America: Fat and Getting Fatter
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported Wednesday that 26.1 percent of the population is now fully obese, up from last year’s number of 25.6 percent.
“Obesity is a major risk factor for many chronic diseases such as heart disease and diabetes,” added CDC doctor William Dietz. “As obesity increases among all age groups, we are seeing chronic diseases in much younger adults compared to a few decades ago.
“For example, we now see young adults who suffer from heart disease risk factors and other conditions such as type 2 diabetes that were unheard of in the past.”
The telephone survey reached out to approximately 400,000 adults across the country, with only Colorado reporting less than a 20 percent obesity rate. Alabama, Mississippi, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee and West Virginia weighed in as the flabbiest states, with at least 30 percent of adults reporting full obesity.
The culprit of America’s obesity epidemic? No surprise here. It’s fat — namely the hydrogenated, polyunsaturated, and saturated fats found in foods containing sugars and artificial sweeteners. In a 2004 study, the Journal of Food Composition and Analysis revealed that Americans are getting nearly one third of their calories from junk foods: soft drinks, sweets, desserts, alcoholic beverages, and salty snacks. Until the typical American becomes a more health-conscious eater, the CDC may see its study’s numbers continue to rise for many years to come.
