Weighing in on the Obesity Epidemic | blog.visalus.com

Waistlines across the country are expanding, and the problem is only getting worse.

Today, over a third of American adults are considered obese. A recent study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention forecasts that this number will increase to 42% of American adults by 2030. And it isn?t just the U.S. According to Statistics Canada (StatsCan) data released in 2011, about 24.1% of Canadians over the age of 30 are obese.

?Obesity is an epidemic that is affecting millions of people,? said Dr. Steven Witherly, Ph.D., a leading expert in the field of food science and nutrition and a member of the ViSalus Scientific Advisory Board. ?And the scary truth is that all this extra weight is threatening people?s lives.?

Obesity is an abnormal accumulation of body fat, usually 20% or more over the ideal body weight. This excess body weight can lead to major health problems, such as diabetes, hypertension, high blood pressure and heart disease to name a few, not to mention an increased risk of cancer and stroke. Even more alarming, at least 2.8 million adults die each year as a result of being overweight or obese, according to the World Health Organization.

At the rate this is going, the current healthcare system may not be able to financially support the growing epidemic. According to Forbes.com, a University of Chicago study estimates that Americans with diabetes will increase from 24 million people to about 44 million people by 2034, with direct health care costs increasing from $116 billion a year to $336 billion a year.

How Did we Get So Fat?

Plenty of factors are to blame for the country?s growing girth- including the rise of portion sizes throughout the years. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Americans are consuming on average 500+ more calories a day than we did 25 years ago. A soda used to be 8 oz. and 97 calories. Today, the average soda is 20 oz. and 243 calories. A serving of popcorn was 7 cups and 400 calories. Today, it?s 20 cups and 1,160 calories. Even our dinner plates have grown: from 8 inches in diameter to 12 inches. The shift in portion sizes has made Americans consistently underestimate how many calories we are actually consuming, according to Men?s Health magazine.

Despite all this eating, most of us aren?t giving our bodies the nutrition we need. The U.S. Department of Agriculture report states that only 10% of America?s population eats a proper diet. Most diets lack vital nutrients like Omegas and Vitamins E and A, but are overloaded with sugar and salt.

?Even though people are overfeeding themselves, they still fall short of getting the key vitamins, minerals and nutrients they need to lead a healthy life.? Witherly said.

Contributing to the obesity problem is a decrease in physical activity in our daily lives. Sixty-two percent of adults don?t exercise or engage in any rigorous leisure activity lasting 10 minutes or longer per week. All of those hours sitting on the couch, in the car or at a desk- instead of engaging in aerobic or strength-training activities- are slowly taking a toll on our bodies.

Can Fast Food Be Healthy?

To compensate for the growing obesity epidemic, the fast food industry is fighting back, bringing ?healthy options? to appease the consumer market. But just how healthy can fast food be?

In 2011, Wendy?s unveiled their natural cut French fries, made with potato skins and seasoned with sea salt, as part of the company?s initiative to bring ?real? ingredients into fast food. But just because a food is named natural and features recognizable ingredients doesn?t make it healthy. A large serving of Wendy?s natural-cut fries has 530 calories, 25 grams of fat and little nutritional value, according to the company?s website.

Even packaged food can?t always be trusted. Kraft announced that it voluntarily reduced the sodium in its foods by 10% in 2012. That sounds like a positive change, however, according to The Huffington Post, Kraft?s SpongeBob Macaroni & Cheese has 1,160 milligrams of sodium per box. A 10% reduction brings the number down to 1,050 milligrams, which is still a lot of sodium considering the recommended limit for an adult is 2,300 milligrams a day.

Reverse the Obesity Trend

Despite all the alarming facts about America?s weight problem and conflicting information coming from the food industry, you don?t have to be a victim to obesity.

?There are things you can do right now to fight obesity,? said Ryan Blair, Co-Founder and CEO of ViSalus. Whether it?s making small changes in your diet or starting to exercise regularly, it is never too late to change your situation.?

Joining the Body by Vi Challenge is a simple solution to help you lose weight and stay in shape for the long haul. In just 90 days, you have the opportunity to transform your body and your life. It?s simple, rewarding, fun and fits with any lifestyle.

All you have to do is set a personal weight-loss, active or fitness Challenge goal, select a Challenge Kit to support your goal and submit results to win. The Challenge helps keep you on track because it takes the guesswork out of eating, thanks to the variety of healthy foods, including the Vi-Shape Nutritional Shake Mix. Read the food labels: You?ll find a regimen that provides just the right amount of calories and nutrition your body needs to perform at optimum levels, helping your body get back into shape.

?Obesity is serious business,? Blair said. ?But it?s a fight you don?t have to attempt alone. Not as long as The Challenge is there to provide you with the support you need.?

Article Source: The Challenge Magazine: Volume 2 ? Issue 1

Healthy LivingobesityoverweightThe ChallengeViSalusweight loss

Source: http://blog.visalus.com/uncategorized/weighing-in-on-the-obesity-epidemic/

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