Scary Facts About Weight Loss In America
The weight loss industry in America is big business. With all of the publicity surrounding the growing waistlines of the American public, there are more and more Americans trying to lose weight. As weight loss efforts become more prevalent in the American culture, the weight loss industry as a whole is becoming larger and more profitable.
One scary fact about weight loss in America is the sheer size of the weight loss industry. Annual revenues for the American weight loss industry are estimated to be approximately $35 million dollars, and that number is steadily increasing. Americans seem to be willing to buy any product that promises to help with their weight loss goals.
Interestingly, the larger the weight loss industry becomes, the more widespread the obesity epidemic seems to be getting. While certainly there is not a direct cause and effect relationship here, one has to wonder about why people are getting fatter even as they are spending more money on weight loss products.
Another scary fact about the weight loss industry in America is that it is largely unregulated. Many claims that manufacturers of weight loss products make are unsubstantiated by facts. The marketing and labeling requirements for weight loss products in America are not the same as those for prescription and over-the-counter drugs.
Because these types of products are considered nutritional supplements instead of drugs, they do not have to adhere to Food and Drug Administration labeling standards for drugs. For example, manufacturers of herbal weight loss supplements are not required to list potential side effects on their packaging or product labels.
The extent of the obesity problem in America is also scary. It is the fact that so many Americans are overweight that has contributed to the growth of the weight loss industry. Statistics indicate that well over half of the American population is overweight.
According to the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than 325,000 deaths can be contributed to obesity and related issues each year. As a matter of fact, obesity itself is now considered to be a disease in America.
The weight loss surgery industry has experienced a significant growth over the past decade, with more and more Americans seeking radical surgical interventions to help treat obesity.
Because there are so many health problems associated with obesity, Americans who are obese have to seek medical treatments for a number of conditions they might not have were they not obese. People who are obese spend a significantly higher amount of money on medical treatment than do those who are not overweight.
The obesity epidemic in America also impacts the workplace. American workers who have obesity-related health problems tend to have fairly high absentee rates due to the need to seek medical treatment. Additionally, as the obesity problem becomes more widespread, so does the need for hospitalization for dealing with related health issues. This directly impacts health insurance premiums which impacts both corporations, business owners, and individual members of the workplace.
There are many serious implications of the obesity epidemic that is rampant in America. As an overweight nation, weight loss is an important issue that needs to be addressed. Weight loss in America is a serious healthcare, social, and economic issue.