America facing a "big" problem

[MTAFFI]

75 percent of Americans overweight by 2015
Two-thirds considered heavy or obese now; rate still increasing, study finds

Updated: 2 hours, 44 minutes ago
WASHINGTON - If people keep gaining weight at the current rate, fat will be the norm by 2015, with 75 percent of U.S. adults overweight and 41 percent obese, U.S. researchers predicted on Wednesday.

A team at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore examined 20 studies published in journals and looked at national surveys of weight and behavior for their analysis, published in the journal Epidemiologic Reviews.

“Obesity is a public health crisis. If the rate of obesity and overweight continues at this pace, by 2015, 75 percent of adults and nearly 24 percent of U.S. children and adolescents will be overweight or obese,” Dr. Youfa Wang, who led the study, said in a statement.

They defined adult overweight and obesity using a standard medical definition called body mass index. People with a BMI of 25 or above are considered overweight, while those with BMIs of 30 or above are obese and at serious risk of heart disease, diabetes and some cancers.

Studies show that 66 percent of U.S. adults were overweight or obese in 2003 and 2004. An alarming 80 percent of black women aged 40 or over are overweight and 50 percent are obese.

Sixteen percent of U.S. children and adolescents are overweight and 34 percent are at risk of becoming overweight, according to federal government figures.

Every group is steadily getting heavier, Wang said.

“Our analysis showed patterns of obesity or overweight for various groups of Americans,” said May Beydoun, who worked on the study.

“Obesity is likely to continue to increase, and if nothing is done, it will soon become the leading preventable cause of death in the United States.”

Source

So many people worry about our countries economy and wars with other nations, why dont these people put the same effort into keeping themself in shape. It is a disgrace to our country when reports like this come out, it is a disgrace to walk down the street and see people that are 300+ pounds. Take care of yourself america, it isnt that hard

[The_Prince]

wow! 75% will be overweight! i dont think thats actually possible, what counts as over weight.

saudia arabia is having same problems also.

[Cognescenti]

wow! 75% will be overweight! i dont think thats actually possible, what counts as over weight.

saudia arabia is having same problems also.

"Overweight" is technecally defined as a BMI (body mass index) over 25. It is actually a pretty tough standard as muscular men can easily be over a BMI of 25. Of course, that is not the usual reason :D Here is a body mass index calculator.

http://www.nhlbisupport.com/bmi/

[snakelegs]

some are pigs and some are starving. what a world. imsad
(and i'm a bit of a pig myself).

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[Keltoi]

I think a big part of the problem is the Age of Technology. People just aren't outdoors doing stuff like they used to. It isn't that people are eating more, it is that they aren't doing anything after they eat.

[Intisar]

That is disgusting. I visit the US once or twice a year and on every corner there is at least one Fast Food joint. Like you said, it's not that hard to be healthy. All you need to do is discipline yourself, eating healthily, and excercise daily. With so much focus being put on watching television and emulating the stars, it's a wonder that there hasn't been on a study being put out on eating disorders either.

[Muslim Woman]

Salaam/peace;

I think a big part of the problem is the Age of Technology.

it's a good point....ya , we now spend hours in front of TV & compu....don't want to walk at all :(

It isn't that people are eating more, .

i think , we are taking more fatty foods errrr the foods / drinks will make us fatty like chocolate , icecream etc a lot than our parents did.

[Cognescenti]

Calculate your BMI..be honest..25.8 for me. I swear I am not fat. :sunny: It is a tough standard.

[Maidah]

i've been to the states and i can say that the food is so much cheaper there and so much more available to the public. Ppl are kinda getting dependant on it cuz it's everywhere.

[KAding]

I read that the problem isn't calorie intake really, it is a lack of physical activity, so we burn less calories. And again, that isn't really related to less people doing sports, it has to do with general lifestyle requiring fewer calories. In Holland for example people eat less calories today then they did 50 years ago.

I always find this ironic, since so much of the attention is focussed on McDonalds and similar fast-food restaurants, i.e. looking at the intake. Perhaps our attention should focus on the public transport, car, elevator and escalator lobby instead ;).

[Cognescenti]

Here is a summary of an exercise study on the Old Order Amish. Only 26% of adults were overweight, but they did a lot of physical activity, over 18,000 steps a day for men. :uuh: They ate a lot too. :happy: The problem is 18,000 steps takes a long time.



