More information about health, wellness and weight loss is available to us than ever before. Study upon study has been done to find the answer to the obesity epidemic that is upon us. For the first time in decades; health experts predict parents outliving their children. Obesity and it’s related conditions are rapidly increasing in teens and pre-teens. Everywhere you turn someone is commenting about trying to lose weight.

So if everyone is working so hard at losing weight, why are people in general getting bigger and bigger. Why is heart disease, diabetes, hypertension and cancer at record highs, detection methods have dramatically improved, yet true preventive methods are overlooked by most in the medical community. These conditions can be preventable if only the public and medical provider truly understands and make the changes.

At last, the medical community is admitting that obesity is a problem. In 2000 the Surgeon General said it is no longer just a personal choice. It’s causing insurance and medical costs to skyrocket. We’re all paying for those who refuse to improve their health. It is not about appearances, it is about HEALTH. I don’t agree that it is a disease or a condition; but rather a factor that closely relates to those preventable conditions such as heart disease, diabetes, hypertension and cancer. We are conditioned to look at the heavy set, overweight person as obese but we overlook the down to the bone skinny obese person. I feel this is part of the reason people fail to understand obesity. We are so conditioned to see obesity in the heavy person, but fail to see the danger in thin obesity. The Skinny Fat person. Weight loss is the focus of almost every attempt to get healthier. Participants give up while having phenomenal results like dramatic reduction it cholesterol, sugar or blood pressure levels. Perhaps several inches off the waist, yet without those pounds off on the scales. They quit time and time again, looking for the elusive weight loss pill. Diabetics focus on losing weight rather that controlling sugar levels. Restrictive diets are focused on, rather than focusing on healthy eating. So weight is lost and there is a temporary improvement in general health. But if a healthy eating plan is not in place, not much will improve and sadly, the weight will come back on with a vengeance. With each attempt at weight loss the metabolism is slowed a little more until it become more and more difficult to lose the weight.

Slick marketing ads would have us believe all it takes is a positive attitude, a catchy tune, and a little bouncing around; then everyone would be fit and healthy. Unfortunately that is the message for getting fit that is the most common. From hospital wellness programs on down to the corner gym the message is a strong one “just exercise and you will get healthy and fit”. The sad truth is that we’ve tried that for the last few decades and that mentality has lead to more and more obesity and its related health issues.

I see the gap widening between those who are able to understand a healthy fitness program and those who are looking for yet another quick fix with fast results but no long term success.

What do we look forward to for 2006? More catchy phrases about health? More birds tweeting and heads held high, arms swinging all the while being swindled poor quality fitness concepts. It’s time for the public to wise up, be a informed consumer.