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OBESITY
CONTINUED CLIMB AMONG AMERICAN ADULTS
Pequot Cyclists Newsletter
www.CTOL.NET/~knrf
February 2001
The prevalence of obesity in the United States
continued to grow in 1999, representing a serious public health threat to
millions of Americans, according to the CDC (Centers for Disease Control
and Prevention). Sine 1991,
obesity among adults has increased by nearly 60% nationally.
Dr. Jeffrey Koplan, Director of the Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention, said, “As a nation, we need to respond as vigorously to this
epidemic as we do to an infectious disease epidemic.”
He said national efforts were needed to encourage physical activity
and better nutrition and to conduct research to identify effective
educational, behavioral, and environmental approaches to control and
prevent obesity.
“As obesity rates continue to grow at
epidemic proportions in this country, the net effect will be dramatic
increases in related chronic health conditions such as diabetes and
cardiovascular disease in the future,” said Dr. Koplan.
CDC recently reported that diabetes increased by 33% among adults
during the 1990s, which reflects the surge in the obesity epidemic during
that sample period. Overweight
and physical inactivity account for more than 300,000 premature deaths
each year in the U.S., second only to tobacco-related deaths.
To control the obesity epidemic, CDC suggests
several approaches including: 1)
counseling for obese individuals, 2) workplaces should offer healthy food
choices in their cafeterias and provide opportunities for employees to be
physically active, 3) schools should offer more physical education that
encourages lifelong physical activity, 4) urban policymakers should
provide more sidewalks, bike paths, and other alternatives to cars, 4)
parents should reduce their children’s TV and computer time and
encourage outdoor play.
In addition to proper nutrition, it is
important to restore physical activity to daily routines to promote
health. Just 30 minutes each
day of moderate physical activity improves health.
For more information about nutrition and physical activity, call
toll-free 1-888-CDC-4NRG or visit http://www.cdc.gov/
and http://ww.cdc.gov/health/obesity.htm.
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