Did you know that 30% of the world’s population is obese? It’s nearly tripled since 1975!
Just the Facts:
- More than one-third of American’s are obese
- Obesity affects 1 in 6 children in the US
- All states have obesity rates over 20%
- The South has the highest obesity rates (5 states greater than 35%)
- Colorado has the lowest rate of obesity at 22.3%, followed closely by Washington DC at 22.6%. Massachusetts, Hawaii, and California are next on the list at less than 25%.
The standard for measuring if you’re overweight or obese still falls on the Body Mass Index (BMI), which for the average population is still mostly accurate.
* Overweight = BMI greater than or equal to 25
* Obese = BMI greater than or equal to 30
A more accurate measure is your hip to waist ratio. The short of it, if your waist is measuring larger than your hips, your risk of heart disease and diabetes increases dramatically. Obesity is linked to more than 60 chronic diseases!
Obesity costs the US more than $147 billion per year!! People who are obese pay more out of pocket than people who are not and miss more work, which only impacts income that much more. It’s time to make a change people.
The best piece of advice, pay attention to what you’re putting into your mouth throughout the day, every day of the week. Ask yourself, is this going to help me become healthier or sicker?
Remember the saying, “A moment on the lips but a lifetime on the hips.” What is one thing you’re consuming that is not serving you for the good that you would be willing to reduce or even cut out? Please share in the comments below. 🙂
Here’s to being Healthy!
