Free Wellness Handout — What is Obesity and Why is it So Dangerous?

Editor’s Note: Injury prevention and wellness handouts are an effective (and inexpensive) way to educate and motivate employees to use good work practices and take care of their bodies.

Scroll to the bottom of this post for the free Wellness Handout PDF file.

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“We must pay greater attention to keeping our bodies and minds healthy and able to heal. Yet we are making it difficult for our defenses to work. We allow things to be sold that should not be called food. Many have no nutritive value and lead to obesity, salt imbalance, and allergies.”
~David Suzuki

What is obesity?

According to Wikipedia, “Obesity is a medical condition in which excess body fat has accumulated to the extent that it may have an adverse effect on health, leading to reduced life expectancy and/or increased health problems.”

In 2013, obesity was officially recognized as a disease by the American Medical Association.

People are considered obese when their Body Mass Index (BMI) is greater than 30.

BMI is calculated by taking your weight (in kilograms) divided by your height (in meters).

The Dangerous Health Risks of Obesity

Obesity is common and costly. In fact, according to Wikipedia, “Obesity is a leading preventable cause of death worldwide, with increasing prevalence in adults and children, and authorities view it as one of the most serious public health problems of the 21st century.” In 2009 – 2010, 35.7% of all adults in the United States were obese. Sadly, this percentage is predicted to rise substantially over the coming decades.

An obese person is exposed to a variety of serious health risks, including:

Increased risk of Heart Disease
Increased risk of Type 2 Diabetes
Increased risk of certain types of Cancer
Increased risk of Osteoarthritis
And many other various diseases.

Obesity Prevention

The good news is that for the vast majority of people, obesity is preventable! The primary cause of obesity is excessive food intake combined with a lack of physical activity. This means that by simply maintaining a balanced, healthy diet and exercising, you can stay out of the “obesity range” and substantially reduce your health risks.

By adopting a healthier lifestyle, you can influence your “health span” and your “life span” by decades. Your body and mind will feel better and perform better.

You can do it!

Think prevention! Prevention is always better than treatment! Maintaining a healthy weight is a proactive strategy to live longer and stay well.