by Amanda Kringle

Created on: November 19, 2009   Last Updated: December 07, 2009

If you were to randomly ask 100 people who are on a diet why they were trying to lose weight chances are nearly all of them would answer to look good. While is nice to want to be healthy for looks, there are far better and more important reasons to lose weight. The number one reason to lose weight is for our health. Obesity in Americans has reached an all time high, with a growing number of obese Americans being under the age of 18. That's right parents,childhood obesity is at dangerously high levels. If you as a parent are over weight, chances are your child is too. Children learn their eating and dietary habits from their parents. If you don't take care of your body and control what foods you consume your child won't either.

Whether you are young or old, a child or not. There are serious health risks that are connected to being obese, especially if you or your child is morbidly obese. These health risks go from arthritis to death. Yes, you or your child can die from being obese. Here are just a few of the diseases and conditions that are related to obesity.

1. Osteoarthritis: The more weight that your joints (i.e. knees, ankles) have to carry around the more they will hurt. It could eventually get to the point that your bones cannot support your weight, making you unable to move.

2. Heart disease and stroke. Your heart is the most important muscle in your body, the more pressure you put on it the harder it has to work. If we are obese our hearts are put under a great deal more stress to pump blood to every part of our body. It gets so tired that eventually it just quits, leading to a heart attack. It could also lead to a buildup of plaque or a blood clot in your veins which can break apart and travel to your brain resulting in a possibly deadly stroke. Sadly a growing number of men, women and children are suffering heart attacks because of their weight.

3. Cancer. Yes, it's true. Being obese can lead to certain types of cancer because our immune system is not strong enough to protect us from pathogens. This is not to say that slim people won't get cancer, but according to the American Cancer Society they are less likely.

4. High blood pressure. Okay, nearly one out of every three adults in the US alone has high blood pressure. If you are overweight you are more likely to have high blood pressure which can lead to a heart attack or stroke.

5. Diabetes. This is a growing problem in the US. People with diabetes must maintain a healthy lifestyle. Because your

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