What are the main causes of obesity in America today?
The main causes of obesity in America are unhealthy eating habits and lack of physical activity. Eating foods high in calories, fats, sugars has lead to obesity. These foods are economical and available at a number of food outlets. Also, lack of physical exertion and sedentary habits such as watching television, playing video games have resulted in the rise of obesity. Apart from unhealthy lifestyle, other factors such as behavioral factors and genetics are some of the causes of obesity in America today.
According to International Health, Racquet and Sportsclub Association (IHRSA) Obesity/Weight Control Report, the obesity epidemic in America is growing day by day. According to these statistics, there is a dangerously overweight U.S. population.
Obesity is increasing greatly in the United States: 3.8 million people have weight over 300 pounds. Over 400,000 people carry over 400 pounds, and many among these are males. The average adult female in USA weighs 163 pounds!
The National Center for Health (NCH) has also been tracking America’s obesity problem for more than four decades. Their findings, given below, support the growing obesity epidemic in America.
- Between 1962 and 2000, the obese people grew from 13% to 31% of the population.
- 63% of Americans are overweight with a BMI of over 25.0
- 31% are obese with a BMI of over 30.0
- Childhood obesity has more than tripled in the past two decades
- Obesity is responsible for 300,000 deaths every year.
Latest Obesity Statistics in America – 2009:
The United States government declared Obesity and Type 2 Diabetes as national epidemics in 2009. Both the disorders are confirmed by health experts to be closely related. Some of the worrying obesity statistics are:
- Mississippi (44.4 percent), Alabama (31.2 percent), West Virginia (31.1 percent) and Tennessee (30.2 percent) are the top four states with their respective obesity percentage.
- The rate of childhood obesity in 30 states is above 30 percent.
- Adult obesity rate is higher than 25 percent in 31 states and it is higher than 20 percent in 49 states.
- 8 out of the 10 states in southern part of America have the highest percentage of Obese adults.
- Adult obesity is found to be rising in 23 states with no single state registering a decline in the rate from the year 2008.
- Mississippi has the highest number of obese and overweight children between the age group of 10-17 years.
- With 18.9 percent, Colorado state ranks lowest among the states affected with Obesity.
- 16 states out of the 50 have reported a rise for the second time in succession in the obesity rate.
- There are 11 states which reported childhood obesity rise for third time in a row.
- Since 1980, childhood obesity rate has tripled.
9 Comments
I think that obesity is a growing problem in our society and that if we continue to over look this problem our earth will fall out of orbit because we are too heavy.
I can’t believe americans are gorging there chubby faces when in africa children are starving to death. Its apalling and disgusting. And whats the deal with Obese kids? Why arent there parents stopping them from slowly killing themselves? Im mad at fat people right now!!!! >:(
i think it’s hilarious to think that we as Americans can’t get off our asses and stop eating at fast food resturants where the food isn’t really food. We live in a time where we pick up sedintary habits that perpetuate a unhealthy living. I mean come on our government cuts funding on Physical education every year, that doesn’ help in the long run. Just look at the average percentage of obese men and women in america, 63% if you go by BMI, frightening. The way to lose weight though isnt just exercise you need to eat home made meals, ones that don’t use excessive amounts of fat or oils or loads and loads of sugar. Frankly though how the economy is now, in a general recession, i wont be suprised to see a higher obesity rate that will plummet when a big mac will finally cost to much once our economy fails.
Don: Sorry, but I don’t see anything “hilarious” about our countrymen “eating themselves to death!”
Haven’t you wondered “Why” this government continues to “cut P.E. funding every year?” I have!! It’s like “they” (i.e. Big Brother) is ENABLING and WANTS us to become fat, lazy, slovenly, sick and most importantly, unable to PROTECT OURSELVES or FIGHT anymore! Think about it!
Lindy, you’re an idiot. If “Big Brother” wanted to take us out they would do it with a more effective device other than food. Moron. And Don, the only thing funny about it is that when my physically fit ass is sitting down at the end of a hard day’s workout, I have to watch 4 hours of commercials concerning rapid weight lose ect. Kill Tv and you will kill obesity.
i think that the cost of healthy foods should go down and that fast foods should crack down and serve things that aren’t 99 percent fat and oils. people shouldn’t be blaming anyone else here. Blaming won’t help obesity get better. maybe instead of yelling at each other you hsould think of what you can do to help us people as america to fight obesity before our next generation suffers and can’t do anything because of what this generation is doing. It’s sad for me to watch kids learning bad health habits ang being made fun of and being called “fat”. it’s nothing close to funny.
To Hannah: Do you want to know what really bothers me? When people refer to “Africa” to where all the “children are starving to death.” Well I just have to say that there are people all over the world starving, even in our own country. Why don’t we look a little closer, and focus on the starving children in the streets of the United States, shall we? Why do people always refer to Africa as poor, starving, and stupid?
I think it is actully really sad to see people everywhere starving when we have all the food we will ever need, and more! What is even more depressing is that obesity kills 300,000 people on average every year… and the rate of childhood obesity has tripled in the past 2 decades! Did you know the average American woman weighs 163 lbs! We just need to encourage Americans to eat right and excercise more often. We need to have the president address this issue before it’s too late.
obeseity is really sticking america and it like frightens me that people in america have more than enough but yet they dont do anything to help the third world hungry around the world.