The Epidemic

Obesity is a nationwide epidemic affecting adults, youth, and children. This is a disease that affects over one-third of the adult American population (approximately 72 million Americans¹). The number of overweight and obese Americans has increased since 1960, a trend that shows no sign of slowing down. If we don't solve this problem, one third of all children born in 2000 or later will suffer from diabetes at some point in their lives. Many others will face chronic obesity-related health problems like heart disease, high blood pressure, cancer, and asthma.

What is Obesity?

Simply put, it’s the end product of consuming too many calories and storing an excess of it before you’re capable of burning it off as energy in fat. Excess fat gets stored throughout your body, including, in unfortunate cases, it organs, blood veins, or in areas that put pressure in areas to cause abnormalities or dysfunction in certain processes of your body. This can sometimes, in extreme cases, lead to death, but more commonly asthma and for some, sleep apnea, social discrimination, and bullying with can lead to serious psychological stress and harmful effects. The list just continues with the unfortunate possibilities.

Why is This Occurring?

Compared to 20 years ago, eating and exercising habits have changed dramatically today. There is now more public transportation today and kids are less likely to walk home or to school unless they live close by. A number of after school programs that keep kids active have also been cut and televisions, games, phones, and other medias have aided in replacing child care centers and social interaction.

Kids are not getting nearly enough time outside or activity during the day that’s essential to growing, which is especially sad with all the opportunities that North Idaho has to offer.

Portion sizes have increased in recent years and there weren’t nearly as many fast food treats around years before as there is now. Snacking was originally a sweet treat that wasn’t terribly common, but now it’s like another meal.

Beverages too have grown in size and are loaded with empty sugars and complex carbohydrates our body doesn’t need. Teenagers and adolescence are often seen with an energy drink at hand, on day-to-day biases. Today is obviously much different than it use to be. Today, things are created more for convenience than health or other benefit.