Few Americans know all obesity risks: Poll

By ASSOCIATED PRESS   Monday, Jan. 7, 2013
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Poll results


Click here to view the poll results.

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In this June 26, 2012, photo, two overweight women hold a conversation in New York. A new poll suggests that while more than 7 in 10 Americans can correctly tick off heart disease and diabetes as obesity's most serious consequences, few Americans are aware of the lesser-known health consequences_ such as worsening some types of cancer, arthritis, sleep apnea and even infertility. Only about one-quarter of people think it's possible for someone to be very overweight and still healthy, according to the poll by The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research.

In this June 26, 2012, photo, two overweight women hold a conversation in New York. A new poll suggests that while more than 7 in 10 Americans can correctly tick off heart disease and diabetes as obesity's most serious consequences, few Americans are aware of the lesser-known health consequences_ such as worsening some types of cancer, arthritis, sleep apnea and even infertility. Only about one-quarter of people think it's possible for someone to be very overweight and still healthy, according to the poll by The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research.

PhotoVideo

— Heart disease and diabetes get all the attention, but what about the many other ways obesity can damage your health?

Carrying too many pounds may lead to or worsen some types of cancer, arthritis, sleep apnea, even infertility. But a new poll suggests few Americans realize the links.

Only about one-quarter of people think it's possible for someone to be very overweight and still healthy, according to the poll by The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research.

Ask about the most serious consequences, and more than 7 in 10 Americans can correctly tick off heart disease and diabetes. Heart disease is the nation's leading killer, and diabetes and obesity are twin epidemics, as rates of both have climbed in recent years.

The other consequences aren't so well known.

"People are often shocked to hear how far-reaching the effects of obesity are," said Jennifer Dimitriou, a bariatric dietitian at New York's Montefiore Medical Center.

Only 7 percent of people surveyed mentioned cancer, although doctors long have known that fat increases the risk of developing cancers of the colon, breast, prostate, uterus and certain other sites. Plus, being overweight can make it harder to spot tumors early and to treat them.

Then there's the toll on your joints, especially the knees. About 15 percent of people knew obesity can contribute to arthritis, a vicious cycle as the joint pain then makes it harder to exercise and shed pounds.

High blood pressure, high cholesterol and strokes were fairly low on the list. Infertility didn't get a mention.

Also, 5 percent put respiratory problems on the list. Studies show people who are overweight are at increased risk of sleep apnea and asthma, and that dropping pounds can help improve their symptoms.

Knowing more about the myriad ways obesity affects health could help motivate people to get more active and eat better before full-blown disease strikes, Dimitriou said.

"Most people want to become healthier. It's the know-how and understanding what the consequences are," she said.

But only 52 percent of those surveyed said they've discussed the health risks of being overweight with a doctor.

In another complication, the AP-NORC Center survey found that about half of people think their weight is just about right, and only 12 percent of parents think their child is overweight. That's even though government figures show two-thirds of U.S. adults, and one-third of children and teens, are either overweight or obese.

If you're surrounded by overweight people, especially in your family, "then that's all you know, and that to you is normal," Dimitriou said.

The AP-NORC Center survey was conducted Nov. 21 through Dec. 14. It involved landline and cellphone interviews with 1,011 adults nationwide and has a margin of sampling error of plus or minus 4.2 percentage points.

reader COMMENTS
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(40)
woody
Jan 8, 2013 at 7:24 p.m.
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"When you have bacteria growing under your one of 4 chins this is a problem not listed in the article."
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Maybe the person was trying to start their own herb garden?

gazettefan
Jan 8, 2013 at 6:07 p.m.
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kettle....., adults with a self inflicted disease are open to criticism just like other kinds of abusers. What they do negatively affects the people around them -especially their children. Save your accusation of "bully" for them.

And frogger is correct. I know a CNA who has to wear a gas mask to perform hygiene on the "land down under" of people who are hospitalized for health problems caused by obesity. These people are even allowed to have cookies, candy, and other junk food in their cabinets while hospitalized. This should be illegal. It's like someone hospitalized for crack addiction being allowed to have all the crack they want. Would criticism of such a situation be bullying?

kettleblack
Jan 8, 2013 at 5:34 p.m.
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Gazettefan - my thinking is neither "claustrophobic or stunted." You callously describe overweight people as "targets." To my point, you may not be fat, but based on your attitude, you're damn sure a bully.

gazettefan
Jan 8, 2013 at 5:22 p.m.
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RUSerious, kettle.....'s point was not restricted to "no one's perfect." His or her point was broad to the extent of insisting that no one has the right to complain based on the fact or possibility that everyone has skeletons i.e. is not perfect.

