Have you heard the public health announcement "I have a chronic disease and it is obesity"? The first time I heard the radio announcement declaring obesity as a chronic disease I actually did a double take. My brain started spinning and I realized what a true and powerful statement that was. Yes, obesity is a chronic disease and people need ongoing treatment for this chronic disease as they do for chronic diseases such as arthritis, cancer, diabetes, hypertension or depression.

As we know, 67% of adults in the U.S. are overweight and 34% are considered obese. You may be asking yourself, "why is the rate of obesity so high among Americans?" The causes of obesity are well documented. They are the type, quality and amount of food that people eat.

Causes of obesity

There is no denying that the average American diet leads to weight gain and health problems. Look at how sugar, soda, fast food and cereal consumption contribute to obesity.

• The average American consumes over one cup of sugar daily.
• Americans drink lots of soda, about two cans per day on average.
• The average American eats three fast food meals per week.
• We are a nation of cereal eaters—breakfast, lunch and dinner. To entice kids and adults to eat more cereal, General Mills recently introduced a new peanut-butter flavored Cheerios® cereal (Who can eat only ¾ cup, the actual serving size? Most people fill up ¾ of a large bowl with cereal).
• A typical school breakfast of chocolate milk, orange juice, French toast, cereal and milk contains more than 48 tsp. of sugar! That equates to a cup of sugar for breakfast! It's no wonder that 30% of children are overweight.

Consuming fast foods and sugary, processed foods have brought the metabolism of many Americans to a screeching halt. Clearly, tackling obesity requires a nutritional makeover and nutrition education so that people understand how their food and beverage choices affect their metabolism.

More will power is not the solution to obesity

 People with the disease of obesity are not weak willed; they have a chronic condition that needs to be addressed. Low-calorie, low-fat or starvation plans simply do not work. Research from the 1940's found these diet plans actually result in increased hunger and a slower metabolism! Sadly, these plans are still being marketed, and bought into, as a quick fix to a very complex problem. Instead of low-calorie, deprivation plans, people need therapeutic nutrition to get their metabolisms working again.