What is Overweight and Obesity?
border=”0″/>What is Overweight and Obesity
U.S. Department of
Health and Human Services
National Institutes of Health
- What are overweight and obesity?
- How are weight-related health risks determined?
- Body Mass Index Table
- Why do statistics about overweight and obesity differ?
- Prevalence Statistics Related to Overweight and Obesity
- Economic Costs Related to Overweight and Obesity
- Other Statistics Related to Overweight and Obesity
About two-thirds of adults in the United States are overweight, and almost one-third are obese, according to data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2001 to 2004. This fact sheet presents statistics on the prevalence of overweight and obesity in the United States, as well as the health risks, mortality rates, and economic costs associated with these conditions. To understand these statistics, it is necessary to know how overweight and obesity are defined and measured, something this publication addresses. This fact sheet also explains why statistics from different sources may not match.
Overweight and obesity are known risk factors for:
■diabetes
■coronary heart disease
■high blood cholesterol
■stroke
■hypertension
■gallbladder disease
■osteoarthritis (degeneration of cartilage and bone of joints)
■sleep apnea and other breathing problems
■some forms of cancer (breast, colorectal, endometrial, and kidney)
Obesity is also associated with:
■complications of pregnancy
■menstrual irregularities
■hirsutism (presence of excess body and facial hair)
■stress incontinence (urine leakage caused by weak pelvic floor muscles)
■psychological disorders, such as depression
■increased surgical risk
■increased mortality
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What is overweight and obesity?
Overweight refers to an excess of body weight compared to set standards. The excess weight may come from muscle, bone, fat, and/or body water. Obesity refers specifically to having an abnormally high proportion of body fat.[1] A person can be overweight without being obese, as in the example of a bodybuilder or other athlete who has a lot of muscle. However, many people who are overweight are also obese.
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How are weight-related health risks determined?
Various methods are used to determine if someone’s weight has increased his or her health risks. Some are based on the relationship between height and weight; others are based on measurements of body fat. The most commonly used method today is the body mass index (BMI). BMI is an index of weight adjusted for the height of an individual.
BMI can be used to screen for both overweight and obesity in adults. It is the measurement of choice for many obesity researchers and other health professionals, as well as the definition used in most published information on overweight and obesity. BMI is a calculation based on height and weight, and it is not gender-specific in adults. BMI does not directly measure percentage of body fat, but it is a more accurate indicator of overweight and obesity than relying on weight alone.
BMI is calculated by dividing a person’s weight in kilograms by height in meters squared. The mathematical formula is “weight (kg)/height (m²).”
To determine BMI using pounds and inches, multiply weight in pounds by 704.5,* divide the result by height in inches, and then divide that result by height in inches a second time. (You can also use the BMI calculator at www.nhlbisupport.com/bmi or check the chart below.)
* The multiplier 704.5 is used by the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Other organizations may use a slightly different multiplier; for example, the American Dietetic Association suggests multiplying by 700. The variation in outcome (a few tenths) is insignificant.
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Body Mass Index Table
To use the table, find the appropriate height in the left-hand column and then move across to a given weight. The number at the top of the column is the BMI at that height and weight. Pounds have been rounded off.
Source: Clinical Guidelines on Identification, Evaluation, and Treatment of Overweight and Obesity in Adults, NHLBI, September 1998
An expert panel convened by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) in cooperation with the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK), both part of NIH, identified overweight as a BMI of 25 to 29.9 kg/m², and obesity as a BMI of 30 kg/m² or greater. However, overweight and obesity are not mutually exclusive, since people who are obese are also overweight.[1] Defining overweight as a BMI of 25 or greater is consistent with the recommendations of the World Health Organization (WHO)[2] and most other countries.
Calculating BMI is simple, quick, and inexpensive—but it does have limitations. One problem with using BMI as a measurement tool is that very muscular people may fall into the “overweight” category when they are actually healthy and fit. Another problem with using BMI is that people who have lost muscle mass, such as the elderly, may be in the “healthy weight” BMI category (BMI 18.5 to 24.9) when they actually have reduced nutritional reserves. BMI, therefore, is useful as a screening tool for individuals and as a general guideline to monitor trends in the population, but by itself is not diagnostic of an individual patient’s health status. Further assessment of patients should be performed to evaluate their weight status and associated health risks.
For more information on measuring overweight and obesity, see Weight and Waist Measurement: Tools for Adults.
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Why do statistics about overweight and obesity differ?
The definitions or measurement characteristics for overweight and obesity have varied over time, from study to study, and from one part of the world to another. The varied definitions affect prevalence statistics and make it difficult to compare data from different studies. Prevalence refers to the total number of existing cases of a disease or condition in a given population at a given time. Some overweight- and obesity-related prevalence rates are presented as crude or unadjusted estimates, while others are age-adjusted estimates. Unadjusted prevalence estimates are used to present cross-sectional data for population groups at a given point or time period, without accounting for the effect of different age variations among groups. For age-adjusted rates, statistical procedures are used to remove the effect of age differences when comparing two or more populations at one point in time, or one population at two or more points in time. Unadjusted estimates and age-adjusted estimates will yield slightly different values.
