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Nearly two-thirds of Americans aged 20 years and older are overweight. More than 3 of
every 10 American adults are significantly overweight - a condition termed obesity.
Both overweight and obesity are associated with increased health risk for a host of
chronic diseases. As noted in a March 2004 study published in the Journal of the
American Medical Association, obesity and its complications are the second leading
cause of preventable death, causing more than 300,000 fatalities per year.
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The problem is not uniquely American. In 1995, a survey by the World Health Organization
estimated the global number of obese adults to be 200 million. A mere five years later,
the number had jumped incredibly to 300 million. Justifiably alarmed, the organization
has given a name to this seemingly unstoppable worldwide epidemic — globesity.
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Are You Overweight or Obese?
Most people tend to use the terms "overweight" and "obese" interchangeably, but in fact, they have quite different meanings.
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Overweight
Being overweight indicates a body weight that exceeds established standards. The excess weight does not
necessarily come from fat. If you're a bodybuilder, professional athlete, or just someone
with "big bones," you may be overweight but not obese.
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Obese
Being obese refers specifically to those individuals whose excess body weight is a result of a high percentage
of body fat. Although experts had long debated the threshold points separating normal weight,
overweight, and obesity, there is now near-unanimous agreement thanks to the development of a
statistical tool known as the Body Mass Index or BMI.
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Being overweight or obese is obviously a product of both how much you weigh and how tall you are.
BMI is a mathematical formula that uses both criteria to generate a number score that indicates
the extent of overweight. Although the relationships between fatness and BMI may differ somewhat
with age and gender, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention consider BMI to be the most
practical standardized way to evaluate weight.
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Get To Know Your BMI
For adults over 20 years old, BMI falls into one of these categories:
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Either of the following formulas can be used to determine BMI:
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BMI =
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(
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Weight In Pounds
(Height in Inches) x (Height in Inches)
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)
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x 703
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BMI =
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Weight in Kilograms
(Height in Meters) x (Height in Meters)
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The BMI weight categories generally do not apply to pregnant or nursing women,
competitive athletes, or body builders. These individuals may have a high BMI
without necessarily having elevated health risks. Also, the BMI calculator is
not designed for growing children or the elderly.
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Body Mass Index is not just a measure of the state of your weight. The National
Institutes of Health (NIH) tell us that your BMI number can also predict the development
of health problems related to excess weight.
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High BMI = Increased Risk For Disease
Severe obesity is associated with many diseases that create long-term heath risks. This NIH chart
shows the extent to which some common chronic medical problems are actually caused by obesity.
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Disease
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% Related to Obesity
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High Blood Pressure
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50-62
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Cardiovascular Diseases
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33
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Fat Distribution — Comparing Apples To Pears
Healthcare providers are concerned not only with how much fat a person has, but also where
the fat is located on the body. If you carry fat mainly around your waist (apple-type
obesity), you are more likely to develop obesity-related health problems than if you carry
fat mainly around the hips or buttocks (pear-type obesity). Women with a waist measurement
of more than 35 inches or men with a waist measurement of more than 40 inches have a higher
health risk because of their fat distribution.
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Causes Of Obesity
In scientific terms, obesity occurs when you consume more calories than you burn. What
causes this imbalance between calories in and calories out may differ from one person
to another. Genetic, environmental, psychological, and other factors may all play a part.
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Genetic Factors
Obesity tends to run in families, suggesting a genetic cause. Yet families also share
diet and lifestyle habits that may contribute to obesity. Separating these from genetic
factors is often difficult. Even so, science shows that heredity is linked to obesity.
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Environmental Factors
This includes lifestyle behaviors such as what you eat and your level of physical activity.
Americans tend to eat high-carbohydrate and high-fat foods, and to put taste and convenience
ahead of nutrition. Also, most Americans do not get enough physical activity.
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Psychological Factors
Many people eat in response to negative emotions such as boredom, sadness, or anger. The National
Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases estimates that 10 percent of mildly obese
people suffer from binge eating disorder. This disorder is even more common in people who are
severely obese.
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Stress Factors
Perhaps the most important cause of obesity is something that we all face - the everyday stress of modern
life. When under chronic stress, your adrenal glands overproduce the hormone cortisol. Although cortisol
is necessary in normal amounts, an excess of this stress hormone can create a cascade of harmful side
effects, many of which can cause weight gain - no matter how vigilantly you diet or exercise!
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Activation of fat-storage hormones and enzymes.
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Conversion of protein in the body into unwanted sugar and fat.
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Halt in secretion of fat-burning human growth hormone (hGH).
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Accumulation of dangerous 'apple-type' abdominal fat.
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Increase in appetite and cravings for sweet and fatty foods.
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Progressive insulin resistance, which leads to type II diabetes, hypertension,
cardiovascular disease, and the other health risks associated with obesity.
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Use Goji To Reduce Your Stress, Your BMI, and Your Waistline
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Goji — The Asian Weight Loss Secret
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In an Asian anti-obesity study, patients were given goji each morning and
each afternoon. Results were excellent with most patients losing significant
weight.
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In an animal study, it was shown that goji's master molecule polysaccharides
enhanced the conversion of food into energy, and reduced body weight.
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Researchers at UCLA and elsewhere have demonstrated conclusively the interconnection
between stress and high cortisol levels. If you can reduce stress, you will minimize
or eliminate the harmful effects of cortisol.
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Reducing stress may be difficult for us in the western world, but for more than a thousand
years, traditional Asian medicine has been successfully addressing the problem by the use
of adaptogens. The term refers to certain herbs that help the body to adapt
to stress. No adaptogenic herb is more renowned than the goji berry for reducing mental and
emotional stress.
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Beat Stress Naturally With Goji
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Goji provides the energy reserves to help one handle just about any difficulty.
In Asia, it is said that constant consumption of goji brings a cheerful attitude,
and nothing beats good cheer for overcoming stress!
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It has been suggested that goji's unique stress-lowering ability can help to normalize
cortisol levels. If you can end the cortisol cascade, you'll soon be on your way to a
lower Body Mass Index and a healthier weight. You'll also notice an impressive array of
benefits for whole body good health, including:
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Increased fat burning
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Less fat storage
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Reduction of food cravings
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More energy
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Less fatigue after eating
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Increased fat burning
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Normal secretion of hGH, the body's "youth hormone"
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Lower cholesterol and blood lipids
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Improved insulin utilization and blood sugar management
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Reduction of inflammation
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Improved immune function
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Better sleep
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Usual Dosage Level
For weight management, research suggests a daily intake of 4 ounces of high-quality standardized goji juice
(2 ounces with the morning meal and 2 ounces with the evening meal).
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