Unfortunately, obesity and even just being overweight have become more than commonplace. The data that has been gathered more than supports this claim, sadly showing that more than 75 million adults were obese by the time that we had reached the end of the year of 2010. And by the end of this same year, more than 16% of all American children could also have been classified as such. Even more sadly, obesity is only likely trend upward in the years that are ahead with a projected half of all American adults likely to be obese by the time that we reach the year of 2030, only just a decade away.
And the toll taken by obesity is far from a small one. As a matter of fact, obesity has been linked to a wide number of different health conditions such as type 2 diabetes. Type 2 diabetes is particularly prevalent, with as many as one third of all American adults having been diagnosed with the condition already. If left untreated or poorly managed, type 2 diabetes can have lasting health complications and can even, sadly, lead to death. Conditions like heart attack, stroke, and even certain types of cancers only become more and more prominent with obesity as well, especially if the obese person has been outside a normal weight range for a considerable period of time.
But why has obesity become such a problem here in the United States? The problem, as you might expect, is a multi-faceted one. For one thing, far too few people are getting up and moving as they should be, instead leading very sedentary lives indeed. Outside of increasing your risk for obesity, leading a sedentary lifestyle is hugely detrimental to you in many other ways as well, of this there is just no doubt. But it can be hard to fit in physical activity in the course of day to day life, something that is evidenced by the data that has been gathered on the subject. This data shows that only around one third of all adults currently living in the United States are getting the weekly amount of recommended physical activity. In addition to this, less than even just 5% of all adults are even getting just a mere half of an hour of exercise on a daily basis, which has also been recommended by health professionals not just here in the United States, but all throughout the world as well.
And children are, sadly, not getting much more in the way of physical movement, though they too are in great need of it (and though physical activity can actually help with brain development, which is nothing to take lightly). A scant one third of all kids are getting even just an hour of exercise per day. Sadly, however, the average child is now utilizing electronics for an average of seven and a half hours per day, a huge span of time by any means.
But exercise doesn’t have to prove daunting. Even just taking a long walk can be hugely beneficial for you in terms of overall physical well being. Of those who exercise, up to 30% would even consider walking to be their favorite activity. Walking can be done by just about anyone – and just about everyone will benefit as a result of adding more walking into their day. Of course, walking is far from the only way to get up and moving. You might also decide to go to a home fitness store if you’re looking to add more exercise into your life.
At any given home fitness store, you are likely to find a wide variety of home fitness equipment. Home fitness equipment can be a great option for many people, especially those who might not have time to use the premium fitness equipment offered at a local gym. The equipment offered at any given home fitness store is likely to still be high in quality – and many might be surprised at just how affordable going to a home fitness store can be. The employees at a home fitness store can also be very helpful indeed.