Summary Of 'Why We Are Killing Ourselves'

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Chapter 20: Why We Are Killing Ourselves You may be wondering why this chapter has such a morbid title as “Why We Are Killing Ourselves.” This is not referring to any deliberate attempts at suicide. Rather, it refers to how the choices we have made have put us on a downward spiral toward chronic disease and, ultimately, deaths that may be preventable—and we may not even realize it! It’s just like the untimely death of the boiled frog. Remember that old story? If Mr. Frog had leaped into the pot when the water was already boiling, he would have promptly leaped right out. But, because he leaped in while the water was yet cool and pleasant, he stayed right in there enjoying himself. Some say he never knew the water was gradually being heated. Others say he knew the water felt warmer but did nothing about it. At any rate, he remained right in that pot and boiled to death. Take a moment to think about that. It is the same way with being overweight. Things are happening within and without and, whether you’ve been overweight all your life or picked up a few pounds along the way of life, it is easy to ignore the warning signs of impending danger. In this chapter, we will discuss the various aspects of this impending danger.…show more content…
Consider the following: • More than one of every three adults (35.7%) in America is obese. • The prevalence of age adjusted overweight or obesity is 68.8% (men 73.9%, women 63.7%). • The average BMI is 28.7 when 30 is the cutoff for obesity.1 • One of every six children is obese, and one in three is either overweight or obese. • Overweight and obesity in children has tripled over the last 3 decades. • Up to 80% of obese children become obese adults. • According to a study by Thomas Reuters, the cost of treating a child with obesity is three times the costs of treating the average-weight

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