9 out of 10 American men and 7 out of 10 women were overweight and more than a third were obese ...

http://www.forbes.com/lifestyle/heal...out528305.html

Majority of Americans Becoming Overweight or Obese
-- Robert Preidt

TUESDAY, Oct. 4 (HealthDay News) -- Over the three decades between 1971 and
2001, 9 out of 10 American men and 7 out of 10 women were overweight or
became overweight, and more than a third were obese or became obese,
according to a new study.

The findings from the study of more than 4,000 white adults enrolled in the
ongoing Framingham Heart Study suggest the vast majority of American adults
are at risk of becoming overweight or obese.

"National surveys and other studies have told us that the United States has
a major weight problem, but this study suggests that we could have an even
more serious degree of overweight and obesity over the next few decades. In
addition, these results may underestimate the risk for some ethnic groups,"
Dr. Elizabeth G. Nabel, director of the U.S. National Heart, Lung, and Blood
Institute (NHLBI), said in a prepared statement.

The NHLBI supported the study, published in the Oct. 4 issue of the journal
Annals of Internal Medicine.

"Our results, although not surprising, are worrisome," study lead author Dr.
Ramachandran Vasan, associate professor of medicine at Boston University
School of Medicine, said in a prepared statement. "If the trend continues,
our country will continue to face substantial health problems related to
excess weight."

Being overweight and obese increases the risk of diabetes, high blood
pressure, heart disease, stroke, asthma and other breathing problems,
osteoarthritis, gall bladder disease, and some forms of cancer, experts say.

"We hope these results will serve as a wake-up call to Americans of all
ages," Nabel added.

More information

The American Academy of Family Physicians has more about weight control.

--
Ken

"Buddhism elucidates why we are sentient."
"Karma means that you don't get away with anything."