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Increasing Obesity Problem Contributing To Potential Diabetes Epidemic
by Med Pharm logo Suppling the World With Quality PharmaceuticaAmerica’s obesity problem is becoming more pronounced, also sending the number of people with diabetes skyrocketing, creating a major health challenge for the country. Growing obesity rates will create a large demand for pharmaceutical companies selling diabetes medication and other drugs that help manage illnesses obesity is linked to causing.
Despite efforts by the medical community and government, obesity in America has doubled in the past 40 years. Today, about 66 percent of Americans over the age of 18 are either overweight or obese. Being overweight is typically defined as having a body mass index of 25 or higher, while obesity is defined as having a BMI or 30 or higher.
Being obese or overweight significantly increases the chance that people will develop diabetes. High fat diets trigger overproduction of glucose in the liver, which contributes to insulin resistance that can result in diabetes. Being obese also contributes to the development of adult diabetes in a number of other ways. In fact, experts estimate that growing obesity rates will add six million new cases of diabetes by 2030, creating a huge demand for medication from pharmaceutical companies.
The reason for America’s weight problem is simple: We eat too much. Some of this predisposition is genetic. Our ancestors ate diets heavy in fat to store up nutrients for times of scarcity. While this was helpful back when times of famine were common, it’s not helpful in modern society, where food is plentiful. According to health experts, the average American eats 500 to 800 calories more than he or she needs each day, contributing greatly to our growing problem with obesity.
Sedentary lifestyles are also a major culprit in our obesity epidemic. Americans are no longer as active as they once were, as machinery has taken over much of the physical labor we performed as part of daily living in the past. Long workdays spent in front of a computer with little movement provide little physical exertion. A lack of recreational activities available to many low-income residents may also contribute to the sedentary lifestyles that are contributing to obesity.
The consequences of increasing obesity and diabetes rates are dire. People will live shorter lives, develop more illnesses, and spend more money on purchasing drugs from pharmaceutical companies. Diabetes is hardly the only illness resulting from obesity, as the condition also increases risks of heart attack, stroke, cancer and a variety of other ailments.
These dire health consequences can be avoided if more people incorporate more responsible eating habits and more physical activity into their lifestyles. Gradual steps toward portion control and increased exercise can help create sustained progress in this area.Sponsor Ads
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logo Suppling the World With Quality Pharmaceutica
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