Return to Transcripts main page

American Morning

America's Obesity Problem Getting Worse

Aired August 22, 2001 - 11:20   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: The fight against fat is a constant struggle for many Americans. But the problem of obesity goes much deeper than just appearance. It also is a serious health concern. And the problem is getting worse.

Here's CNN medical correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta with more.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

SANJAY GUPTA, CNN MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): It's an alarming trend: obesity, one of America's fastest growing health problems. It contributes to some of our worst health problems, like heart disease and diabetes. And it is killing people, often in the prime of their lives.

In fact, each year, more than 300,000 deaths are blamed on complications from obesity and physical inactivity. Americans are more sedentary than ever.

In the last 10 years, obesity rates have increased nearly 60 percent among adults. And our children are not exempt: 20 percent of children in the United States are considered overweight. It doesn't help that there's a dramatic and steady decline in the amount of students who attend a daily physical education class, according to research.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

GUPTA: Public health officials say more than a wake-up call is needed to stop the obesity epidemic. The messages to exercise and eat right have been out there for decades. But now they say it's time for Americans to act on them.

KAGAN: But, unfortunately, there is no magic bullet, is there? There's not just not one pill you can take. We hear about those operations all the time, where people staple their stomach and...

GUPTA: Right. Right. And 17.2 million people in the United States are actually taking over-the-counter nonprescription medications to try and control weight. That's a lot of people. And sometimes those medications can work. But oftentimes, it is not in lieu of a healthier diet, more activity and stuff like that.

They do have this operation, gastric stapling, where we've seen some dramatic results from as well. But, again, there are caveats with operations like that. Your nutritional balance sometimes may be altered. And you take vitamins and things like that to try and sustain yourself on those -- so, again, really, probably no magic bullets to this, Daryn.

KAGAN: And you talked a lot about it -- actually, a little bit about it in your piece. We're not just talking appearance and the problems that people face in society.

GUPTA: Right.

KAGAN: There's definite health problems associated with obesity: Other diseases become more severe. Or you might even have diseases that you wouldn't have if you would lose weight.

GUPTA: Right. And they are linking obesity to some very sufficient problems: 300,000 people a year die directly because of obesity. And that's a large number -- heart disease, diabetes.

When you actually get fatter, for example, diabetes can result because you don't -- you are not able to process your insulin as well -- so direct correlation to obesity -- heart disease, atherosclerosis, hardening of the arteries -- all related to diet and obesity -- so very strong correlations.

KAGAN: Lots of reason to lose weight.

Dr. Sanjay Gupta, thank you.

GUPTA: Thank you.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com