This Monday Samir once again upped the weight on his vest. With the latest weight additions, Samir wore an additional 150lbs on his torso and body. Samir has been wearing the vest to raise awareness about the obesity epidemic in America, which currently affects 34% of the population.
While Samir has bore all the additional weight in stride, he commented that 150lbs had severe mental and physiological effects. He noted that the pain did not subside even after wearing the vest for hours. He felt consequences ranging from acid reflux to shortness of breath.
The side effects represent real challenges obese people face every day. Obesity impairs mobility and increases fatigue, posing a significant challenge to overall quality of life on a daily basis.
Worse yet are the long-term consequences. Researchers aggregated 20 studies and found that “extreme obesity,” the type Samir is recreating at 150lbs, shortens adult lifespan by as much as 6 and 1/2 years. The most extreme cases could result in a reduction of almost 14 years.
Decreased life expectancy is attributed to a number of chronic illnesses that come with obesity. Obese people are at risk of diabetes, heart disease, and many types of cancer. So many millions are at risk of these diseases, yet politicians ignore preventative care. Samir wants to draw attention to the issue to motivate national leaders to intervene and promote healthy lifestyle.
To keep up with Samir’s campaign, follow his Facebook page and check back here!
