Fit Family: The Dimension of Prevention

Today the American healthcare system has been in the forefront of a rising storm but a tsunami may be brewing with the health of all Americans.Today we live with the largest epidemic in our midst.The epidemic of obesity encompasses the wider concerns of an unhealthy lifestyle, poor nutrition, lack of leisurely activity, prevention education and relatively little in developing a real "culture of wellness". It seems that the frightening statistics that 66% of Americans are obese or overweight, that over 300,000 die annually from obesity at a cost of some $350 billion dollars has done little to change rising statistics. But, what is more troublesome is that obesity is the primary cause for a number of diseases including heart disease, stroke, heart attacks, high blood pressure, diabetes,cancer(colon,prostate, breast,throat, uterine) lung diseases(asthma and sleep apnea),gastric-reflux disease,liver disease, gallbladder disease and stones,osteoarthritis,gout, polycystic ovarian disease, infertitlity, endocrine/hormone imbalances,high cholesterol,high LDL, high triglycerides, high glucose, immune deficiency , eating disorders, depression, and body dysmorphia.
The question is wouldn't it be more effective to implement prevention as a real part of our daily life in our healthcare system? Can the family/community become the most effective unit outside of health professionals to combat obesity? When it comes to the rapidly rising rate of chilhood obesity and overweight , parents may be the only frontline defense to help prevent children at the most critical stage of life to stopping it before it begins."Fit Family" will look at not only "scarey statistics" and diseases, but the impact this epidemic is playing on our daily lives and the possible solutions the average family can utilize to stay fit!
Marcus Wells, MD, MPH is the author of the book "Fit Family". Learn more at
www.fitfamily360.com

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