The stats* are staggering
- Less than half of U.S. adults have a healthy weight
All adults (20-74 years old): 67.3 million (33.5 percent)
Women (20-74 years old): 36.7 million (35.3 percent)
Men (20-74 years old): 30.6 million (31.8 percent)
- Nearly two-thirds of U.S. adults are overweight
All adults (20+ years old): 129.6 million (64.5 percent)
Women (20+ years old): 64.5 million (61.9 percent)
Men (20+ years old): 65.1 million (67.2 percent)
- Nearly one-third of U.S. adults are obese
All adults (20+ years old): 61.3 million (30.5 percent)
Women (20+ years old): 34.7 million (33.4 percent
- Approximately 300,000 adult deaths in the United States each year are attributable to unhealthy dietary habits and physical inactivity or sedentary behavior.
* U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
Obesity rates continue to increase
In 1950, obesity was not considered to be a disease. Today, it is quickly becoming an epidemic. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, obesity is the number one health threat in the United States today.
The obesity prevalence has steadily increased over the years among both genders, all ages, all racial/ethnic groups, all educational levels, and all smoking levels according to information from the U.S. Department for Health and Human Services.
From 1960 to 2000, the number of overweight people between the ages of 20 and 74 increased from 31.5 to 33.6 percent in U.S. The number of obese people during this same time period more than doubled--from 13.3 to 30.9 percent, with most of this rise occurring in the past 20 years.
From 1988 to 2000, the prevalence of extreme obesity increased from 2.9 to 4.7 percent, up from 0.8 percent in 1960. In 1991, four states had obesity rates of 15 percent or higher, and none had obesity rates above 16 percent. By 2000, every state except Colorado had obesity rates of 15 percent or more, and 22 states had obesity rates of 20 percent or more.
Less than one-third (31.8 percent) of U.S. adults get regular leisure-time physical activity (defined as light or moderate activity five times or more per week for 30 minutes or more each time and/or vigorous activity three times or more per week for 20 minutes or more each time). About 10 percent of adults do no physical activity at all in their leisure time.
What can you do?
University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics Weight Management offers a multidisciplinary, physician-directed weight reduction program rooted in lifestyle modification. This comprehensive program is focused on weight loss and long-term maintenance, and combines elements of:
- diet
- exercise
- educational therapy
- behavioral therapy
UI Weight Management offers an intensive, 16-week weight loss program, following which patients are encouraged to enroll in a 16-week weight maintenance program. For information about the program, please call 319-353-7796.
The UI Weight Management program empowers you to achieve weight loss for life. This program brings together medical specialists with extensive, comprehensive experience in the field of weight loss to help you build a lifestyle that helps you achieve permanent weight loss.
The goal of weight loss is good health, and even a modest weight loss can have significant health benefits. Nearly every person trying to lose weight has experienced "yo-yo" dieting which can be more harmful to the body than living steadily at a heavy weight.
From conducting research, to using new treatment strategies, to sharing the latest findings that support your weight management efforts, the faculty and staff of UI Weight Management are committed to providing the latest weight management care.
UI Weight Management is a multidisciplinary clinic operated by four specialists:
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