Obesity/Overweight Facts

• Approximately two-thirds of American adults are overweight.
•  Your body has to produce an additional one mile of blood vessels for each additional pound of fat.
• It is more important to know how much fat the body is carrying rather than how many pounds one needs to lose.
• Obesity involves having an abnormally high proportion of body fat.
• Obesity is defined as having a body mass index (BMI) of 30 or higher or 20-30% more than the average percent of body fat for age, sex, and height.

Common Causes

Weight is mainly determined by how you balance your intake of calories from food with the energy you use in everyday activities. If you consume more calories than you use, you gain weight.

• Overeating, especially foods high in fats and sugars that have no nutrition value.
• Lack of physical activity.
• Fad diets.
• Failing to adjust eating habits with increasing age and decreasing metabolism.
• Some medications and medical problems may contribute to obesity.

Effects of Obesity

• High blood pressure. Extra body fat increases the need for a higher blood volume. Also, as fats build up in the blood vessels, resistance increases.
• Diabetes. Obesity is a leading cause of type 2 diabetes (formerly called adult-onset or noninsulin-dependant diabetes). As the body gains weight, it becomes resistant to insulin.
• Abnormal blood fats. A diet high in saturated fats (for example, red meat and fried foods) can lead to obesity. It can also increase levels of low-density lipoprotein ("bad") cholesterol and reduce levels of high-density lipoprotein ("good") cholesterol. Obesity is also associated with high levels of triglycerides. Over time, abnormal blood fats can contribute to atherosclerosis (the buildup of fatty deposits in arteries throughout your body). Atherosclerosis increases your risk of coronary artery disease and stroke.
• Coronary artery disease. A  form of cardiovascular disease resulting from the buildup of fatty deposits in arteries that feed your heart; can result in heart attacks.
• Stroke. Obesity is associated with atherosclerosis (the buildup of fatty deposits in arteries throughout your body, including arteries in your brain). If a blood clot forms in a narrowed artery in your brain, it can block blood flow to an area of your brain, resulting a stroke. Being obese raises your risk of a stroke.
• Osteoarthritis. Joints become inflamed from excess weight putting extra pressure on joints and wearing away the cartilage that protects them. This results in joint pain and stiffness and injury.
• Sleep apnea. A person stops breathing for short periods during sleep, often due to extra fat tissue in the throat.
• Cancer. Most types of cancer are associated with being overweight.
• Lowered self -esteem, decreased stamina, fatigue, gallstones (solid deposits of cholesterol in the gallbladder) and gout (a joint disorder).

Treatment

• Weight loss. The good news is that losing even modest amounts of weight can lower your blood pressure, reduce your risk of cardiovascular disease and stroke, improve blood sugar control in diabetes, improve signs and symptoms of osteoarthritis and sleep apnea and lower your risk of cancer.
• Ask your doctor to help you determine your calorie goals to lose weight. He or she may recommend that you also work with a dietitian or a reputable weight-loss program.
• Choose healthy foods. Healthy foods include vegetables, fruits, grains and lean sources of protein, including beans, fish, low-fat dairy products and lean meats. These foods provide all of your required vitamins and minerals. Eat a variety of healthy foods instead of junk foods. 
•  Reduce fat. Because fat has more than twice the calories of carbohydrate and protein ounce for ounce, reducing the fat content of your diet is an important way to cut calories. Foods high in fat include most fast foods, pastries, red meat, dairy products, oils, margarine, butter, salad dressings, mayonnaise and some nuts.
• Choose the right carbohydrates. Steer away from simple carbohydrates such as table sugar and other sweeteners, fruit juice, pretzels, white bread, and white pasta. Instead, try to eat plenty of complex, high-fiber carbohydrates, such as whole-grain bread and pasta, brown rice and fresh fruits and vegetables.
• Count calories. Read food labels.
•  Eat the appropriate portion sizes. Serving sizes are smaller than you think. Weigh and measure your food until you are eating the right serving size.
• Cut back on sweets. Limit candies, cakes, cookies, muffins, pies, doughnuts and frozen desserts. They're a large source of calories. Better dessert choices include angel food cake, vanilla wafers, fig-bar cookies, low-fat frozen yogurt, sorbet or sherbet.
• Increase physical activity. Begin with a few minutes of walking or stair climbing.  Increase your exercise time gradually until you are doing some sort of aerobic exercise for 30 minutes all or most days of the week.