Health experts are giving sugar a reprieve in the case against obesity. While sugar and its many processed variations are running amok in the food we eat at home or away, fats, oils, flour and cereal are more to blame for America’s continuous bloat.
According to the CDC, 25.6% of Americans have a BMI greater than thirty, firmly planting them into the obese category. Since we tend to lie about how tall we are and how much we weigh, the figure is probably a bit generous, but it’s a 10.3% increase since 20 years ago, and that’s alarming.
A New York Times article reports that Americans are consuming 448 more daily calories— or 20% more—than they were in 1970. The Department of Agriculture says 242 of those calories are from fats and oils, 167 are from flour and cereal, and only 35 are from sugars.
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With the United States’ Hispanic population growing in number, it is becoming increasingly important to focus on the health and well-being of that community. Obesity is an epidemic concerning all Americans, but it is an especially concerning one for Hispanics and Mexican Americans who collectively have an obesity rate of about 40%, according to the CDC.
This high rate can be attributed to many factors. Several studies have shown the strong correlation between poverty and obesity. The CDC Health Disparities and Inequalities Report for 2011 found that the greatest racial/ethnic disparity in income and education existed for Hispanics. That there is a higher likelihood for obesity in a lower income situation can be found in both men and women.
However, adults are not the only members of the Hispanic and Mexican-American populations with significantly higher obesity rates. The rate in children is alarmingly high as well – about 23 percent of Hispanic children compared to the 16 percent rating of their Non-Hispanic white counterparts. Reducing obesity in children is particularly important as being overweight at a young age can lead to a litany of health issues.
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Celebrity weight is always rising and falling in America, and while it may be fodder for some, obese celebrities have a serious disease that doesn’t improve under the glitzy lights of Hollywood. They’re “just like us” when it comes to health.
In the last year, Rosie O’Donnell suffered a heart attack, Al Roker revealed his struggles with gastric bypass surgery, and Jennifer Hudson released a memoir detailing her battle with self-image and weight loss. These particular celebrities are examples of a proactive and positive approach to a disease that kills an estimated 112,000 Americans each year, according to the CDC.
Those stars, and many others, have gotten the wake-up call. But others didn’t. We’ve compiled a list of our favorite entertainers who weren’t able to conquer their weight-related health issues, and as a result, died too soon.
Patrice O’Neal, 1969-2011
The comedian and actor was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes in his 20s and had battled weight issues for much of his life. On October 19, 2011 he had a stroke and died of complications one month later at the age of 41.
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