
RELATED ARTICLES
Why Weight Loss Products Dont Work Did you know that less than 2% of dieters lose weight and then manage to keep it off?YOU ARE NOT TO BLAME, if you've tried many different diets and weight loss products and have still been unable to lose the weight. Your dieting efforts have been condemned to failure right from the start. Nothing More Powerful Than Your Words Telling yourself you have to "struggle with this weight issue for the rest of my life," is as good as telling yourself there's no point in trying. "Why bother? I'll just gain it right back. Close Kept Secrets to Weight Loss Lesson #9 WAHOO!!! for YOU!! You are the most AWESOME person alive!! Stand up and repeat after me. Come on, get up and feel the presence of God all around you. 5 Tips to Use Your Head and Let Go of that Extra Weight Notice, if you would, that every diet out there only tends to address your body, but what about your mind? Think about this. If your head does not have the right image or direction, your diet will tend to fail. Weight Loss - I Lost 40 Pounds I did it without starving myself or taking pills. How did I do it you ask?Well, over a year ago a friend of mine told me about the South Beach Diet. What to Eat After Gastric Bypass Surgery Many people are under the impression that gastric bypass surgery is the easy way out of obesity. However, those that believe this unfortunately misunderstand the operation and its lifestyle and mind altering effects. Blow Those Fat Cells to Smitherines in Just 9 Short Days Close kept secrets to weight loss: Give me 9 days and blow those fat cells to smitherines!Sizzling!! I bought a jumpsuit when I was 21 years old and kept it in my closet. I knew one day I would fit into it again. Lose Weight Quickly And Easily - Weight Loss Information For people that are obese, losing weight quickly can seem like a dream that will never come true. The fact is that if you want to lose weight quickly you must dramatically reduce the amount of fat and calories you consume. Warning: Dramatically Improve Your Health In Just 27 Days!!! You don't realize it, but in the next few minutes you're going to learn how to drastically sculpt your body and reach an all-time high level of fitness in just 27 days!If you're like me, you'll probably be tired of all the hype present in today's fitness industry. You'll most likely want a no-nonsense guide to achieving Your personal health goals NOW. Rating The Diets: A Mindless Exercise? There has been a recent surge in the experts weighing in (pun intended) on popular and celebrity diets to rate them in terms of effectiveness, nutritional adequacy, and balance. Look at the latest crop of magazines, Internet news reports, and television specials. Are Your Co-Workers Making You Fat? Avoiding Unexpected Treats Taming the See Food Eat Food ResponseWhat happens when you're just minding your business and suddenly someone walks by with a delicious looking cake, muffins, or some other goodie you weren't expecting. You weren't hungry a minute ago but now you are suddenly ravenous. Is the New "High-protein Low-saturated Fat" Diet the Answer to Weight Loss? The heated debate, within diet circles, that began a few years ago and continues today is over the effectiveness of the high-protein, low-carbohydrate, type diet versus its counterpart, the high-carbohydrate, low-fat diet.To the delight of the Atkins diet enthusiasts, recent studies have suggested that a diet high in protein and low in fat has a greater effect on diet induced thermogenesis (calorie burning) than a high carbohydrate low fat diet. Lose Body Fat by Choosing the Right Diet Plan For You If you are overweight and searching for the diet program or weight loss product that will be the best suit your individual needs and help you lose the weight as fast as possible, you may be confused considering the numerous diet programs and free diet plans available to you online. When choosing a weight reduction plan, it's important to consider several factors. The TRUTH About How to Lose Weight The huge companies stealing your money by promising impossible results if you just drink their shake, take their pill, or do 10 minutes of exercise on their wiz-bang machines are abusing your trust in the name of profits and market share.The real truth is that most (if not all) the products they're peddling are worthless - to you, that is. Gastric Bypass Surgery - Just The Facts Gastric Bypass surgery is becoming increasingly more popular for the morbid obese. In order to qualify for the surgery, you must have a body mass index of more than 40, which usually translates to being 100 or more pounds overweight. Atkins Diet Plan -- Are Low Carb Diets Doomed? According to Veronica Atkins, the widow of Dr. Robert Atkins, the cause of his death was from falling on a slippery sidewalk with subsequent irreversible brain damage (from a CNN interview, February, 2004). On A Diet? Ensure You Get Enough Nutritional Supplements For Your Good Health There is never any absolute certainty about what the nutritional requirements are for the human body of a certain age, size and gender. Scientific research on the subject takes a long time, and results are often not that clear. Weight Loss for Good! - The # 1 Secret! The only way you will ever follow through on an exercise program is to be sold out. The military calls them "lifers. Were Cave Dwellers Ever Fat? In our mind's eye, we see our ancient ancestors as they have been depicted in paintings, stories, films, and scientific recreations. Small, wiry, hairy figures surrounding a huge beast, poised for the kill. Making Healthy Lifestyle Changes that Last - A New Look at New Years Resolutions Would you run out of fingers, and maybe even toes, if you used them to count your tries at adopting a healthy lifestyle? Many of us would. The reason? Often it's that we need to change how we try to make changes. ![]() |
© KeralaClick.com 2006 |