Need an incentive to lose weight? Health experts warn of obesity epidemic in men…

If you’ve been looking for some inspiration when it comes to dropping a few pounds, let the following be your motivation. Health experts have warned that half of all men will be obese within the next thirty years. Worrying, right?

The Irish Independent reports that if current obesity trends continue, the costs associated with treating weight-related illnesses such as heart disease and diabetes will absolutely soar within the next two decades. Health experts are warning men to be aware of their weight and to take steps to beat the bulge in a healthy way.

All of these warnings were issued at the European Congress on Obesity which is currently being held in France.

The worrying predictions regarding obesity and the cost of treatment was calculated by boffins who extrapolated the current rises into the future. In short, we’re facing an obesity epidemic over the next thirty years.

The conference was told that in 1993, an estimated 10 per cent of men were classed as obese. Today, the figure stands at 20 per cent and it is expected to continue rising as the years pass.

By 2030, 40 per cent of men are predicted to be obese and by 2040, the figure will hit the 45 per cent mark.

Right now, at least 4 in 10 men are classified as being obese. If the predictions turn out to be true, this means that there will be a 350 per cent increase in obesity in just under 50 years. It’s a bit mindboggling, isn’t it?

Tim Marsh, a researcher from the National Heart Forum, said that out of various health afflictions that occur with age, obesity is the only one that is completely preventable.

“Whilst there are going to be inevitable health care costs as the consequences of an ageing population – wear and tear that we can’t do much to prevent – this is entirely preventable,” he said.

Obesity is continuing to become a major health concern, and if these predictions are correct, it will become more and more of a problem as the years pass.

If you’ve been wanting to shed a few pounds, there’s never been a perfect time to start. Use the figures as your motivation to get off the couch, eat better and look after yourself. Just imagine, if you start now, you could be a size or two smaller by the end of the summer...