Previous studies in the United States have used the 1959 or the 1983 Metropolitan Life Insurance tables of desirable weight-for-height as the reference for overweight.[3] More recently, many Government agencies and scientific health organizations have estimated overweight using data from a series of cross-sectional surveys called the National Health Examination Surveys (NHES) and NHANES. The National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) conducted these surveys. Each had three cycles: NHES I, II, and III spanned the period from 1960 to 1970, and NHANES I, II, and III were conducted in the 1970s, 1980s, and early 1990s. Since 1999, NHANES has become a continuous survey.
Many earlier reports use a statistically derived definition of overweight from NHANES II (1976 to 1980). This definition (based on the gender-specific 85th percentile values of BMI for 20- to 29-year-olds) is a BMI greater than or equal to (>) 27.3 for women and 27.8 for men. NHANES II further defines “severe overweight” (based on 95th percentile values) as a BMI > 31.1 for men and a BMI > 32.2 for women.[4] Some studies round these numbers to a whole number, which affects the statistical prevalence. In 1995, WHO recommended a classification for three “grades” of overweight using BMI cutoff points of 25, 30, and 40.[5] WHO suggested an additional cutoff point of 35 and slightly different terminology in 1998.[2]
The expert panel convened by NHLBI and NIDDK released a report in September 1998 that provided definitions for overweight and obesity similar to those used by WHO. The panel identified overweight as a BMI > 25 to less than (<) 30, and obesity as a BMI > 30. These definitions, widely used by the Federal Government and more frequently by the broader medical and scientific communities, are based on evidence that health risks increase in individuals with a BMI > 25.
BMI cutoff points are a guide for definitions of overweight and obesity and are useful for comparative purposes across populations and over time; however, the health risks associated with overweight and obesity are on a continuum and do not necessarily correspond to rigid cutoff points. For example, an overweight individual with a BMI of 29 does not acquire additional health consequences associated with obesity simply by crossing the BMI threshold of > 30. However, health risks generally increase with increasing BMI.
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Overweight and obesity are found worldwide, and the prevalence of these conditions in the United States ranks high along with other developed nations.
Below are some frequently asked questions and answers about overweight and obesity statistics. Data are based on NHANES 2001 to 2004. Unless otherwise specified, the figures given represent age-adjusted estimates. Age-adjusted estimates are used in order to account for the age variations among the groups being compared. Population numbers are based on estimates from the U.S. Census Bureau’s Current Population Survey.
Q: How many adults age 20 and older are overweight or obese (BMI > 25)?
A: About two-thirds of U.S. adults are overweight or obese.[6]
All adults: 133.6 million (66 percent)
Women: 65 million (61.6 percent)
Men: 68.3 million (70.5 percent)
* The statistics presented here are based on the following definitions unless otherwise specified: healthy weight = BMI > 18.5 to < 25; overweight = BMI > 25 to < 30; obesity = BMI > 30; and extreme obesity = BMI > 40.
Q: How many adults age 20 and older are obese (BMI > 30)?
A: Nearly one-third of U.S. adults are obese.[6]
All adults: 63.6 million (31.4 percent)
Women: 35 million (33.2 percent)
Men: 28.6 million (29.5 percent)
Q: How many adults age 20 and older are at a healthy weight (BMI > 18.5 through 24.9)?
A: Less than one-third of U.S. adults are at a healthy weight.[6]
All adults: 65.4 million (32.3 percent)
Women: 38.1 million (36.1 percent)
Men: 27.4 million (28.3 percent)
Q: How has the prevalence of overweight and obesity in adults changed over the years?
A: The prevalence has steadily increased over the years among both genders, all ages, all racial and ethnic groups, all educational levels, and all smoking levels.[7] From 1960 to 2004, the prevalence of overweight increased from 44.8 to 66 percent in U.S. adults age 20 to 74.[6] The prevalence of obesity during this same time period more than doubled among adults age 20 to 74 from 13.3 to 32.1 percent, with most of this rise occurring since 1980.[6]
Q: What is the prevalence of overweight or obesity in minorities?
A: Among women, the age-adjusted prevalence of overweight or obesity (BMI > 25) in racial and ethnic minorities is higher among non-Hispanic Black and Mexican-American women than among non-Hispanic White women. Among men, there is little difference in prevalence among these three groups [6]. Sufficient data for other racial and ethnic minorities has not yet been collected.
Non-Hispanic Black Women: 79.6 percent
Mexican-American Women: 73 percent
Non-Hispanic White Women: 57.6 percent
Non-Hispanic Black Men: 67 percent
Mexican-American Men: 74.6 percent
Non-Hispanic White Men: 71 percent
(Statistics are for populations age 20 and older.)
Studies using this definition of overweight and obesity provide ethnicity-specific data only for these three racial and ethnic groups. Studies using different BMI cutoff points derived from NHANES II data to define overweight and obesity have reported a high prevalence of overweight and obesity among Hispanics and American Indians. The prevalence of overweight and obesity in Asian Americans is lower than in the population as a whole.[1]
Q: What is the prevalence of overweight and obesity in children and adolescents?
