A Fitness Freak's Life

Of course obesity is bad! (we knew it all along!)

2005-06-02T15:53:00.000-07:00

The CDC is backing down from the implications derived from a study released in April that suggested that obesity wasn't really that bad for your health. In that study it was reported that less than 26,000 deaths in the US each year were due to obesity. Earlier studies stated that around 365,000 deaths each year were due to obesity. Apparently some of the confusion is due to the fact that obesity is not always listed as the cause of death even though diseases such as diabetes are often highly linked to obesity. The director of the CDC,
Julie Gerberding now states: it is "not OK to be overweight" and "While we may not have an accurate estimate yet of the exact number of people who die from obesity, we certainly know that there is a large number of people who have the problem". Read more about this from Reuter's

In related news, the International Obesity Task Force at the European Congress on Obesity stated that nearly half a million children in Europe now have health problems usually associated with middle age: high blood pressure, raised cholesterol and poor blood sugar regulation, because they are getting too fat.

World No Tobacco Day

2005-05-31T13:44:00.000-07:00

Today is May 31: 'World No Tobacco Day'.

WHO, the World Health Organization is trying to get doctors and other health care professionals to help encourage smokers to quit smoking. Apparently, very few - only around 5% of health care professionals ever have any training in helping people to quit smoking. Not that this should be surprising, given that doctors seem to have no concern or interest whatsoever in preventative health care. Muchless in educating their customers - patients - in anything concerning their body - including fitness or nutrition.

Another story came out today too that is related to smoking - a study (by Addiction) concluded that tobacco companies developed cigarettes for women, like Slims, to exploit many women's goal of losing weight. They even considered adding appetite depressants to cigarettes! See more at: http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/3024.html

More related to fitness is this story: In South Africa 57% of women over 15 are overweight!

Americans are Fat and Lazy!

2005-05-26T13:12:00.000-07:00

Americans are fat and lazy!

ok - now I got your attention!

Well, there is a little bit of truth to that, but back to that later.

For now, lets just say that many, ok, most, Americans tend to be overweight. Also, they watch TV too much and get lazy from that.

I just don't understand it. Many studies have shown that being fat and out of shape cuts many years off of a persons life - so why do people do it? Because they don't know any better? Don't care? Don't know how to eat right and get in shape? Maybe a little of each.

With this blog I will explore these possibilities and look for ways to help people to change how they live their lives.