Growing epidemic: U.S. obesity rates weigh on nation's health

UNITED STATES - OBESITY - EPIDEMIC - CHILDREN

By Dr. John Abramson
Sunday, October 9, 2005

Before we fret too much about avian flu, consider this: the United States is already in the grip of a serious epidemic that's impairing the health and cutting short the lives of adults and children alike.

I'm talking about the obesity epidemic.

And you can bet your next double cheeseburger, fries and extra-large soft drink this epidemic isn't going to end anytime soon.

Since 1970 the percentage of American adults who are obese - at least 30 percent heavier than their ideal body weight - has doubled and is now 31 percent. That's more than twice the rate of the other industrialized countries.

During that period, the percentage of obese American children has gone up almost four-fold.

Why so many supersized Americans now?

Mother Nature designed an exquisite system that allows us to store extra energy when food is plentiful and use this energy when food becomes scarce. We're like rechargeable batteries that store electric power for future use.

Our surplus energy - measured as calories - is stored as body fat. For every 3,500 extra calories in our diet beyond what's needed, we add one pound of fat to our bodies.

The problem is that this magnificent system of energy storage was developed when we lived in a more natural environment - when food was scarce and our diets didn't include processed foods that are much higher in calories. And when there was no advertising to direct us and our kids toward high fat, high sugar foods.

The real source of the current obesity epidemic is embarrassingly simple: Americans are eating 500 calories more each day than we did in 1970. More than a third of our calories are now eaten outside of the home. A Big Mac, medium fries and medium soft drink have a total of 1,340 calories. That's more than half of most people's total daily requirement.

At 3,500 surplus calories to the pound and 500 extra calories each day, it's pretty simple
arithmetic to see that a lot of people are going to be gaining a lot of weight.

Source: BostonHerarld

Buy Hoodia Gordonii Diet Pills, Noni Juices and Aloe products at http://www.hoodialatina.com
Buy aloe raw materials and finished products at
http://www.aloetrade.com.ar

Posted in Artículos y Noticias de Hoodia, Aloe, Noni y Chia en Inglés 975 lecturas