In the last 20 years, the rate of obesity has increased. According to national surveys, 67 percent of Americans are overweight or obese. Are people getting comfortable with being overweight?
Being overweight is a lifestyle that is the number one cause for many diseases and conditions like type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, cancer, high cholesterol and much more.
Health authorities everywhere in the world have warned that there is an alarming tendency towards obesity, and that this trend can have very serious consequences for health care facilities as well as for overweight people. Although there is a lot of good information for everyone about weight loss and improving health, it seems as if nothing can stem the tide of overweight people that live unhealthy lives and that endanger their own lives.
Why Is Obesity Increasing?
While there is no single definitive answer to this question, it seems that the ever increasing pace of modern life plays a large role in the increase of overweight people. More and more people are getting used to eating on the run, and even then, they turn to fast foods that contain high levels of unhealthy fat and processed foods that cannot begin to satisfy the nutrient needs of the body. Sadly, increasing numbers of people turn to food for comfort, and eating disorders such as anorexia and bulimia have also risen sharply during the past few years.
Why Is Obesity Dangerous?
Overweight people can cause themselves untold bodily harm; obesity has been linked to high blood pressure, a wide variety of heart problems, asthma and other respiratory difficulties, increased risk for allergies, and serious blood sugar deficiencies, to name just a few. Many obese people soon suffer psychological problems as well, and as their own self-images suffer, they become less productive and start to withdraw socially. Many studies have shown that overweight people will most probably experience a shorter life expectancy, and that they are more likely to succumb to serious diseases such as cancer, arthritis and diabetes.
Is There A Solution?
Too many overweight people know that their lifestyles are dangerous, but because they believe that weight loss will require a supreme effort, they keep procrastinating. The truth is that anybody can start to lead a healthier lifestyle without the need for starvation.
All it takes is a resolve to eat healthier, to obtain medical advice, and to exercise regularly. No, being overweight and unhealthy should not become the new normal and anyone who wants to make a change can do it!
