OBESITY FACTS: Are We Eating Ourselves to Death? What To Do!

The world Health Organization (WHO) reports that obesity has doubled worldwide since 1980. 

 

The American Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports 2 in 3 adults are overweight and 1 in 3 adult are obese.     That's about 78.6 million of U.S. adults (1). 

 

For American children and adolescents aged 2-19 years obesity affects 17% and about 12.7 million (2).

 

Healthy weight is determined by Body Mass Index (BMI).  It is a simple calculation of height and weight.  You can calculated your BMI here.

 

This trend is seen across the globe.  In 2008 the World Health Organization announced that obesity has reached epidemic proportions globally. 

In 2014 WHO reported that more than 1 billion adults were overweight and at least 300 million of them were clinically obese. 

In 2013 WHO reported that 42 million children under the age of 5 were overweight or obese (3). 

 

 

 

 

Obesity is a major contributor of chronic disease and disability.  As highlight in the diagram below, you can see that obesity affects just about every part of your body.   Obesity-related conditions include heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes and certain types of cancer - some of the leading causes of preventable death.

 

 

What is going on?  It all comes down to energy imbalance.  We are consuming more calories than we are expending. 

 

When you consume more than your body is burning you gain weight.

On the right side you have calories burned. This includes your basal metabolic rate, dietary-induced thermogenesis (that just means digestion) and energy consumption during activity.  The sums of these three are your total energy expenditure (TEE)

Basal metabolic rate (BMR) accounts for the largest portion of your energy expenditure- 60% to 75%.  It is responsible for maintaining normal body functions at rest such as breathing, circulating blood, growing and repairing cells. 

Calculating BMR is done in a lab under very controlled conditions and with specialized equipment. Sometime you will see resting metabolic rate (RMR). RMR is the BMR value adjusted for the regular life environment. It is basically the same but has less of strict testing method.  RMR values are about 15% higher than the BMR values.

 

Although there are several equations to estimate BMR and RMR, it is affected by many factors such as age, hormones, exercise, body temperature, nutritional status, climate, sex, body composition or pregnancy.  Learn more about BMR and RMR.

 

Digestion counts for about 10% of your energy expenditure.  Physical demands counts for the rest of calorie needs.

On the left side you have calories eaten.  This includes all calories from food and beverages. 

When you consume less than your body is burning you lose weight.  Here you are creating what is called a caloric deficit.

When your intake is equal to your body's demands you maintain your weight and your energy in (calories eaten) = energy out (calories burned).

 

 

"Overweight and obesity happen over time

when you take in more calories than you use!"

 

 

 

 

According to WHO people are consuming more energy-dense foods that are high in fat and are more inactive than even before (3).

 

On an individual bases WHO suggest people limit energy intake from total fats and sugar; increase consumption of fruit and vegetables, as well as legumes, whole grains and nuts; engage in regular physical activity (60 minutes a day for children and 150 minutes per week for adults) (3).

 

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