Remember the movie WALL-E (Disney, 2008)? A waste collecting robot, named WALL-E, is left on Earth after all humans have left. His only purpose for the past 700 years is to clean up the massive amounts of trash on the planet. Yet, despite the debris, he finds a living plant within the rubble. WALL-E then leaves Earth to save his love interest, EVE, and is brought to a space cruise ship where the humans live. Everyone on board is so fat that the only thing they do is recline in hovering chairs, watch t.v., video chat, and drink their meals through a straw. There is much more to the story, but the parallels to our present day society is somewhat disturbing.
Recent statistics suggest that more than two-thirds of Americans are either over-weight or obese. 92% of the world’s population living in areas with polluted air (World Health Organization, 2016). Over 5 trillion pieces of plastic are floating in our oceans (Science, 2/2015) and our landfills are overflowing. Perhaps a scenario similar to WALL-E isn’t too far fetched? However, unlike the movie, there are huge health concerns associated with this weight epidemic:
- type 2 diabetes
- coronary heart disease
- sleep apnea
- non-alcoholic fatty liver disease
- metabolic syndrome
Most people don’t realize that not all fat is created equal. In fact, the most deadly is the fat around our waistline, also called visceral fat or belly fat. Research has shown that belly fat is associated with chronic low-grade inflammation. This inflammation is a known precursor to the health conditions listed above.
To avoid this health risk, the following recommendations have been established by the National Institutes of Health:
- Males should have a waistline less than 40 inches, when measuring from the tops of both hip bones.
- Females should have a waistline less than 35 inches when measuring the same.
Wellness is definitely a journey, with many obstacles on our path. Using this guideline to navigate your journey is a great place to begin. You can easily take steps today that will help you avoid conditions that are preventable. Don’t let belly fat dictate where your journey takes you.