Obesity Rates Are Rising Faster Than Ever (Here's Why)

The dangers of obesity are blasted every where we look. And yet it continues to rise. It sits at 27.7 percent — up from 25.5 in 2008. And for the first time since 2008, there has been a rise in obese adults over 65. Is there a way to win the fight against obesity when we have so many gloriously cheap, gluttonous food options? Yes. The first step is learning what obesity really is. To put it simply, obesity is defined as carrying enough body fat to put an individual at risk for diabetes, hypertension, cardiovascular disease, stroke, pulmonary disease, reproductive disorders, osteoarthritis, and cancer, among others. “In short, obesity can affect functioning of all major body organ systems,” says Jennifer Nasser, RD, PhD, assistant professor in the department of biology at Drexel University in Philadelphia. What causes obesity? There is no one thing causing obesity. We are eating around 200 more calories a day than we did 50 years ago. Technology may have made so many parts of our lives easier but it is making us more sedentary. We sit all day at work, we don't walk -- we drive. There are also possible environmental factors. Toxins in our environment may be affecting our hormones causing us to store fat to say nothing of what's in our processed foods. [bctt tweet="Obesity Rates Are Rising Faster Than Ever (Here's Why)"] Obesity isn't just a health risk. It can also have a negative economic impact and cause psychological troubles like depression. There is also the discrimination faced by overweight people. Not good. There is more. The Gallup-Healthways Well-Being Index (on which this information is based) asked respondents to rate their overall well being. In this case, well being is defined through 5 areas: purpose (liking what you do each day), social (relationships), financial, community (liking where you live), and physical (having good health and energy to get things done). The results showed that obese Americans were more likely to suffer in these areas than those who were not obese. It is true that genetics and environment might impact your weight, there is still a lot you can be doing. Talk to your doctor about what weight loss options may be right for you. Move more. Schedule activity into your day and spend less time doing sedentary things like watching television. Eat more fruits and vegetables and serve things in the proper portion size. These little tweaks could be exactly what you need to get the ball rolling in the opposite direction. Source: Everyday Health