Daily Physical Activity Of Amish Contrasts With Today’s Epidemic Of Obesity: Old Order Amish Six Times More Active than Average Adults

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The large decline in work-related physical activity in North America over the past two centuries may be a major contributing factor to the modern obesity epidemic, according to results of a recent study of physical activity and body composition in an Old Order Amish community.

During the study, 98 Amish adults in a southern Ontario farming community wore pedometers and logged their physical activities for seven days. The conservative Amish, known for living without modern technology and conveniences, utilize 19th century farming techniques that require physical labor.

The study was designed to use very accurate, recently developed measurement methods to assess the actual physical activity levels of the study participants to determine how the influence of technology affects physical activity levels in modern society.

A very high level of physical activity is integrated into the daily lives of the Amish, the results of the study found. Amish men, who mostly work as farmers, reported an average of 10 hours of vigorous work per week and took an average of 18,425 steps a day.

One man recorded more than 51,000 steps in a single day by walking behind a team of horses while farming. Women, most of whom report being homemakers, engaged in more moderateforms of activity such as gardening, cooking, and childcare, but still achieved an average of 14,196 daily steps.

Other forms of physical activity performed were determined and quantified by the questionnaire, which asked the participants to record three physical activities they performed each day. On average, the Amish participated in roughly six times the amount of weekly physical activity performed by nearly 2,000 participants in a recent survey in 12 modernized nations.

"The Amish were able to show us just how far we’ve fallen in the last 150 years or so in terms of the amount of physical activity we typically perform," said David R. Bassett, Ph.D., FACSM, a professor at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, and lead researcher for the study. "Their lifestyle indicates that physical activity played a critical role in keeping our ancestors fit and healthy."

The Amish participants also were weighed and measured for height to determine their Body Mass Index (BMI). Results indicate that only four percent of those surveyed were obese and only 26 percent were overweight, as determined by their BMI. This compares most favorably to the prevalence of these classifications in the United States, where 31 percent of the adult population is obese and 64.5 percent is overweight.

Body fat measurements also were taken and the results were inversely related to the average steps per day. Each Amish participant met the criteria of at least 30 minutes of moderate physical activity per day, most days of the week, recommended by ACSM and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

"It is unreasonable to suggest that we return to a lifestyle where vigorous physical activity dominates our workplace," said Bassett. "What we should do is realize through this study that the modern environment has changed for the worst in terms of promoting activity and good health. It will be up to each of us to adapt to this reality by finding new opportunities to become and stay active."

Another lifestyle factor often linked to obesity is diet. Interestingly, researchers observe that the Amish diet is typically high in calories, fat and refined sugar. Foods typically include meat, potatoes, gravy, eggs, vegetables, bread, pies, and cakes.

This suggests Amish adults are able to maintain a more ideal body weight through physical activity, despite high levels of caloric intake.

The study, published in the January edition of Medicine & Science in Sports and Exercise®, the official scientific journal of the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM.)

The American College of Sports Medicine is the largest sports medicine and exercise science organization in the world. More than 20,000 International, National, and Regional members are dedicated to advancing and integrating scientific research to provide educational and practical applications of exercise science and sports medicine.

http://www.wellnessjunction.com/atho...cise/amish.htm

[Joe98]

I weigh about 85kilo

If I carry a 40k bag onto an aircraft the total weight is 125k but I will be charged for excess baggage.

When a 125kilo person carries a 20 kilo bag he is not charged any thing extra!

[guyabano]

I weigh about 85kilo

If I carry a 40k bag onto an aircraft the total weight is 125k but I will be charged for excess baggage.

When a 125kilo person carries a 20 kilo bag he is not charged any thing extra!

I think, that is ok, because on other side, there might be persons boarding the plane who just weight 45kg (like my wife). Should she then get money back from the flightcompany? Of course not !

Do you think, that is unfair? And what do you then think about persons, who sit in an wheelchair? Should they also pay for their wheelchair?

[guyabano]

i've been to the states and i can say that the food is so much cheaper there and so much more available to the public. Ppl are kinda getting dependant on it cuz it's everywhere.

