Reality Check

• An estimated 97 million adults in the United States are obese. Adults now average 8 more pounds than 15 years ago. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, in 2009 2.4 million more adults were obese than in 2007. Obesity now affects over 17% of all children and adolescents (2-19 years old) in the United States. If an adolescent is overweight, he or she has a 70% chance of being an obese adult. Also, if your parent is obese, you have an 80% chance of being an obese adult.


• 83% of children 6 months to 6 years of age view TV or videos about two hours a day. TV viewing is a contributing factor to childhood obesity because it may take away from the time children spend in physical activities.


• 60% of Americans are not regularly active, and 25% are sedentary.


• Every year 300,000 Americans die prematurely due to obesity.


• 60% of adults drink at least one sugary drink each day. 20% of an adult's total daily caloric intake comes from beverages.


• People who are obese are more likely to have high blood pressure, elevated triglycerides, heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes and certain types of cancers (endometrial, colon, gallbladder, prostate, kidney and post-menopausal). In addition, obesity can cause osteoarthritis, sleep apnea and asthma. Obesity can also cause problems during pregnancy or make it more difficult for a woman to become pregnant.

• Breast feeding protects against childhood overweight and obesity. However, while 75% of mothers start breast feeding in the U.S., only 13% of babies are exclusively breastfed at the end of 6 months. The success rate among mothers who want to breast feed can be improved through active support from their families, friends, communities, clinics, health care providers, employers and policy makers.


• Humans are made up of over 65% water, which plays a critical role in regulating body temperature and metabolic rate. Drinking less than this causes dehydration and even the least amount of dehydration slows metabolism and bodily function. Without enough water, organs can't function as efficiently, so your metabolism slows to conserve energy which causes weight gain.


• Coronary artery disease (CAD) is the number one killer of adults in the United States, killing more than 500,000 people each year.


• Exercise is the best way to prevent coronary artery disease.


• A modest 10 to 12 pounds of excess body fat increases the risk of death, heart disease, high blood pressure and elevated triglycerides.


• A weight gain of 11 to 18 pounds increases the risk of development of type 2 diabetes to double that of those who have not gained weight.


• Every 53 seconds someone has a stroke in the U.S. Over 160,000 of them will die, making it the third leading cause of death in the nation.


• Although obesity is a consequence of complex factors including an increase in the consumption of calories and decrease in physical activity, the prevalence of obesity is influenced by environmental factors. In the United States, high caloric foods are inexpensive and widely available. Some people have less access to stores and supermarkets that sell healthy, affordable food such as fruits and vegetables, especially in minority lower-income neighborhoods. Choosing healthy foods is challenging for parents who live in areas with an overabundance of food retailers that tend to sell less healthy foods, such as convenience stores and fast food restaurants.


• Food portion sizes of less healthy foods and beverages have increased over time in restaurants, grocery stores and vending machines. Research shows that children eat more without realizing it if they are served larger portions. This means they are consuming a lot of extra calories, especially when eating high caloric dense foods. It can be difficult for children to make healthy food choices and get enough physical activity when they are exposed to environments in their home, child care center, school and community. Many schools in the U.S. allow advertising of less healthy foods, which impact students' abilities to make healthy food choices. In addition, foods high in calories, sugars, salts and fat, and low in nutrients are widely advertised and marketed through media targeted to children and adolescents, while advertisers for healthier foods are almost non-existent in comparison.

If you would like to DONATE to the Jeff Monroe Foundation or Model Citizen program, please contact the Jeff Monroe Foundation at: (702) 481-3441 or email Jeff directly at jeffmonroe12@hotmail.com.