Obesity and Diabetes A Growing Problem Among Americans

August 30, 2003

http://www.mercola.com/2003/jan/18/obesity_diabetes.htm

Obesity and Diabetes: A Growing Problem Among Americans

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Obesity and its related health problems are on the rise in the United States, as a national survey shows that Americans are becoming more obese with each passing year.

The telephone survey of over 195, 000 adults, the largest conducted to date in the United States, found a continued increase of obesity and diabetes among men and women of all ages, races and educational levels from 2000 to 2001.

During this time, obesity affected some 21 percent of Americans, a six percent increase from the previous year. In 2001, eight percent of the U.S. population suffered from diabetes, a condition often related to excess weight—an eight percent increase from 2000.

Obesity and overweight were defined by body mass index (BMI), a calculation that factors in a person’s height and weight. A BMI between 25 and 29.9 indicates overweight, 30 or above obesity.

Based on they survey findings, researchers estimate that over 21 million men and 23 million women are obese in the United States, a 74 percent increase since 1991.

Overweight and obesity are associated with several risk factors for morbidity and mortality, and those who are extremely obese have a several-fold higher risk of related health conditions.

The survey found that people whose BMIs were 40 or higher were more than seven times as likely to be diagnosed with diabetes, more than six times more likely to have high blood pressure and four times as likely to have arthritis, compared to those with normal weights.

Researchers note that the current obesity estimates are likely substantially underestimated. Often, people underestimate their weights and overestimate their heights, which would alter their actual BMI. Moreover, those without telephones could not participate in the survey. This group of people may be of lower economic status, a condition that has been associated with obesity and diabetes. Cases of diabetes that had not been diagnosed were also not included in the study.

Obesity and the related form of diabetes are preventable, however. The CDC recommends 30 minutes of physical activity per day for good health, and 60 minutes each day for those who want to lose weight.

JAMA January 1, 2003;289:76-79

DR. MERCOLA'S COMMENT:

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These statistics are bad enough by themselves, but it is important to recognize that the data was collected by phone. It is well recognized that phone surveys on weight highly underestimate the true incidence of the problem. So the levels reported in this survey are likely worse than they seem.

The most accurate data to date on the prevalence of obesity was published in JAMA on October 9 of last year. It included data from the study called NHANES, which has been ongoing for many years. This study actually measured the participants’ weight (rather than relying on self-measured weights and heights) and found the level of obesity was 30.5 percent, not the 21 percent found in the study above.

The discrepancy may be even larger as the NHANES data, although published in October, was from 1999 to 2000, while the data above was from 2000 to 2001. It is likely that the true amount of obesity in the United States is over one-third of the population when you factor in the rate of increase.

Additionally, over 16 million Americans now have pre-diabetes. This is in addition to the 17 million that already have full-blown diabetes. So 12 percent of the U.S. population now suffers from some type of diabetes.

The public has yet to catch on that a no-grain diet is one of the major solutions to this problem. Many people are, for the most part, caught up in the big fat lie.

As I said in October:

The future health of our country undoubtedly depends upon healthier eating. Most people who are obese are not happy about it and would like to return to a healthy weight. They know about the potential health implications but often receive incorrect information from medical “experts.”

The good news is that overweight and obesity are nearly 100 percent preventable by following my nutrition plan, exercising, and addressing emotional stresses. Quite simply, you need to replace grain carbohydrates with vegetable greens.

Eating too many carbohydrates causes insulin levels to rise, sending your body a hormonal message essentially telling it to store fat while holding on to the fat that is already there. So not only will excess carbohydrates make you fat, they will make you stay fat. Limiting sugar is crucial in moderating this insulin response.

Many people struggle with this grain/sugar restriction. We have been using Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT) to successfully treat emotional stresses, including food cravings such as those related to sugar and grains, for some time.

Although often overlooked, emotional health is essential to your physical well-being. No matter how devoted you are to a healthy lifestyle, it is nearly impossible to reach your goals if emotional barriers stand in your way. EFT uses a combination of kinetic energy input and positive affirmations to release you of your emotional “blocks.”

You can download our recently updated EFT manual free of charge. If you seek more in-depth knowledge of the EFT technique, my EFT series is available on DVD or VHS. The series will teach you how to relieve most emotional traumas, abolish phobias, overcome food cravings and eliminate or greatly reduce physical pain. You can also make an appointment with an expert to help you with the EFT process.