The latest estimates put the number of overweight and obese American adults at 97 million… and counting. Medical experts are even comparing the explosive “outbreak” of obesity to an epidemic of a communicable disease. Those are strong yet appropriate words. Obesity definitely increases the risks of high blood pressure, high cholesterol, Type II diabetes, coronary heart disease, stroke, gallbladder disease, osteoarthritis, sleep apnea, and breast, prostate, and colon cancers.
A recent study conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and state health departments found that the percentage of obese people 18 years and older climbed from 12 percent in 1991 to nearly 18 percent in 1998. A steady increase was seen in all states, in both sexes, and across age groups, races, and educational levels.
Sweeping changes in lifestyle have caused Americans to lose energy, yet their calorie intake remains high. We now have a tendency to sit in front of the computer or TV instead of engaging in more active lifestyles. This energy imbalance would partly account for this alarming trend.
Many individuals who are battling a weight problem struggle from a sense of shame, guilt and feelings of inadequacy, which only takes away from their sincere desire to more effectively mange their weight. Therapy for some is seen as a viable option for supportive assistance in better understanding self-defeating thought and behavioral patterns, which at times, may make progress seem impossible.
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johnhenson@clinicalsolutions.org