A Chronic Disease
“Obesity is a chronic disease in the same sense as hypertension and
atherosclerosis ….. The excess energy is stored in fat cells that
enlarge and/or increase in number. Enlarged fat cells produce the
clinical problems associated with obesity either because of the
weight or mass of the extra fat or because of the increased secretion
of free fatty acids and numerous peptides from enlarged fat cells. The
consequence of these two mechanisms is other diseases, such as
diabetes mellitus, gallbladder disease, osteoarthritis, heart disease,
and some forms of cancer. The spectrum of medical, social, and
psychological disabilities includes a range of medical and behavioral
problems.
This chronic disease has been around for a very long time. The Latin
word obesus was first used by Randle Cotgrave in A Dictionarie of the
French and English Tongues in 1611. Obesus comes from ob, meaning,
“over”, and esus the past participle of edere, meaning “to eat”, and it
describes a condition related to the behavior of overeating where one
has “eaten himself stout, plump, or fat.”
The progression of obesity is often slow, and develops over a long period
of time, as in many chronic diseases. Curing chronic diseases, such as
obesity, may be difficult, but controlling and preventing them is where
the effort is most warranted and should be focused. This is where the
CUPS diet®’s Control Using PortionS™ model will prove invaluable.
Epidemic Proportions
Obesity has reached epidemic proportions in the U.S. The number of
individuals that are considered overweight (with a BMI of 25.0 to 29.9)
or obese (BMI of 30 and over) has increased rapidly in recent decades.
1 in every 6 adults worldwide meets the criteria for obesity (WHO’s
World Health Statistics 2012 report). This trend has been recognized by
government health agencies globally.
The obesity epidemic is extremely troublesome with regard to increased
weight associated health risks and higher financial outlay by both the
dieter and society at large.
“Overweight and obesity has reached epidemic proportions in the
U.S. and worldwide.”
“The prevalence of obesity in the United States has doubled in
the past two decades."
“An estimated 129.6 million Americans … are overweight or
obese.”
www.usgovinfo.about.com/cs/healthmedical/a/hhsobesity.htm
“The number of overweight and obese Americans has increased
since 1960, a trend that shows no signs of slowing down.”
“… among the group of individuals with a BMI over 30, their
average weight continues to increase.”
Weight Associated Health Risks
Many now realize that being overweight or obese often leads to very
serious health consequences. These health related problems are quite
numerous and include such conditions as diabetes, hypertension,
stroke, various types of cancer, heart problems, etc. Knowledge of these
facts almost invariably results in a genuine desire to lose weight.
Obesity increases the risk of developing:
Coronary heart disease
Type 2 Diabetes
Cancer – endometrial
Cancer – breast and colon
Hypertension (high blood pressure)
Dyslipidemia
Liver and Gallbladder Disease
Respiratory Problems
Sleep Apnea
Osteoarthritis
Gynecological problems
