Americans are said to be the fattest people in the world. We eat larger portions of greased, fatty, and sweetened foods than any other country in the world, and of course we pay a price for it. If you are one of the 97.1 million American adults considered overweight or obese you might be a victim of our weapon of mass destruction. Below are obesity questions and answers:

1. Why is obesity our weapon of mass destruction? Approximately 280,000 annual adult deaths in the country are attributed to obesity, compared to 35,000 deaths due to guns, and 25,000 deaths due to auto accidents, hence the foods we eat by our own choosing kill far more Americans than guns and automobiles combined. Overweight individuals have an increase risk of developing one or more of the following conditions: Heart disease and stroke, hypertension, non-insulin dependent or type 2 diabetes, arthritis, sleep apnea and other breathing problems. Others health problems of overweight include cancer of the uterus, cervix, ovary, breast, colon, rectum, and prostate. High blood cholesterol, menstrual irregularities, gall bladder disease, stress incontinence or urine leakage and depression are also associated with obesity. Social problems associated with obesity in America include low self-esteem, less social desirability, and a tendency to be considered being of low socioeconomic status.
2. What is overweight and obesity? Overweight is defined as a body mass index (BMI) of 25-29.9, and obesity is a BMI of 30 or greater. BMI is a more accurate measure of obesity, used by health and obesity researchers, that does not rely on weight alone, as other measures do.
3. How common is obesity in America and Oklahoma? Estimates for obesity range from 20-55 % in America, depending on the BMI cutoff used. When a BMI of 30 and above (30% or above, desired weight) is used, 1 in 4 Americans are obese, reports the US centers for disease control. The Oklahoma State Department of Health reports 32.4 percent of Oklahomans as being overweight, and at risk for health problems
4. How is BMI calculated? BMI is calculated by using a person's height (in inches), and weight (in pounds) in the computation: assume that you are 5 ft. 8 ins (68 inches) and weigh 160 pounds; to calculate your BMI, multiply your weight by the constant of, 705, then divide the results by 68, and divide the result a second time by 68; or in this example, BMI = 705 X 160/68/68 or 24.4 (this is a rather safe BMI for this individual). Other means of measuring obesity include underwater procedure; skin folds and waist size measurements. The National Heart Lung and Blood Institute reports that men with a waist size above 40 inches, and women with waist size above 35 inches have greater risks for developing health problems.
5. What causes obesity? Genetic as well as environmental factors do contribute to obesity. This article discuses environmental factors or what individuals can do to decrease health risks. Obesity/Overweight occurs when calories consumed in foods, exceed the calories used-up for energy and other metabolic processes, leading the body to store the unneeded calories in the form of fat, for a "rainy day", (to use in case of starvation), which hardly happens in food-abundant America. So excess stored fats continue to accumulate and lead to the health problems earlier discussed. Physical inactivity and people's misunderstanding of food labels also contribute to obesity in American. Weight conscious individuals tend to be preoccupied with the concept of "low fat" and "healthy food" ads, without paying attention to total calories. Reducing fat can help reduce calories, and is heart-healthy, but reducing fat alone without considering total calories, will not produce weight loss.
6. What is the cost of obesity? The National Center for Health Statistics, estimates the direct and indirect annual expenditure on obesity-related problems to be $99.2 billion.
7. How can obesity be prevention or excess weight reduced? Successful weight reduction must involve: Calorie reduction; increased physical activity; Behavior modification designed to improve good nutrition, break the food-addiction chain, and increase physical activity. Individuals must be physically active for 30 or more minutes per session, and for 3 or more days per week.

For Questions, call (405) 744 6825.
For online access to Extension/Community Health Column, please check “articles” on the web at: http://www.fcs.okstate.edu/health/.