The epidemic of obesity may be greater than most people realize since traditional methods to measure excessive body fat have been determined to be less accurate than thought. In a recent study, researchers have discovered that the traditional measurement of excessive body weight using the Body Mass Index method or BMI is not accurate.
An astounding sixty six percent of patients studied were labeled obese due to a new measurement called dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry or DEXA for short. Before being measured only 20% of the study patients were categorized as obese using the BMI method.
These findings were presented at the American Association of Clinical Endocarinologists meeting in Boston, MA.
According to one researcher, who labeled the BMI as the “Baloney Mass Index,” stated, “It’s very likely that obesity is a much bigger epidemic than the 300 million people that are determined to be obese by the World Health Organization.” Right now roughly 23% of all Americans are considered obese by their Body Mass Index. If the ratios remain true, from the test subjects of over a 1000, the percentage could be as high as 60%.
The BMI method relies strictly on math to calculate a formation of excessive fat in the human body. The DEXA scans, however, use a direct measurement of the body fat percentage. The system can spot fat exactly in every part of the body.
This system is particularly effective for those that are considered thin but unfit. This condition is known as normal weight obesity, from which a persons BMI is fairly low but they have a high percentage of body fat compared with other body mass tissue like muscle.
This thin but unfit condition produces higher risk of cholesterol problems, including hypertension and cardiovascular diseases.
A new agreement with the Canadian Health Care system will allow Canadians to cross the boarder into the United States and have weight loss surgery performed. Canada is ill-equipped to handle bariatric weight loss surgery compared to the US. It will also help decrease the amount of time it takes for a Canadian patient to receive treatment. Currently, Canadians waiting to receive weight loss surgery are on a five year waiting list.
Learn more about Canadian Weight Loss Surgery in this video from the Weight Loss Surgery channel.
A recent report, published by Fox News, details the social and lifestyle changes of food portion distortion. Since the 1960′s food portions have increased by three times resulting in the average American waste size increasing almost as much thanks to aggressive marketing campaigns by the food industry. Terms like “SuperSize,” “MegaSize,” and “Jumbo” permeate the food industry and unfortunately this has resulted in a rise of morbid obesity and other health related issues in Americans today.
According to a report by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the Trust for American’s Health, obesity rates in many states are on the rise. Mississippi topped the charts for the 5th straight year in a row among both adults and children at 32.5 percent. The same survey done in 2008 showed a state obesity rate of 31.7 percent. Washington State has an obesity rate of 25.4%.
State Obesity Rates
This report tabulates adults with a body mass index rate of 30 or higher to be considered obese.
According to a Fox News Report, the H1N1 or swine flu poses a bigger threat to obese people.
Researchers in the public health sectors in California analyzed the first 1,088 hospitalized and fatal cases of H1N1 infection. The study found that out of the 268 cased of adults over 20 who weight was known, 58% were obese with a body index of over 30. Of those people, 67% were morbidly obese with a BMI of 40 or greater.
This correlation of infection to H1N1 and obesity requires more research, however, most researchers agree there is definitely something that is standing out as far as an obesity issue is concerned. There is nothing acutely related with the same seasonal flu.
Mark Corrales hadn’t been able to tie his own shoes in 15 years. He suffered from obstructive sleep apnea, hypertension, severe gout and degenerative joint disease. Add to that a case of GERD and borderline diabetes, and you have a picture of Mark’s physical health: uncomfortable, unhealthy and definitely un-Mark.
Gastric bypass surgery at Puget Sound Surgical Center helped Mark lose 213 pounds and improve his overall health. “The weight loss tool that was given to me changed my life,” he wrote in a testimonial for the center.
Mark’s treatment went beyond the surgery. “They connected me with an excellent nutritionist and people who were able to relate to my needs and cravings,” he said. “I started to eat things that were healthier, and surprisingly, I enjoyed them! I couldn’t believe it!”
