Obesity Rates in USA
It is no surprise to we Americans that many of us have a weight problem. In the 1980’s and 1990’s we saw rapid increases in the US obesity rates, which now appear to be leveling out.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) complied data from more than 600,000 adult Americans were polled and showed that 35.7% are obese in comparison to 30.5% from 1999-2000.
Cynthia Ogden, a CDC epidemiologist and the report’s lead author comments “There is really a slowing down of the rapid increase in the prevalence of obesity that we saw in the 1980s and 1990s…Those increases we saw earlier are not continuing, and we may be seeing a plateau.”
Some are questioning this statement of a plateau, citing that the percentages of obese children and adults varied little between 2008 and 2010. The fact remains though, there is still cause for concern. More than 1/3 of the population which translates to over 78 million Americans were obese from 2009-2010.
The effects of obesity on our health are well publicized, the raised risk of heart disease, diabetes, certain cancers, osteoarthritis, sleep apnea, stroke and other obesity related health issues cost Americans approximately $147 billion annually.
The key to resolving our nation’s high obesity rates is education. By creating awareness and imparting knowledge, the people at ShapeWell will help Americans become equipped with the knowledge to prevent reaching an unhealthy weight.