Epidemic of obesity still exists nationally

If a person wanted to improve her overall health, what would have the most impact? Many factors can influence an individual’s health including genetics, obesity, physical activity and diet.

Genetics gives us the structure within which we get to operate, but the other factors are under our control. Americans spend billions each year on dietary supplements, exercise equipment and memberships to seek health improvements or weight loss. But how many of us have paid the gym membership, bought the treadmill, bought the supplement and the only change is a thinner bank account?

n epidemic of obesity still exists despite spending billions each year. Without dedication to the cause, those dollars just feed the industry without affecting our bodies or health at all.

According to the National Institutes for Health (NIH), just under a third (31%) of U.S. adults are considered normal weight as determined by a calculation of weigh divided by height, referred to as body mass index (BMI). The remaining sixty-nine percent are considered overweight, obese or extremely obese. Approximately thirty-two percent of children over 2 are considered overweight or obese by NIH. In comparison, in 1962 more than half of US adults were considered normal weight. In 1962, thirteen (13) percent were considered obese, compared to thirty six (36) percent in 2010.

Studies have shown being over a normal weight can pose several health risks: heart disease, high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, stroke, osteoarthritis, fatty liver disease, and cancers such as breast, kidney, colon, and endometrial. Of the ten leading causes of death in the U.S., heart disease and cancer are the first 2, stroke #5, and diabetes #7. The top 4 causes of death in Montana are heart disease, cancer, chronic lower respiratory disease and stroke. Diabetes is #7 in Montana.

So if being of normal weight reduces the risks of several of the top killers, it seems logical to look at some of the resources, free to anyone with an internet connection, that can aid us in understanding the impact of weight and activity on health.

One interesting website that has good science-based information regarding diet and activity changes for reducing disease risks is one sponsored by North Carolina State University called Eat Smart Move More Weigh Less: https://esmmweighless.com/how-it-works/ This website has a variety of great resources.

Other web resources that may be helpful:

• NIH BMI calculator: search “calculate BMI” in Google or other search engine

• Harvard School of Public Health: https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/disease-prevention/

• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC):https://www.cdc.gov/healthyweight/index.html

• NIH: Your Guide to Physical Activity and Your Heart: https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/resources/heart/obesity-physical-active-guide