Q: Who is considered obese?
A: A person is defined as obese when they have an excess amount of fat.
Q: Why is obesity harmful to your health?
A: It creates health concerns that can lead to serious impairment or death such as; heart attack, stroke, and diabetes.
Q: How does obesity lead to heart attacks and strokes?
A: A person who is obese has high levels of cholestrol in their blood stream, which causes plaque build up. This creates less flow through blood vessels including blood to the heart and brain resulting in heart attacks and strokes.
FACTS
Report from Center for Disease Control on the Leading causes of Death ( http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/fastats/lcod.htm )
Data are for U.S. for year indicated)
Number of deaths for leading causes of death
Heart Disease: 696,947
Cancer: 557,271
Stroke: 162,672
Chronic lower respiratory diseases: 124,816
Accidents (unintentional injuries): 106,742
Diabetes: 73,249
Influenza/Pneumonia: 65,681
Alzheimer's disease: 58,866
Nephritis, nephrotic syndrome, and nephrosis: 40,974
Septicemia: 33,865
Source: Deaths: Leading Causes for 2002, table 1
PRESENTLY over 9 Million CHILDREN over six years of ages are obese !!! (http://www.iom.edu/CMS/3788/21939/31330/22701.aspx)
Please do not use time as a reason not to exercise and stay fit. Obesity and poor health will shorten you life span. Even a quick daily fifteen minute intense workout is worth it.
Click here to learn more about life expectancy and obesity. (PDF file from Annals of Internal Medicine)
The Georgia Department of Human Resources, Division of Public Health has health measures with charts available. click here to view. Information is available for obesity measures, cardiovasular disease and other health issues.