More than 4 in 10Americans now fit the medical definition for having obesity, putting them at risk for serious health problems, including diabetes, heart disease and some types of cancer.The pandemic increased the stakes. In its first year, nearly one-third of severe COVID-19 cases were blamed on excess weight.
USA TODAY decided to take a look at how Americas weight has been changing in recent years, including advances in treatments and the scientific understanding of obesity. We spoke with more than 50 experts in nutrition, endocrinology, psychology, exercise physiology and neuroscience and people who are intimately familiar with the challenges of extra pounds.
The answers arent simple.
But they get to the essence of America: our issues with race, stigma, personal responsibility, economic stability and the power of corporations.
Many people feel shame and guilt when they can't lose weight. Human biology, which evolved to hold onto extra calories, makes it extremely tough to lose weight on your own. Help is hard to find, but it is out there.
Obesity was long considered a personal failing. Science shows it's not.
Despite rising rates of overweight and obesity,the stigma of excess weight remains in virtually every aspect of society. Some people are fighting back, but it isn't easy to counter decades of stereotyping and falsely simple solutions.
Extra weight increases health risk in the long run. Fat shaming hurts now.
Biology makes it hard to lose weight. Our food environment makes it very easy to add excess pounds. What to eat if you're trying to shed that extra weight or avoid unnecessary pounds? Scientists are still searching for answers.
What we eat matters. Researchers are still searching for the 'best' diet.
Extra weight is often considered a personal failing, but lots of factors beyond an individual's power contribute to weight gain,including food deserts, the cost of healthy food, stress and prejudice. The situation isn't hopeless.
Americans don't choose to be fat. Many live within a 'system they don't control.'
Until recently, the only way to lose a substantial amount of weight was through surgery. New medications promise to change that,offering the possibility of shedding 15% to more than 20% of excess pounds. The challenge will be making these medicationsavailable to those who want them.
New drugs and surgery can deliver major weight loss. But they come at a cost.
Any solutionwill have to start with children, experts say. Starting almost from birth, kids learnpatternsthey follow for the rest of their lives, so there's a lot at stake in teaching them to eat healthy, exercise regularly and get enough sleep.
How will the obesity epidemic end? With kids.
Original post:
Obesity in America: Seeking answers to nation's overweight epidemic - USA TODAY
