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Continuing US obesity epidemic can spur defective drug injuries
America’s obesity epidemic isn’t going any farther than those “love handles” you’ve noticed on a sedentary friend who eats pizzas while sitting on a couch watching TV for hours.

A new report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention indicates that American obesity reached more than a third of all adults and 17 per cent of children in 2009-2010. (Studies are made over two-year periods.) That’s over 78 million adults and nearly 13 million children ages 2-19 who suffer obesity.

Obesity is often defined as an abnormal amassing of body fat -- perhaps 20 per cent more than a person’s ideal body weight -- that can lead to heightened risks of illnesses.

Deemed “overweight but not obese” were another 33 per cent of adults and 15 per cent of teens and children. Thus, more than two-thirds of American adults are at least overweight, if not obese, as is the case with 40 per cent of American children and teens.

Researchers found “no indication that the prevalence of obesity is declining in any age group.”

Their results were issued online in the Journal of the American Medical Association.

Though such results aren’t markedly better or worse than in previous recent years, by staying the same, they show that Americans aren’t getting the message about adopting healthier lifestyles in terms of diet and exercise.

An added tragedy of obesity is that, for many people, it may lead to diabetes, from which 11.3 per cent adults suffer -- or 21 million people.

Even in the event that obesity rates remain in a stable plateau, ensuing diabetes cases should show major increases. That’s due to the fact that, as people age, obesity-derived ailments such as Type 2 diabetes increase.
 
Diabetes is a serious enough condition on its own, usually requiring extensive treatment to combat. It can lead to amputation and other severe health problems.

Too, diabetes can be compounded when those suffering the disease take what turns out to be a defective drug to combat it.

This has occurred many times in recent years due to the proliferation of such unsafe drugs as Actos, a diabetes drug which can cause bladder cancer. Another diabetes drug, Avandia, is known to cause heart attacks.

Thus, America’s obesity epidemic doesn’t stop with having to buy bigger sizes in clothes. Obesity can lead to diabetes, and diabetes can lead to use of defective drugs, and these drugs can lead to other serious health problems.

If you or a family member has suffered injury after using a defective drug for any ailment, alert a defective drug lawyer or personal injury attorney with Jim S. Adler & Associates.