A: While there is no generally accepted definition for obesity as distinct from overweight in children and adolescents, the prevalence of overweight* is increasing for children and adolescents in the United States. Approximately 17.5 percent of children (age 6 to 11) and 17 percent of adolescents (age 12 to 19) were overweight in 2001 to 2004.[6]
* Overweight is defined by the sex- and age-specific 95th percentile cutoff points of the 2000 CDC growth charts. These revised growth charts incorporate smoothed BMI percentiles and are based on data from NHES II (1963 to 1965) and III (1966 to 1970), and NHANES I (1971 to 1974), II (1976 to 1980), and III (1988 to 1994). The CDC BMI growth charts specifically excluded NHANES III data for children older than 6 years.[8]
Figure 1. Overweight and Obesity, by Age: United States, 1960-2004
Source: CDC/NCHS, Health, United States, 2006
Q: What is the mortality rate associated with obesity?
A: Most studies show an increase in mortality rates associated with obesity. Individuals who are obese have a 10- to 50-percent increased risk of death from all causes, compared with healthy weight individuals (BMI 18.5 to 24.9). Most of the increased risk is due to cardiovascular causes.[1] Obesity is associated with about 112,000 excess deaths per year in the U.S. population relative to healthy weight individuals.[9]
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Economic Costs Related to Overweight and Obesity
As the prevalence of overweight and obesity has increased in the United States, so have related health care costs—both direct and indirect. Direct health care costs refer to preventive, diagnostic, and treatment services such as physician visits, medications, and hospital and nursing home care. Indirect costs are the value of wages lost by people unable to work because of illness or disability, as well as the value of future earnings lost by premature death.
Most of the statistics presented here represent the economic cost of overweight and obesity in the United States in 1995, updated to 2001 dollars.[10] Unless otherwise noted, these statistics are adapted from Wolf and Colditz,[11] who based their data on existing epidemiological studies that defined overweight and obesity as a BMI > 29. Because the prevalence of overweight and obesity has increased since 1995, the costs today are higher than the figures given here.
Q: What is the cost of overweight and obesity?
A: Total Cost: $117 billion
Direct Cost: $61 billion*
Indirect Cost: $56 billion
*A recent study estimated annual medical spending due to overweight and obesity (BMI >25) to be as much as $92.6 billion in 2002 dollars—9.1 percent of U.S. health expenditures.[12]
Q: What is the cost of lost productivity related to overweight and obesity?
A: The cost of lost productivity related to obesity among Americans age 17 to 64 is $3.9 billion. This value considers the following annual numbers (for 1994):
Workdays lost: $39.3 million
Physician office visits: $62.7 million
Restricted-activity days: $239 million
Bed-days: $89.5 million
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Other Statistics Related to Overweight and Obesity
Q: How physically active is the U.S. population?
A: Only 26 percent of U.S. adults engage in vigorous leisure-time physical activity three or more times per week (defined as periods of vigorous physical activity lasting 10 minutes or more). About 59 percent of adults do no vigorous physical activity at all in their leisure time.[13]
About 25 percent of young people (age 12 to 21) participate in light-to-moderate activity (e.g., walking, bicycling) nearly every day. About 50 percent regularly engage in vigorous physical activity. Approximately 25 percent report no vigorous physical activity, and 14 percent report no recent vigorous or light-to-moderate physical activity.[14]
Q: What is the cost of physical inactivity?
A: The direct cost of physical inactivity may be as high as $24.3 billion.[15]
Q: What are the benefits of physical activity?
A: In addition to helping control weight, physical activity decreases the risk of dying from coronary heart disease and reduces the risk of developing diabetes, hypertension, and colon cancer.[14]
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References [1] Clinical Guidelines on the Identification, Evaluation, and Treatment of Overweight and Obesity in Adults—The Evidence Report. National Institutes of Health, National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. September 1998. Available at www.nhlbi.nih.gov/guidelines/obesity/ob_gdlns.htm.
[2] World Health Organization. Obesity: Preventing and managing the global epidemic. Report of a World Health Organization Consultation on Obesity, Geneva, 3–5 June, 1997. World Health Organization. Geneva, 1998.
[3] Flegal KM, Carroll MD, Kuczmarski RJ, Johnson CL. Overweight and obesity in the United States: Prevalence and trends, 1960–1994. International Journal of Obesity. 1998; 22:39–47.
[4] Kuczmarski RJ, Flegal KM. Criteria for definition of overweight in transition: Background and recommendations for the United States. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 2000; 72:1074–1081.
[5] Physical status: The use and interpretation of anthropometry. Report of a World Health Organization Expert Committee. World Health Organization: Geneva, 1995 (World Health Organization Technical Report Series; 854).
[6] National Center for Health Statistics. Chartbook on Trends in the Health of Americans. Health, United States, 2006. Hyattsville, MD: Public Health Service. 2006.
[7] Mokdad AH, Ford ES, Bowman BA, Dietz WH, Vinicor F, Bales VS, Marks JS. Prevalence of obesity, diabetes, and obesity-related health risk factors, 2001. Journal of the American Medical Association. 2003; 289(1):76–79.
