MSNBC reports that a new survey by Northwestern University says that 34 percent of American adolescents are physically unfit and at risk for heart disease, and that one out of eight adults would fall into the same “out of shape” category.
The high level of young people who are unfit suggests that the obesity problem in the US is only going to get worse unless something is done about it. And, MSNBC writes, the 34 percent figure is considered conservative because some of the young people being tested actually couldn’t participate because of fears they’d have a heart attack while on the treadmill.
MSNBC writes, “Those who did poorly on the treadmill also tended to have high levels of so-called bad cholesterol in their blood, low levels of good cholesterol, high blood pressure and large waists — although some out-of-shape subjects were thin.” And, “the study found blacks and Mexican-Americans were more likely to be unfit than whites. Among adults, more women (16 percent) were unfit than men (12 percent), while the proportion was about equal between teenage girls and boys.”
The high level of young people who are unfit suggests that the obesity problem in the US is only going to get worse unless something is done about it. And, MSNBC writes, the 34 percent figure is considered conservative because some of the young people being tested actually couldn’t participate because of fears they’d have a heart attack while on the treadmill.
MSNBC writes, “Those who did poorly on the treadmill also tended to have high levels of so-called bad cholesterol in their blood, low levels of good cholesterol, high blood pressure and large waists — although some out-of-shape subjects were thin.” And, “the study found blacks and Mexican-Americans were more likely to be unfit than whites. Among adults, more women (16 percent) were unfit than men (12 percent), while the proportion was about equal between teenage girls and boys.”
- KC's View:
- Which means that with any luck, Santa Claus will be carrying a lot of exercise equipment in the sleigh this year.
