Overweight and Obesity Overview

You’re not alone

Over 234.5 million (72%) adults in the United States are overweight or obese.  

It’s impact on our economy

Annual obesity-related medical care costs in the United States in 2019 were estimated to be nearly $173 billion ($1500/year per person). This costs U.S. companies $3.38-6.38 billion in missing work.

Why be concerned about this condition?

Being overweight or obese leads to one or multiple of the following conditions:

• High blood pressure 

• High LDL cholesterol, low HDL cholesterol, and/or high levels of triglycerides 

• Type 2 diabetes

• Asthma 

• Sleep apnea

• Muscle aches/joint problems (i.e. osteoarthritis) 

• Gallstones and gallbladder disease

• Anxiety and depression

• Low self-esteem and lower self-reported quality of life

• Bullying

• Stroke

• Coronary Artery Disease

• Premature death

• Increased risk of getting 13 kinds of cancer (esophagus, breasts, colon, uterus, gallbladder, stomach, kidneys, liver, ovaries, pancreas, thyroid, brain, skin)

What are some things that commonly cause overweight/obesity?

• Sleep quality and quantity

• Chronic stress 

• Eating too many carbohydrates per day losing the ability to burn body fat

• Not eating to control blood sugar levels

• Eating for too many hours of the day

• Insulin resistance/Prediabetes

• High uric acid levels

• Sweeteners, preservatives, and fructose are incredibly addicting, and impact the body in ways that easily result in people getting fatter.

• Alcohol and purines

• Low physical activity quantity

• Low exercise quantity

• Genetics

• Testosterone replacement therapy

• Aspirin, anticonvulsive, blood thinner, acid reflux, psoriasis, immunosuppressant, low white blood cell count, parkinson’s disease, viagra, asthma, and beta blocker medications

• Social determinants of health (SDOH) - where we live, work, learn, and play

• The food that is the worst for you, is the cheapest.

• Infrastructure: What does your neighborhood offer you for sidewalks, crosswalks, and bike paths to get around or be active? 

Next Steps

• Go to the next section of the program to learn/schedule your baseline blood testing, body composition testing, and goal setting

References

Perlmutter, D. and Loberg, K. (2024) Drop acid: The surprising new science of uric acid--the key to losing weight, controlling blood sugar, and Achieving Extraordinary Health. S.l.: Simplified Chinese Press.

https://www.levelshealth.com/blog/the-ultimate-guide-to-understanding-your-cholesterol-panel-and-metabolic-blood-tests?utm_source=drip&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=%5BNewsletter%5D+-+02-27-24+-+Understanding+cholesterol+panel+and+blood+tests+%5BLapsed+Members%5D&utm_content=How+to+read+cholesterol+%26+blood+tests