[8] Kuczmarski RJ, Ogden CL, Guo SS, et al. 2000 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention growth charts for the United States: Methods and development. National Center for Health Statistics. Vital Health Stat 11(246). 2002.
[9] Flegal KM, Graubard BI, Williamson, DF, Gail MH. Excess deaths associated with underweight, overweight, and obesity. Journal of the American Medical Association. 2005; 293(15):1861–7.
[10] Wolf AM, Manson JE, Colditz GA. The Economic Impact of Overweight, Obesity and Weight Loss. In: Eckel R, ed. Obesity: Mechanisms and Clinical Management. Lippincott, Williams and Wilkins; 2002.
[11] Wolf AM, Colditz GA. Current estimates of the economic cost of obesity in the United States. Obesity Research. March 1998; 6(2):97–106.
[12] Finkelstein EA, Fiebelkorn IC, Wang G. National medical spending attributable to overweight and obesity: How much, and who’s paying? Health Affairs Web Exclusive. 2003; W3:219-226.
[13] Lethbridge-Çejku M, Vickerie J. Summary health statistics for U.S. adults: National Health Interview Survey, 2003. National Center for Health Statistics. Vital Health Stat 10(225). 2005.
[14] U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Physical Activity and Health: A Report of the Surgeon General. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 1996.
[15] Colditz GA. Economic costs of obesity and inactivity. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise. 1999; S663–S667.
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Weight-control Information Network 1 WIN Way
Bethesda, MD 20892–3665
Phone: (202) 828–1025
Toll-free number: 1–877–946–4627
Fax: (202) 828–1028
Email: WIN@info.niddk.nih.gov
Internet: www.win.niddk.nih.gov
The Weight-control Information Network (WIN) is a service of the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), which is the Federal Government’s lead agency responsible for biomedical research on nutrition and obesity. Authorized by Congress (Public Law 103–43), WIN provides the general public, health professionals, the media, and Congress with up-to-date, science-based information on weight control, obesity, physical activity, and related nutritional issues.
Publications produced by WIN are reviewed by both NIDDK scientists and outside experts. This fact sheet was also reviewed by David F. Williamson, Ph.D., CAPT U.S. Public Health Service, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Division of Diabetes Translation; Katherine Flegal, Ph.D., Senior Research Scientist, National Center for Health Statistics, CDC; and Rachel Ballard-Barbash, M.D., M.P.H., Associate Director, Applied Research Program, National Cancer Institute, NIH.
This publication is not copyrighted. WIN encourages users of this fact sheet to duplicate and distribute as many copies as desired. This fact sheet is also available at www.win.niddk.nih.gov.
Updated May 2007
Contact Us
Toll free: 1-877-946-4627 Fax: (202) 828-1028 E-mail: win@info.niddk.nih.gov
Weight-control Information Network, 1 WIN Way, Bethesda, MD 20892-3665
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Note From FoodSpook: This post is a little dated (2007), but it is still very relevant. Obesity is now responsible for more 400,000 deaths per year in the United States.
Diabetes and Pregnancy, Why Women Should Worry
By Eddie Lamb
There are many concerns a woman will have during her pregnancy, and one that can easily be put to rest with a simple test is gestational diabetes mellitus or more commonly known as diabetes during pregnancy. Gestational diabetes can arise during the second or third trimesters, and can cause complications for the mother as well as the unborn child. Diabetes during pregnancy occurs in a relatively small percentage of expectant mothers, and can often be controlled by diet and exercise throughout the pregnancy.
Many doctors will routinely test for diabetes in pregnancy between 24 and 28 weeks of gestation, especially if a woman has risk factors that will increase her odds of developing it. These risk factors include a history of high blood pressure, obesity, ethnicity and a family history of diabetes. Women who have experienced diabetes in pregnancy in the past have a greater chance of developing it again in subsequent pregnancies. Women who are pregnant at an older age also have a greater risk of diabetes in pregnancy.
The test will include fasting and then drinking glucola, which is a mixture of concentrated sugar. Once the glucola is ingested, a blood test is done to check blood sugar levels. If gestational diabetes is diagnosed, a program of diet and exercise will be prescribed to try to control the diabetes during the pregnancy.
What Does Diabetes in Pregnancy Look Like?
Often diabetes during pregnancy is diagnosed before symptoms become obvious. Some of the symptoms that can show up are an increase in hunger, thirst and urination, recurrent vaginal infections and increased blood pressure. Many women complain of fatigue, although this is not a good test, since fatigue is a common symptom of pregnancy. Often sugar will show up in urine during a routine test and this will prompt the doctor to proceed with the glucose test.
It is important to diagnose and treat diabetes in pregnancy as quickly as possible, since it can cause complications during pregnancy. Risks to the mother include raised blood pressure which can lead to a dangerous condition known as ecclampsia. It can also increase the chances of a woman developing Type 2 diabetes later in life. The unborn child can have problems with its heart or kidneys as a result of the mother’s diabetes during pregnancy.
