In the United States alone, the prevalence of obesity is often referred to as an epidemic. Many Americans are overweight, leading to feeling unhappy and unhealthy. Especially true since the turn of the century, healthcare costs increase while overall health decreases; people continue to eat poorly, gain weight, and depend on medications and operations to maintain their health. Statistics can be hard to understand, confusing even those who study nutrition. But the most optimistic numbers state that more than 1/3 of American adults are overweight or obese. Below is a summary of the data presented by the Center for Disease Control (CDC). Here are some shocking childghood obesity facts.

• The prevalence of obesity is currently at 42.4% (2018)
• From 2005–2019, the prevalence of obesity increased from 30.5% to 42.4%, and the prevalence of severe obesity increased from 4.7% to 9.2%
• Obesity-related conditions include heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes, and certain types of cancer considered to be the leading causes of preventable, premature death
• The estimated annual medical cost of obesity in the United States was $147 billion in 2018 US dollars; the medical cost for people who have obesity was $1,429/year higher than those of normal weight

We can easily make a case for the need to improve health. Diets fail us, fast foods pull us into their offerings without any fear of consequence. Our lack of PA simply adds to the problem. It seems like a good time to view the body and its needs from a different perspective. [Read more…]