Visit the World Heart Days site for news and activities in your region. (They have a section on diabetes that includes a number of recent news articles.)The World Health Organization (WHO), a major sponsor of World Heart Day, is warning that the rapid increase in weight seen globally forecasts a daunting burden in caring for chronic diseases linked to weight. They estimate there are a billion people worldwide who are currently overweight; and they predict that number to rise by 50% over the next 10 years if trends continue.
Overweight and obesity are risk factors for many chronic conditions, including type 2 diabetes.
Yet, according to Dr. Robert Beaglehole, WHO Director of Chronic Diseases and Health Promotion, many chronic diseases attributable to weight are preventable:
"Approximately 80% of heart disease, stroke, and type 2 diabetes, and 40% of cancer could be avoided through healthy diet, regular physical activity and avoidance of tobacco use."
One method of determining overweight or obesity is by assessment of a persons Body Mass Index (BMI).
BMI Categories:
Overweight is a BMI ≥ 25
Obesity is a BMI ≥ 30
Do you know your BMI?
If not, you can calculate it here. Just enter your height and weight.
Links:
World Heart Day - Sunday, September 25
The World Health Organization Warns of the Rising Threat of Heart Disease and Stroke as Overweight and Obesity Rapidly Increase
National Institutes of Health - BMI Calculator
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