Obesity in the United States
Self image and living a healthy life are a very thin line to thread. America’s obesity trends are rising each year. Alone in the last 30 years the rise of obesity among adults in the United States has almost tripled. Back in the 1990’s “obese adults made up less than 15 percent of the population in most U.S. states.” (1) According to recent studies it is estimated that 160 million Americans are obese or overweight. While nearly 30 percent of boys and girls under the age of 20 are obese or overweight.
'The CDC has classified obesity as a national epidemic. It is more than a weight problem, it affects a person’s physical, metabolical, and psychological health. Obesity is a major chronic health issue in the United States, it leads to various diseases. Including:
- certain types of cancers
- coronary artery disease
- type 2 diabetes
- strokes
- increases early mortality rates
- & economic costs
Adult obesity rates rise in 6 states (Iowa, Massachusetts, Ohio, Oklahoma, Rhode Island, and South Carolina) have reported. An estimation show that these are 6 states that had big pike for studying more and learning to live a healthier life.It will be a lifelong struggle to maintain a healthy lifestyle to improve your quality of life. Self image issues are also a big issue especially among young adult women.
The reason we bring this up is because there is a bigger problem underneath, improper nutrition. The struggle to find proper nutrition can lead to other very serious complications. Drastically improving a person's quality of life. This by no means is a drag on the importance of mental health, but our goal was to show information from a different point of view.
Reference:
For more info on related topics check out our previous blog post, “Let's Talk About Binge-Eating" and “What is an eating disorder?”
(1) https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/an-epidemic-of-obesity/