Tag Archives: obesity

Why Are Americans So Fat? 7 Little Reasons with Big Health Repercussions

Why are so many Americans—69.2 percent to be exact—overweight or obese? The answer seems obvious: We’re taking in more calories than we expend. But why is that? Check out these seven common weight gain triggers.

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We slurp down sugary drinks.

This includes sodas, fruit drinks, sweetened iced tea and other beverages that cost about 140 to 150 calories per 12-ounce serving. They are a major source of added sugar in our diet. Guzzle just one can daily on top of your actual calorie needs and you could gain 15 pounds a year. A Canadian study that tracked toddlers found that those who drank more sugary beverages were 2.5 times more likely to be overweight compared to those who didn’t.

We consume too little fiber.

This comes from not eating enough fruits, vegetables and whole grains. Aside from making you feel fuller on fewer calories (and thus, satisfying appetite), fiber may also promote a slimming gut flora, the population of trillions of bacteria that reside in our gut that are thought to influence everything from immunity to anxiety to obesity risk. (more…)

Posted on November 7, 2023 by BestLifeDiet

Fernanda Abarca is Biggest Loser’s First Elimination, but Down 70 Pounds at Home

Last night on the The Biggest Loser, an unlucky roll of the die put Jillian’s White Team in jeopardy for the second week in a row, and Fernanda took the fall. We spoke to her about her short time on the ranch, what Dr. H. had to say about her overall health, and how much weight she’s lost since the elimination.

Nobody likes week 2 on The Biggest Loser ranch. Some even talk about the week 2 curse. Fernanda isn’t superstitious but wishes she’d had one more week to show what she could do. “Now that I’ve been home, my weight loss fluctuates high one week, then low the next,” she explained. “One week I’ll lose 10 pounds, the next week I’ll lose 2. Everybody’s body is different.”

During the first week, Fernanda lost an encouraging 12 pounds but at last night’s weigh-in, the scale only budged by two pounds.

This may be the second episode of Season 15, but Fernanda is actually the first contestant eliminated. In a new season twist, trainers are allowed to save one eliminated contestant and Jillian used hers right out of the gate on Craig, the warehouse supervisor from North Carolina. We asked Fernanda how she felt about Craig receiving the save. “I was totally fine with it,” she replied. “I was so concerned about working hard to save the team in case my number came up that I didn’t think about it. He deserves to be here. I was happy for him.”

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Posted on October 23, 2023 by Dani Stone

Wealth is Health: Poorest States Trend Highest for Obesity, Cancer, and Poor Dental Health

As Americans, we’re competitive people. It’s in our blood. Speaking of blood and competition, a recently released infographic breaks down state by state statistics in categories like obesity, dental health, STDs, cancer rates, and several other quaint reminders of life’s frailty. Thanks to the Top Masters in Health Care—who meticulously compiled the data—you can now see how much better your state is compared to the other union territories! Naturally, we are most concerned with the obesity and health related numbers, and after a quick look, we noticed a disturbing trend. The statistical data suggested that obesity, loss of teeth and cancer were all closely correlated. How could this be? (more…)

Posted on September 6, 2023 by Patrick

The Aaron Rodgers Burger – Nobody Should Tackle This Gut Bomb

The National Football League, the most profitable and popular professional sports league in America, kicks off regular season play in less than a week. Six years ago, the NFL put its massive appeal to good use, founding the Play 60 program to tackle childhood obesity and encourage a more active generation of children. Most NFL media coverage is centered around head injuries, Fantasy Football, murder charges and twitter rants, but the league continues to make strides fighting the obesity epidemic with national activities for kids. However, when a few members of the Green Bay Packers had the opportunity to design their own hamburger recipes to be sold at Curly’s Pub in Lambeau field on game days, they did not have health on the brain and undermined the efforts of Play 60.