Today, he participates in a fitness center cycling program and enjoys hiking. He has received promotions at work and more doors are open to him because he’s taking more challenges.
Mark’s success story revolves around a comprehensive program Puget Sound Surgical Center has set into place. The program begins before the patient’s bariatric surgery and continues one to two years after the surgery. “We don’t want to give a patient new surgery and a new chance of life, then simply send him on his way,” Torie McIntyre, public relations coordinator, explained. “We want to give our patients support for mind, body and spirit.”
That support comes in the form of nutrition therapy, an exercise program, counseling services and support groups that provide interaction with the other weight-loss patients. Puget Sound Surgical Center specializes in minimally invasive bariatric surgery including Lap-Band and Lap Sleeve surgery. The center also provides the latest in aesthetic cosmetic procedures such as SmartLipo, which tightens skin and eliminates fat using laser liposuction technology.
Upcoming surgical weight-loss seminars are scheduled for November 18th in Bellingham and December 10th in Edmonds. For details, contact Torie at the surgical center. She can guide you to educational information, help you sign up for a seminar and introduce you to staff specialists who will influence your success in building a healthier new you.
According to a news report by CNN, a study of human relationships in social network behavior has discovered that people are more likely to be influenced by the people they know.
Social networks influences our likes and dislikes both online and offline. This affects the behavior of people and their friends up to the 4th degree of separation. According to Dr. Nicholas Christakis, a Harvard Professor and James Fowler an associate professor at the University of California, San Diego, this new form of connected behavior has a significant affect on people’s social views, preferences, even to the point of affecting others eating habits. This phenomena is very similar to how patterns of disease spread.
These affects are not small to any degree. In fact they can have a profound impact on a person and the amount of weight that they gain. “If a mutual friend becomes obese, it nearly triples a person’s risk of becoming obese.” It doesn’t matter if the person or friend is over a 1000 miles away, the risk of becoming obese as a result of the social network relationship is increased.
This is an interesting study that has yet to be fully explained. Obesity seems to spread in social networks because of “behavior imitation.” This is where a person copies the behaviors of friends that they are close to. When people see friends gaining weight, they modify their behavior to readjust their own idea of what an acceptable body size is.
People are always going to be susceptible to bad behaviors, even in cyberspace. Being aware of how it affects you is important and being strong enough to quarantine the negative behavior of others is key to preventing it from affecting you.
CNN – Reports on the controversy regarding the need for medical insurance to pay for weight loss surgery procedures for the morbidly obese. The debate arrises from the notion that a person’s obesity is a result of personal responsibility and not any known naturally occurring medical condition. However, medical insurance companies do not deny medical treatment due to lung cancer if the person was a chronic smoker all their life.
By reimbursing for weight loss surgery, overall health care cost would be reduced significantly since surgery patients would be less likely to obtain a secondary diseases like high blood pressure, stoke, heart attack, edema and diabetes once the weight comes off.
Most experts believe that there would be a national reduction of health care costs since less money would be spent on treating morbid obesity related diseases which in turn would also help to reduce insurance premiums.
CNN – Reports that childhood obesity is rising at an alarming rate. One study done by the Institute of Medicine has determined that childhood obesity has more than tripled in the past three decades. Bloggers discuss possible solutions and issue surrounding this new epidemic in this video.
Puget Sound Surgical Center - Seattle Weight Loss Surgery and Bariatric Experts
Serving Seattle, Edmonds, Everett, Lynnwood and Bellingham, Washington including the greater Puget Sound
and Southern British Columbia, Canada
Edmonds Facility - 21911 76th Ave. W. Ste. 106, Edmonds, WA 98026 Phone: (800) 419-5750
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The epidemic of obesity may be greater than most people realize since traditional methods to measure excessive body fat have been determined to be less accurate than thought. In a recent study, researchers have discovered that the traditional measurement of excessive body weight using the Body Mass Index method or BMI is not accurate.
