Were you aware that one third of all adults in the United States are overweight. Hi, This is Dr. John Torquato with today’s “Health Nuggets by Dr. John.” An estimated 300,000 Americans die prematurely each year from being overweight. Being overweight increases the risk for many diseases including heart disease, certain cancers, high blood pressure, stroke, and degenerative joint disease. Today’s health nugget is to urge you to take control of your life now. Don’t wait until you have a serious weight problem. Eat well and be active daily. A change in lifestyle such as good eating and physical activity habits — not dieting – is the best way to maintain a healthy weight for a lifetime. If you need to decrease your body fat, set a realistic goal to lose weight and give it your best, but avoid fast weight loss schemes. Without learning how to manage a healthy lifestyle, as soon as the newest fad diet or diet pill is no longer used, you will often gain back most of all the weight you lost. Healthy weight loss is no more than one half to one pound per week. Remember, a weight loss of as little as 10 to 15 pounds can measurably improve your health and reduce your risk of disease.