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Obesity
has been linked to a number of serious conditions, including
high blood pressure, type II (adult-onset) diabetes, coronary
heart disease and stroke. Despite these associations, obesity
is increasing in the United States, rising from an already
unacceptable 25.4% from 1976-1980 to a staggering rate of
35.2% from 1988-1994.
In a study published in the October issue of the American
Journal of Public Health, researchers evaluated the potential
 lifetime health and economic benefits of a sustained 10% reduction
in body weight in men and women (35-64 years of age and suffering
from mild, moderate or severe obesity). They estimate that
this type of weight loss would:
€ reduce the expected number of years of life with high
blood pressure by up to three years; years with elevated
cholesterol levels by almost one year; and years with type
II diabetes by 1/2 a year to nearly two years per person;
€ reduce the expected lifetime incidence of coronary heart
disease by 12-38 cases per thousand and stroke by 1-13 cases
per thousand;
€ increase average life expectancy by 2-7 months per person;
and
€ reduce expected lifetime medical care costs associated
with these diseases by $2,200-$5,300 per person.
Most of us need to lose a few pounds, but don't starve yourself
or look to a temporary solution. If you want to lose weight,
live longer and avoid disease, adopt a sensible diet that
will take the pounds off steadily and keep them off. Your
doctor of chiropractic can recommend a complete exercise and
nutritional program suitable to your needs.
Reference:
Oster G, Thompson D, Edelsberg J, et al. Lifetime health
and economic benefits of weight loss among obese persons.
American Journal of Public Health, October 1999: Vol.
89, No. 10, pp1536-42.
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