News: More Americans Obese than Overweight

Phoenyx · January 11th, 2009, 04:10 AM

I ran across this and found it kinda disturbing.

Obese Americans now outweigh the merely overweight | U.S. | Reuters

Quote:

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The number of obese American adults outweighs the number of those who are merely overweight, according to the latest statistics from the federal government.

Numbers posted by the National Center for Health Statistics show that more than 34 percent of Americans are obese, compared to 32.7 percent who are overweight. It said just under 6 percent are "extremely" obese.

"More than one-third of adults, or over 72 million people, were obese in 2005-2006, the NCHS said in its report.

The numbers are based on a survey of 4,356 adults over the age of 20 who take part in a regular government survey of health, said the NCHS, which is part of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The figures come from the 2005-2006 survey and are the most current available.

"During the physical examination, conducted in mobile examination centers, height and weight were measured as part of a more comprehensive set of body measurements," the NCHS report said.

"Although the prevalence of obesity has more than doubled since 1980, the prevalence of overweight has remained stable over the same time period," it said.

Obesity and overweight are calculated using a formula called body mass index. BMI is equal to weight in kilograms divided by height in meters squared. Someone with a BMI of 25 to 29 is classified as overweight, 30 to 40 counts as obese and people with BMIs of 40 or more are morbidly obese.

A person 5 feet 5 inches tall becomes overweight at 150 pounds (68 kg) and obese at 180 pounds (82 kg). The U.S. National Institutes of Health has an online BMI calculator at Calculate your BMI - Standard BMI Calculator.

In the 1988-1994 surveys, 33 percent of Americans were overweight, 22.9 percent were obese and 2.9 percent were morbidly obese. The numbers have edged up steadily since.

Being overweight or obese raises the risk of heart disease, diabetes, some cancers, arthritis and other conditions.

In May, the CDC reported that 32 percent of U.S. children fit the definition of being overweight, 16 percent were obese and 11 percent were extremely obese.

Childhood and adult obesity has emerged as a growing problem not only in the United States but also in many countries around the world.

(Reporting by Maggie Fox; Editing by Julie Steenhuysen and Xavier Briand)

txsqlchick · January 12th, 2009, 04:31 AM

That article is scary. What's frustrating to me is my BMI still puts me in the obese category even though I'm wearing a size 12/14! I'm hovering around 30.8-30.9, so I'm just barely obese....but still technically obese. Geeez!

Phoenyx · January 12th, 2009, 02:41 PM

I know what you mean, especially since my BMI was at 35 before, and now its at 23... and 25 is considered overweight! Which I'm not now, not with my body fat at 20%.

I think the BMI is a good 'guide' but not something to be set in stone.

And this article is still a good eye opener regarding the horrible overall fitness level of this country.

Steve · January 12th, 2009, 05:02 PM

I met with a woman 3 weeks ago who was 460 lbs. From my perspective, this isn't shocking, but I have severe obesity slapped in front of me quite often.

It's sad.

txsqlchick · January 13th, 2009, 04:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Steve

I met with a woman 3 weeks ago who was 460 lbs. From my perspective, this isn't shocking, but I have severe obesity slapped in front of me quite often.

It's sad.

Wow. 460 lbs...that is tragic.

maleficent · January 13th, 2009, 04:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by txsqlchick

That article is scary. What's frustrating to me is my BMI still puts me in the obese category even though I'm wearing a size 12/14! I'm hovering around 30.8-30.9, so I'm just barely obese....but still technically obese. Geeez!

A current size 12, 20 years ago was probably a size 18 or 20... so while BMI isn't the greatest judge - Neither is size

Steve · January 13th, 2009, 05:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by txsqlchick

Wow. 460 lbs...that is tragic.

Yuppers. She can barely walk from her building to the subway, which is a mere two blocks away, without wheezing.

Lives in the city, no car, walks more than most I'd say, works daily...

Her consumption far outweighs her expenditure though.

maleficent · January 13th, 2009, 05:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Steve

Yuppers. She can barely walk from her building to the subway, which is a mere two blocks away, without wheezing.

Lives in the city, no car, walks more than most I'd say, works daily...

Her consumption far outweighs her expenditure though.

that could very well have been me...

You're working with her on consumption I would guess? or at least raising her awareness?

usedtobefatmatt · January 13th, 2009, 05:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Steve

I met with a woman 3 weeks ago who was 460 lbs. From my perspective, this isn't shocking, but I have severe obesity slapped in front of me quite often.

