Obesity and diabetes statistics

In ancient historic times a person’s weight was the gauge of their social standing. A thin person often meant poverty and a plum family equated to the fact that they were doing well enough to have plenty to eat. This is not the case now. Our culture is producing the first generation of obese children with the highest risk factor of developing diabetes. The American Institutes of Health estimate that over sixty five percent of Americans are either overweight or obese and the number is climbing. With the rise of obesity, the diagnosis of type-2 diabetes has also been increasing.

We are a nation obsessed with all the wrong types of foods and are constantly being marketed to buy the junk food. The ironic side of this is that we are just as focused on exercising.

The American Diabetes Association has been expressing alarm at the fact that approximately twenty one million people have diabetes with a potential of around another fifty four million diagnosed with pre-diabetes. Pre-diabetes is an increased elevation of the blood glucose levels but not at a level to be officially diagnosed as type-2 diabetes. The obesity and diabetes statistics are alarming.

Diabetes is a dangerous disease, however, type-2 diabetes has been related as a lifestyle disorder. This means it can start at an early age with a high fat and high sugar diet that lends to the disease progress. By the time of later adult hood, the body functions are set in place to have type-2 diabetes.

Here are some shocking statistics:

Over two thirds of the adults in the United States twenty or older are considered to be overweight or obese:
All adults total: 68 percent; Women: 64.1 percent. Men: 72.3 percent

About one third of the adults in the United States twenty or older are considered to be obese:
All adults total: 33.8 percent; Women: 35.5 percent. Men: 32.2 percent

5.7 percent of adults in the United States twenty or older are considered to be extremely obese.

There has been a steady increase in obesity in all ethnicities, genders, ages and education levels. The prevalence of obesity in the United States has increase from 13.4 to 35.1 percent in adults age 20 to 74. Since 2004, while the prevalence of overweight is still high among men and women. There aren’t any significant differences in documented rates from 2003, to 2004; 2005 to 2006 and 2007 to 2008. There hasn’t been any change in obesity prevalence in women from 1999 to 2008.

The increase in obesity in children in a 2003-2006 study showed 12.4 percent of children ages 2-5 and a 17 percent of children aged 6-11 were overweight.

Most studies show that there is an increased mortality rate associated with obesity. There are many types and factors involved but they include cardiovascular disorders as high in the cause.

If we are going to make a healthy life for the next generations, and change these obesity and diabetes statistics, we have to stop buying prepackaged and premade products from manufacturers that really don’t care about us, but just want to sell more products. We need to pull the junk food from the schools and replace them with healthier choices. We also need to begin learning to eat right and less, no matter where we are.

The information supplied in this article is not to be considered as medical advice and is for educational purposes only.