Weight Matters…

The World Health Organization has called obesity a global pandemic with obesity tripling since 1975 that has global implications for health and disease. Obesity is a contributing factor to over 100 different chronic diseases, including cardiovascular disease, stroke, cancer, and type 2 diabetes. 

In one of the largest studies ever to examine obesity rates across the globe, researchers found that more than 60% of men, 50% of women, and 1/3rd of children are either overweight or obese. They concluded that obesity is a growing problem in all regions of the world, even among traditionally lean Asian populations. According to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, the United States is the most obese nation in the world, just ahead of Mexico. Their report states 2/3rd’s of U.S. adults are overweight or obese (69 percent) and one out of three are obese (36 percent) and 1/3rd of children are overweight. If trends continue unabated, by 2030, estimates predict that roughly half of American men and women and children will be obese.

Recent increases in childhood obesity are of a major global health concern. Childhood obesity increases the risk of multiple acute and chronic medical problems as well as psychological issues, all of which can persist into adulthood and adversely affect the quality of life. Obese children can suffer from orthopedic complications, including abnormal bone growth, degenerative disease, and pain.

Children become overweight and obese for a variety of reasons. The most common causes are genetic factors, lack of physical activity, unhealthy eating patterns, or a combination of these factors. Only in rare cases is being overweight caused by a medical condition such as a hormonal problem.

Sugar is Everywhere

One of the main problems is excess sugar consumption. To put this into context, the average daily consumption of sugar by Americans in 1822 was 9 grams a day. It is currently 153 grams a day per individual. This is a 16-fold increase in less than 200 years. We change very slowly biologically, yet we have drastically altered what we are eating and the amount of sugar we are consuming. The American Academy of Pediatrics reports the average child eats and drinks much more added sugar than they should. On average, sugar makes up nearly 20% of what children consume each day. Half of that comes from drinks with added sugar.

Sugar is highly addictive. To break the addiction, the first step is to monitor our sugar consumption by reading food labels and limiting consumption to a healthy level. The American Heart Association recommends daily consumption of added sugars to no more than 25 grams a day for women and children (6 teaspoons) and 36 grams (or 9 teaspoons) a day for men.

Eating protein is an easy way to curb sugar cravings. High-protein foods digest more slowly, keeping you feeling full for longer. Protein doesn't make your blood sugar spike the way refined carbs and sugars do. Pick proteins like lean chicken, eggs, nuts, or beans. Protein shakes are ideal for breaking the sugar addiction and can also provide essential and beneficial nutrients.

There is no denying, we are what we eat. Nikken is committed to providing the balanced nutrition that our bodies need with organic whole food supplements for the whole family. We have recently discussed these in the past months Healthy by Choice Masterclasses. You can view the recorded classes on our Self Care Awakening YouTube channel.  

Harry S. Truman said, “In the long view, no nation is any healthier than its children”. I wholeheartedly agree, and we will be addressing this and solutions for Healthy Children by Choice in our next Healthy by Choice Master Class on Tuesday, June 9th, at 9 pm Eastern, 6 pm Pacific. at www.theroyalalliance.com/live.

Please note we will be taking a short summer break on June 2nd and will not have a class that week. We look forward to seeing you on June 9th.  

Be Healthy by Choice