People are obsessed with dieting and weight loss! Don't believe me? Just tune-in to any source of advertising...you're instantly bombarded with the latest diet schemes and "Hollywood" food fads.
Here in America, we have built a thriving industry trying to control our weight and treat the consequences of over-indulgence. The cost of weight loss and obesity related health care treatments is staggering...Americans alone spend around $114 billion every year! And even with all this interest in losing weight, we continue to pack on the pounds like never before...
- A whopping 64 percent of U.S. adults are either overweight or obese...up about eight percent from earlier estimates.
- Among children and teens ages 6-19, 15 percent or almost nine million are overweight...triple the rate in 1980!
- Nearly one-third of all adults are now classified as obese.
For Americans, modern life may be getting TOO easy. Our cushy lifestyle means we expend less energy and consequently need fewer calories to sustain our normal body weight.
Think about it for a moment...
Entertainment no longer requires energy expenditure. In fact, it's usually quite the opposite. We now entertain ourselves in the comfort of our own home while watching TV and munching on our favorite snack. Whether it's television, computers, remote controls, or automobiles, we are moving less and burning fewer calories. Common activities that were once a part of our normal routine have disappeared...activities like climbing stairs, pushing a lawn mower or walking to get somewhere.
And please do not misunderstand me...I appreciate comfortable living just as much as the next person. But, here is the problem...
With all of our modern day conveniences and "cushy" style of living we have not adjusted our caloric intake to compensate for our decreased caloric expenditure. We consume more calorie rich and nutrient deficient foods than ever before. Consider a few of the following examples comparing what we eat "today" vs the 1970's (U.S. Department of Agriculture survey):
- We are currently eating more grain products, but almost all of them are refined grains (white bread, etc.). Grain consumption has jumped 45 percent since the 1970's, from 138 pounds of grains per person per year to 200 pounds! Only 2 percent of the wheat flour is consumed as whole wheat.
- Our consumption of fruits and vegetables has increased, but only because French fries and potato chips are included as vegetables. Potato products account for almost a third of our "produce" choices.
- We're drinking less milk, but we've more than doubled our cheese intake. Cheese now outranks meat as the number one source of saturated fat in our diets.
- We've cut back on red meat, but have more than made up for the loss by increasing our intake of chicken (battered and fried), so that overall, we're eating 13 pounds more meat today than we did back in the 1970's.
- We're drinking three times more carbonated soft drinks than milk, compared to the 1970's, when milk consumption was twice that of pop.
- We use 25 percent less butter, but pour twice as much vegetable oil on our food and salads, so our total added fat intake has increased 32 percent.
- Sugar consumption has been another cause of our expanding waistlines. Sugar intake is simply off the charts. People are consuming roughly twice the amount of sugar they need each day, about 20 teaspoons on a 2000 calorie/day diet. The added sugar is found mostly in junk foods, such as pop, cake, and cookies. In 1978, the government found that sugars constituted only 11 percent of the average person's calories. Now, this number has ballooned to 16 percent for the average American adult and as much as 20 percent for American teenagers!
Unfortunately, it would seem that the days of wholesome and nutritious family dinners are being replaced by fast food and eating on-the-run. We have gradually come to accept that it's "OK" to sacrifice healthy foods for the sake of convenience and that larger serving portions equate to better value.
It's time recognize that we are consuming too many calories and time to start doing something about it! Each of us can decide TODAY that healthy eating and exercise habits WILL become a normal part of our life!
We can begin by exploring our values, thoughts and habits... slowly and deliberately weed-out the unhealthy habits and activities and start living a more productive and rewarding life. And remember, it has taken a long time to develop bad habits, so be patient as you work toward your goal!
The information contained in this article is for educational purposes only and is not intended to medically diagnose, treat or cure any disease. Consult a health care practitioner before beginning any health care program.
Emily Clark is editor at lifestyle health news and lifestyle health news where you can find the most up-to-date advice and information on many medical, health and lifestyle topics.
Since 1994, food manufacturers have required the Food and Drug... Read More
Do you notice your child putting off going to the... Read More
(Part 1 of a Special 5 Part Series on Body... Read More
Here's food for thought! Did you know the average restaurant... Read More
Many people experience unpleasant reactions to foods they have eaten... Read More
Cholesterol finds its way into our bodies in two main... Read More
Female and male athletes respond to training in a fairly... Read More
Since the beginning of time, everyday fruits have been known... Read More
There are basically four major components, or essential molecular components... Read More
Ionized minerals, colloidal minerals, chelated minerals . . . What... Read More
Question from Jack:A question from Jack, one of the subscribers... Read More
You really are what you eat. You are also very... Read More
Millions of people around the UK consume dairy products on... Read More
In health circles there has been much recent talk about... Read More
Dr. Arthur Agatston, the cardiologist who developed South Beach Diet... Read More
Hi Readers,My message today is simple short and perhaps blunt... Read More
Finally, a positive solution regarding America's difficult and costly campaign... Read More
What are Glyconutritionals?The Greek word "Glyco" means "Sugar". Most people... Read More
They sit left behind on relish trays. They're often by-passed... Read More
If you drop a bomb, you kill not only your... Read More
It's 5:30 p.m. and you're heading home after a long,... Read More
When we think about the benefits of being ensuring a... Read More
Secretly we all want just a few things in life,... Read More
Just as our country is currently engaged in a war... Read More
I spent a few days at a resort in Mexico... Read More
(Part 1 of a Special 5 Part Series on Body... Read More
Random thoughts taken from valuable sources, what many nutrition experts... Read More
You can eat whole flax seeds but you need to... Read More
Mango is my favorite fruit next to pineapples. They're sweet,... Read More
Today's tip is on hypoglycemia (low blood sugar).Hypoglycemia affects both... Read More
Nutrition usually only comes up when people are finally deciding... Read More
How well do you know about vitamin K? This vitamin... Read More
Did you know that the food you eat could be... Read More
According to the Congress of the International Society on Thrombosis... Read More
Dr. Arthur Agatston, the cardiologist who developed South Beach Diet... Read More
Why does disease begin in the digestive tract? Your digestive... Read More
Healthy eating is important for everyone, from babies to the... Read More
Arthritis - if you suffer from this illness, I don't... Read More
It is always amazing to me when I find a... Read More
About 12.6 million Americans currently have heart disease.1.1 million Americans... Read More
Are you worried yet about your health? Are you anxious... Read More
I'm sure by now you've heard all about the amazing... Read More
Summer brings a lot of fantastic things with it, but... Read More
I'm always amazed at how many people seem to know... Read More
Nutrition is extremely important for any young person, especially an... Read More
Did you know that the food you eat when you... Read More
Millions of people around the UK consume dairy products on... Read More
"You are what you eat."Does it sound familiar? You probably... Read More
Finally, a positive solution regarding America's difficult and costly campaign... Read More
What is Cholesterol?Before we go into how to reduce your... Read More
Nutrition |