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Step 1: Get the Facts: The Consequences
Obesity and being overweight may cause serious health problems. Diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, and problems with mobility are just some of the significant health consequences of being overweight. Even if you're not overweight, many of these illnesses may be prevented by eating a balanced diet and by an active lifestyle.
As a nation, two-thirds of Americans are overweight or obese, which is now widely recognized as a public health crisis. We are pushing our health care system to the limit, and the problem, far from getting better, is actually getting worse. Even our children are affected -- many more children are overweight today than even ten years ago, with dire consequences to their health as well.
We must make changes -- even small ones-to save our own health and the health of our families. We must begin to role model good habits for our children.
Maintaining a healthy weight is, on the surface, quite simple: you must burn as many or more calories than you take in. And everyone, it seems, has an opinion about how best to accomplish this. Some say we should eat more protein and fewer carbohydrates. But we think it's much simpler than that:
- Eat a balanced diet containing all the food groups, and control your portion sizes -- You needn't give up the foods you love best; instead, eat in moderation and save high-calorie meals for special occasions.
- Make activity a fun and rewarding part of your everyday life-not by carving out hours at a time for exercise, but by becoming more active as part of your everyday life. We have specific small steps you can make towards being more active. Sign up now for the Activity Tracker to see just how those small steps affect your health.
Lifestyle changes may seem difficult, but in this case they may be essential. Overweight and obesity will not go away on their own -- not for the nation, and not for our families.
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