2304 Hurstbourne Village Dr, Suite 500, Louisville, KY 40299     (502) 583-3191     (502) 581-1463 fax

www.louisvillecenterforweightloss.com web lcwl@louisvillecenterforweightloss.com email

 

The Epidemic of Obesity

 

• “Obesity itself has become a life-long disease, not a cosmetic issue, nor a moral judgment – and it is becoming a dangerous epidemic” The American Heart Association

 

• Obesity had doubled over the last fifteen years, and could double again over the next 30 years

 

• Over half of Americans are overweight

 

• As obesity has increased, so has diabetes

 

• Diabetes doubles the risk of heart attack and stroke

 

• In countries adopting an American diet, there has been similar increases in obesity

 

• The dramatic increase in obesity is believed to be due to larger portion sizes (“Do you want to super size that?”), high fat foods, and decreased physical activity

 

• Obesity is more prevalent in minorities (37% of African American women and 33% of Mexican American women compared to 22% of white American women)

 

• According to the Surgeon General obesity has passed smoking as the number one preventable cause of death

 

• The National Institutes Of Health has declared obesity an epidemic and has made recommendations to deal with it

 

• Is it worth treating the epidemic of obesity? Yes, there is a 20% reduction in mortality with weight loss

 

• The economic cost of the obesity epidemic is 100 billion dollars a year in the United States alone

 

• Childhood obesity has doubled from 7% to 14% over the last 20 years

 

• 350,000 Americans die annually from obesity related diseases