dietary fiber—all of which improve health and fight against cancer and heart disease. Too
many Americans rely far too heavily on these products and not enough on fresh, whole foods such
as fruits, vegetables, beans, nuts, fish, and lean meats. All these poor and excessive food
choices have consequences, including rampant obesity. “Obese” means “extremely overweight.” In
2001, more than 20% of Americans were obese—nearly twice the rate
from just a decade earlier. Obesity is dangerous because it leads to
poor circulation, heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, heat
exhaustion, and a lot of other problems. It is estimated that as
many as 300,000 deaths per year in the U.S. are related to obesity.
A recent report by the Centers for Disease Control said that obesity
is ready to overtake tobacco as America’s leading cause of preventable death.
Apart from playing a role in obesity, a poor diet can affect us in
other ways. Diets that are high in unhealthy fat and low in fiber,
essential nutrients, and antioxidants have been linked to several
kinds of cancer. Poor dietary choices can also cause bad forms of cholesterol
to build up in your arteries, increasing your blood pressure
and eventually leading to a heart attack. Improper nutrition can
lower your body’s natural defenses against disease and make you feel
sluggish and weak. It’s hard to believe, but many Americans are
both obese and undernourished at the same time!
Besides taking more calories in, we’re burning fewer calories off
than ever before. Over a century ago, your great-great-grandparents
expended lots of energy every day, by lifting heavy loads, working in
fields or in factories, building and fixing things with their hands, and
walking almost everywhere they needed to go. Even housework
used to be a vigorous workout. It was a hard life, but all that
challenging physical activity helped to keep their bodies fit.
Nowadays, many of us can get through a whole day scarcely lifting
a finger. We wake up and get right into a car, bus, or subway
that takes us to work. We might spend the entire working day
behind a desk or a counter, moving only a few steps at a time. People
who work in factories or in the home have many kinds of
machines that do the hardest work for them. At night, we can order a
pizza delivered to our front door and eat it while watching TV—
using a remote control so we don’t even have to get up to change the channel!
As you can see, our modern lifestyle is very convenient, but
it’s cut way down on the amount of exercise we normally get in a
day. In order to burn calories and stay physically fit, most of us
need to go out of our way to exercise, whether it’s by walking, jogging,
swimming, playing a sport, riding a bike, or going to a gym.
Unfortunately, many people don’t exercise at all. If you’re one of
them, you’re not alone. Maybe your job or your family leaves
you with little or no free time
Maybe your neighborhood isn’t safe. Maybe you don’t feel energetic
enough to exercise. Maybe you’ve thought about it, but just
haven’t made it a priority. Maybe you’re overwhelmed and you
don’t know where to start. The good news about lifestylerelated
health problems is that people have a great deal of control
over them. It takes discipline, willpower, and some background
research, but anyone can improve his or her diet, get more
exercise, and benefit from the results. The changes might be very
simple. For example, if you live or work in a building with an elevator,
you might start taking the stairs every day instead. You could
walk, rather than drive or ride, to run nearby errands. You could do
exercises in your apartment while you watch TV. You could save up
to a thousand calories a week by swapping carrots or celery for
french fries at lunchtime. For those who are seriously overweight
or who might have trouble sticking to a fitness plan, many
support groups and weight-loss or nutrition programs are available
to help. If you think you need to find one, ask your doctor for recommendations.
Even finding a friend to diet and exercise with
can make a big difference. In extreme cases, there are medical
treatments, ranging from prescription drugs to surgery,
that can help combat obesity and overeating.
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