Health Facts
Did you know…
- Two-thirds of all Americans are either overweight or obese. Some studies predict that 86 percent of all Americans will either be overweight or obese within the next ten years. Obesity is a preventable problem.
- Some studies have shown that six of the seven leading causes of death and over 70 percent of debilitating diseases are caused by lifestyle choices. Lifestyle changes that are made can reverse this.
- It has been estimated that the obesity rate in the United States will increase from 93 million to 120 million people in the next five years.
- In 2003, U.S. Surgeon General, Dr. Richard Carmona, stated that the #1 health problem in America is obesity. Statistics have gotten worse since 2003.
- It has been estimated that the United States could save 147 billion dollars out of the health budget if people would just take care of themselves.
- That only 31 percent of U.S. adults report that they engage in regular leisure-time physical activity.
- That more than 50 million Americans depend on fast food. Americans spend over 110 billion dollars annually of types of fast food.
- 24 million Americans have diabetes and at least 57 million more Americans have pre-diabetes conditions. Type 2 diabetes accounts for 95 percent of all diabetes cases. Type 2 diabetes is lifestyle related.
- 9 million Americans between the ages of 17 to 24 are too heavy to serve in the military.
- For every extra pound of body fat, your body has to grow 7 new miles of blood vessels—capillaries, small arteries and small veins. Excessive body fat causes your heart to be overworked. More than 600,000 adults die each year due to heart disease in America.
- Obesity causes approximately 400,000 deaths each year in America or 16 percent of all deaths.
