Two thirds of American adults are overweight or obese. By the year 2030, it’s predicted that 42 percent of Americans will be severely obese, with more than 100 pounds over a healthy weight. Obesity is one of the greatest contributors to growing health care costs, as excess weight is linked to Diabetes, heart disease, hypertension, muscular impairment, kidney problems, stroke and certain cancers. Despite the evidence of benefits of maintaining a healthy weight and active lifestyle, people have super-sized their meals and become more sedentary due to technology. Our inherited genetic make-up predisposes our body types, but our bad habits influence our children’s future weight crisis.
What can be done about this growing problem today? Experts recommend a variety of methods to achieving and maintaining a healthy weight. Successful weight loss comes from a combination of exercise, physical activity and portion control. Maintaining the weight loss requires a long term commitment to behavior modification. It requires a lifestyle change in better food choices, caloric intake and expenditure. Emphasis needs to be placed on intervention for aggressive prevention.
Join Parker Homes in the Pavilion Theater at 443 River Road in Highland Park on Sept. 18, 25 and Oct.2 for the viewing of “The Weight of the Nation,” a series about the obesity epidemic and how you can make a difference in your life and community.
For more information, visit www.francisepartker.com.
Lori Morell is the senior manager for Center of Healthy Aging, Parker Homes.