The main problem is, you don't have to go out to get the food anymore. No, the food comes to you ! That was one of the worsiest things, which could ever happen: Home delivery. It gives you the chance to stuff yourself with loads of food even without leaving the house. Second big mistake which made us nearby all couchpotatoes was the invention of the remote control for all kind of devices like TV, Aircon, HiFi, etc...

[beespreeteam]

I guess the best thing we could take out of this is to avoid becoming an Ummah like that, rofl...

[Keltoi]

Childhood obesity is what should be challenged. Usually if they become obese as children they will stay obese in adulthood. I'm not sure how many schools still have P.E. classes that emphasize basic exercise and fitness.

[Strzelecki]

I think a big part of the problem is the Age of Technology. People just aren't outdoors doing stuff like they used to. It isn't that people are eating more, it is that they aren't doing anything after they eat.

Yes.
But there's also the "convenience" of fatty foods on top of that. :(
In other news, my weights getting better [used to be underweight!]

[MTAFFI]

Calculate your BMI..be honest..25.8 for me. I swear I am not fat. :sunny: It is a tough standard.

My BMI is 16.**, I didnt use your calculator thing because if you have muscle that thing doesnt account for it (or the ones I have seen usually dont). I take my fitness pretty seriously, I got that 16% number from a guy at a gym I go to, he used the thing to pinch me under my arm, my stomach, backs of my legs, etc. and then he calculated it. I am 205 and 6 feet 2, if you simply put that in your calculater it would probably say I am overweight, but in real life I would say I am probably more fit than 90% of the people around me

[KAding]

I guess the best thing we could take out of this is to avoid becoming an Ummah like that, rofl...

Well, it doesn't look good for the Arab world. The only rich Arab countries are the Gulf States and they already have severe problems with obesity.

http://www.dawn.com/2005/10/02/int7.htm

Obesity a major problem in Gulf: study
By Our Correspondent

RIYADH, Oct 1: Obesity has become a major health problem in the Gulf due to a rapid transformation in lifestyle. According to a study presented in Doha, Qatar, 70 per cent of women and 50 per cent of men living in Gulf states are overweight or obese.

“Obesity occurs much more often in women in Gulf states where it affects 50 to 70 per cent of married women and 30 to 50 per cent of married men,” said a study presented by Qatari researcher Issam Abd Rabbu at the ‘Facts About Obesity’ seminar.

This is definitely understandable. Although men also prefer to enjoy a sedentary lifestyle here, participation of women in physical activity is much lower.

Physical education in girls’ schools is almost non-existent in Saudi society. In other Gulf countries although the situation may be slightly better, there is a definite inclination towards discouraging women from taking part in physical activity.

Obesity is also starting to strain the social net, with diseases such as diabetes, blood pressure and accompanying diseases already putting pressure on health budgets, which in most of the states is still being provided by the state to nationals free of charge.

But sustaining this pressure for long with an obese population, may be problematic in future, analysts here believe.

Mr Rabbu said the problem was also taking a toll on children, ‘affecting five to 10 per cent of pre-school children, 10 to 15 per cent of primary school children and 20 to 40 per cent for secondary school children’.

These obesity rates are ‘much higher than in developed countries’, he said in his study, called ‘Obesity: The illness of the century’.

He blamed obesity among Gulf women on ‘repeated pregnancies without a reasonable interval’ of time.

Mr Rabbu said statistics in his study covered people suffering from being ‘overweight, obese, excessively obese and morbidly obese’.

The ummah is already growing in size ;). Just not in the sense that everyone here is always hoping ;p.

Prevalence of Obesity in the Saudi Population

This study is a comprehensive investigation on Saudi population and has shown that overweight and obesity can be regarded as major problems in Saudi males and females. The prevalence of obesity in the 15-70 year age group is 13.05% and 20.26% in the Saudi males and females. This is higher than reported in the USA (12% in males and 15% in females 20-64 years old), Australia (7% in both males and females 25-64 years old), the UK (8% and 9% in males and females 20-64 years old), and Italy (4.9% and 3.9% in males and females 15-44 years old and 9.9% and 11.1% in males and females 45-64 years old).4 The exception appears to be African males, with an obesity prevalence of 14.6%, higher than Saudi males. However, the Saudi females in the age group 15-70 years appear to have the maximum prevalence of obesity. Our data confirms earlier reports of high prevalence of obesity in females in Riyadh = 44.1%,30 Eastern Province = 27%,31 Central Province = 29.7%,32 and highlanders in the Western Province of Saudi Arabia = 67.6%.33 Similarly, males have also been shown to have a high prevalence, i.e., 28%,34 21%35 and 18%32 in Riyadh and 45% in the highlanders.

