Lately, I have been hearing something that scares me. I just met a gentlemen yesterday that reminded me of it. He said, “Children can be overweight and healthy”. My apologies if you too have bought into this, but unfortunately it just isn’t true. Whether you are a child or adult you are at a greater health risk if you are overweight and/or obese.
The Centers For Disease Control lists the following:
Research has shown that as weight increases to reach the levels referred to as “overweight” and “obesity,”* the risks for the following conditions also increases:1
- Coronary heart disease
- Type 2 diabetes
- Cancers (endometrial, breast, and colon)
- Hypertension (high blood pressure)
- Dyslipidemia (for example, high total cholesterol or high levels of triglycerides)
- Stroke
- Liver and Gallbladder disease
- Sleep apnea and respiratory problems
- Osteoarthritis (a degeneration of cartilage and its underlying bone within a joint)
- Gynecological problems (abnormal menses, infertility)
Carrying extra weight is also very hard on your body. For example, every extra inch of fat around your waist adds 10 extra pounds of pressure to your back, which not only can cause back pain, but can also cause hip, knee and foot pain, when you change how you stand and walk, because of the back pain.
I am not saying this to make people with a weight problem feel bad about themselves, I am just concerned people will start buying into this myth, especially when people in the media slant the truth about excess weight. Be aware that there are health consequences from being overweight. Good nutrition and regular physical activity can help.
If you need direction or support you can contact me directly at karen@karenhummel.com
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With Karen's education and eighteen years experience in the preventative health, nutrition, and fitness fields and personal experience battling weight, she could not ignore the growing obesity epidemic, especially after the announcement by the surgeon general stating, this would be the first generation to die before their parents due to obesity. This is not a legacy Karen wants to leave behind.