Obesity

Unfair as it may seem, overweight and fat people have always been a source of fun and amusement for the rest of us. As kids, we have always made fun of the fat boy in the class, made him the victim of our pranks.

As adults, we always tend to look almost disdainfully at the fat man of the office. In movies and standup comedies, the fat comedian has always drawn the laughs.

However, being fat isn't all funny. Besides the loss of self-esteem and other inferiority complexes that come with it, there is always the attendant health risk factor. Especially if the person is not just overweight or fat, but obese. Then the risks are many, and life-threatening.

In this article, we will discuss obesity and the issues surrounding this condition.

Defining Obesity

One can be fat and overweight, and then one can be obese. The two are not necessarily the same. While both are characterized by the same physical condition, it is the content that makes the difference.

An obese person and an overweight person both weigh more than they should; however in the case of the obese person, the extra weight is mostly fat, while this may not be the case in the case of someone who is just overweight.

Obesity is a physical condition wherein a person has excessive fat on his body. However, one has to be very clear about his understanding of obesity.

It is not just about someone having excessive fat due to overeating or eating food with high carbohydrate or fat content all the time. Obesity has now been declared a serious disease that affects one in four Americans.

However, the good side to it is obesity can be controlled if one takes proper care of oneself.

Some Obesity-Related Statistics

Worldwide, the number of obese people stands at 300 million.

However, the numbers within the United States are no less shocking. In the United States, the incidence of obesity is so high; many people have gone on to label it an epidemic. This was also official stand of the United States government at this point in time.

The following numbers all tell the tale, and it is not a pleasant one.

There are 97 million overweight Americans. Of these, 40 million can be classified as obese. 3 million come under the morbidly obese category.

Another shocking statistic - eight out of ten Americans above 25 are overweight. These are only the statistics of the adult Americans. When you include the children as well, the numbers skyrocket. Obesity is seen in 15% of American teens and kids.

Americans generally lead sedentary lives

Here's some of the possible reasons why, again shown as statistics. 78% of all Americans fall way short of the basic level of activity required to stay fit and not become overweight. Of these a huge 25 percent are totally sedentary.

Determining Obesity >>