Obesity overtaking smoking as America's number one killer
Main Category: Obesity / Weight Loss / FitnessArticle Date: 09 Mar 2004 - 0:00 PST
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American government researchers said that obesity is quickly overtaking smoking as the country's number one killer. In fact, obesity is becoming such a problem that many experts now say it is compromising all the benefits of recent improvements in health care and medical breakthroughs.
According to the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) smoking in 2000 was the biggest cause of death - 435,000 people died. 18.1% of everyone who died in that year died of a smoking related disease.
Obesity (bad diet and no exercise) was the cause of 400,000 deaths.
129.6 Americans are overweight or obese. That is a staggering 64% of the population.
If obesity continues to rise, by the year 2020, 20% of all health care spending will be on obesity related diseases and conditions. This is according to the Rand Corporation.
The American Health and Human Services Secretary, Tommy Thompson said 'Americans need to understand that overweight and obesity are literally killing us. To know that poor eating habits and inactivity are on the verge of surpassing tobacco use as the leading cause of preventable death in America should motivate all Americans to take action to protect their health. We need to tackle America's weight issues as aggressively as we are addressing smoking and tobacco.'
You are obese when your BMI (Body Mass Index) is more than 30. One in three Americans is obese, says the CDC.
When your BMI goes over 30, your risk of heart disease, strokes and diabetes increases dramatically.
Visit our obesity / weight loss / fitness section for the latest news on this subject.
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10 Feb. 2012. <http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/releases/6438.php>
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Visitor Opinions In Chronological Order (4)
So Where's A BMI To Look At?
posted by Laurent on 21 Aug 2007 at 3:47 amOk I've heard about body mass index but nowhere any handy chart is being shown out there. Am I obese if my body mass is comprised of large muscle from weight lifting versus body fat?
What is obesity then if a healthy strong body has five percent fat, large mass from building up? Are we unhealthy then?
Laurent
portion control in America
posted by Terri Carter on 16 Oct 2010 at 3:20 amHi Sir/Madam, I am writing this to you from England where the rise in obesity is also causing concern. The thing that i have noticed when i was over there was that portions are so large even the smallest ones that americans eat untill everything is gone on their plate. This is coupled by the free availability of instant on the go food, and a general phobia of walking. It is such pity to see this happen.
I love America and would love to see some portion control, it just seems to go from one extreme to another. Sending kindest regards Terri Carter.
DA FAQ
posted by casey on 7 Nov 2011 at 5:10 amYou can NOT die from eating to much food. I think personaly you need to go eat some food and then tell me why your not dead, You can die from the things that come from eating to much but you can not phyisicaly die from it.
BMI...
posted by Jenny on 7 Nov 2011 at 6:14 am@ Laurent
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/info/obesity/how-much-should-i-weigh.php
answers the questions that you raise.
@Casey
Lol there are a number of sites online that disagree with you...
http://clclt.com/charlotte/fatal-digestion/Content?oid=2361044 you might find of interest ;-) Of course this article isn't saying that you are going to explode - just as cigarettes aren't going to kill you instantly from simply sniffing one on the way past... but it is generally accepted that if you die from throat or lung cancer that it was smoking that killed you... likewise if the cause of your death is from being overweight then it stands to reason that it was overeating that killed you...
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