Data collected from more than 20,000 people by the third
National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey reveal a
distressing picture of excessive weight and obesity in American
Society( These increases have been
caused by greater daily caloric consumption and a relatively low
level of consistent physical activity. Today the average American
man consumes 2,684 calories per day compared to 1,531 calories
in 1980. Additionally only 22 percent of adults engage in thirty
minutes of moderately intense activity for the recommended
number of days per week. This increase in weight occurs, however,
only when the body is supplied with more energy than it can use
and the excess energy is stored in the form of adipose tissue, or as
we know it fat. The continuos buildups off adipose tissue leads to
excess weight and eventually turns into obesity. Obesity is so closely
associated with chronic conditions, that medical experts now
recommended that obesity itself be defined and treated as a
The most prevalent forms of malnutrition in the more affluent countries of the world are overweight and obesity. Most people think of malnourishment as a shortage of certain types of essential nutrients. In developing countries, food deprivation forms the basis of malnutrition. However, malnutrition can also be a disease of plenty. Due to the fact that our food supply exceeds the needs of our population, people are able to eat more than is required for healthy living. They often consume more calories than they expend. They can then become overweight and eventually may become obese. There is one big question that people ask a lot and really do not understand, when obesity and overweight are discussed. That is, ÔHow can people tell the difference between obesity and being overweight?ö Nutritionist have said that obesity is apparent when fat
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