Overweight and
Obesity
According to Healthy People
2010,1 persons who are overweight or obese are at increased risk
for several diseases, including:
- High blood pressure
- Type 2 diabetes
- Coronary heart disease
- Stroke
- Gallbladder disease
- Arthritis
- Sleep
disturbance (apnea)
- Respiratory problems
- And breast, prostate, and colon cancers
Because heart disease and cancer are the two leading causes of
death in the nation, this risk factor is particularly important. Obesity
may also lead to lower self-esteem and depression due to social
discrimination and stigma.
More than 100
million adults in the United States are overweight. The proportion of
adults, adolescents, and children who are obese has been increasing over
time. The same report found that:
- Fifty-five percent of adults were overweight in 1988-94,
compared to 46% in 1976-1980.
- Lower-income adolescents are more likely to
be overweight than their higher-income peers, and excess weight is much more
prevalent among women with lower incomes and less education.
- African
American and Hispanic women are more likely to be obese than white women
and African American and Hispanic men.1
An imbalance
between the intake of food (calories) and output of energy (exercise)
causes overweight. The quality of food consumed is also important for
disease prevention. Recommendations from Nutrition
and Your Health: Dietary Guidelines for Americans suggest that one should eat a variety of foods,
and choose a diet rich
in grain products, vegetables and fruits, moderate in salt and sugars, and
low in fat.
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