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[O9]Obesity Problem In America

by Charles Browne, Cha

Do a google search for the "number one health problem" and you will dig up tens of thousands of sites claiming that the #1 health problem in America is such evils as- substance abuse, obesity, stress, Aids, lack of sleep, heart disease, mental health, etc, While I agree that these are serious problems, with far ranging effects, I believe the number one health problem in America is lack of fiber. The US Surgeon General recommends 20-35 grams of dietary fibre a day, but with the average intake of only 10-15 grams, most Americans aren't even getting half the minimum requirements. It’s my opinion that insufficient dietary fibre impairs the health of more Americans than any other concern.

Dietary fibre appears to reduce the risk of developing various conditions, including: acne, appendicitis, arteriosclerosis, arthritis, atherosclerosis, bowel problems, cancer, chemical poisoning, chronic fatigue syndrome, circulatory problems, constipation, depression, diabetes, diarrhea, diverticular disease, edema, endometriosis, fibrocystic breast disease, gallbladder problems, gallstones, gout, heart disease, heavy metal poisoning, hemorrhoids, hiatal hernia, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, hypoglycemia, impotence, incontinence, inflammatory bowel disease, iron deficiency, irritable bowel syndrome, kidney stones, menopause, obesity, polyps, prostate enlargement, senility, sinusitis, suppressed immune system, tooth decay, ulcers, and varicose veins. As you can see, insufficient fibre may contribute to a variety of health problems.

Dietary fibre is a virtually indigestible substance that is found mainly in the outer layers of plants (essentially the cell walls). Only plants produce fiber. No animal products contain fiber, not even bones or eggshells. The best sources of fibre are whole grains, nuts and seeds, legumes (peas, beans, lentils, peanuts), fruits, and vegetables. fibre is often removed from foods during processing. Foods made from white flour are poor sources of fiber. Fruit and vegetable juices usually contain virtually no fiber, as the juice has been squeezed out of the plant material and the fibre left behind. Yet, freezing, drying, canning, and cooking do not significantly change the fibre content of most foods.

fibre is a unique type of carbohydrate that passes through the digestive system practically unchanged. fibre is divided into two categories according to its characteristics and its effect on the body: insoluble fibers, which do not dissolve in water, and soluble fibers, which do.

Insoluble fiber- Insoluble fibre draws water into your intestines and helps to maintain regularity. It does not dissolve in water and moves through your digestive system quickly and largely intact. As food travels through your intestines more quickly and is more diluted with water, exposure to potential carcinogens is decreased. Insoluble fibre helps keep you regular by bulking up the stool. Good sources include wheat bran, whole-grain cereals and breads, and many vegetables.

Soluble fiber- Soluble fibre forms a gel-like material in water. It helps to restore regularity and lower cholesterol. Soluble fibre binds up bile acids and disposes of them. Good sources include oats, beans, peas, and many types of fruit.

Don't start a high-fibre diet overnight. It's best to start slowly, especially if you tend to become constipated. Introduce high-fibre foods gradually, during the month. Also, it's important to drink more fluids when you increase the amount of fibre you eat. You should drink at least eight glasses of water a day.

Disclaimer: This article is for entertainment purposes only, and is not intended for use as diagnosis or treatment of a health problem or as a substitute for consulting a licensed medical professional.

In the last few years, everybody has been learning more about the results of obesity. It seems that all of a sudden we all woke up one morning to find a stack of pancakes in one hand and a bacon burger in the other. The United States has the highest obesity rate in the developed world. The amount of obese children and adults has doubled in the past twenty-five years. Nearly a third of the total adults past 20 and nearly a fifth of the total kids were too heavy as of 2004. Basically the number of people who are risking their health by being too large ranges in the millions. It is now considered one of the biggest health hazards in the country as the prevalence of obesity continues to rise. We're all huge; how did this happen? This general increase in size has many contributing environmental factors that are now considered the American way of life.

During the 1980's, Americans began to have several factors of daily activity change to make for a more sedentary lifestyle. The first is the eating habits. Meals that used to be eaten at home and prepared by the homemaker are now more and more often eaten in restaurants and fast food chains. Fast food portions that were standard in the 60's are two to three times larger in today's competitive restaurants. A cheeseburger in many of today's most popular sit-down restaurants can be double or triple the size of a McDonald's Big Mac, even though the popular chain has been under fire the last few years as the leading culprit for America's weight problem. Just one of these super-sized meals can be a person's entire day's necessary calories.

Obesity has also grown due to American affluence. As people in developed nations acquire more and more wealth, the need or concern to conserve is diminished gradually. Children that a couple of generations ago would have been more limited on food choices because of a parent's budget nowadays are given wider and bigger choices in what they partake in. With parents that eat out constantly because disposable income allows them to, children form their earliest eating habits with rich, high calorie restaurant foods. The U.S. produces nearly three times more food than U.S. residents eat, so most people are not worried about where or how their food is prepared and go more by food cravings.

Many Americans have a sedentary lifestyle, another major factor of obesity. More adults have cars and use them to travel everywhere they go, even if it is a very short distance. Many people have difficulty finding the time to work out because of busy lifestyles or hectic work schedules. As technology is advanced more jobs are becoming less physically active. So now many Americans will work at the office on a computer all day and do nothing active all day because they are tired from their job.

Obesity affects you whether you're in those demographics or not. An estimated 275,000,000 dollars a year is what Americans are paying extra in air fares due to increased fuel costs to haul the extra weight and lawsuits to widen passenger seats brought on by obese plaintiffs. In the medical field, health issues caused by obesity now make up nearly 10% of all medical expenditures with a yearly cost of 78,500,000,000 dollars. The cheeseburger bill of 2004 was introduced by lawmakers to attempt to offer some protection for food producers after lawsuits with obese plaintiffs became so prevalent.

Obesity is measured with a body mass index, or BMI. The risk for having serious health problems goes up as a person's BMI gets higher. There are three levels of obesity; mild obesity with a BMI of 30+, morbid obesity at BMI 40+, and malignant obesity with a BMI of 50+. A person that is forty percent overweight is twice as likely to suffer a fatal medical problem prematurely than an average person. Currently, obesity kills an estimated 112,000 Americans a year. Just some of the possible ailments that come along with being overweight are; cancer, stroke, heart attack, diabetes, and liver disease. Swollen legs, loss of bowel control, breathing problems, and depression are just a few examples of symptoms of obesity that are not fatal but could quickly develop into that.

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Both Charles Browne & Michael Usry are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.

Charles Browne has sinced written about articles on various topics from Nutrition, Supplements and Nutrition. Charles Browne is an ezine author promoting nutritional healing, and disease prevention. He is also co-author of the web comic .. Charles Browne's top article generates over 9900 views. to your Favourites.

Michael Usry has sinced written about articles on various topics from Acne Treatment, Acne and Lose Weight. Michael Usry is the author of the online instructional articles "Beauty and Health in Plain English" and a top affiliate of . Michael Usry's top article generates over 110000 views. to your Favourites.