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Fifty years ago about 55% of Americans were overweight as measured by body mass index [BMI which is based on the relationship of height to weight]. Broken down this was 32% “pre-obesity” or “overweight” [meaning BMI between 25.0 and 29.9] and 13% obese [BMI 30 or greater.] Today that 55% has increased to 68% with 34% now in the obese range! Obesity affects all ages and genders. Among adults, 72% of men and 64% of women are pre-obese and 32% and 36%, respectively, are obese. And very disturbing is the trend toward obesity among children and adolescents, with about 32% of school kids above the 85th percentile for BMI. [For more details see three related articles in the Journal of the American Medical Association, January 20, 2010]
Obesity is a predisposing factor to a broad range of chronic illnesses, among them cancer, heart disease, diabetes, chronic lung disease, and stroke. They make arthritis worse and diabetes very difficult to treat. These are lifelong and expensive to treat. Some estimates suggest that 10% of all healthcare costs relate to obesity and others would suggest even much higher amounts. These are chronic illnesses that reduce lifespan and decrease quality of life.
We are witnessing an increasing epidemic of type 2 diabetes largely related to being overweight and it is estimated that coronary artery disease, declining in recent decades, will once again be on the rise as a result of our sedentary life style combined with a non-nutritious, high calorie diet.
The time is here for a concerted national effort on both the population level and the individual level to correct this serious imbalance. Governments need to mandate nutritious foods in schools while eliminating inappropriate foods from vending machines and the cafeteria. Posting calorie counts in fast food restaurants will at lest help individuals realize the implications of the decisions they make. Schools can teach more about healthy lifestyles. The work of the First Lady, Michelle Obama, to foster good eating habits along with healthy food choices and personal gardening are to be strongly commended.
At the individual level, parents need to teach good eating habits beginning in early childhood. All of us need to appreciate the implications of non-nutritious foods and the perils of being overweight. Physicians need to appreciate the power of their influence on patients and take the time to counsel their patients on the importance of a lifestyle that incorporates good food [fresh vegetables and fruit, more fish than meat, whole grains like whole wheat and brown rice, and the avoidance of prepared/packaged foods,] the right amount of food calories per meal and per day, along with adequate exercise and stress management.
In the end, we cannot blame anyone but ourselves for our sedentary habits and obesity but at the same time we can recognize that the “fix” is very difficult and so we must all help each other to lead a healthier lifestyle. Group support whether it is in the family, among friends, at school or at work can be very helpful to each of us to maintain our effort to reach worthy goals.
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Praise for Dr Schimpff
The craft of science writing requires skills that are arguably the most underestimated and misunderstood in the media world. Dumbing down all too often gets mistaken for clarity. Showmanship frequently masks a poor presentation of scientific issues. Factoids are paraded in lieu of ideas. Answers are marketed at the expense of searching questions. By contrast, Steve Schimpff provides a fine combination of enlightenment and reading satisfaction. As a medical scientist he brings his readers encyclopedic knowledge of his subject. As a teacher and as a medical ambassador to other disciplines he's learned how to explain medical breakthroughs without unnecessary jargon. As an advisor to policymakers he's acquired the knack of cutting directly to the practical effects, showing how advances in medical science affect the big lifestyle and economic questions that concern us all. But Schimpff's greatest strength as a writer is that he's a physician through and through, caring above all for the person. His engaging conversational style, insights and fascinating treasury of cutting-edge information leave both lay readers and medical professionals turning his pages. In his hands the impact of new medical technologies and discoveries becomes an engrossing story about what lies ahead for us in the 21st century: as healthy people, as patients of all ages, as children, as parents, as taxpayers, as both consumers and providers of health services. There can be few greater stories than the adventure of what awaits our minds, bodies, budgets, lifespans and societies as new technologies change our world. Schimpff tells it with passion, vision, sweep, intelligence and an urgency that none of us can ignore.
-- N.J. Slabbert, science writer, co-author of Innovation, The Key to Prosperity: Technology & America's Role in the 21st Century Global Economy (with Aris Melissaratos, director of technology enterprise at the John Hopkins University).
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