Obesity in America -- The Growing Epidemic!

Obesity is a disease that affects approximately 60 million people in the United States, where women are especially affected. Over one-third of women between the ages of 20 and 74 are obese, the majority of them being African American or Mexican American. With more and more pre-packaged food and less and less activity, the number of obese people in America has steadily increased since the 1960's.

But what is obesity? Many people think obesity means that a person is overweight, but that's not exactly true. An overweight person has a surplus amount of weight that includes muscle, bone, fat, and water. An obese person has a surplus of body fat. Most health professionals concur that a man is obese if he has over 25 percent body fat, and a woman is obese if she has over 30 percent. Women physiologically have more body fat than men, so that why there's a difference in percentage.

It is difficult to determine the exact percentage of body fat a person has, but estimates can be made in a number of ways. First, using a tweezer-like tool called a caliper, you can measure the thickness of skin folds on different points of your body and compare the results with standardized numbers. You can also use a small device that sends a harmless electrical current through your body and measures your body fat percentage. The most commonly used method to determine if a person is obese is to look at his/her Body Mass Index (BMI). A person with a BMI over 30 is considered to be obese, and a BMI over 40 is considered to be severely obese. It's important to remember though that BMI could be misleading in pregnant or lactating women and in muscular individuals. There are some free tools to find your body fat percentage at http://www.abs-exercise-advice.com/body-fat-calculator.html.

With obesity, comes the increased risk of diseases such as high blood pressure, Type II Diabetes, heart disease, and breast, colon, and prostate cancer. In addition, obesity has been linked to mental health conditions such as depression or feelings of shame and low self-esteem. Health experts say that even losing 10 to 15 percent of your body weight can dramatically decrease the risk of developing these serious conditions. In addition, many obese people are discriminated against and targets of insults and other verbal abuse. Find out if you are at risk for health disease using the health calculators at http://www.abs-exercise-advice.com/high-blood-pressure.html.

A number of factors, such as poor diet, lack of physical activity, genetics, and certain medical disorders, cause obesity, but it can be conquered. One major obstacle to being more physically active is motivation and accountability. Find a friend with similar fitness goals and begin a simple exercise program together. It takes time to see the results, but your health is worth it!

Written by Shelley Hitz, Licensed Physical Therapist and Certified NASM Personal Trainer.
Sign up for her free Exercise Advice journal at http://www.abs-exercise-advice.com/journal.ht ml or read more of her articles at http://www.abs-exercise-advice.com. Get your free unbelievable abs ball workout here!

---

7 Diet Tips For Rapid Weight Loss

1. Quit snacking in between meals. Do not fall for... Read More

Weight Loss Fads that Dont Work

No matter what the reason, successful weight loss and healthy... Read More

Fake Weight Loss Claims: Identify Them

Its crowded..really crowded..every other site offers Weight Loss Programs and... Read More

Are Weight Loss Supplements Worth It?

What do you think of the hundreds of weight loss... Read More

Weight Gaining

I learned about gaining weight when I heard the question... Read More

The 7 Phases of Change

Lose The Weight For Good With The Seven Phases of... Read More

Im Not Fat, Im Fluffy

A distorted body image is one of the symptoms that... Read More

Weight Loss and Dieting Secret #1 ? IN and OUT

Any dietary plan on the market has some portion of... Read More

Record Your Meals To Lose Weight

Are you one of the many people who feel frustrated... Read More

Best Diet Plan Available

Diet Fads-Forget about 'EmAnother fad "best diet" bites the dust.... Read More

Can You Attain Weight Loss While Fasting?

Fasting, when done properly, can be a basic part of... Read More

Top 5 Most Popular Diet Programs Reviewed

There are many subscriber programs available both online and in... Read More

Diet Pills And Safe Weight Loss: A Quick Guide To Diet Pills

Serious diet pills are intended for people who are overweight... Read More

Diets, Diets, Diets?Do They Work?

Almost everyone has attempted to follow diets and weight loss... Read More

How We Rescued Our Child from Anorexia, Effecting a Complete Recovery in Just Six Months

In March 2003 our then 13 year old daughter, Helen,... Read More

Anger: The Unexpected Emotion After Gastric Bypass Surgery

The words I read made me furious. There it was,... Read More

The Ultimate Weight Loss Red-Flag Guide

Weight Loss Red Flag GuideDespite claims to the contrary, there... Read More

To Lose Weight or Not to Lose Weight... A Guideline for Men!

To begin this article I must start with it's conclusion.The... Read More

Weight Loss NOW! The Soft Drink Diet

In the early nineties doctors were beginning to see the... Read More

3 Fast Weight Loss Tips That Work

Looking to lose some pounds quickly? Fast and safe weight... Read More

How to Buy Chocolate Then Forget to Eat It

Some Say I'm Strange. I Prefer to Think of Myself... Read More

Making Healthy Lifestyle Changes that Last - A New Look at New Years Resolutions

Would you run out of fingers, and maybe even toes,... Read More

Obesity in America -- The Growing Epidemic!

Obesity is a disease that affects approximately 60 million people... Read More

Fit or Fat?!

"Hey, you have reduced now, compared to the last time... Read More

The True Weight Loss Approach ? Five Step Common Sense Plan!

Some of you will not like what I have to... Read More

Why Do We Cheat On Our Diets?

If only we could solve this question, the world (for... Read More

Overweight? - 5 Tips to Enhance Your Sex Drive

You could try one of the many sexual enhancement drugs... Read More

Is Diet Confusion Stopping You From Losing Weight?

Diet advice ? a million "experts", hundreds of snake-oil miracle... Read More

Is Low-Carb Really The Way To Go?

The latest trend in the area of weight loss is... Read More

How Does Phentermine Work? Learn Pros & Cons Of Phentermine For Weight Loss

Phentermine, like many other prescription drugs, works with chemicals called... Read More

Finally, Natural Weight Loss Availalble, Judge Lifts Ban on Ephedra

April 14, 2005 federal judge Tena Campbell of the federal... Read More

Rapid Weight Loss - Is It Healthy and Does It Work?

It is important that the public not only understand the... Read More

Weight Loss - A Complex Issue - Learn More

Please feel free to comment, to provide good information and... Read More