According to the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, more than two out of three Americans are overweight or obese. Obesity is associated with a wide range of diseases, from heart disease to cancer, and the cost to treat obesity-related diseases is significant as well, with obese Americans requiring 42 percent more in health care dollars than others, according to research published in the journal "Health Affairs." American children are following in their parents' footsteps, making obesity a long-term chronic problem for society. Many Americans attempt to lose weight through dieting. Know statistics about dieting to improve your chance for successful weight loss and maintenance.
Health Problems
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, obesity directly contributes to four of the top seven killers of Americans. Obesity is closely related to multiple health problems, including cancer, heart disease, stroke and diabetes. These diseases often can be improved with modest weight loss. If you are overweight or obese, you can reduce your risk of health complications by losing 5 percent to 10 percent of your weight.
Cost
In 2000, the total cost for obesity-related diseases was $117 billion, according to "Health Affairs." This cost covered medical care for health problems such as hypertension, type 2 diabetes and heart disease. The personal cost of obesity-related diseases can be even higher. You can expect to pay nearly $1,500 more in medical costs than a non-obese person. Add in money lost through illness and disability, and the price of obesity is very high.
Fad Diets
Fad diets cost dieters billions of dollars each year, promising rapid and permanent weight loss. These diets often are too restrictive and require the dieter to eat dangerously low-calorie levels or remove healthy foods from his diet. When you are ready to lose weight, avoid diets that guarantee losing more than 1 to 2 lbs. a week. Choose a balanced diet that recommends you eat a variety of food in moderate, controlled amounts.
Successful Weight Loss
The National Weight Control Registry tracks successful dieters who have not only lost weight but who also are successfully keeping it off. Ninety-eight percent of successful losers modified their food intake in order to lose weight, and nine out of 10 successful losers exercise approximately one hour a day. Three out of four successful losers monitor their weights at least once a week. Successful permanent weight loss is possible with permanent lifestyle changes.
References
- Weight-Control Information Network; Statistics Related to Overweight and Obesity; February 2010
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; Deaths and Mortality; June 28, 2010
- MedlinePlus.gov: Obesity
- Office of the Surgeon General; The Surgeon General's Call To Action To Prevent and Decrease Overweight and Obesity; January 11, 2007
- Rutgers Cooperative Research and Extension; Fad Diets: Healthy or Hazardous?; Karen Ensle, et al; March 2001
- National Weight Control Registry: NWCR Facts
