Obesity in America -- The Enemy Within

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Charles Remington

Obesity in America -- The Enemy Within

We are fighting against thousands of years of hormonal evolution, and that's a battle we can not win. A new holistic approach to losing weight and keeping it off.

By: Charles Remington

Awaken the gatekeepers of America for an enemy has risen against our great country. This villain dwells in the compromise and unbelief of its citizens. The weapon this foe uses against our nation its forges from the lust and desires within its people. This enemy advances in the sleep and slumber of its prey.

"9 million children and adolescents are overweight and have a 70% chance of becoming overweight or obese adults."

-- Former President Clinton

This invader spreads like locust claiming an estimated 35% of all American's as its victims. As we unmask this assassin we find its identity is obesity, and yes America, it has compromised your heart, clouded your mind and weakened your body.

In former President Clinton closing address at the winter Governors meeting in February of 2006 he urged America's governors to take an active role in the fight against childhood obesity. President Clinton was quoted in saying, "9 million children and adolescents are overweight and have a 70% chance of becoming overweight or obese adults."

The First Generation to Have a Shorter Life Span Than Its Parents

He went on to say, "we must act now to reverse this deadly trend. If we do not, this could be the first generation that will have a shorter life span than its parents." Hospital costs related to child and adolescent obesity have risen 300% over the last 20 years going from $ 35 million to $ 127 million in 1999. In 2004 a study released by Emory University showed obesity accounted for 27% of the growth in health care spending.

9 million U.S. children and adolescents are overweight.

Clinton, cited Health Affairs published study which estimates that The U.S. will spend over $4 trillion on health care by 2015. Obesity is an enemy that not only threatens our health and life expectancy, but is bankrupting our country in the process.

The importance in the rise in childhood obesity, is it speaks against the scientific community's position that obesity is determined by a genetic code that must be discovered. If this were true, why would it now being showing up in the children over the last two decades?

Another health enemy related to obesity attacking America and its children is IRS, no not the folks from Washington, but Insulin Resistance Syndrome or Metabolic Syndrome . Both obesity and IRS are growing at epidemic pace and if you tract their history they are mirroring one another. Why would this be? Answer, because the same lifestyle factors that cause them are found in both.

Again, look to what's happening to the children, it was unheard of for a child to have IRS or Type II diabetes, or first known as adult-onset diabetes, which science has quickly renamed. In the last 20 years childhood and adolescent Type II diabetes has increased at rates experts describe as epidemic. If this were genetic only in origin why would it be showing up in the last two decades.

In April of 2006 a team of scientists from Boston University School of Medicine (BUSM) announced they have identified a genetic variant, present in 10% of individuals studied connected with elevated risk of obesity found in both European and African ancestry.

Researchers using families from the well known Framingham Heart study discovered through genetic analysis a common variant near the INSIG2 gene (Insulin-Induced-Gene2). The study found individuals who possessed this gene were 10% likely to be overweight or obese. The risk is reported to be found in both adults and children. Hidden in the report is the most important part of the discovery.

"…we lack any clear vision as a nation for solving the obesity epidemic."

-- Dr. David Ludwig of Children's Hospital in Boston

Michael Christman, PhD., professor and Chairman of Board of Genetic's at BUSM said, "the obesity variant is ancient and most likely arose prior to human migration out of Africa. In most cases a pre-deposing genetic signature as the one found in this study may also require a specific environment to show it's effect." In other words it takes lifestyle (poor nutrition and lack of exercise) or other environmental causes to bring on it effect.

In a study reported in the New England Journal of Medicine in March of 2006, authors of the study believe that present obesity rates will reduce American's life expectancy, reversing a 200 year trend. Co-author of the study Dr. David Ludwig of Children's Hospital in Boston was quoted saying, "we lack any clear vision as a nation for solving the obesity epidemic."

Anyone would be deceived if they said they have all the answers regarding the cause and solution to obesity. In a scientific environment which is hungry for knowledge, and a media atmosphere quick to release headline news, poor wisdom has been used in releasing its findings to the public.

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