Obesity In America

Across all 50 states and the nation's capital, more than 1 in 5 adults are obese, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, with states in the South and Midwest experiencing the highest obesity prevalence. In America overall, some 93 million adults were affected by obesity in 2015-2016, according to the CDC.The main symptom of obesity is excessive body fat – a person who is obese has a body mass index of 30 or higher – and the condition leads to higher risks of developing complex medical conditions such as heart disease, stroke, Type 2 diabetes and some types of cancer.

The Shreveport-Bossier City metro area in Louisiana received a total score of 75.24 from WalletHub, putting them in second place  in “fattest cities segment of the most obese cities in america. This metro area ranked fifth in terms of percentage of obese adults, and tied for first place in the percentage of adults eating fewer than a single serving of fruits and/or vegetables per day.

The consumption of fruits and vegetables is important, because studies have shown that the higher the intake of whole fruits and vegetables, the lower the rates of obesity and other chronic diseases like heart disease and cancer.

Whole fruits and vegetables (with emphasis on “whole”—we are not talking about apple pie here) contain loads of fiber, vitamins, antioxidants, and other nutrients that your body needs. Studies have shown that, due to many of these nutritious properties, eating whole fruits and vegetables can even reduce inflammation within your body. Fruit and vegetable intake has also been shown to improve the function of blood vessels (known as endothelial function).

Fruit and vegetable intake is not just a trivial matter; in fact, it is essential for life. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that approximately 1.7 million, or 2.8%, of deaths worldwide can be attributed to consuming too few fruits and vegetables!

WHO further estimates that insufficient intake of fruits and vegetables causes approximately 14% of deaths due to gastrointestinal cancer, 11% of ischemic heart disease deaths, and 9% of stroke deaths.

Additionally, research has shown that eating three to five servings of fruits and vegetables per day will decrease your risk of stroke, and eating more than five servings per day will decrease that risk even more. In an incremental fashion, the more fruits and vegetables you eat, the lower your risk. A very good return on your investment.

Fruits and vegetables also constitute low-calorie foods. A report by WHO has stated that there is convincing evidence that eating fruits and vegetables decreases the risk for obesity. Compared to high-calorie foods such as processed foods that are high in sugar and fat, fruits and vegetables are less likely to contribute to obesity or overweight. And, because they contain higher amounts of dietary fiber and other nutrients, they are associated with a lower risk for diabetes and insulin resistance. For the same reasons, they also make people feel full with fewer calories, thus helping to prevent weight gain.