The numbers and the mirrors don't lie. We're fat.
According to the CDC, 34 percent of adults age 20 and over are obese, and
34 percent of adults age 20 and over are overweight.
Are you doing the math? Sixty-eight percent of the adult population is at minimum, overweight. And it's costing us. The Los Angeles Times reports that obesity accounts for 17 percent of all U.S. medical costs each year to the tune of $170 billion per year. No matter who's paying for health care--the government, employers or individuals--these costs cannot be sustained.
Weight is a complicated beast, but what if we did one thing? What if we made it simple and got crazy intense about reducing daily sugar intake? The average person consumes 21. 4 teaspoons of 'added' sugar per day (sugar, corn syrup, honey, etc). That is more than double the daily USDA recommendations and according to the Journal of the American Medical Association is a major player in obesity, type 2 diabetes and even cholesterol.
Given the insidious way sugar works its way into our day (some naturally, but most unnaturally), walking away from it can seem impossible. But by targeting 'added' sugar, giving up the white stuff isn't as hard as you'd think. Take a peek:
WATCH: