chapter ■^ three
The Vicious Cycle:
From Fat to Fatter
A
re you putting on unwanted pounds with each passing year,
and finding it harder and harder to take them off? Are you
starting to dread your annual physical because your doctor is
admonishing you to, “Get rid of that spare tire,” “Lose some
weight!” or “Watch your blood pressure!” Have you been diag-
nosed with heart disease, insulin resistance, or type 2 dia-
betes, or are you worried about a loved one who has?
If you’re like most Americans, you’re going to answer yes
to at least one of these questions. The sad truth is, more than
half of us are overweight, and a significant number of us are
sick because of it. Here are the dismal statistics.■ (^) The rate of obesity rose by 30 percent in the past
ten years. One-third of all Americans are obese,
meaning that they are so fat that their health is at
serious risk.
■ (^) The incidence of type 2 diabetes (a disease that
goes hand in hand with obesity) has tripled in the
past 30 years, and is still heading upward. If present
trends continue, that number will soar to 40 million
by 2050.