Obesity

Jenelle Green


A new government study shows that being overweight by a few extra pounds won't necessarily kill, however for those who are obese aren't as lucky. The study was released just a few weeks right before Thanksgiving saying that it is ok to be fit and fat. Overweight people still need to watch out for diabetes and kidney diseases.
Obese people, those who are at least 30 pounds overweight, have a variety of diseases that they need to watch out for such as different types of cancer and heart disease.
In Utah up to 40 percent of women and 58 percent of men are overweight or obese. Almost 50 percent of Utah adults don't get enough physical activity during the day. Out of the entire state, 5.2 percent of the state is obese.
"I just don't have enough time to work out. My husband and I have a membership to Golds Gym, but we just don't have time to go. We make plans, but something just seems to come up," said Annette Messerschmidt.
Annette is like many Utahns. She works full time and on her of time, she likes to relax and watch television. Annette isn't obese, but she is overweight and she wants to lose weight. She attempts to get some physical activity in by walking to work.
"I walk to and from work every day, unless it is too cold, but I figure that gives me a little exercise," she said.
Diet and exercise are key to being fit and not becoming obese. Only one in five Utahns get enough fruits and vegetables a day. Eating the daily recommended amount of fruits and vegetables, whole grains, and staying away from fats and sweets can start you on the right track to losing weight.
According to the study done by the government, having a little extra weight actually seemed to help people survive some illnesses. Having a BMI between 5 and 30 didn't increase the risk of dying from heart disease or cancer. Overweight people were up to close to 40 percent less likely than normal-weight people to die from several other things such as emphysema pneumonia and injuries sustained from various types of infections.
When Lucy Sosa-Orozco was told of the study, she was excited.
"I love to eat. I like the fact that I don't have to be overly concerned with what I eat. I know I have a little leeway,"she said.
Utah is ranked the 6th healthiest state in the nation. The study included 20 health and well-being factors including poverty, violent-crime, and obesity.
The study given from the government said the age group that seemed to benefit the most was people ages 25 to 59 however older people had reduced risks of heart disease and cancer, too.
Although the study is now showing that being overweight isn't the end of the world, people shouldn't throw caution to the wind about being overweight because being a few pounds overweight can lead to obesity if not watched carefully.