What your weight means for your health

Specifically, more than one in five adults in Colorado (24.9%) and DC (23.5%) are reported to be obese.

The CDC reports that more than one in three adults (35%) across 23 states are considered obese.

In 1990, none of the 45 countries surveyed had obesity equal to or greater than 15%.

OBESITY IS NOT ABOUT THE BULL

Alyson Goodman, MD, MPH – a pediatrician and CDC chief medical officer for The Division of Nutrition, Physical Activity and Obesity – says obesity is often a cause for concern because excess fat cells can affect “health “metabolic beauty,” which is the ability to control the body’s organs. body wide.

“For people who develop excess weight, over time, (their metabolic health) can start to deteriorate and become less efficient,” Goodman said. “That’s where we see people suffering from conditions such as diabetes or high blood pressure or heart disease or other chronic diseases. But, that is not true for everyone. ”

He added: “What we are concerned about is not the size of the body or the way a person looks. “This is about what’s going on below.”

Those conditions include type 2 diabetes, heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure, poor health, gallstone disease and osteoarthritis.

There are also lesser-known effects of obesity, including an increased risk of 13 different cancers, sleep apnea and breathing problems, chronic pain physical and mental illness.

A 2023 study by the University of Colorado Boulder found that almost one in six deaths in the US can be caused by being overweight or obese.

Obesity started with Body Mass Index (BMI), which Goodman said is popular because it creates a quick, inexpensive starting point.

But, he said BMI has its problems, such as not being able to distinguish between fat, muscle and bone. So, two people with the same weight and height will get the same BMI, even if one person has more body fat and less muscle than the other.

“Basically, BMI is an entry point to suggest what, at first, we think?” Goodman said. From there, we need to analyze in detail the risk factors of human metabolism: blood pressure, cholesterol level or sugar levels.

According to Goodman, the most reliable way to find out how your weight affects your health is to talk to a medical provider.

ASSESS THE EFFECT

According to the Mesa County Community Health Needs Assessment, the prevalence of overweight and obese youth (ages 14 to 17) has decreased over the past two years, from more than 12% in 2020 to 8% in 2023.

However, for adults in Mesa County, the Public Health Needs Assessment reports that obesity has increased by nearly 3% between 2020 and 2022. The prevalence of obesity in adults and obese in Mesa County increased by 9% between 2019 and 2022.

According to the Community Health Needs Assessment, one contributor is that less than 45% of Mesa County high school students (49% nationally) get an hour of physical activity at least five days a week. a week.

“Physical activity, along with a healthy diet, reduces body weight and reduces the risk of many chronic diseases,” said the Community Health Needs Assessment.

The Community Health Needs Assessment also reports that about 82% of adults in Mesa County participate in physical activity (about 1% less than adults in Colorado), but that percentage it changes with the amount of money.

Specifically, exercise was only reported among 73% of adults with a household income of less than $50,000; while about 91% of high-income adults reported exercising.

The number of Mesa County adults who eat fruits and vegetables at least once a day – 64% and 83% – is more than double the number of Mesa County high school students (31.5% and 36.8%).

Daily consumption of fruits and vegetables was also lower among Mesa County youth than the rest of the country — but by less than 2%.

PREVENTION, CURE

According to Goodman, small, achievable goals and lifestyle changes are the most powerful ways to lose weight because they reduce the chances of failure and giving up, but they also lead to changes over time. it’s long on behavior that makes it easy to stay healthy. heavy.

Another example Goodman gave is swapping out sodas for sweet or sparkling water.

However, Goodman said there are several factors that contribute to weight loss that people should consider.

“Everyone always goes back to diet and exercise and puts guilt and shame around (those things),” Goodman said. “(They) don’t realize how toxic stress and environmental problems in the cities we all live in affect weight.”

He added that factors that can cause obesity, apart from exercise and nutrition, include sleep, stress and coping, genetics, environment, chemical exposure, the human body. colon and previous antibiotic use.

Likewise, other treatment options, such as medication and surgery, are available in addition to exercise and diet.

“… It can be very difficult to lose excess weight with proper nutrition and exercise alone, even when you’re doing all the right things because of how broken the system is,” Goodman said. said. “Especially if you have a very high BMI, it’s a complete change.”

Readers considering weight loss should consult a health care professional for diagnosis, advice and a treatment plan specific to them.