Reality Check
- An estimated 97 million adults in the United States are obese. Adults now average 8 more pounds than 15 years ago. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, in 2009 2.4 million more adults were obese than in 2007. Obesity now affects over 17% of all children and adolescents (2-19 years old) in the United States. If an adolescent is overweight, he or she has a 70% chance of being an obese adult. Also, if your parent is obese, you have an 80% chance of being an obese adult.
- 83% of children 6 months to 6 years of age view TV or videos about two hours a day. TV viewing is a contributing factor to childhood obesity because it may take away from the time children spend in physical activities.
- 60% of Americans are not regularly active, and 25% are sedentary.
- Every year 300,000 Americans die prematurely due to obesity.
- 60% of adults drink at least one sugary drink each day. 20% of an adult's total daily caloric intake comes from beverages.
- People who are obese are more likely to have high blood pressure, elevated triglycerides, heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes and certain types of cancers (endometrial, colon, gallbladder, prostate, kidney and post-menopausal). In addition, obesity can cause osteoarthritis, sleep apnea and asthma. Obesity can also cause problems during pregnancy or make it more difficult for a woman to become pregnant.
- Humans are made up of over 65% water, which plays a critical role in regulating body temperature and metabolic rate. Drinking less than this causes dehydration and even the least amount of dehydration slows metabolism and bodily function. Without enough water, organs can't function as efficiently, so your metabolism slows to conserve energy which causes weight gain.
- Coronary artery disease (CAD) is the number one killer of adults in the United States, killing more than 500,000 people each year.
- $3 Trillion is spent on healthcare in the United States anually.
- 70% - 90% of chronic conditions are preventable through lifestyle changes.
- Exercise is the best way to prevent coronary artery disease.
- More than 95% of all chronic disease is caused by food choice, toxic food ingredients, nutritional deficiencies and a lack of physical exercise.
- A modest 10 to 12 pounds of excess body fat increases the risk of death, heart disease, high blood pressure and elevated triglycerides.
- Childhood obesity has more than doubled in children and tripled in adolescents in the past thirty years.
- Every 53 seconds someone has a stroke in the U.S. Over 160,000 of them will die, making it the third leading cause of death in the nation.
- More than $60 Billion is spent each year on diet and weight loss products in the U.S., yet Americans are dying from lifestyle causes and diseases at an all-time high.
