The rate of increase in obesity across America seems to have declined somewhat, reaching a plateau finally, say the reports from the “Center of Disease Control and Prevention”. However, there’s a catch here! Obesity among the young boys   aged 6-19 have increased sharply, by almost 29% and the figures have overtaken the   rate of  increase in girls for the first time ever according to the report .

The Central Disease Control or CDC tracks the rate of obesity across America and updates the figures every two years. The 2009-2010 statistics reveal that almost a third of the country’s population are obese with 12.5 million of the children also being over weight.  Cynthia Ogden, one of the lead authors of this report says that the rapid increase in obesity is not continuing at present with the figures remaining almost unaltered since 2007.

The trend of obesity might be very difficult to reverse though feels Kelly Brownell, the director of Food Policy & Obesity’s Rudd Center at Yale University. However, with almost all public health organizations targeting the issue, there is growing awareness among the population.  Fad diets and pills will not work anymore stresses the authorities while extolling the virtues of inculcating healthy eating habits and a physically active life. The school children of New York City were able to show a 5% decrease in obesity rate during the period 2006-2010.

Health Risks

There are numerous health risks associated with being fat claim medical professionals. The common ailments plaguing Americans due to obesity are:-

• ·         Cardiac Stroke
• ·         Sleep Disorders
• ·         Osteoarthritis
• ·         Cancer
• ·         Heart Ailments

The Americans are aware of their condition but fail to battle the condition successfully. In fact they spend almost $147 billion annually on obesity related treatment. Giving up junk food and soda right from the school level might actually help the nation overcome the problem.

Measures Taken

The department of “US Health and Human Services” has targeted the various states as well as territories and advised them to formulate plans that include nutritious food and physical activity in order to fight obesity. An amount of $119 million has been awarded for the cause since 2009.

• ·         A number of States have also banished soda vending machines from school along with revising the school lunch lines.

   

• ·         Several restaurants including Chick-fil-A Inc., Darden Restaurants Inc., and the fast food giant McDonalds have also vowed to cut down the calories in their food.

Why Are Boys Getting Fatter?

There are a number of reasons for the boys getting more and more obese as compared to the girls. The commonest ones have been identified as:-

• ·         Excessive use of Internet, gaming devices and computers which make them stay stationary for hours at a time.
   
• ·         The boys are not as conscious of their bodies as the girls and do not make any effort to stay healthy.
   
• ·         The market trend instigates the boys to eat and drink larger portions in order to be labeled as ‘macho’.

The Solution

Diet pills that can get rid of obesity without any harmful side effects is yet to hit the market. Such a pill is bound to have unprecedented sales once it is approved by the FDA.

The professionals also feel that staying obese is an accepted fact in America as it gives rise to a feeling of similarity and belonging. As a result being obese is considered to be ‘normal’ in America and overcoming this issue is going to be an uphill battle for sure says Maruther, an assistant professor at the “John Hopkins School of Medicine”.  A change in lifestyle and eating proper, nutritious food seem to be the only way out until then.

Hitting a plateau is good news but not the end of the problem. It is time we realized that bigger does not necessarily mean better it can also be unhealthy!

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