Americans are now living longer than ever, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The current average life expectancy in the U.S. rose to 77.6 years, a new record. Is this news something to celebrate or is there trouble on the horizon?

Any optimism regarding the rise in life expectancy may be short-lived, however, according to newly-published research. Researchers at the University of Illinois predict that within 50 years the average life span will decline by at least two to five years. The culprit? Obesity. The alarming rise in obesity is likely to have more impact than either cancer or heart disease.

Researchers say this trend has shaved four to nine months off the average life span already. Obesity currently affects at least 15 percent of U.S. school-age children and experts expect these numbers to rise. We are facing the troubling possibility of becoming the first generation in modern history to live shorter lives than our parents.

People of all ages are struggling with obesity in today's climate. "Go to any public place and look around you," said Dr. Richard L. Becker, author of Foundations for Healing. "You will see countless people who are desperately fighting a losing battle with obesity. I believe that poor nutrition may be the key to the obesity problems we are facing as a society."

On his nationally-syndicated television show Your Health, Dr. Becker advises his audience to adopt holistic dieting plans to maintain health and vitality. "It is a common mistake made by doctors to assume that an overweight person is well-nourished," says Dr. Becker. "It has been my experience that the vast majority of obese people are malnourished in some respect."

Dr. Becker teaches that ancestral forces cause people to practice out-dated dieting habits. In these modern times, food is readily available, but our biological heritage sometimes dictates that we eat all that we can.

"Despite modern scientific advancements, the fundamental needs of humans have remained the same for thousands of years," he says. "Proper lifestyle changes can help reverse these harmful trends."

By implementing simple recommendations for weight loss and weight gain prevention, it is possible to get the health of our nation back on track.

"People eat out way too much," Dr. Becker says. "You can make your life much healthier by simply cooking healthy whole foods at home."

Dr. Becker recommends that people slow down their pace of eating, eat only whole foods, and that they always eat breakfast within thirty minutes of getting up in the morning. He also tells people to eat all they want when they are hungry, as long as the right foods are eaten.

"The time for discipline in weight loss is not in denying hunger, but in making the right choices," Dr Becker says. "By making the right dietary choices, we can hopefully reverse this trend and restore the healthy future of America. We should all become our own doctors of wellness." Most experts agree drastic action is needed to stop the wave of obesity that is threatening our children.