The U.S. Surgeon General, Dr. David Satcher, recently reported that obesity is a very serious problem, particularly since it is associated with increased risk of high blood pressure, diabetes, heart disease and cancer. Other threats to good health include stroke, gall bladder disease, and arthritis. A new study estimates that the annual number of deaths in the U.S. that are attributable to obesity is about 280,000. For many, it seems to creep on over the years. The number one cause is excess calories for the energy expended.
Most people are fairly active when they re young, and activity generally slows as the years pass.
Sedentary jobs, modern conveniences, tight schedules, and lack of interest in exercise contribute to this pattern. Generally, metabolism slows as age increases, while activity usually decreases. Another factor is food availability. By and large, Americans enjoy an abundance of food that would be the envy of history s kings. Our supermarkets feature every imaginable food a person could want.