Do you honestly believe that kettle..... is correct?

tthompson
Jan 8, 2013 at 3:45 p.m.
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imjustsayin: Of course back yard chickens won't cure obesity. BUT it is a step in the right direction to showing our kids another way, a healthier way, to get food. There is no one way to 'cure' obesity, but taking healthier food options off the table:) won't get it done either. your i.d....

factsplease
Jan 8, 2013 at 3:27 p.m.
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Calories are not calories. For example, if you cut too much protein, you will lose muscle, not fat. You need carbs, but EXCESS carbs turn into fat. We also need some fat in our diet and when we decided to cut fat (low-fat craze) we replaced those calories with sugar and salt (to make up for the lost flavor from removing the fat) and this is one of the reasons for the spike in obesity. You need the right balance for your body as everyone is different. But the basics of eating real food (low calorie, high nutrients, high fiber, etc), getting some exercise, and not filling up on junk (high calorie, low nutrient, high sugar, etc) are the same for everyone.
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As for the cost, I said "CAN" cost more. It depends on the changes you make. All-fruit popsicles are more expensive than HFCS and water popsicles, for example. Organic is more expensive than non-organic. Quinoa is more expensive than white rice. But if you eat out often, or buy a lot of pre-packaged convenience food, it will probably be cheaper to cook real food at home.

A good article on weight loss:http://www.fitday.com/fitness-articles/fitness/weight-loss/how-to-burn-fat-build-muscle.html#b

mteg
Jan 8, 2013 at 2:37 p.m.
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Untrue Ezoner...now if you were allergic to starches, then you couldnt.Your case is a rarity. It is true..you techincally do need carbs to survive...your body just absorbs them differntly...which is why you can probably process some veggi's, fruit or other sugers. Even high protein or fat items do carry a small amount of carbs. Without any carbs, your body would catabolise on itself, you'd endure muscle wasting, and you'd turn into a sloth. And in your case, it is genetic...not induced by age. People that use the gluton or carb "crutch" do-so because it is easier for a doctor/diatician to recommend alternatives than to just spell out the truth-that ones fat because they eat too much and don't have enough activity. There are actually very few people that are allergic to gluton or starches...the rest just have been duped into believing they are. They didnt have these problems 50 years ago...and people supposedly ate far less unhealthy. It's all about number of calories consummed and when...not what is consumed. For the 5% of the population that this wouldnt work for...then it's finding what you can and can't eat.

JustStoppingBy
Jan 8, 2013 at 2:31 p.m.
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Ezoner, you sound like a very angry person. I lost 100 lbs. in 3 years and it took you 20 years to figure out you "can't eat a potato". Who is the idiot, again? Lol.

If you stay so close minded, you're also going to stay fat. I hope you enjoy your obesity!

Ezoner
Jan 8, 2013 at 2:22 p.m.
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mteg -- you are wrong. There are general guidlines. Not absolutes. This conventional way of thinking is part of the problem. We are all different and what works for you may not work for all. You need to tune your meals based upon your individual body chemistry.

Ezoner
Jan 8, 2013 at 2:20 p.m.
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Just -- you are an absolute idiot. Its not portion control. I cannot eat even one part of a potato, no bread, no pasta. Do not proclaim you know what you are speaking of. You are just Freakin wrong. Period. You are part of the problem claiming there is one fix for all

JustStoppingBy
Jan 8, 2013 at 2:07 p.m.
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frogger, while you get a set amount of points each day, you also get 49 "flex" points to use however you want during the week. You can even use all 49 extra points on one day, if you want.

So my suggestion would be to use "flex" points for that high calorie iced coffee drink.

frogger
Jan 8, 2013 at 1:48 p.m.
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juststoppinby-
What happens if you drink a 1000 calorie DD iced coffee thing? You only get 600 calories for the rest of the day. That isn't healthy either.

mteg
Jan 8, 2013 at 12:16 p.m.
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Its not a complex thing. First off, every person has a set number of calories the body must injest before it begins feeding on itself. This magical number is anywhere between 2,000-3,000 calories (for the average ideal weight in an individaul). It's doesnt matter at all where these calories come from be it salid or krispy kremes...you dip below that number an you will lose weight. Then there is metabolism effected by genetics, activity, foods eaten, times food injested. Eating healtier and increasing activity will boost metabolism as will eating smaller more frequent meals. Larger meals are harder for body to injest. If you can understand those 2 concepts, weight loss is a cinch.

JustStoppingBy
Jan 8, 2013 at 12:13 p.m.
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Ezoner, it's called portion control. All food has carbohydrates, not just bread, pasta, etc. Your body needs carbs.