Diabetes during pregnancy is certainly an unwanted complication, but fortunately it can be diagnosed easily and treated effectively. The important thing to remember is to stay on schedule with prenatal visits to the doctor so that the doctor can stay on top of any potential problems.
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About the Author
Eddie Lamb publishes an abundance of vital information on a range of health topics. We believe a better understanding of your condition can help reduce unnecessary anxiety. You’ll find a host of useful articles all about pregnancy listed on our site map page at http://www.pregnancyunderstood.com
When Are Dental Implants a Good Option?
By Karl A. Smith, DDS, MS
In the past, when a patient lost a tooth, our only option was to replace it with a crown or bridge that was secured by surrounding teeth, and if they had several teeth missing, a partial denture was the best option. However, with today’s advanced dental technology, we can actually implant a tooth (or several teeth) into the bone structure of a patient’s jaw giving them solid, stable teeth that are actually fused to their bone.
My name is Dr. Smith, as an a periodontal specialist, I am trained in diagnosing and treating gum and jawbone tissues and problems and can assess the overall health of your mouth and whether or not your gums and jawbone can support dental implants.
An implant is basically a titanium metal screw that is secured in the jaw bone and acts as the root or anchor for a false tooth, which is placed on top. Because the procedure goes through the gum and into the jawbone, good candidates for dental implants must have healthy gums and adequate bone support. However, a bone graft can sometimes be a viable option if a patient’s bone support isn’t sufficient.
When a missing tooth is replaced by using a bridge, the teeth on either side often have to be filed down to accommodate the bridge and the apparatus can create pressure on the surrounding teeth, which can impact their overall health and function. With a dental implant, the teeth on either side are not impacted in any way. Dental implants can also be used to support a bridge, reducing the impact on the surrounding teeth as well as to support a partial or full denture, making them more secure and comfortable.
In a mouth with healthy teeth, the jaw bone is stimulated each time you eat, which preserves the integrity of your jaw bone. When you lose a tooth and therefore the bone in that area does not receive stimulation, it begins to shrink, causing loss of both gum tissue and bone. With a dental implant, the missing tooth can be replaced soon after it is lost. And because the root structure of the tooth is replaced with the implant, the gum and bone continue to be stimulated each time you eat, thus keeping them healthy.
A dental implant has three separate parts that come together to form a permanent tooth in a patient’s mouth. The titanium screw, which was mentioned above, fuses into the jawbone and then an abutment fits over the part of the screw that protrudes above the gum line and then the crown fits onto the abutment and look and functions like a normal tooth.
If a patient has either uncontrolled chronic diseases or systemic problems or they are smokers, implants are generally not a good idea. Smoking reduces the chances of success for an implant because it impedes healing. And often gum tissue does not heal well in people with chronic diseases or poorly controlled diabetes.
However, for patients who are in over-all good health, have healthy gums and sufficient bone structure, plus are committed to good oral hygiene with daily brushing and flossing and regular dental check-ups, implants will give them secure teeth and healthy-looking, beautiful smiles.
Dr. karl Smith has been in dental practice for over twenty-seven years. His specialties are periodontics, dental anesthesia and implants. People come from near and far to experience the comfort and professionalism of his office and patient-oriented staff. http://www.drkarlsmith.com
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Diabetes and Your Feet – Video
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Serenity Well Being Clinic P.A. Dr. Nazanin Roboubi
Herbs For Diabetes – Can Herbal Supplements Lower Blood Sugar?
Herbs For Diabetes – Can Herbal Supplements Lower Blood Sugar?
By Dr. Andrew Napier
When the body fails to produce enough insulin or when the body cells do not respond to the insulin produced, glucose continues to stay in blood and in no time, the glucose level in blood soars, leading to diabetes. Diabetes may be categorized in to three main types.
1. Type 1 diabetes – This occurs when body fails to produce insulin. This type of diabetes can be tackled by injecting insulin.
2. Type 2 diabetes – This is the most widespread type. This occurs when the body cells become non-responsive or resistant to insulin.
3. Gestational diabetes – This occurs during pregnancy. Women, who never had any previous history of diabetes, may become diabetic during pregnancy.
Other types of diabetes include congenital diabetes that is caused by genetic disorders in insulin secretion, monogenic diabetes, steroid diabetes caused by over-intake of glucocorticoids, cystic fibrosis related diabetes.
Herbs or herbal supplements for diabetes
Some important herbs that are contained in most herbal supplements for diabetes are listed below. These herbs have been found very helpful in lowering blood sugar levels.
1. Neem leaf juice or extracts can be very effective in treating diabetes. One may simply chew 9-10 neem leaves every morning for a month and feel the difference.
2. Chewing of 10-12 basil leaves a day also helps in controlling diabetes. Basil leaves have the power to activate pancreas and make it produce enough insulin.
3. Half teaspoon turmeric powder taken every day with honey relieves the symptoms of diabetes.
4. A paste made out of grinded lecaus leaves and pepper corns may be taken every day for beneficial results.
5. Liberal intake of onion and garlic can also control diabetes. They help in maintaining a good cardiovascular health.
6. Fenugreek seeds have excellent anti-diabetic properties. It may be taken in grounded form.
7. Blueberry is an effective regulator of glucose levels in blood.
8. Asian ginseng is a useful herb for diabetes. It increases insulin output by stimulating the pancreas and also leads to a rise in the number of insulin receptors.
