Obesity: A National Problem
As a nation we are fat and getting fatter every year. The number of people who fall into the category of obese (Body Mass Index of 30 or higher) has doubled in the past thirty years. Better stop here and let you know how to figure your own BMI by following these three steps.
- Weight in pounds x 704
- Divide that number by height in inches
- Divide that number by height in inches again
19 – 24.9 => Good for you! You’re in the healthy zone.
25 – 29.9 => Overweight – You should address the problem now! This is when health issues may begin (high blood pressure, diabetes, etc)
30 and over => Obese. High risk for health problems.
Okay, back to where we were. Why this dramatic increase in overweight and obese people? It certainly cannot be genetics, those do not change in thirty years. Bottom line: we eat more and move less. If we put energy (measured in calories) into the body and do not use that energy, we wear it. The only thing the body can do with excess energy is store it as fat. The body does not care if that excess energy came from food that is good for you or from junk food. Weight is determined by how much you eat: health is determined by what you eat. So weight is nothing but energy in vs. energy out.
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