Silent epidemic's in the United States
The obesity epidemic in the United states
Nearly 3 in 4 adults age 20 or older in the United States have either overweight or obesity. Nearly 1 in 5 children and teens ages 2 to 19 years have obesity. Overweight and obesity can lead to serious health issues for people of all ages. Unhealthy lifestyle habits, such as not getting enough physical activity and eating high-calorie, low-nutrient foods and beverages, can raise your risk of overweight and obesity. Some people find that their weight goes up when they start taking medicine for another health condition such as diabetes, depression, or high blood pressure. Lifestyle changes that can reduce weight include following a heart-healthy eating plan lower in calories and unhealthy saturated fats and increasing physical activity. https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/overweight-and-obesity . Obesity is a common, serious, and costly disease. The US obesity prevalence was 41.9% in 2017 – March 2020. (NHANES, 2021) From 1999 –2000 through 2017 –March 2020, US obesity prevalence increased from 30.5% to 41.9%. During the same time, the prevalence of severe obesity increased from 4.7% to 9.2%. (NHANES, 2021) Obesity-related conditions include heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes and certain types of cancer. These are among the leading causes of preventable, premature death. The estimated annual medical cost of obesity in the United States was nearly $173 billion in 2019 dollars. Medical costs for adults who had obesity were $1,861 higher than medical costs for people with healthy weight. https://www.cdc.gov/obesity/data/adult.html
The hormonal imbalance epidemic in the United States
Nearly 39 percent of men ages 45 years and older have low testosterone, also known as hypogonadism, which is generally defined as a level below 300 nanograms per deciliter. And the prevalence of low testosterone grows with age: estimates show that it affects 12 percent of men in their 50s, 19 percent in their 60s, 28 percent in their 70s, and 49 percent in their 80s.Testosterone levels can influence more than sex drive and sperm count. “Testosterone is very important for cellular functioning, so it’s not just sexual symptoms — it can affect your cognitive ability, energy level, strength, vitality, bone health. All of these things can be reduced if someone has low testosterone. https://www.uwhealth.org/news/what-you-need-to-know-about-low-t . At the same time, it can be easy to mistakenly attribute the condition’s vague symptoms — including weight gain, difficulty concentrating and fatigue — to low testosterone when they could be caused by another health problem, such as depression or sleep apnea. https://www.parsleyhealth.com/blog/hormonal-imbalance-symptoms/.
Statistics show that 80 percent of women suffer from hormonal imbalance. Some women live with these imbalances without even realizing it; in fact, 70 percent are unaware of conditions like PCOS that may have manifested due to hormonal irregularities. How do I know if I'm having hormone problems? Some of the most common symptoms of hormone imbalances include unexplained weight gain, fatigue, insomnia, and changes in hair, skin, and nails. Root causes of hormonal imbalances include compromised gut health, elevated inflammation, and high stress levels. https://www.northwell.edu/obstetrics-and-gynecology/fertility/expert-insights/11-unexpected-signs-of-hormonal-imbalance#:~:text=Statistics%20show%20that%2080%20percent,manifested%20due%20to%20hormonal%20irregularities.
The Dementia Epidemic
Much of the problem with the rise in dementia and many other neurodegenerative diseases comes from the way age-related cognitive decline is dealt with by modern medicine. If you’re dealing with memory loss or other cognitive issues, simply putting a label on it is not helpful. Naming the problem does nothing to help you identify and treat the underlying causes of the disease. But we do know that environmental toxins, exercise, deficiencies in hormones, inflammation, lack of vitamins and omega-3 fats, and stress all affect brain function. So the best place to start dealing with a problem like cognitive decline is to get to the bottom of what’s causing it. If you have low thyroid function or sex hormones, heavy metal toxicity, inflammation or deficiencies in certain vitamins, minerals, antioxidants or fatty acids – you will experience a decline in cognitive function. And if left unchecked could develop into dementia, Alzheimer’s or some other neurodegenerative disease. https://nootropicsexpert.com/best-nootropics-for-the-aging-brain/ . Alzheimer's disease and other cognitive related deceases can occur in people in their 30s, 40s, and 50s; however, most people diagnosed with Alzheimer's are older than age 65. An estimated 6.5 million Americans of all ages are living with Alzheimer’s disease in 2022. About 1 in 9 people (10.7%) age 65 and older has Alzheimer’s disease. The percentage of people with Alzheimer's dementia increases with age: 5.0% of people age 65 to 74, 13.1% of people age 75 to 84, and 33.2% of people age 85 and older have Alzheimer's dementia. https://www.dshs.texas.gov/alzheimers/qanda.shtm