Ep. 126 - Obese by Design - Why Are Americans So Sick? Obesity, Death, and the Hidden Roots of Decline.

In this eye-opening episode, we take a deep dive into the disturbing rise of obesity, chronic disease, and metabolic dysfunction in America—from 1990 to 2025. Despite similar caloric intake and macronutrient ratios, our nation has seen a staggering increase in obesity rates, diabetes, and declining health—especially in our children and teens.

What changed?

We break down the root causes behind this health crisis: ultra-processed foods, disrupted meal timing, sedentary lifestyles, endocrine-disrupting chemicals, poor sleep, too much sitting 🪑, and gut microbiome damage. We also explore how stress, screen time, and cultural shifts have created a perfect storm for metabolic collapse.

But this episode isn’t just about the problem—it’s about the solution.

You’ll learn practical, evidence-backed strategies to reverse these trends: how to eat for metabolic health, build an active lifestyle, reset your sleep, manage stress, and shift toward long-term, sustainable wellness.

If you care about the health of your family, your community, and yourself—this is the episode you can’t afford to miss.

Topics Covered:

• ​U.S. obesity statistics (1900/1990 vs. 2023)
• ​Why children are getting sicker, younger
• ​Top causes of death in 2023: what’s avoidable?
• ​“calories in, calories out”
• ​How processed foods hijack metabolism
• ​The truth about insulin, fat storage, and constant snacking
• ​How sleep, stress, and hormones affect your waistline
• ​The impact of environmental toxins on your body
• ​Why movement is medicine

Resources & Links Mentioned: 🔗

• ​CDC Obesity Data: https://www.cdc.gov/obesity/data/index.html (https://www.cdc.gov/obesity/data/index.html)
• ​NHANES Health Statistics
• ​Research on Ultra-Processed Foods and Metabolic Dysfunction
• ​Books referenced: Metabolical by Dr. Robert Lustig, Why We Get Sick by Dr. Benjamin Bikman

Connect With Us:

• ​Subscribe to the podcast
• ​Leave a review if this episode impacted you
• ​Share this episode with someone who needs to hear the truth about health today

https://usafacts.org/articles/obesity-rate-nearly-triples-united-states-over-last-50-years/

https://www.who.int/news/item/13-11-2024-urgent-action-needed-as-global-diabetes-cases-increase-four-fold-over-past-decades

https://www.healthdata.org/news-events/newsroom/news-releases/lancet-without-immediate-action-nearly-260-million-people-usa

https://www.fns.usda.gov/cnpp/us-foodsupply/nutrient-content-1909-2000

https://idph.illinois.gov/health/bdmd/leadingdeaths90.htm

https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/hestat/obesity_adult_13_14/obesity_adult_13_14.htm

https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/fastats/diet.htm

https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/72/wr/pdfs/mm7213-h.pdf