Vast Majority of Adults at Risk of Becoming Overweight or Obese
Future burden of obesity-related conditions likely to be substantial, warn
researchers
A large, community-based study ‹ considered the first study to assess the
long-term risk of developing overweight and obesity in adults ‹ found that
over 30 years, nine out of 10 men and seven out of 10 women were overweight
or became overweight. In addition, more than one in three were obese or
became obese. The study was supported by the National Heart, Lung, and
Blood Institute (NHLBI), one of the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
Researchers analyzed the short-term and long-term chances of developing
overweight and obesity among more than 4,000 white adults enrolled in the
offspring cohort of NHLBI's landmark Framingham Heart Study, an ongoing
longitudinal study in Framingham, Massachusetts. Participants ages 30 to 59
were followed for 30 years, from 1971 to 2001. The results appear in the
October 4, 2005, issue of the Annals of Internal Medicine.
³Overweight and obesity increase the risk of poor health. We hope these
results will serve as a wake-up call to Americans of all ages,² adds Nabel.
³Even those who are now at a healthy weight need to be careful about
maintaining energy balance to avoid gaining weight. Taking simple steps to
make sure that the overall the number of calories you consume do not exceed
the amount you burn can play a major role in lowering your risk for many
chronic conditions.²
Overweight increases the likelihood of developing diabetes, high blood
pressure and heart disease, stroke, breathing problems such as asthma and
sleep apnea, some cancers, osteoarthritis, and gall bladder disease. Obesity
is associated with these conditions as well as with early death. Research
has shown that even a small weight loss (just 10 percent of body weight)
can help people who are overweight or obese lower their risk of developing
many of these conditions.
Get off your ³fatty-acids² and join me and play. ---Leroy Fanning, HHP
|
