Morbid Obesity Is At An Epidemic Level In The United States

Today in the land of plenty, it is becoming rapidly apparent that many people are eating plenty too much. Obesity is on the rise in nearly every culture across the globe, leading many research and health professionals to refer to the current obesity epidemic and globesity. The NIH reported that 5 – 10 million people are currently considered morbidly obese.

Defining The Weight Issue In The United States Is Cause For Concern

The definition of obesity, in accordance with the National Institutes of Health (NIH), is used to describe a person that is twenty percent or more over his or her ideal body weight. The ideal body weight is that which is defined as ideal by the medical profession and not a personal definition of ideal. In situations where a person is one hundred pounds or more over their medically defined ideal body weight is considered morbidly obese.

Morbid Obesity Isnt Just An American Problem

Morbid obesity is quickly becoming a health concern around the globe as researchers discover just how important a healthy body weight is to the overall health of an individual. As studies now show, increased body weight such as morbid obesity is the cause of many heart problems, diabetes, high blood pressure and many other diseases. It has been proven that if an overweight person loses 16% or more of their body weight, their overall health and energy will greatly improve.

The Main Causes Of Morbid Obesity Are Easily Identifiable

There are many causes of morbid obesity, although the main reason is that the body consumes more calories that it burns usually done by a person eating high fats and sugar and living a sedentary lifestyle. There are many factors that account for the sedentary lifestyle that is so different from our ancestors.

Working used to be a labor intensive activity, whether working around the home or for employment calories burned were generally less than calories consumed and most foods consumed were made within the home and without all the high fat sugars and commercial processing.

In the twenty years since the morbid obesity rate has began its increasing climb to the level it is today, our society has seen the popularity of television, video games, computers and desk jobs. Children are more likely to play indoors on computers and video games than they are to play outside.

While morbid obesity does have genetic influences in some individuals, the sudden and dramatic increase over the last twenty years indicate that the causes are not genetic as much as food choices, lifestyle and general eating habits.