Rising Obesity in the United States Is a Public Health Crisis
In the United States, more than one-third of the adults are obese and obesity is linked to more than 60 chronic conditions.
In the United States, more than one-third of the adults are obese and obesity is linked to more than 60 chronic conditions. Obesity and overweight are often put side by side but they do not mean the same thing. Being overweight means that you have some extra fat whereas being obese means you have an excessive or abnormally high level of body fat.
Consuming food helps us gain nutrients and fuel us throughout the day but if we consume more than we can burn, the excess food ends up sitting in our body without serving its purpose. Having a balanced diet can help with getting enough nutrients for the day and calorie control can help prevent consuming extra food we do not need. Changing our lifestyle habits can help improve other parts of our lives. By improving our diet and controlling our calorie intake, we are unconsciously controlling our weight.
Your weight can play a large role in your health over time. The more obese you are, the higher your risk is of developing a medical condition such as heart disease, hypertension, and diabetes to name some. A person who is 40% overweight is twice as likely to die prematurely as an average-weight person.
What changes to your lifestyle habits should you take to prevent obesity and being overweight? Remember, by changing just one of our lifestyle habits, we are positively improving other areas of our lives. You can start by balancing your diet, controlling your calorie intake, and controlling your weight.
A balanced diet starts with vegetables, white meat, and healthy carbs. Eating a well nutritious diet can help maintain your weight, improve your sleep quality, and lower your blood pressure. By following the Lively Habits app, you can improve your wellness and build healthy habits for life.
Calorie Control is a diet in which you are mindful of how much you eat. You get your calorie intake from food and drink. Not having the proper calorie intake can decrease your metabolism and cause you to lose muscle mass.
Weight control is to help you manage and maintain healthy body weight. Reaching a healthy weight can prevent weight-related chronic diseases like heart diseases, diabetes, enhance sleep, and improve your overall health. Another key to weight control is to set realistic weight loss goals.
Chronic diseases – such as diabetes, cancer, asthma, and heart disease – are leading causes of death and disability. The Liu Foundation offers philanthropic GoLively app and video series promoting evidence-based lifestyle habits to prevent chronic diseases. GoLively integrated Harvard, Stanford, and CDC’s Public Health findings into an easy-to-use behavior conditioning app and series of lifestyle motivation videos to prevent chronic diseases.
Living It Up Anywhere
The idea of living your best life can be done anywhere, at any time, and all it really takes is a mindset shift. Take it one core lifestyle habit at a time, whether that is eating healthy and less, daily exercise, quitting bad habits, getting a routine checkup, or being positive. Take a chance today to Live It Up!