http://www.kfshrc.edu.sa/annals/173/96-177.html

[MTAFFI]

Well, it doesn't look good for the Arab world. The only rich Arab countries are the Gulf States and they already have severe problems with obesity.

http://www.dawn.com/2005/10/02/int7.htm


The ummah is already growing in size ;). Just not in the sense that everyone here is always hoping ;p.

http://www.kfshrc.edu.sa/annals/173/96-177.html

it is sickening to see these sorts of figures

When people get sick they go to the doctor, when people get fat they go to mcdonalds

Perhaps if more people realized that being fat is being sick it wouldnt be such a problem.

Also I have read that genetics have something to do with you ability to metabolize food, however personally I believe that it is how you were brought up. If you sat on your butt all day in your house watching tv as a youngster chances are you wont be able to metabolize food as well as a kid that went outside and played all day. You are a product of your enviroment

[Cognescenti]

I think I will open a "plus-size" Burka store in Riyadh.

The solution is to make people catch or harvest their own food. If we had to chase around a deer for two days in the mountians and take it down with an atlatl there would be a lot less obesity.

[Cognescenti]

My BMI is 16.**, I didnt use your calculator thing because if you have muscle that thing doesnt account for it (or the ones I have seen usually dont). I take my fitness pretty seriously, I got that 16% number from a guy at a gym I go to, he used the thing to pinch me under my arm, my stomach, backs of my legs, etc. and then he calculated it. I am 205 and 6 feet 2, if you simply put that in your calculater it would probably say I am overweight, but in real life I would say I am probably more fit than 90% of the people around me

Right..I think you are talking about "body fat percentage" measurements using a "skin-fold caliper". This is a failry accurate way to etimate body fat percentage. It is different from BMI which is based solely on height and weight and is desinged to be very easy to measure.

A "body fat percentage" of 16 is in the "fit" range for men, whereas a BMI up to 25 is "normal" :sunny:

[Darkseid]

wow! 75% will be overweight! i dont think thats actually possible, what counts as over weight.

saudia arabia is having same problems also.

Just being a pound (2.2 lbs or pounds is equal to 1 Kilogram) over what is considered average (which is considered skinny or slighly puny to about 80% of people worldwide) is considered overweight.

Being muscular is considered overweight. The Great Khali who is obviously not fat can be considered overweight.

Now since we have taken care of that issue, let me address some weight labels to better understand these overweight issues. This if of course disacknowledging muscle tissue, which should be counted seperately.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Documented area of Anorexic"

Anorexic = More than 50 pounds underweight

Puny = 50.0 to 20.1 pounds underweight

"Documented area of Average, not true to public opinion"

"Documented Area of Obesity" = 1 pound over documented Average

Skinny = 20.0 to 10.1 pounds underweight

Under Average = -10.0 to 1.0 pound underweight

Truly Average = -0.9 to 0.9 of a pound overweight

Over Average = 1.0 to 10.0 pounds overweight

Chubby = 10.1 to 20.0 pounds overweight

Stout = 20.1 to 50.0 pounds overweight

Fat = 50.1 to 99.9 pounds overweight

Truly Obese = 100.0 and above pounds overweight


Weight is really more like a three dimensional issue. First dimension is about how many pounds of fat one has over or below actual average. The second dimension is about how many pounds of muscle one has over or below actual average. The final dimension should be about their body structure, shape, and size, which has the largest overall part in determining where one's average may be best located.

FYI, obese is an adjective commonly used to describe someone that looks porportional to a whale. Therefore, it is a very sensitive word that should be used in its actual context. Also, most Americans fit the Average to Fat area (about sixty percent). The remainder is highly concentrated in the Average to Skinny area with some fitting in the extremes. What is truly a problem for America are these false medical accusations based entirely off of profit and fraud.

[dua4me]

Anyone seen that documentary "Supersize Me" , Subhan Allah I felt so disgusted while watching that.

Obesity is the 2nd greatest cause of preventable death (behind smoking, i think)!

May Allah protect us from it!