Meet Robert, a 23 year old American man with a problem that is becoming increasingly common: his weight. Not only is he overweight, he is obese, weighing in at well over 600 pounds. After several diets and hospital treatments, he still has found that he cannot lose the weight. So what did he do?  He reached out to the world through .

“…I don’t know what else to do,” Robert is heard saying on the video.  “I’m trying to get this to go viral and get somebody’s help. Someone who knows what they’re doing and help me.

“I’m just trying to get some help from somebody, a nutritionist, a personal trainer, Dr Phil, Biggest Loser, anything or anybody who knows.”

Robert was ready to face the ridicule that obese individuals often face. People are quick to point a finger and place blame on overweight and obese individuals, claiming that it’s their fault they are “fat” and that all they need to do is cut back on fast foods. But when you hear pleas like that of Robert’s, hopefully one can quickly see just how much of a hold his weight has on him, much like one’s addiction to cigarettes or other substances.

Obesity is the leading cause of both preventable illness and death in North America, with over half of America’s population (60%) and an estimated half of Canada’s population (40-60%) being overweight. And while we may say “preventable”, it isn’t as simple as people may think, especially for those who have tipped the scales past the point of being “overweight” and have become obese. Leading physicians now realize that overeating and lack of exercise are not the only causes of obesity; it’s a combination of one’s genetics as well as behavioral, environmental, and social factors.

While it is a lot more than just simply putting down the cheeseburger, there are things that we can all do in our daily lives to help prevent unnecessary weight gain. The best place to start is with our diet.  Open up your cupboards, your fridge, and your freezer.  Read the packaging and see just how many foods you have that contain ingredients that you don’t recognize or can’t even pronounce. If you can’t pronounce it, there’s a good chance that it’s no good for you and full of unnecessary fats, sugars, and preservatives. The goal here is to get back to eating foods that are as healthy and natural as possible. Just with any change, it’s important to start slowly and gradually throw out these unhealthy foods.

Exercise is another thing that we all need more of.  All it really takes is a 30 minute walk a day.  This can be at work around your building, at the mall, or outside on a beautiful, sunny day.  For anyone who may be having trouble with this, there are several of walking clubs in most areas that will act as a support system and help you attain your weight loss goals.

Those in Robert’s position will require more help and medical supervision than the average person.  But the good news is that his video has gone viral and he has already gotten a phone call from the Dr Phil show.  There is hope out there for anyone who is overweight and there are a number of resources - many of which are free – so speak to your physician if you are planning on starting a weight loss program.