Most of us take obesity for granted believing that it is simple a matter of genetics or not even thinking about it at all. However, Science has shown that we should be paying a lot more attention to obesity than we are now. A recent study by the Harvard School of Public Health revealed being overweight or obese as the number three cause of preventable deaths.

Preventable is the key word here. Over 216,000 deaths are attributed annually to obesity. There are other dietary and lifestyle factors in the list, namely – Lack of exercise, high blood sugar, high LDL cholesterol, high dietary salt, high trans fatty acids, low intake of fruits and vegetables, and low poly-unsaturated fatty acids. A simple change in our eating and exercise habits can do wonders for increasing our lifespans.

The study reinforces the notion that exercise and a healthy diet are very important to leading a healthy lifestyle. Not everyone struggles with obesity. There are people who want to lose weight just to improve their appearance or fitness. But perhaps the most important reason of all is prolonging and improving our lives. We can learn a lot from the study and alter our lifestyles accordingly to reduce our risk of premature or preventable deaths.

One of the authors of the study belives the government should do more in regulating food products and health information in order to prevent a large portion of the problems listed in the study. Instead of waiting for something to happen, we should take it upon ourselves and seize the initiative. Most of the changes are very simple – we should eat more fruits and vegetables, cut down on salt and sugar, and exercise regularly.

We have access to a lot of information in this day and age, and we should take advantage of that by educating ourselves on what the best possible course of action for us should be.