In the last decade, obesity has become what some would call an epidemic. There is no question about it, obesity rates are increasingly high with 34.9% of adults and 17% of children in the United States classified as obese.
Body Mass Index (BMI) is a person’s weight in kilograms divided by the square of height in meters. A high BMI can be an indicator of high body fatness. BMI is used as a screening tool, but cannot be used as a true diagnostic.
Adults:
Underweight range: BMI less than 18.5
Normal or healthy weight range: BMI between 18.5 and 24.9
Overweight range: BMI between 25 and 29.9
Obese range: BMI higher than 30
For children, the BMI is more complex as it depends on age and sex. A child’s weight status is determined using an age and sex specific percentile for BMI rather than the adult categories because children’s bodies vary as they age. The CDC Growth Chart is commonly used to measure the growth patterns of children in the United States.
What then can we do to change this startling statistic?
In some ways, our fast paced, convenience based culture is the blame. We spend more time rushing from one activity, event, or job to the next. We eat our meals in the car and they typically come out of a bag. Can we as a nation make a move from convenience to healthy?
Eating healthy is important to remaining a healthy weight, however it has become increasingly difficult to buy and prepare healthy foods. When I go to the grocery store, I usually spend between 20-40 dollars on the healthy stuff. I will buy fresh and frozen fruits and vegetables as well as whole grain breads. Granted I only cook for myself so my healthy foods last for a while and I am able to enjoy them all. That is not the case for a lot of families who seem to never have full cupboards.
Exercising is another important component to remaining a healthy weight. I am in the “overweight” category and I don’t know about you, but I hate exercising in public. Gyms are full of people who look better than me. It’s a self-confidence thing. How can I convince myself to walk into a fitness center and start working out when I look the way I do? I would hope and assume that there are many out there that feel the same way.
Weight and shape has become so important in our culture. We see all the models and celebrities who have the perfect body yet we also see all the ‘love your body’ campaigns on TV. How can I suddenly change my perspective from “I want to look skinny” to “I want to look healthy?” It will be difficult but I think I am up for the challenge.
To be a healthy individual you have to:
Feel healthy
Eat healthy
Exercise
And recognize that you are not the only one
Sources:
https://www.healthsourcechiro.com/contents.aspx?id=Healthy-Children-Childhood-Obesity
cdc.gov
Obesity: Being You