9. Gingko biloba is also rich in anti-diabetic properties. It can treat diabetes effectively.
10. Bitter gourd or bitter melon is also known as plant insulin. It increases the responsiveness of body cells to insulin and improves metabolism.
11. Cinnamon is immensely potential in lowering blood sugar levels. Half teaspoon cinnamon powder may be taken twice a day regularly for best results.
Hope this article has covered some useful anti diabetic herbs that will help you lower your blood sugar levels naturally and effectively and prevent diabetes complications.
Read about Diabetes Natural Treatment and its benefits. Know how Diabetes Supplement helps control blood sugar levels naturally. Read information about Diabetes Diet Plan.
Source: Dr. Andrew Napier
Natural Acne Scar Treatment – How to Cure Acne From Within… Naturally
By Jason Ethan Most of us suffer from bouts of acne as we enter our teens. We cannot get rid of the embarrassing and often painful spots fast enough. It can be a long, tough road to getting rid of acne. Some even start avoiding social gatherings because of their embarrassment. However, you should not let it discourage you from living freely. Acne is completely curable by natural acne scar treatment. It only takes a bit of dedication and discipline to get rid of it quickly. Acne, whose Latin name is Acne vulgaris, is a skin disease brought on by the rapid hormonal changes in our body. When we hit puberty, most of us suffer from cases of inflammation across the face. While it clears up in most cases by the late teens and the early twenties, some suffer from it well into their thirties and forties. It remains confined to the face and upper neck in most cases, but severe cases can spread to the chest, back and shoulders as well. There are numerous ways to get rid of Acne vulgaris. While most of them act only on the surface � such as creams, facial washes, etc., some act internally in a bid to cure acne. Internal treatments include both medication and natural remedies. Using medication may seem easier and more effective at first. They clear up the acne within days of starting the treatment, but they are not as effective in the long run. Your body can become resistant to the medications, or the chemicals present in them can adversely affect the body. So be wary of using this method as a permanent cure to get rid of acne quickly. This is why you need to start paying attention to treat acne from within ie, natural acne scar treatment. Since the disease is caused due to the hormonal imbalances of the body, it is a good idea to work inside the body to get rid of it. The countless toxic substances we come across in our lives also aggravate the situation. Acne is the result of the accumulation of the toxins and you should find a way to get rid of it. You can begin by looking at your lifestyle. Diet and exercise plays and important role in the fitness of the body. Foods, which have a high glycemic index, increase the severity of acne and should be avoided or taken in low quantities. It is important that you take vitamins so that their deficiency does not cause acne. Keep yourself fit with regular exercise, which helps in flushing out the toxins that cause acne. Your hygiene also plays a part in the process. Washing and exfoliating prevents dead cells and excessive oils from accumulating in the pores. Remember, blocked pores lead to formation of acne. The most important natural remedy that helps to get rid of zit fast is water. Drink lots of water to rid your body of toxins, which causes this ailment. You can clear acne naturally by utilizing these methods. They may not produce as quick a result as the others, but the results are much more permanent. You can access Natural Acne Scar Treatment easily at home. You can attain your confidence and self-esteem by getting rid of Acne vulgaris naturally, Jason Ethan. Source: Jason Ethan
Source: psychetruth on YouTube Truth About Chocolate – Health Food, Junk or Drug? Nutrition by Natalie You constantly see news articles promoting health benefits of chocolate such as antioxidant content. This video discusses both the health benefits and risks. Is Chocolate a super food, fast junk food or a drug?
