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Trim Baby Boomers have transformed to Generation “O”
A great majority of adults and children belong to a new generation that can be an endangerment to their lives. A new publication recommends stronger patient education as a major step in disease prevention.
Philadelphia PA. September 10, 2007- In an article to be published in the Atlas of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Clinics of North America, September 25, 2007, Dr. Mansoor Madani describes a new term he calls it “Generation O” for overweight and obesity pandemic which he says is not limited to the U.S. population. The obesity pandemic is now plaguing millions of people worldwide with various diseases such as diabetes, high blood pressure, sleep apnea, heart attack, stroke and even death. “We blame this unfortunate transformation of fit and healthy “Baby Boomer Generation” of “Generation O” to their dietary intake as well as reduction of the physical activities,” explain Madani, who is the chairman of department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery at the Capital Health System in Trenton, N.J. and Associate Professor of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery at Temple University in Philadelphia and one of the pioneering researcher in the field of snoring and sleep apnea. “Amazingly, this is one medical epidemic that is preventable with education and by changing the direction of food resources and daily activities,” he adds.
“Generation O” is a new term he uses to describe overweight and obese generations in many countries around the world. According to Dr. Madani, “Generation O includes all baby boomers and their children who gained moderate to significant weight from mid 1970’s to the present time”. This term is not limited to the U.S. population but is applied to many nations whose populations have become overweight or obese during the last three decades. According to the World Health Organization, it is estimated that over one billion adults in the world are now overweight and over 300 million are clinically obese. According to the CDC’s National Center for Health Statistics, 63 percent of U.S. adults aged 20 years and older are either overweight or obese, and approximately 30 percent of adults are obese (34.7 million- 33.4 percent- of women and 26.6 million- 27.5 percent- of men are obese). CDC data from two different surveys show that among adults aged 20–74 years the prevalence of obesity increased from 15.0% (in the 1976–1980 survey) to 32.9% (in the 2003–2004 survey).
To determine if a person is overweight or obese, it is usually measured by person’s body mass index (BMI), which factors in height with weight. An individual with a BMI of 25 or above is considered overweight. Obesity starts at a BMI of 30. If BMI is greater than 40 it is called morbid obesity which unfortunately is increasing the fastest in the U.S. “We have to get everyone to understand the seriousness of the “Generation O” situation,” says Madani who in part blames overeating, poor food choices, inactivity as well as the presence of high level of hormones in meat and dairy products. “We may need to re-evaluate the use of hormonal additives in meat and dairy products in the U.S. just like Europeans and Canadians who have outlawed the use of these products to promote increased milk production as well as muscle growth,” adds Madani who has noticed a significant increase in his patient’s BMI during the last 25 years. More than 90% of U.S. livestock are currently injected with hormones, which can increase production of veal and beef by up to 15% and at least 10% more milk than other cows.
Dr. Madani was invited to be a guest editor for this issue of the Atlas of Clinics of North America and has contributed numerous chapters on various methods to treat snoring and obstructive sleep apnea. “My recommendation to our colleagues is to take an active role in educating patients to reduce their body weight - the baby boomers are expected to live longer than any previous generations but with the pace of their weight gain, many may suffer from various illnesses and be forced to live in rehabilitation centers or nursing homes sinking into the pain and disability of chronic disease,” says Madani. “This is one generation title we can eliminate with implementing a strong lifestyle to enjoy a longer, healthier life," explains Madani.
For more information, visit www.snorenet.com or call 1-610-667-4455
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Editors: Dr. Madani available for interviews. Editorial direct contact number: 610-496-0811
The Atlas of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Clinics of North America, September 2007 issue can be ordered through the publisher at www.us.elsevierhealth.com or by calling 1-800-654-2452
Article: The Pandemic of Obesity and Its Relationship to Sleep Apnea