As a nation, we seemed obsessed with obesity -- there's "My 600 Pound Life" and "1,000-Lb. Sisters" on TV and "The Whale" in theaters. And while we gawk at those folks (real and fictional), 73.6% of adults age 20 and older in the U.S. are overweight and obese.
There are many causes of the weight epidemic, including environmental toxins, poor food availability and lack of nutritional education. They compound the damage done by unmanaged stress, overeating poor-quality foods, and lack of physical activity. And now, it turns out, the risks from being an unhealthy weight are more deadly than we thought.
A recent study out of the University of Colorado Boulder found that excess weight or obesity makes a person's risk of death 22% higher (for those who are overweight) to 91% higher (for those who are very obese) than it would be otherwise. Another study in the journal Diabetologia found that childhood obesity is linked to subtypes of Type 2 diabetes that occur in adults: severe insulin-deficient diabetes, severe insulin-resistant diabetes and mild obesity-related diabetes. It also increases the risk for development of late-onset Type 1 diabetes. In turn, those conditions increase risks for life-shortening complications.
As a nation, our future depends on conquering the challenges of obesity with better nutrition in schools, more physical education and improved access to healthy foods. But it also takes individual commitment to improving lifestyle habits -- more physical activity, better stress management, smarter food choices. I'm proud to provide support and solutions, at TheGreatAgeReboot.com. Together we can reclaim America's health.
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Health pioneer Michael Roizen, M.D., is chief wellness officer emeritus at the Cleveland Clinic and author of four No. 1 New York Times bestsellers. His next book is "The Great Age Reboot: Cracking the Longevity Code for a Younger Tomorrow." Do you have a topic Dr. Mike should cover in a future column? If so, please email questions@GreatAgeReboot.com.
(c)2023 Michael Roizen, M.D.
Distributed by King Features Syndicate, Inc.
(c) 2023 Michael Roizen, M.D. Distributed by King Features Syndicate, Inc.