By Caleb Hellerman (CNN) — The number of Americans with diabetes will nearly double in the next 25 years, and the costs of treating them will triple, according to a new report. The figures, in a University of Chicago report released Friday, add fuel to the congressional debate regarding reining in the cost of health care. By 2034, 44.1 million Americans will be living with diabetes — nearly twice the current number of 23.7 million, according to the report, published in the December issue of the journal Diabetes Care. About 90 percent of those with diabetes have type 2, a version of the condition that develops over time. Accounting for inflation, the direct medical cost of treating them will rise from $113 billion annually to $336 billion, the report says. Current health care proposals in Congress attempt to slow the growth of spending on chronic diseases such as diabetes by funding programs to prevent disease in the first place, and by offering incentives for insurers and medical providers to encourage early treatment through so-called “accountable care organizations.” In those organizations, doctors might be paid a flat fee to treat a diabetes patient for a year, with bonuses if they meet certain benchmarks of patient health. The staggering numbers in the new paper dwarf potential savings that have lately been discussed. For example, Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius earlier this month released a report urging improvements in diabetes care. If the most successful statewide programs for controlling diabetes could be duplicated nationwide, it estimates, annual savings from reducing hospitalizations and treatment for various complications would total $216 million. The numbers are disturbing, said Dr. Elbert Huang, an assistant professor of medicine at the University of Chicago. He said he considers the predictions “very conservative” because they don’t account for the growing proportion of overweight children and teenagers, who are at higher risk for developing diabetes. The estimates also don’t factor in immigration, or the rising population of ethnic minorities. Latinos and African-Americans suffer diabetes at higher rates than the U.S. population as a whole. Type 1 diabetes is a condition in which a person loses the ability to break down glucose in the blood and turn food into energy. The condition often develops when people are young. In type 2 diabetes, the condition develops over time. The process is complex, but aside from ethnic background, risk factors include having a family history of diabetes, high blood pressure or heart disease. The most common risk factor is simply being overweight. Even modest weight loss will reduce the chance of developing type 2 diabetes, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. More ambitious lifestyle changes, such as diet, regular exercise and assistance through counseling lowered the risk of diabetes by 58 percent, even without medication, in a major federally funded study. The model used by Huang and his colleagues assumes that the prevalence of diabetes in each age group will stay constant, but that the number of cases will grow as the population gets older. For the Medicare-eligible population alone, the paper predicts the diabetes caseload will rise from 8.2 million people to 14.6 million, and that the total annual cost of treatment will go from $45 billion to $171 billion. To estimate cost, the researchers assumed that the standard progression of the disease, and mix of therapies used to treat it, will remain constant. According to a 2005 federal report, nearly three in four adults with diabetes uses oral medication to control the disease. About one in four takes insulin. Diabetes is the leading cause of kidney failure, according to the American Diabetes Association, and nerve damage and damaged blood vessels are also common. About 15 percent of diabetics require amputation of a lower extremity at some point in their life, according to a 1998 paper in Diabetes Care. It’s certainly possible that medical breakthroughs will improve care, but it’s unlikely to lead to lower costs, Huang said. “In the past, in general, medical discoveries have driven costs up, not down.” The study was funded by the company Novo Nordisk, which makes insulin delivery systems to treat diabetics. Novo Nordisk approved the final manuscript, but the authors say the company did not play a role in designing the study or collecting data. “Without significant changes in public or private strategies, this population and cost growth are expected to add a significant strain to an overburdened health care system,” the report concludes. The new report is concerning, but doesn’t change the big picture of health care spending, said Jonathan Gruber, an MIT economist who has schooled many politicians about the intricacies of health care. “Even without this change, over the next 75 years we’ve made promises that exceed the revenues we have to pay for them,” he said. There’s no compelling evidence that better preventive care can significantly reduce the cost of treating diabetes, Gruber said, but he believes accountable care organizations could make a big impact. He also likes the idea of allowing insurers to charge higher premiums to people who don’t meet certain health benchmarks, such as losing weight if they’re obese. “The thing about diabetes, it’s among the most preventable of major illnesses,” Gruber said. “We need to put patient financial incentives at stake.” Huang said he won’t be surprised if the surge in diabetes turns out to be even worse than he projects. “Prior estimates have all said there would be a dramatic rise in the diabetes type 2 population,” he said, but in every case “the actual [diabetic] population has ended up being larger than the estimates.” Share this on: Mixx, Facebook, Twitter, Digg, delicious, reddit, MySpace, StumbleUpon and LinkedIn. FOLLOW THIS TOPIC: Source: CNN by Caleb Hellerman, (published November 27, 2009).
Source: Radhia Gleis/psychetruth on YouTube RADHlA is a Certified Clinical Nutritionist, C.C.N. She is also a Certified BioNutritional Analyst. She has a Ph.D. in pastoral counseling and a M.Ed. in nutrition. She is a professional member of the International and American Association of Clinical Nutritionists, (I.A.A.C.N), and the American Naturopathic Medical Association (A.N.M.A.). Radhia talks about the health dangers caused by the presence of HFCS (High Fructose Corn Syryp) in the manufactured (processed) foods Americans consume in this country. Visit Radhia’s Website at http://www.advancedhealthinstitute.com/ http://www.aimmd.com/ Note: Yellow button is not activated on this post.