It's sad.

Steve,
can you give me a quick overview of what a plan with a person like this would be? Where do you start?

NOw that was three weeks ago, is she sticking with it? Any progress?

Matt

Steve · January 13th, 2009, 05:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by maleficent

that could very well have been me...

You're working with her on consumption I would guess? or at least raising her awareness?

More awareness than anything else.

Exercise is out of the question at the moment. It's not that she can't.

She just won't.

So it's more a matter of being 'in her ear' via email than anything else.

It's tough b/c she's not a client, she's too far for me to see regularly or I would, and she's not very motivated.

Steve · January 13th, 2009, 05:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by usedtobefatmatt

Steve,
can you give me a quick overview of what a plan with a person like this would be? Where do you start?

NOw that was three weeks ago, is she sticking with it? Any progress?

Matt

It would be impossible for me to outlay a plan since in these cases, more than any other, it's extremely individual.

Some people in these shoes simply needs someone to answer to. Stay on them and they'll do the exercise and eat better.

On the exercise front it's all stuff done in very short intervals throughout the day. Stuff most would take for granted as being beyond easy.

On the nutrition front, it's elimination of crap in the house and getting a grip on unconscious eating triggers.

This is best case.

Usually it's much harder. More digging into the mind and determining what the real belief and value systems are and breaking addictions. Unfortunately people in these shoes usually are against seeing doctors of any kind so I'm usually it in terms of 'outside eyes.'

maleficent · January 13th, 2009, 05:47 AM

Quote:

Unfortunately people in these shoes usually are against seeing doctors of any kind so I'm usually it in terms of 'outside eyes

as a person having been in those shoes... and to some degree still am -- seeing a doctor becomes an exercise in absolute frustration... you're told to lose weight... great... I knew that... You're generally given an obscenely low calorie diet that is just not the least bit satisfying... a person doesnt get to be 400 lbs by eating tiny portions, it's very very difficult to cut back that much... and you're told to exercise... fabulous... I walked all the time, that was all I could do...

it's the really being aware of what you are eating and avoiding unconscious eating that's the answer .. (my house was devoid of anything anyone would consider crap... I think I have more crap in the house now than when I was at my heaviest weight)

Steve · January 13th, 2009, 05:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by maleficent

as a person having been in those shoes... and to some degree still am -- seeing a doctor becomes an exercise in absolute frustration... you're told to lose weight... great... I knew that... You're generally given an obscenely low calorie diet that is just not the least bit satisfying... a person doesnt get to be 400 lbs by eating tiny portions, it's very very difficult to cut back that much... and you're told to exercise... fabulous... I walked all the time, that was all I could do...

Exactly.

I've heard some horror stories. Our medical community does not handle extreme obesity well at all.

Quote:

it's the really being aware of what you are eating and avoiding unconscious eating that's the answer ..

Yup.

And identifying key factors on the physical and mental level that contribute to the unconscious behavior.

Quote:

(my house was devoid of anything anyone would consider crap... I think I have more crap in the house now than when I was at my heaviest weight)

Are you saying at first you practiced abstinence and now you're at a different place mentally and can tolerate having that stuff in the house?

maleficent · January 13th, 2009, 05:58 AM

My head is a very scary place at times...

In Mal's world - I never had cake, chips, fried anything, in the house because... and this is stupid.. THAT WOULD MAKE ME FAT!!.. yo dumbass you are almost 400lbs... YOU ARE FAT!!! I had almost (but not quite) convinced myself that I had something metabolically wrong with me - that I was indeed special... that I hate healthy... but yet was still fat...

almost 3 years later... the big thing I learned it wasn't what I was eating.. but how much.. and I can have whatever I want - as long as I pay attention to portion sizes...

Steve · January 13th, 2009, 06:02 AM

So simple and profound, right?

And it made quite a big (or heavy) difference.

People are unconsciously following misguided beliefs/perceptions on a daily basis. These go unnoticed until reality slaps them in the face. Said reality can come from a number of sources... or not at all for the unfortunate. But it never fails to amaze me some of the things that go unnoticed on the conscious level and how powerful an impact these things have when they're played out with consistency.

News: More Americans Obese than Overweight

Discussion groups about weight loss TV shows, books and magazines.

News: More Americans Obese than Overweight