By Tosca Reno
 Losing the Battle
Look
around you. Can you believe one in four people is overweight
or obese? According to the International Obesity Task
Force, a global coalition of scientists working to combat
obesity, more than 300 million people worldwide are obese,
meaning they are carrying an excess of 30 pounds or more
from their ideal weight.
The problem is so prevalent the World Health Organization
has coined the word “globesity” to describe
the impending world fat crisis. As the term implies, fat
reaches far and wide across the globe from the remotest
islands of Polynesia to the frozen lands of Nordic countries.
It’s no wonder this is happening, when in so many
countries, a new KFC, Pizza Hut or Taco Bell is opened
every day.
’Round the World
In
the ’60s and ’70s, the incidence of obesity
was relatively low: 44 percent of the population was overweight
and 13 percent obese, in North America. During the ’80s
and ’90s, the numbers surged to 60 percent, suggesting
the world was facing a frightening new phenomenon. In
2006, the number is still growing – 65 percent of
North Americans are overweight or obese. In many European
countries, the number of overweight men is closer to 68
percent.
Financial Burden
The
financial burdens of caring for obese people are astounding.
In the USA, obesity costs every taxpayer a hefty $180
US per year; that’s $45 US billion in total. Here’s
another one for you: In the last ten years, $275 US million
was spent on extra jet fuel to carry overweight and obese
passengers; that’s a staggering 350 million gallons
of fuel! Figures in the billions are matched globally
as obesity spreads to all countries. These numbers will
only increase as the situation worsens.
Overweight and Sick
It’s the grocery list of diseases that keep company
with being overweight that is the major concern. Type 2
diabetes, for example, is directly linked to obesity. The
incidence of this disease today has reached unprecedented
levels – nearly 177 million people worldwide now
have type 2 diabetes. Three million deaths worldwide per
year are attributed to type 2 diabetes, a disease that
is virtually preventable by controlling one’s weight.
Getting Clean
In
order to lose weight, you must eat more of the best qualify,
natural foods. It cannot be stated any simpler, yet so
many people don’t understand this fundamental fact.
Many people don’t know how to eat, what to eat and
when. Bring health back into your home, Eat with an eye
to what your food is doing for you. Understand that at
a microscopic level, every bite you take makes a world
of difference. Make this day the last day you abuse your
body. Make this day the first day of your fat-burning
future.
Do you like this new Fat Loss section? What would you
like to see more of? Write us at webeditorial@oxygenmag.com and give us your two cents. We want to build a great website,
just for you!
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