Did You Know?

Heart Disease

• America's #1 killer, accounting for nearly 42% of all deaths in the United States alone
• More than 50 million American men and women have cholesterol levels that are borderline to high, putting them at greater risk of heart disease and stroke.
• Research shows that heart disease begins in childhood.

Diabetes

• Approximately 150 million people have diabetes worldwide (Children and Adults)
• Approximately 80% are overweight
• Numbers are expected to double by the year 2025

Overweight in the USA

• 65% of adults are overweight and 31% are clinically obese
• 10% of children ages 2 through 5 are considered seriously overweight
• 15% of youngsters ages 6 to 19 are overweight
• Obesity and overweight pose a major risk factor for chronic diseases including cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, hypertension and stroke, and certain forms of cancer
• 300,000 deaths each year in the United States are associated with obesity
• The economic cost of obesity in the United States is about $127 Billion

A study presented at the North American Association for the Study of Obesity showed that people who followed a meal-replacement plan for 10 years weighed, on average, about 33 pounds less than people who didn't use a meal-replacement plan.

According to the head of the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), obesity is the number 1 health threat in the United States today. Obesity is a leading contributor of the three top causes of death in the U.S. - heart disease, cancer and stroke.

Reuters News Service reported that the ever-increasing waistlines of young adults in the U.S. have led to more and more cases of Type 2 diabetes in young people. And new research suggests that these young people are having far too many heart attacks and strokes.

According to the head of England's Food Standards Agency, the taste for high-fat, high-salt junk food and sugar-laden treats could dramatically cut the life span of our children.

U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Richard Carmona said in an article in the New York Times, "We are seeing Generation Y grow into Generation XL, and this weight gain has long-term health consequences." He added that the number of overweight children has risen from just more than 4% in the 1960s to 15% today.