Cue the Obesity Epidemic

   What happens when a lab rat eats 10 cheeseburgers a day? It gets really, really fat. What happens when a human eats 10 cheeseburgers a day? Similar results. Although these simple questions may seem obvious, you will be happy to know that they have been scientifically tested: the first question was confirmed by actual government-sponsored lab experiments, and the second is proven true each day by hundreds of Americans.

  The science of overeating and the impacts of being overweight are not that complicated. Yet, people make conscious decisions each day that worsen their health and lead to more weight gain. Perhaps by seeing a broad overview of the impending obesity crises, each of us may find the courage to take the steps leading to a healthier lifestyle.



   Obesity occurs when accumulated body fat poses a health risk to that individual. One way to measure obesity is by the body mass index, which divides a person's weight by the square of the person's height. A person is considered obese when their BMI exceeds 30 kg/m2. People may also be classified as obese if their body fat percentage is greater than 25% for men or 32% for women. Being obese increase the likelihood of other diseases, including heart disease, Type 2 diabetes, and certain types of cancer.

  Strangely enough, obesity is a modern disease brought about by the abundance of grain and sugar agricultural products. For thousands of years, obesity was rarely seen with the notable exception of certain, privileged nobility. It was not until 1997 that the World Health Organization even recognized obesity as a threat. Since then, the prevalence of obesity has skyrocketed. As of 2008, the World Health Organization claimed that 500 million adults were obese, and another 1 billion were overweight. Obesity rates are rising worldwide and are most dramatically seen in urban environments. Predictably, the United States leads the world in obesity occurrences with over 30% of the adult population being clinically obese.

   Reducing obesity requires a dissemination of proper dieting knowledge. Unfortunately for us, nutritional science took a wrong turn in the USA in the 1970s when a study claimed that fat consumption led to cardiovascular disease and obesity. Fueled by politics and profits, an avalanche of 'fear-the-fat' dietary advice ensued. Yet, despite the grocery store shelves being overloaded with fat-free products, the obesity rate in America has continued to climb. Recent scientific studies now show why. Many fat-free foods are loaded with sugars that stimulate hormones that promote fat storage. Ironically enough, the lack of fatty foods has been making us fat. It may take a long time before the truth concerning food nutrition finds its way to the public. In the meantime, we are left to wonder just how big this obesity epidemic will grow.

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