Obesity rates in the United States have skyrocketed in the past two decades, leading to a rise in debilitating and sometimes fatal conditions. Type 2 diabetes, heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure, and even certain types of cancer are all conditions caused by obesity.
In a recent campaign to end childhood obesity, First Lady Michelle Obama stated “Childhood obesity isn’t some simple, discrete issue. There’s no one cause we can pinpoint.”
The first lady is running an ambitious campaign that aims to provide more focus on the health and nutrition of the youth of America. But is it too late?
Studies state that a whopping 75%, or 3 out of 4 Americans are overweight, and over 25% of Americans are obese, which requires a BMI of 30 or more. This is a higher ratio than any other country in the world, and many opponents of the fast food industry state that as the primary cause of the epidemic.
Congressman Tim Holden sums it up for us, “…reports indicate that one in every three children born in 2000 will suffer from obesity, which as noted is a predominant Type II precursor.”