With the rise in heart disease and diabetes, the medical field has been forced to consider the main causes of obesity in America in order to halt the alarming trends of this health epidemic. If you are overweight or obese, it behooves you to find ways to get your weight under control in order to avoid the consequence of excessive weight.
Main Causes of Obesity in America
Part of the reason for the rise in the obesity rate is the changing demographics of the U.S. population. The baby boomer generation is aging. With aging comes a decrease in activity. If you are less active, the calories you take in can mean the difference between being lean and being obese. It is all about a balance between diet and fitness.
Biology also works against you. With the loss of muscle mass, you burn fewer calories. Menopause also sets up a scenario where women in this age bracket put on a few pounds. However, according to Mayo Clinic, you don't have to follow the path of age-related weight gain. You have control over your activity. If you stay active, you can maintain the balance between the fuel your muscles use and your caloric intake.
Obstacles to Overcoming Obesity
Unfortunately, the media teaches people that being overweight is not something for which to be ashamed. However, being fat is not okay. It is unhealthy and not something that can be dealt with by trendy fashions or slimming panels. The only solution is to lose weight. Otherwise, you will likely fall prey to the health risks of those added pounds. They can take months or years off your life. Losing weight is not an option; it is a necessity.
As long as high caloric menu choices are available, you will have to harness your willpower to resist the temptations of saturated fat and obscene calorie counts and portion sizes. Currently, the restaurant industry is not regulated nor banned from offering foods such as Cheesecake Factory's Pasta Carbonara with Chicken with its 2,500 calories and 85 grams of saturated fat. It is up to you to get the facts and make healthy choices.
The fact remains that fat tastes good. It gives you a satisfying feeling. It is the epitome of comfort food. If you want to lose weight, it is up to you to break the fat addiction, which is one of the main causes of obesity in America.
Risks of Obesity
At the simplest level, added weight makes your heart work harder. You may huff and puff going up the stairs or even walking across the room, if you lug around an extra 30 to 40 pounds. If you have tried to lift a heavy suitcase or other load that size, you know how difficult toting the added weight can be. Imagine carrying around that excess baggage 24/7.
Obesity feeds upon itself. As you gain weight, it becomes more difficult to move around. Your muscles ache. You become easily fatigued. Your inactivity causes you to increase weight. This vicious cycle is one of the main causes of obesity in America. In order to overcome it, you must break this cycle of inactivity.
Being obese increases your risk of several chronic health conditions including:
- heart disease
- high blood pressure
- diabetes
The ironic thing is that you have some control over your risk. If you lose weight, you lessen your chances of developing these life-threatening conditions. It boils down to choices you make regarding diet and activity level.
Of course, obesity can have biological causes. However, breakthroughs in medical technology can find ways for you to overcome conditions such as hypothyroidism which can be causing your excessive weight gain. The fact remains that medicine can help you overcome any medical causes for your obesity. You have only to discuss your concerns with your doctor.
With advances in medical technology, there is no medical reason prohibiting you from overcoming a weight problem. Doing so will increase your life span and reduce your risk for developing chronic health conditions. The choice is up to you. For your good health, choose being lean over being obese.