While Play 60 aims to get children to play for 60 minutes a day, anyone who eats the Aaron Rodgers burger will need to play for 120 minutes after they wake up from their food coma. The Aaron Rodgers burger does not come with an artery brush, but it should. Here’s what you get: bacon, swiss and havarti cheese, avocado, pickles, jalapeno, onion rings, mayo, ranch, and PEANUT BUTTER—all with a side of fresh Wisconsin cheese curds. Just like mom used to make—if she hated you. Peanut butter is a trending burger topping, but next to ranch, mayo, and avocado, it seems like a flavor rainbow from hell. (more…)

Posted on August 29, 2023 by Patrick

Obesity Causes 18 Percent of U.S. Deaths According to New Study

Children born today enter a world where more than one-third of all adults in the United States are obese. They also face the prospect of being part of the one-fifth of American children who are obese. These risks of obesity significantly increase mortality rates. According to a new study by researchers from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation at Columbia University, obesity is responsible for 18 percent of deaths in the U.S. Unfortunately, it’s possible that number will continue to grow if obesity rates follow the trend they’re on now. They have more than doubled since 1980.

The study found that the problem isn’t exclusive to older individuals, but rather people from younger generations who, as they age, have a greater chance of developing obesity-related health problems. “Obesity is unhealthy at any age, but as obese individuals grow older, they are more likely to experience serious health complications of obesity, including premature death,” said Ryan Masters, Ph.D, study author and researcher at Columbia in an interview with HealthlineNews. Masters fears that while the results of the study are worrying, they could actually be worse than they appear. He feels as obese individuals age and encounter health problems; they are less likely to participate in studies like the one conducted at Columbia. This can make the results skew healthier, an error he tried to correct in the results to allow for the discrepancy.

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Posted on August 19, 2023 by Elizabeth

Mexico Outweighs United States in Most Obese Ranking

We are no longer number one, in obesity rankings that is. Mexico is now the most obese populous nation, with about 33 percent of Mexican adults being overweight, compared to the United States at nearly 32 percent. Both figures are alarming as both nations are battling growing obesity rates every year. According to experts, in the last ten years childhood obesity rates have tripled in Mexico. The same experts warn that four out of every five of obese children will remain overweight into adulthood.

The cause of the growing obesity rates isn’t all that surprising. “As more Mexicans move from rural to urban communities they become more sedentary and they eat a steady diet of unhealthy, highly caloric foods,” said Martin Binks, an obesity researcher and spokesperson for the Obesity Society in an interview with ABC News. This shift to a more sedentary lifestyle is affecting much of the world’s population.

World Health Organization statistics show that more than 20 percent of the world’s population is overweight, with 65 percent of the global population living in countries where being overweight or obese kills more people than being underweight. Though Mexico ranks highest of the populous countries, there are several small Pacific Island countries with obesity rates well over those of Mexico and the U.S. combined. American Samoa is the heaviest country in the world with 75 percent of its population considered obese and 20 percent considered overweight.

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Posted on July 10, 2023 by Elizabeth

INFOGRAPHIC: Will Smoking Pot Make You Skinny? New Research Says Maybe

As seen at Number 1 on Visual.ly! Embed This Graphic!

Are people who use marijuana thinner than those who don’t? Though scientists can’t say conclusively that smoking pot makes you thin, a recent study shows a correlation between smaller waist circumference and marijuana use. Users not only seem to be thinner, but also somewhat healthier than their non-using counterparts. An exact reason for the trend hasn’t been discovered, but scientists are still intrigued by the results of the study.

More than 4,600 people participated in the study. Waist circumference and other weight-related factors were assessed in those who currently are marijuana users, those who used but don’t anymore, and those who never used. Other studies had found lower prevalence for obesity and diabetes in marijuana users, but this was the first study to also include tests for insulin, glucose and insulin resistance. (more…)

Posted on July 8, 2023 by Elizabeth

The Dangerous Ways Sugar-Sweetened Beverages Ruin Our Health

By Team Best Life

Think about it: Your choice of beverages 100 years ago was pretty much limited to milk, water, coffee and tea. The same goes for the span of human history prior to that. Sugary drinks are a 20th-century phenomenon, and the very modern toll they take on our bodies encompasses more than just obesity.