By Greg Gennings Including the proper foods in a diabetic diet may help reduce your blood sugar scale naturally. Keeping blood glucose scale at a normal level helps the health of a diabetic. A diabetic patient must understand first how he or she got a high reading of blood glucose in the blood before bringing it down to normal level. Avoiding foods which increase blood sugar and including nutritious foods that reduce blood sugar in a diabetic diet can help improve the blood sugar scale. To avoid increase of blood sugar for diabetic patients, it is necessary to count carbohydrate intake. Many changes can be essential in the diabetic diet, so by following an example of diabetic menus it can help in keeping a standard blood sugar scale. The normal glucose count for diabetic patient is between 70 and 180 whether the reading was taken before or after eating. This is different from the normal count of a non-diabetic person which falls typically between 70 and 120. It is necessary for diabetic patients to look for ways to maintain the lower level because of the consequences of an elevated blood glucose scale on health. If the body can not make adequate insulin to bring glucose to the cells of the body for energy, the blood glucose that is intended to go in the cells is being left within the blood. The kidney filters out the extra blood sugar which is excreted through the urine. It is a must for the kidneys to extract water from some bodily tissues to produce sufficient amount of urine to pass out all the excess sugar. The extraction of water by the kidneys from bodily tissues will result in dehydration. The overworked kidneys are impacted eventually by the additional load and the bodily organs that depend on hydration like the eyes, are affected also. Blood sugars represent the total amount of glucose found in the human blood. It gives energy to the body, but too much sugar or less sugar may cause problems in health. Blood glucose may be calculated in few several ways; it can be FBS (fasting blood sugar) test which is done after 8 hours of no intake and random blood glucose test which can be performed anytime to measure sugar levels. Both tests can be performed to aid in diagnosing some medical conditions. For instance, pregnant women are being screened for gestational diabetes. Random blood glucose tests are done also by people that have to keep an eye in their glucose scale. Normal result of the fasting blood glucose test is 70 – 100 mg/dl and the normal reading of blood glucose scale performed without fasting ranges from 70 – 140 mg/dl. Hypoglycemia is the condition when the glucose reading is below 70 mg/dl. If the levels are elevated to more than 140 in a random test, the condition is called hyperglycemia. Blood glucose maybe checked from small quantity of blood. Though tests can be done at the laboratory or hospitals, home sugar monitoring devices can also be used. Little quantity of blood is taken through finger stick and placed in a strip then inserted to a digital glucose meter; a readout will show up after a while. Greg is a simple man that loves to explore and share things through writing. He loves to share his knowledge to the users who care to understand everything about blood sugar levels. Note: http://bloodsugarlevelsnormal.org/ is a free website that provides all the information that you need for blood sugar levels normal. Source:www.isnare.com
Source: diabetesdigest on YouTube
I used to own a house in the suburbs. It was in a cul-de-sac with only four other homes. It was very quiet and civilized. The hillside across from my driveway was rustic. The bottom part of the hill was covered with wild blackberry thickets and the top half with oak trees in various stages of maturation. In the summer the colors were all shades of green and deep purple. In the fall, the shades of the trees on the hillside turned to browns, burnt umber and gold. I met Mr. Jay one summer morning around 6:00 AM. He was Loud! I had studied Eastern customs and entered a Zen phase of life at that time. I trained my brain to ignore and to zone out the noise that Mr. Jay was cawing into my existence every morning, seven days a week. Still Mr. Jay was still very annoying. But, I told myself to be cool. He deserves to live, even if it’s on my property. We all have to get along. Mr. Blue Jay and I got to know each other. He was a bird. I was a property owner. I had a bird feeder in my back yard. Mr. Jay was too big to perch on the feeder but he was able to harvest some seed from it everyday anyway. The squirrels were much more aggressive and successful at liberating the birdseed than the birds. I thought I was the “Dr. Doolittle” of my domain. Whenever I was working my yard all kinds of animals would show up. Humming Birds would fly up and drink right from the end of my garden hose. Raccoons came at night. When I arrived home late at night, deer would be all over my yard and in the field behind my property. Well, early one morning while out in my yard, I noticed that Mr. Jay sounded different. His squawking had changed into a loud and raucous high pitched monologue. When I looked into Mr. Jay’s tree I got a big surprise! Mr. Jay was sitting on his limb and quiet as a mouse. There was another Jay besides him making all the noise. Mr. Jay had found his Lady Jay! I was very happy for Mr. Jay. He had been living in my backyard for two years and because we were both bachelors, I felt a special comraderie towards Mr. Jay. The only problem I could perceive was, Mrs. Jay NEVER shut up. She fussed with her high pitched cackling from sunrise to sunset, everyday. I never really got used to her noise and found her presence outright irritating. However I learned to tune her out and to appreciate the fact that she is now Mr. Jay’s wife and we all must get along. It’s interesting that I can’t remember Mr. Jay ever speaking again for the next 18 months. I must assume he was happy. They stayed together faithfully until the “incident”. It was a beautiful summer evening, headed towards dusk. I was in my back yard with my garden hose, watering and enjoying nature’s evening sound effects. Suddenly a dark gray shadow streaked into my yard from out of the sky like a cruise missile programmed to my front door. I was speechless. There was a burst of feathers left floating in the air. Then it became clear to me what had happened. I have read that frequently our eyes see much more than we are conscious of. However, our brain stores all kinds crap that we see, whether we need it or not. In that millisecond I saw Mrs. Jay’s panicked face and ruffled blue and white body clutched in the deadly grasp of a Red Tailed Hawk. I realized it was case closed. She was cackeling her last high pitched squawks as the hawk carried her to a big nest high atop a 100 ft. Eucalyptus tree in the field behind my house. Baby hawks have to eat too. I was saddened at Mrs. Jays demise. I had actually almost gotten use to her being around. In fact, that day she was taken, I hadn’t even noticed her flying to her nest a few feet away. I know Mr. Jay loved her. No other bird would have put up with her yammering. Mr. Jay lived in my backyard for another year but it was not the same. True, we were both bachelors again but the arrival of Mrs. Jay had changed us. One day Mr. Jay was gone. I know he had decided to move on and I wished him luck. My experiences living with the Jay family were enlightning. Maybe there were some psychic parallels between Mr. Jay’s life and my own. The main thing I learned is, I really need to get a life! Foodspook
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