GRIPAD ® Blog

Did you know that over 66 percent of U.S. adults are overweight or obese..?  One out of every three adults is classified in our country as obese – Which means they are at least 30 or 40 pounds over normal weight classifications for age and height.  Obesity has been declared a national health threat by our officials – 75 million adults in the U.S. alone were obese, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), in 2010. 

Did you know that 20 percent of children and teenagers ages 6-19 are also classified in our country as overweight, many dangerously so?  The actual medical cost of childhood obesity has risen from $35 million in 1979-81 to an astounding $127 million from 1997-99, according to the CDC.  As is the case with the young, the obesity epidemic is affecting the elderly as well.  Over 20 percent of people over the age of 65 are classified in our country as overweight.  The obesity epidemic crosses age lines, socioeconomic levels, gender, race, and more. 

Overweight adults find themselves more likely to suffer from debilitating diseases such as hypertension, coronary heart disease, stroke, certain forms of cancer, type 2 diabetes, and premature death.  There is a reduction in the overall quality of life and a social price to pay, as well, with discrimination rampant in our society against those individuals.  So, what can be done about this..?  Obviously it’s a complex task that needs to start at the individual level if it hopes to succeed.  If we focus on the individual, and not the whole, we can make small, necessary, and ultimately life changing fixes to the way we live our lives – One step at a time.  Nutrition and regular exercise are the first steps toward a better future, and in the next installment we will cover ways in which you can implement these changes to create a better you, and a better and healthier society as a whole…