2/3rds of women are obese; men: 3/4ths.
By Raif Karerat
WASHINGTON, DC: More than two-thirds of women and three-fourths of men in the United States are either overweight or obese, according to a new study.
The new statistics indicate adults who are obese now outnumber those who are merely overweight for the first time, according to the report published in the journal JAMA Internal Medicine.
Based on information from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, which is conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 67.6 million Americans were obese and 65.2 million overweight as of 2012. The CDC defines obese as having a body mass index of 30 or higher, and overweight as a body mass index of between 25 and 29.9.
Researcher Lin Yang from the Washington University School of Medicine, in a statement accompanying the research letter, called the data a “wake-up call” for more aggressive policies and practices to combat obesity.
Women were much more likely to be obese than overweight, with 37 percent of women in the former category and 30 percent in the latter, reported the Los Angeles Times. Altogether, two out every three women in the U.S. were above normal weight.
The proportion of men who were obese was almost as high as women at 35 percent. But that figure was lower than the 40 percent of men who were in the overweight zone. Three out of four men in the U.S. exceeded a normal weight when both groups were combined.
African Americans had the highest rates of obesity among both men (39 percent) and women (57 percent).
Among the group labeled Mexican Americans, 38 percent of men and 43 percent of women were obese. For Caucasians, 35 percent of men and 34 percent of women were obese. No data were reported for Asian Americans, who until recently have been under sampled in NHANES surveys, according to the L.A. Times.
“Overweight and obesity are associated with several chronic conditions, including hypertension, heart disease, type 2 diabetes, osteoarthritis and some cancers,” Yang told Live Science. “A collaborative effort must be made across the board to stop this trend that is compromising and shortening the lives of many.”
1 Comment
At the rate at which the obesity epidemic is spreading in America, this was bound to happen. This is not just limited to America but it is a problem worldwide as well. People simply do not look into the food which they are consuming and that is the main problem because they do not have any kind of idea about the calories which they are consuming.
I personally was overweight by 22 pounds till a couple of months back but have since lost those 22 pounds with the help of a proper diet. If you’re not using a proper diet and if you are not controlling what you are eating then you would never be able to lose weight. Personally I’m following the diet of lisa plog and after spending hundreds of dollars on fitness clubs all in vain, I am happy to note that with the diet of lisa plog, I’ll finally finding success and have lost 22 pounds. Google for “lisa plog diet plans” and you would be able to find her diet plan.
The reason that these days you need to follow a proper diet plan is becausewhen you buy food from outside, almost always it would be having extra calories than you intend to take and that is the reason that it is important to stick with the diet instead of consuming whatever you like. When you’re sticking with a proper diet, it would become easier for you to lose weight.