Health Effects of Obesity

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Obesity is defined as an excessively high amount of body fat in relation to lean body mass. Genetics, nutrition, physical activity, and family routines are all leading causes of the increase in American obesity. If one parent is obese, there is a 50% chance that the child will be obese, this study shows how obesity is carried down, being the reason obesity is increasing
(National Heart, Lungs, and Blood Institute, Health Risk 1). Day to day money is directly spent on medical care and prescription drugs related to obesity. According to the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, obesity is becoming a national epidemic, with the Center for Disease
Control, noting that around 15% of children and adolescents are now overweight. In the last forty years, the percentage of Americans who are overweight has doubled, meaning that an abundance of people have been affected negatively by these following health issues: diabetes, sleep apnea, cardiovascular disease and joint problems (1).
Diabetes is a drastic effect of obesity. Statistically, overweight people are twice as likely to develop type II diabetes as people who are not overweight. Metabolic Syndrome is the name given to a group of risk factors that raise the risk for both diabetes and stroke. There are six major components of Metabolic Syndrome, which include abdominal obesity, elevated blood cholesterol, elevated blood pressure, insulin resistance with or without glucose intolerance, elevated of certain clotting factors in the blood. According to “The National
Cholesterol Education Program”, Metabolic Syndrome has the complex risk factor for cardiovascular disease (Stanford Hospital and Clinics, Health Effects of Obesity 1). Ischemic stro... ... middle of paper ...

... Whether a person is trying to lose or maintain their weight you are still helping your overall health
(Everyday Health, Obesity Dangers 1).

Works Cited
Stewart, Kristen. "The Dangers of Obesity." EverydayHealth.com. Everyday Health
Media, 4 Aug. 2009. Web. 22 Apr. 2014.
"Obesity Information." Obesity Information. American Heart Association, Feb. 2014. Web. 19 Apr. 2014.
Mayo Clinic Staff. "Obesity." Definition. Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research, n.d. Web. 22 Apr. 2014.
"Health Effects of Obesity." Stanford Hospital & Clinics. Stanford Hospital & Clinics, n.d. Web. 22 Apr. 2014.
"What Are the Health Risks of Overweight and Obesity?" - NHLBI, NIH. National Institute of Health, 13 July 2012. Web. 21 Apr. 2014.
"Health Risks." Obesity Prevention Source. The President and Fellows of Harvard College, n.d. Web. 20 Apr. 2014.

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