Research on Obesity

Research on obesity shows that many adults are suffering because of their obesity

Medical professionals show that adults who are obese have a greater chance for heart disease, diabetes and stroke. Research on obesity has increased recently for obesity is a problem in the United States and in other places around the world. The percentage of children, teenagers and adults who can be classified as obese has increased recently, and the problem is very detrimental to the health of many people. Approximately 30% of non-Hispanic whites are obese while 45.0% of non-Hispanic blacks and 36.8% of Mexican Americans are obese.

Research on obesity has proven that a family group adopts the same attitudes and practices toward food, behavior and activity level. Focusing on a modification program for the whole family will hopefully increase the success rate for everyone involved.

Overweight and obesity increase the risk of developing numerous serious health problems, including heart disease and type 2 diabetes. The prevalence of type 2 diabetes has increased with the national increase in overweight and obesity

Health and medical professions concentrate on treating obesity’s results - heart disease, diabetes, hypertension, gallstones, sleep apnea, bowel cancer, etc. It is a preventable disease through changes in diet and by becoming more physically active. Health Costs - Our children are paying dearly and at their young age are not realizing this. Type 2 Diabetes has risen from 4% new cases seen in the pre-1990's to between 8-45% during the 1990's.

Families and communities lie at the foundation of the solution to the problems of overweight and obesity. Family members can share their own knowledge and habits regarding a healthy diet and physical activity with their children, friends, and other community members. Families that do not eat together tend to consume more fried foods and soda and less fruits and veggies than families that share meals.

BMI is useful as a general guideline to monitor trends in the population, but by itself is not diagnostic of an individual patient's health status. Further evaluation of a patient should be performed to determine his or her weight status and associated health risks. BMI equals a person's weight in kilograms divided by height in meters squared. BMI is imperfect since it fails to distinguish fat from lean body mass.

Overweight refers to an excess of body weight compared to set standards. Overweight people face discrimination -- in jobs and social situations; even the clothes they need usually cost more! Many can't enjoy the simple things that most Americans take for granted -- like, going to the movies, riding on a roller coaster, even walking up stairs or tying shoes is a major ordeal. Overweight is defined as having a BMI of 25 to 29.9 (a 5'5" woman who weighs 150 pounds or more or a 5'11" man who weighs 180 pounds or more). A BMI of 20 to 24.9 is considered normal weight, and a BMI under 20 is considered underweight.

Fat farms are helpful, but a lot of fat people consider these places a stigma and would rather not go there. Instead, they would prefer to have their own parents, relatives, and close friends guide them through the steps that have to be taken to lose weight