One of the longest ongoing health studies in the United States claims that obesity is now a bigger overall threat to adults’ health than smoking cigarettes. The study, which is conducted by researchers from Columbia University and the City College of New York, claims that obesity causes just as much, and possibly even more diseases than tobacco consumption. While smoking rates are starting to actually decline, obesity shortens the lifespan. While smoking generally impacts health in such ways as heart disease and/or cancer, the impacts of obesity are much larger.

The study was conducted over a period of fifteen years, and involved interviewing more than 3.5 million people. The study calculated the number of ‘quality adjusted life years’ (QALYs) that were lost due to obesity and smoking. Quality adjusted life years are a measurement of the quality as well as the quantity of a lived life; it assigns higher scores for good and/or perfect health and lower scores for illness, injury and/or death. The study showed that between 1993 to 2008 smoking in the American adult population decreased by 18.5%; meanwhile the proportion of obese American adults increased by 85%. There is no valid reasoning to suggest that these figures are not mirrored in the Canadian population. Statistics Canada has reported that two out of every 3 Canadian adults is either overweight and/or obese.

Obesity can cause such complex health problems such as:

• Type 2 diabetes;
• Liver disease;
• Coronary heart disease;
• Sleep apnea and/or other respiratory issues;
• Joint issues, resulting in joint replacements;
• Hypertension and/or high blood pressure;
• Stroke;
• Gallbladder disease;
• Osteoarthritis;
• Cancers such as breast cancer, colon and endometrial cancer;
• Mental health issues such as low self-esteem and/or depression.

Health professionals assess a person’s weight status by using 2 tools, the body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference (WC). These tools are used on all adults 18 years of age and older, with the exception of pregnant and/or breastfeeding women. The BMI is calculated on a weight-to-height ratio. Rather than directly measure the amount of body fat in the individual, it is an indicator of the health risks that are associated with being either under or over weight. In the Canadian weight classification system, there are four categories of BMI:

• Underweight (less than 18.5);
• Normal weight (between 18.5 and 24.9);
• Overweight (between 25 and 29.9);
• Obese (30 and over).

This article will be continues in Part II.