Here are a few facts to help keep the sugar you drink in check.

Sugar’s effects are multifaceted. Diabetes, high blood pressure, and disorders that affect our metabolism can all be attributed to over-consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages (SSB).

It starts early. The SSBs and fruit juice children consume are responsible for up to 15 percent of their daily caloric intake. (more…)

Posted on June 26, 2023 by BestLifeDiet

‘Grazing’ Fad Being Put Out to Pasture with New Type 2 Diabetes Study

The six meal a day diet fad may be on the outs. In recent years, it’s been suggested that eating six small meals throughout the day, colloquially referred to as “grazing,” is a better approach to weight loss than the more traditional three squares. The American Diabetes Association has released a study confirming that eating two meals a day led to more weight loss than six small ones.

The study is by no means supremely revelatory—the sample size was a meager 54 people and they all had type 2 diabetes—but it has sparked debate over how many daily meals is appropriate for weight loss. Additionally, the researchers lowered the participants’ usual daily caloric intake by 500, which would lead to weight loss either way you slice it.

In the ADA study, 27 people ate six small meals a day, and 27 ate just breakfast and lunch, skipping dinner entirely. Both control groups lost weight—an average of 0.82 BMI points for the grazers and 1.23 points for the minimalists—but there are flaws with both schools of thought. The average person is too busy to prepare and eat six meals a day, and refraining from eating entirely after lunch is just silly.

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Posted on June 25, 2023 by Patrick

James Gandolfini Dead of Cardiac Arrest at 51

In April, we compiled a list of celebrities who, because of obesity related health issues, left us too soon. Yesterday, actor James Gandolfini passed away in Italy of a myocardial infarction, at the young age of 51. More commonly known as a heart attack, a myocardial infarction occurs when blood flow to the heart is blocked, causing damage to the heart muscle.

James Gandolfini had a name and face synonymous with Tony Soprano, the New Jersey mafia boss he brought to life in the seminal HBO series “The Sopranos.” Like Soprano, Gandolfini was an Italian from New Jersey, but couldn’t have been more dissimilar than his famously violent character. As a meticulous and obsessively dedicated actor and director, he liked to describe himself as “a 260-pound Woody Allen.”

Given that weight, paired with a listed height of 6′ 1”, Gandolfini would have had a BMI of 34.3, putting him well into the obese category. Just this week, the American Medical Association declared obesity as a disease. When a person experiences a period of sustained obesity, conditions like high blood pressure, diabetes, and high cholesterol are almost guaranteed. Gandolfini never had any scandalous drinking or drug-use incidents, but he did have a reputation for binge eating and drinking. He was also an avid cigar smoker. (more…)

Posted on June 20, 2023 by Patrick

Obesity Deemed a Disease by the AMA, Medical Establishment Faces Tough Questions

Obesity is no longer a disorder, it’s a disease.

This week, the American Medical Association voted to reclassify obesity—a $150 billion annual health care headache—from a chronic health condition to a disease. According to the CDC, 35 percent of adult Americans are obese. To be considered obese, you must have a Body Mass Index of 30 or higher. A healthy BMI is is between 18 and 25, and the CDC has a handy BMI calculator on their website.

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Dr. Richard Besser, Chief Health and Medical Editor for ABC News, couldn’t care less about the formalities. “I think it matters little whether we call obesity a disease, a condition, or a disorder,” he told us. “It matters less what we call it than what we do to prevent it.”

The question is, how will medical treatment change in response to this new decision? Labeling obesity a disease quickly left those in the medical establishment with uncertainty about the future of obesity treatment. There are a slew of surgical procedures that combat obesity, none of which cure it completely. The onus is on the patient to follow through with the treatment and reach a healthy weight. Obesity is a unique disease because nutritional education, fitness awareness, and simple willpower are the most effective remedies. “We need to get physical activity back into everyone’s lives, starting with our kids,” said Dr. Besser.

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Posted on June 19, 2023 by Patrick

Tag Archives: obesity

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