Is America the Most Obese Country in the World?\u00a0\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n
It\u2019s no surprise obesity has been on a steady rise in America with 2 out of 3 adults (69%) being overweight and 1 out of 3 (roughly 41.9%) being obese.\u00a0 Why does America continue to see rising obesity rates and what can be done about it?<\/b><\/p>\n
According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC) website, obesity in America is showing no signs of slowing down anytime soon.\u00a0 With staggering statistics suggesting sharp inclines in obesity rates amongst adults across ALL races and socioeconomic statuses, many health experts are left scratching their heads as to why America\u2019s waistbands continue to expand.\u00a0 From America\u2019s insatiable love for fast food and supersized portions to added sugar, red meat, and grain consumption to increased sedentary lifestyles, we explore the truth behind our obesity epidemic.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Obesity in America:\u00a0 Fast Facts You Need to Know<\/b><\/p>\n Contrary to popular belief, America does NOT lead the charge in being the most obese country in the world.\u00a0 However, the United States IS the most obese country amongst OECD (Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development) countries with a startling 36.2% obesity rate.\u00a0 According to the WHO (World Health Organization), more than 1.9 billion adults worldwide are overweight to some degree, including 650 million who suffer from obesity, which tripled worldwide between 1975 and 2016!<\/span><\/p>\n What is To Blame for America\u2019s Rising Obesity Rates<\/a>?<\/b><\/p>\n Reasons for America\u2019s obesity epidemic continue to elude even the most illustrious health experts, as there are no concrete conclusions to suggest otherwise.\u00a0 Innumerable scientific studies have been conducted, only to be devoid of conclusive findings, though there are numerous, plausible theories suggesting too much food and too little physical activity are the two biggest culprits in the battle of the bulge.\u00a0 After all, \u201ccalories in should equal calories out\u201d has been the longstanding, yet simple, formula to losing\/maintaining a healthy weight.\u00a0 Another cause is believed to be the consumption of bigger portion sizes, especially those offered at famous chain and convenient fast-food establishments.\u00a0 Bigger isn\u2019t always better, as it turns out.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n The U. S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) reports the average American consumed nearly 20% more calories in 2000 than in 1983, thanks, in part, to an increase in red meat, added fats, and grain consumption.\u00a0 Unsurprisingly, fast food seems to make up about 11% of the average American diet thanks to our overworked and under-slept culture. Processed, packaged foods and sugary sodas\/beverages are also adding to America\u2019s growing waistlines.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Let\u2019s not overlook one of the most glaring contributors to America\u2019s rise in obesity \u2013 mixed messaging and confusion that surrounds America\u2019s complicated relationship with food.\u00a0 Is there a blatant lack of education around diet and nutrition?\u00a0 Statistics suggest as much.\u00a0 Americans continue to struggle with discerning between \u201cdiet\u201d and \u201cnutrition.\u201d\u00a0 Fast-food meals have always been traditionally cheap, filling, and undeniably delicious\/borderline addictive, yet, ironically, Americans spend $20 billion annually on pills, fad diets, and weight loss surgeries, such as lap band and gastric bypass, to undo the damage of these deleterious diets.\u00a0 It\u2019s a vicious irony.\u00a0 Some health experts and nutritionists blame our workaholic culture and lack of work-life balance, as more and more Americans are spending more time at the office and less time at home.\u00a0 This also contributes to another epidemic \u2013 the sleep deprivation epidemic that continues to plague million of Americans.\u00a0 Sleep deprivation has been linked to obesity, stroke, heart disease, and even early death.\u00a0 Swapping hydrogenated oils and added sugars for animal-derived fats during the low-fat food craze of the 1990s didn\u2019t help matters, either.\u00a0 By the time Americans realized \u201clow fat\u201d <\/span>and<\/span><\/i> \u201cfilling\u201d was just too good to be true, we were already on the downward spiral.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Finally, let\u2019s talk about increased sedentary lifestyles and America\u2019s lack of physical activity.\u00a0 It has been nearly half a century since most of America toiled in the fields or on factory floors, as a large part of Americans are now sitting at their jobs for 8-plus hours a day.\u00a0 One study suggests only 20% of today\u2019s jobs require at least \u201cmoderate\u201d physical exertion, as opposed to 50% of all jobs in 1960.\u00a0 Further research suggests Americans burn 120-140 fewer calories a day than they did 50 or even 40 years ago.\u00a0 Add this to the increase in daily calorie consumption overall and you\u2019ve got a recipe for diet disaster.\u00a0 With the advent of the internet and sitting in cars for longer periods of time commuting to and from work, Americans are simply moving less than they ever did in history, thanks to the industrialization of a first world country.\u00a0 Cars and computers have unequivocally replaced bikes and ball playing, seemingly making life easier and more convenient \u2013 but at a steep price.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Getting America Back on Track\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n While we can point the proverbial finger to genetics, age, red meat, dairy, wheat\/grain, fats, sugar, sodas, fast food, or lack of exercise, it\u2019s time for Americans to take accountability for their own health. Getting educated about food, nutrition, and exercise, while implementing healthy lifestyle choices is a surefire way to lose weight and keep it off for good.\u00a0 The CDC<\/a> remains resolute that weight gain and loss goes back to the old, tried-and-true formula of \u201ctotal calories consumed versus total calories expended.\u201d\u00a0 In other words, eating less and moving more are keys to maintaining a healthy, stable weight that will energize our days and support restorative slumber.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Of course, there are medical interventions for those Americans who continue to struggle with obesity even after conventional methods have proved ineffective. If you\u2019re struggling with obesity, and no longer want to be seen as a statistic, call Dr. Michael Feiz and Associates<\/a> today! We offer a variety of weight loss programs<\/a> to help you get your life back. We specialize in medical weight loss procedures for patients seeking to lose as little as 20 pounds, and we have helped many of our patients lose 100+ pounds. We can\u2019t wait to meet you!\u00a0<\/span><\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Is America the Most Obese Country in the World?\u00a0\u00a0 It\u2019s no surprise obesity has been on a steady rise in America with 2 out of 3 adults (69%) being overweight and 1 out of 3 (roughly 41.9%) being obese.\u00a0 Why does America continue to see rising obesity rates and what can be done about it? […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":23,"featured_media":10523,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-10642","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-blog"],"yoast_head":"\n\n
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