Obesity- Costly and Deadly

Posted by: Curt | Under: General Fitness | (0) Comments

Obese lady

…

Several new studies have shown just how deadly and costly obesity really is in America. This report from MSNBC Health gives us some official stats that I think we all had a sneaking suspicion were true. Some of the numbers for cancer are still a bit stunning.I know several nurses that think that at least 75% of the patients they see in the hospital are there because of poor lifestyle choices. The cost to them, their families and society in general is staggering.

In July, federal and other researchers estimated that obesity-related diseases account for nearly 10 percent of all medical spending in the United States or an estimated $147 billion a year.

…

WASHINGTON – Obesity causes more than 100,000 cases of cancer in the United States each year — and the number will likely rise as Americans get fatter, researchers said on Thursday.

Having too much body fat causes nearly half the cases of endometrial cancer — a type of cancer of the uterus — and a third of esophageal cancer cases, the American Institute for Cancer Research said.

Cancer is the second-leading cause of death in the United States after heart disease. The American Cancer Society projects that 1.47 million people will be diagnosed with cancer this year and 562,000 will die of it.

…Here are some of its estimates of cancer types that could be prevented annually if Americans stayed slender:

* Esophageal – 35 percent of cases or 5,800 people
* Pancreatic – 28 percent or 11,900
* Gallbladder – 21 percent or 2,000
* Colon – 9 percent or 13,200
* Breast – 17 percent or 33,000
* Endometrium – 49 percent or 20,700
* Kidney – 24 percent or 13,900