Overweight, Obesity & Weight Management

November 2006

 Research by Dr. Ted

Rates of Overweight and Obesity in the United States?

Rates of overweight and obesity in the United States have grown to epidemic proportions over the last 20 years. In 2005, the Surgeon General estimated that two-thirds of Americans were overweight or obese. The latest data from the NCHS show that 30 percent of U.S. adults 20 years of age and older—more than 60 million people—are obese. The direct costs and indirect costs of overweight and obesity amounted to about $117 billion in 2000. 

Childhood overweight and obesity rates are especially alarming. According to the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) report, Health, United States, 2005, 16 percent of children and adolescents aged six to 19 were overweight. The prevalence of overweight among children and adolescents has doubled and tripled, respectively, over a period of twenty-six years (1976-2002). Research shows that overweight children are more likely to become overweight adults and, therefore, are at greater risk for associated health problems. In fact, 60 percent of overweight five- to 10-year-old children already have at least one risk factor for heart disease.

What are the Health Implications?

The consequences of overweight and obesity can range from psychological effects that impact quality of life (e.g. poor self-esteem, discrimination, depression) to physiological conditions that put an individual at risk for premature death. These conditions include the following:

• Hypertension
• Dyslipidemia (high total cholesterol or high levels of triglycerides)
• Type 2 diabetes
• Heart disease
• Stroke
• Gallbladder disease
• Osteoarthritis
• Sleep apnea and respiratory problems
• Some cancers (such as endometrial, breast, and colon)

In research, the term “metabolic syndrome” has been widely used to refer to obesity, a combination of the above health factors—diabetes, hypertension, dyslipidemia—and signs of kidney disease. It has been suggested that the metabolic syndrome increases the risk for heart disease more than the individual health factors alone. 

Most health professionals believe that the more overweight an individual is, the higher the risk for developing health complications. 

Treatment

Evidence-based reports—such as the 2000 National Institutes of Health (NIH) Practical Guide for Identification, Evaluation, and Treatment of Overweight and Obesity in Adults—summarize approaches to weight loss and maintenance. The general goals for weight loss and weight management are the following:

1.     Reduce body weight;

2.     Maintain a lower body weight over the long term; and,

3.     Prevent further weight gain as a minimum goal.

Weight loss should be achieved at a safe and healthful rate of 1-2 pounds per week based on a reduction of 500 to 1,000 calories per day. 

Originally printed in the 2007-2009 IFIC Foundation Media Guide on Food Safety and Nutrition Retrieved May 2008

Source: http://www.ific.org/nutrition/obesity/index.cfm

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