We Have A Big, Fat Problem…
There are plenty of things to learn about Americans and our weight issues. People write entire books about it all the time. Books are long, though, and life is short, so let’s get down to brass tacks.
1. As of 2017-2018, 73.6% of adults over 20 in the US are overweight or obese. Yeah, you read that right
How utterly insane is that?! That’s three out of every four people for all you English majors. Just take a few moments to really picture that in your head. To add on to that: according to the US Census Bureau the current population in the United States 332 million. Some slick calculator skills will quickly reveal to us that 242 million people in America over the age of 20 are overweight or obese.
If that doesn’t shake you up a little bit… I don’t know what to say. It was this fact, in fact (hehe), that finally lit a fire under my butt and moved me to start taking action.
2. At least 2.8 million people die each year as a result of being overweight or obese
This is also pretty wild to think about. People tend to brush this off by comparing it to other inflated death statistics or weighing it against the staggering global population numbers in an attempt to rationalize the classic “It Won’t Happen To Me” mindset. But 2.8 million people every single year is nothing to trivialize.
For example, as of 2017 the only cause of premature death in the United States that has a higher body count than obesity is smoking. That’s it. Every other cause of premature death falls below obesity on the danger chart. This is vitally important to understand.
3. Globally, over 40 million preschool children were overweight in 2007
This one honestly just speaks for itself and it speaks volumes. The obesity epidemic is not exclusive to us adults and our poor health habits. It’s getting so bad it’s forming its own version of a trickle-down economy and pooling around the waists of our children. Not even high school. Not even elementary. Kindergarten and preschool children are seeing unprecedented weight gain and weight-related health issues.
So, What Can We Do?
We live in an unprecedented time in human history where our sphere of influence is essentially global. Not just rich, powerful moguls. Everyday people like you and me. With the power of cellphones, computers and internet access we can instantly reach out to millions of other people across the globe. Another mind-boggling idea that we seem to take for granted.
There is no reason, with this kind of power, I thought to myself just the other day, I should be sitting on my butt doing a whole lot of nothing. I have the power to make a difference. We have the power to make a difference. That’s what the purpose of this site is: information and motivation to help millions of everyday, like-minded people lose weight and achieve their dream bodies. To help us claw our way out of this epidemic. To help make a positive impact on the world. That’s everyone’s dream at some point or another, right? Everyone wants to change the world. The beauty of living at this time in history is that everyone can change the world. Maybe not like Ghandi or MLK Jr. or Bill Gates, but we can all take actions that ripple out in butterfly-effect-like style and start gaining positive momentum.
So, if that makes any sense to you, I urge you to join me. Right here, right now, on this website, to create a community that is determined to uplift and transform millions of people across the globe. I am beyond excited for this to take shape and my determination is immeasurable.
Let’s do this.
