May 26, 2007
Physicians Identify Obesity as Nation's Greatest Health Risk
Creators.com: A Syndicate of Talent
By: Dr. Rallie McAllister
The results of a recent nationwide survey reveal that physicians consider obesity to be the single greatest public health crisis in the United States today, taking a back seat to cigarette smoking and AIDS. The survey was conducted by Epocrates, the leading provider of handheld and web-based clinical reference tools for healthcare professionals.
"Even taking into account other serious public health issues, doctors still identified obesity as the biggest problem," said Liviu Klein, M.D., M.S., a cardiologist and heart transplant specialist at Northwestern University Hospital in Chicago. "This survey shows just how pervasive obesity is across the nation."
Data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) indicate that approximately 66 percent of U.S. adults currently are either overweight or obese. Nearly a third of U.S. children between the ages of 6 and 11 are heavier than they should be, according to the American Obesity Association.
The prevalence of obesity has risen dramatically over the past three decades, and the nation's weight problem is likely to get worse before it gets better, especially among children. In an article published in a 2006 issue of the International Journal of Pediatric Obesity, researchers predicted that by 2010, nearly half of American children will be overweight.
Overweight kids face adult-size complications, including a greater risk for high blood pressure, high cholesterol levels, and heart disease. Diabetes and obesity are so common and so closely linked that the dual conditions have come to be known as "diabesity."
"In the past, pediatricians didn't even measure kids' blood pressure regularly," said Klein. "Checking blood pressure is now considered to be routine practice, since as many as 15 to 20 percent of overweight children have hypertension."
As recently as a decade ago, type 2 diabetes was virtually unheard of in children and adolescents. Today, the disease is relatively common among American youth.
As youngsters grow heavier, their risk of developing diabetes dramatically increases: Approximately 80 percent of kids with type 2 diabetes are overweight or obese. According to the CDC, children born in 2000 have a one in three chance of becoming diabetic in their lifetimes.
Complications of diabetes include blindness, amputation, and kidney failure. The risk of heart disease in diabetic individuals is two to four times greater than in those without diabetes.
"Because of obesity and diabetes, it is likely that many children today will have a shorter life expectancy than their parents," noted Klein. "They're also likely to experience a significantly lower quality of life."
Scientists and patients often look to genetics to blame for obesity and diabetes. While heredity may predispose individuals to either or both conditions, many physicians feel that lifestyle factors are the major determinants.
Among the physicians polled, only 13 percent identified genetics as the most important cause of obesity. The majority believed that lack of exercise and super-sized food portions are the greatest contributors to the problem.
In the U.S., portion sizes at home and in restaurants have increased by about a third over the past three decades. As a result, children and adults are getting far more calories than their bodies require for good health.
While doctors recognize the need for immediate and radical action, few claim to know the ideal solution. Many believe that the federal government must step up and take a more active role in helping Americans slim down.
Surveyed physicians ranked education and school restrictions on soft drinks and fast food among initiatives that will have the greatest positive impact on the problem of obesity. Nearly half felt that television advertisements touting better nutrition and portion control would help reduce the prevalence of obesity in the United States.
"We need to ban sodas in our schools, and offer kids low-fat milk, water, and fruit juices instead," said Klein. "We also need to replace junk food with more nutritious foods, including fruit and vegetables."
In addition to getting better nutrition, the majority of kids could use a lot more exercise, both at home and at school. With increasing emphasis on academic performance, a growing number of schools around the country are reducing or eliminating recess and physical education classes.
While Klein believes that the government and schools systems should be involved in promoting better eating and exercising habits, he emphasized that lifestyle changes must begin at home.
"It all boils down to eating less and exercising more as a family," he said. "It's not just about feeling better and looking better in your clothes, it's really a matter of life and death."
Rallie McAllister, M.D., M.P.H., is a family physician in Kingsport, Tenn., and author of "Healthy Lunchbox: The Working Mom's Guide to Keeping You and Your Kids Trim." Her Web site is http://www.rallieonhealth.com. To find out more about Rallie McAllister, M.D., and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate Web page at www.creators.com.
View "Physicians Identify Obesity as Nation's Greatest Health Risk" article.
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