For me, the easiest plan to follow is Weight Watchers points. You can eat anything you want. Everything from baked chicken to a Big Mac and fries. As long as you calculate every meal, you will lose 1-2 lbs every week. If you add exercise to your plan, you will lose even more.

I lost 100 pounds using the points program and have kept the weight off for almost 8 years. It can be done!

Ezoner
Jan 8, 2013 at 10:16 a.m.
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There are allot of ignorant people out there that just assume people are eating chips, McD's and Bon-Bon's. The reality is- all of us have different bodies. My body changed about 20 years ago, and it took nearly 20 years for me to determine what my diet could be. Before that -- I could eat anything... Now, I must eat nearly NO carbs. None..... I can eat foods with fat, grease, whatever, but I have an issue with breaking down carbs. Once you find something like that, it makes it a little easier, but getting there is a challenge. Doctors looked at my meal logs and were perplexed, -- " So this is what you are really eating" "Hmmm". I tried everything -- until I visited a weight loss doctor in VA. He said -- I know exactly what the issue is. Have seen it before.... Do this... Bingo....It worked.

The problem is -- our lifestayles change, our bodies change, etc... Each person is an individual and needs to find the right mix etc.. for themseleves. For some, that is easy, for others -- not so much.

RUSerious
Jan 8, 2013 at 9:53 a.m.
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Gazettefan, your comment to me (unless in jest) was uncalled for. I have never, nor would have never, thought of the subject of "food desert" had you not initiated the topic (under previous stories) .
Likewise your comment to kettleblack claiming he said "that a person who complains about something is automatically guilty of the same, or something similar." I would suggest he meant "Ain't nobody perfect"!
I happen to agree re: keeping a healthy weight, eating a balanced, healthy diet, excersize....though I suggest the weight of the general population (or specific populations) is a mulri-faceted subject. You'll be happy to know I don't have time to elaborate.
By the way, I only glanced at the story after making some predictions to myself about the comment section.

frogger
Jan 8, 2013 at 9:43 a.m.
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nicksmom- frying a chicken breast in a pan(sauteeing) don't want to confuse people- take about 10 minutes. While you do this you can steam some fresh veg in a pan also about 10 minutes. So a 3 lb frozen bag of breasts is about 7-10. This is 12 servings of chicken. .66 for one serving if $8 for 3lbs. Less than $1 menu and quicker than driving to McD!
Funny story- I asked for fried egg instead of the scrambled egg and she said what do yuo mean. We have round egg or floded egg WHICH do you want. Okay- round egg. lol

frogger
Jan 8, 2013 at 9:35 a.m.
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imjust- chinS. I said. The fold in the chins.

frogger
Jan 8, 2013 at 9:34 a.m.
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imjust"Bacteria under someone's chin? LOL (fun fact coming)! The average human has 10 times as many microbes living on and in it than it has cells of its own.
I'm just sayin'..."
yes but we cannot pyscally see this.
Fact - yes look into it. People cannot reach under the fat or clean or know it is there. It can also get infected-yummy.
Ever remember the layer of dirt behind kids ears because they wouldn't wash them. It is like that but worse.

nicksmom
Jan 8, 2013 at 8:49 a.m.
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I disagree with many of the comments here that it's time consuming to cook healthy food & that it costs more. I cook about twice a week. I buy healthy nonprocessed foods such as organic wild rice, grass fed beef etc... I cook up enough to make several meals & pack it up in small containers that I can take to work for lunch. The rice I buy is $8 a bag at Walmart which seems like a lot, but when you consider the price of packaged food and fast food & how many servings you get from 1 bag of rice, it's not expensive at all and it's a much healthier option not to mention it's absolutely delicious.

gazettefan
Jan 8, 2013 at 8:04 a.m.
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kettle....., you should really think about your claim that a person who complains about something is automatically guilty of the same, or something similar. Your thinking is stunted; your claim is claustrophobic.

Fat people literally and figuratively make themselves big targets.

kettleblack
Jan 8, 2013 at 7:45 a.m.
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Wow. The smug pontificating here is breathtaking. Feeling superior and sanctimonious now, are we? You may not be overweight, but I guarantee you are certainly no better than someone you look down on for it. Ya'll got your own skeletons in the closet that perhaps aren't so obvious as weight. Number one DUI state in the country, etc.

missmarysunshine
Jan 8, 2013 at 6:39 a.m.
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Eating healthier may take more time and planning, but it isn't difficult. The hardest part for some people is just knowing how to cook something that doesn't come pre-packaged in a box or a bag.

nemesis
Jan 8, 2013 at 6:07 a.m.
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And if people need to find out what the risks are leave it to the associated press and the government to tell them.

Shopierehuh
Jan 8, 2013 at 5:15 a.m.
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I have noticed that fat ones are frequently lazy. I don't what came first.

Purrmaid
Jan 7, 2013 at 10:03 p.m.
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Over-eating can be attributed to a number of causes. Obesity amongst children of alcoholics is prevalent, particularly in the first born.

Sigma40
Jan 7, 2013 at 8:34 p.m.
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Its sad the lack of respect people have for their bodies. I think one of the contributing factors is real good food is hard to get, hard to find, and rare if you dont have the time yourself to make it. I work 8 hours, come home and take a break and then back working another 4. I dont have time to cook a gourmet meal every day.... and Id really like to stop and grab something but no place has decent food and sandwiches get old. I get 30 min lunch at noon and those options are limited as well. When you are busy all day, making a lunch the night before is not happening. Then again these are my excuses and im not really overweight so not sure whats up w/ the rest.... laziness.

ImJustSayin
Jan 7, 2013 at 8:02 p.m.
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But, but, I just heard on WCLO that being overweight makes you live longer!
tthompson - Raising backyard chickens will help obesity? What percentage of people in the city do you think would actually raise chickens?
frogger - Bacteria under someone's chin? LOL (fun fact coming)! The average human has 10 times as many microbes living on and in it than it has cells of its own.
I'm just sayin'...

onelife2live
Jan 7, 2013 at 8:01 p.m.
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In that picture I see 4 knee replacements and probably 4 hip replacements. Paid for by Obama-care.

cynicaleye
Jan 7, 2013 at 7:48 p.m.
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I almost put down my Big Mac when I read this.

gazettefan
Jan 7, 2013 at 6:36 p.m.
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Great comments everyone.

And at least the article didn't give us the bullcrap about "food deserts."

RUSerious, I hope you're over that one.

onedayatatime
Jan 7, 2013 at 6:32 p.m.
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"It is gross to watch but cannot stop. "

Turn the channel!

frogger
Jan 7, 2013 at 6:21 p.m.
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When you have bacteria growing under your one of 4 chins this is a problem not listed in the article.

frogger
Jan 7, 2013 at 6:18 p.m.
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I agree juststopping by. Carrots and celery are way cheaper than a bag of chips! Even the ranch to dip it in which should be a bit better than the chips. Also I mentioned if you eat the proper serving of meat, etc you will also save. A steak will feed you three times. 3-4 oz is a portion not 12! MY problem is I eat to late and then go to bed. If I eat at the proper time I will never get to eat dinner with hubby.
I am watching the (train wreck) "Here comes honey bear" They are so gross. So fat. They say they are clean but she have bacteria growing under one of her chins. They make spahgetti with ld butter and ketchup. The 6 yr old is 75 lbs. The two daughters of 14-15 are 165-175. Mom is 310. They spend 2000 on a dress for the girl and 300-500 on makeup and hair doo for the beauty contest. Mom cannot read the bingo board. Get some glasses. They have racks and rack of tp in the dining room and enough Laudry soap to last forever. Mouse turds in the cabinet. The sheets on bed looked like they spilled a whole thing of red juice. Change the sheets. Income from assistance here? Income from other fathers. It is gross to watch but cannot stop. Sad how people are this stupid. Every episode has pile of cookies on counter and huge bowl of cheese balls. The went out for Halowween and tossed the apples Said gross we dont eat fruit in this house.
I agree TT. Maybe soem should be required to grow a garden too.

tthompson
Jan 7, 2013 at 5:16 p.m.
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Blows my mind that Janesville, Milton, and Edgerton have all turned down backyard chickens, while we have this obesity problem. Is there a better way to teach the youth how to eat healthier THAN SHOWING THEM??

Shopierehuh
Jan 7, 2013 at 5:11 p.m.
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Biguns in the pics.

JustStoppingBy
Jan 7, 2013 at 4:44 p.m.
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facts, I agree with everyting you said, except for "it costs more". talk about the biggest myth! it does not cost any more to eat healthy, if you actually take the time to shop smart instead of rushing through the store filling your cart with junk.

People like to use cost as an excuse so they can load up on $1 menu items and bags of chips.

factsplease
Jan 7, 2013 at 4:27 p.m.
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The best way to cut healthcare costs in this country would be for people to start cooking and eating real food. No processed, fast, carry-out, pre-made junk, but real food. Yes, it takes more time and can cost more, but it saves a lot of pain, suffering and money in the long run.
And a walk around the block every day wouldn't hurt either!

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