Public Health Problem
Obesity in the US has become a critical Public Health issue that has raised concerns throughout the nation. An estimate 97 million adults and 12.5 million children in America are obese, causing more than 160,000 “excess” deaths a year (CDC). Obesity is defined as a medical condition where there persists a high excess of body fat, enough to cause serious health issues. Through a biological view, obesity is an energy balance problem. Extra energy is stored as body fat when the energy consumption surpasses the energy expenditure. Obesity is characterized through Body Max Index (BMI), distribution of fat, measuring body composition, and insulin resistance (WHO).
Obesity is a public health issue due to the complications it leads to later in life. Obese individuals are more susceptible in obtaining health problems such as heart disease, stroke, and diabetes, therefore have a higher risk of mortality (WHOgoogle). Yet not only is obesity a problem of the individual but of society as well. In 2008 US spent an estimated cost of $147 billion on medical cost of obesity, almost a 70 billion dollar increase since 1998(CDC). Both the detrimental health issues it leads a too and the excessive amount of cost it causes, obesity is epidemic that must be addressed.
Many factors including genetics, lifestyle, environment, and mental health can lead to this chronic disease. Obesity is a major feature in several syndromes, such as Prader-Willi syndrome which is a rare genetic disorder causing excessive feel of hunger and therefore overeating. By examine certain genetic patterns studies have also found that 80% of the offspring of two obese parents were obese (webmedcenteral). Although genetics does play a role in obtaining this ...
... middle of paper ...
...ease Control and Prevention. Retrieved May 18, 2014, from http://www.cdc.gov/obesity/
Senauer, B., & Gemma, M. (n.d.). The Food Industry Center . Why Is the Obesity Rate So Low in Japan and High in the U.S.? Some Possible Economic Explanations . Retrieved May 18, 2014, from http://ageconsearch.umn.edu/bitstream/14321/1/tr06-02s.pdf
The U.S. National Physical Activity Plan. (n.d.). The U.S. National Physical Activity Plan. Retrieved May 18, 2014, from http://www.physicalactivityplan.org/theplan.php
Warner, J. (n.d.). Chronic Stress Unlocks Fat Cells, Ups Obesity. WebMD. Retrieved May 18, 2014, from http://www.webmd.com/diet/news/20070702/stress-unlocks-fat-cells-ups-obesity
What Causes Overweight and Obesity?. (2012, July 13). National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. Retrieved May 17, 2014, from http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/health-topics/topics/obe/causes.html
Obesity is a huge problem that needs to be resolved because it affects all people, unlike most issues. People of every gender, every age, and every race are at risk of being obese. Obesity rates in America have nearly doubled within the last twenty years. Something must be done not only to prevent obesity rates continuous rising, but also to dramatically increase the percentage of obese people in America altogether.
Although inherited conditions have been linked to childhood obesity, they are rare. However it has been noted that children with obese or overweight parents are more than likely to be obese themselves, the reason for this as described by Heaton-Harris (2007) is because of the length of time it takes to break a bad habit. Unless the parents are correctly informed of healthy diets themselves the problem will continue from an ill-informed childhood into adult hood. Other probable causes are numerous ones. Fast food and processed foods becoming more read...
Genetics plays a major role in obesity; inherited genes sometimes contribute to the accumulation of fat in the body. Over 200 genes have effect on the weight having repercussions from physical activity, food choices and metabolism. Therefore, genes may increase the vulnerability of a person to become obese. Family eating patterns and social tendencies can also trigger obesity. Moreover, environmental circumstances such as availability of food high in calories and fat and the increase of the portions and combination selections in meals contribute to the development of fat accumulated for years in the body (Whitney & Rolfes, 2011, pg. 277).
Obesity has been identified as one of the risk factors affecting directly and indirectly the health outcome of the population. Even though many approaches and programs have been conducted in order to reduce the obesity rate, this health issue is still a big headache and keeps being put on the table. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), overweight and obesity rate have been increasing significantly in the past two decades in the United States with more than 35.7% of adults and almost 17% of children and adolescents from 2-19 years olds being obese ("Overweight and obesity," 2013). As Healthy People 2020 indicated, in the period from 1988-1994 to 2009-2010, the age adjusted obesity rate among U.S adults aged 20 and over increased from 22.8% to 35.7%, which means increased by 57% while the obesity rate among children and teenagers from 2 to 19 years old increased from 10% to approximately 17%, witnessing the increase of 69% ("Nutrition, physical activity," 2013). Obesity has impact both on economic and health of the nation. Obesity is the risk factor of serious chronic diseases, including heart disease, stroke, type II diabetes, certain kinds of cancer, and other leading causes of preventable deaths ("Overweight and obesity," 2013). Moreover, obesity continues to be economic burden in terms of medical costs for either public or private payers up to $147 billion per year which increased from 6.5% to 9.1% (Finkelstein et al, 2009). In 2008, medical spending per capita for the obese or obesity related health issues is $1,429 per year, as 42% higher than “those of normal weight” (Finkelstein et al, 2009, p.8).
There is no doubt that obesity has taken its seat as one of the top disease that strikes the world today. In America, obesity has now spread through the country leaving 2 out of 3 adults either overweight or obese, and worldwide 1.5 billion are overweight or obese (Overweight). The cause of this disease stems from multiple reasons such as the increase in modern food production, putting out ample amounts of food causing the prices for meat, groceries, and especially junk food to plummet. Subsequently, Americans especially were more inclined to purchase more food and showed an increase in the average American house hold food intake by 1,000 more calories a day (Dreifus).
The combined factors surrounding both the Japanese diet and the typical American diet are reflected in the percentage of overweight people in each country; approximately 65% of people are overweight in the United States, while only 25% of Japan’s population is overweightii. These percentages are compiled from Body Mass Index (BMI) data, which is a scientifically formulated relation between a person’s weight and height that helps to determine a healthy weight range for a person to maintain. A person is classified as overweigh...
Although many individuals are uncertain about the increasing statistics associated with obesity, more than seventy percent of men and virtually sixty-two percent of women within the United States adult population are overweight or obese (Wilmore, Costill, & Kenney). Obesity refers to the condition of having an excessive amount of body fat. If an individual’s amount of body fat becomes too excessive, he/she is at a much greater risk of developing life-altering diseases such as heart failure, hypertension, type II diabetes, cancer, gallbladder disease, osteoarthritis, etc. (Wilmore, et al., 2008).
The obesity epidemic is a globally acknowledged serious population-level public health issue. Obesity is the number two cause of mortality behind smoking in ...
Obesity has increased rapidly throughout the years, especially in the United States. As of today, according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, more than one-third of adults in the U.S are considered to be obese. We all know that obesity is becoming a serious issue in the lives Americans. The effects of obesity can lead to heart disease, diabetes, and in serious cases, death. So the question we can all ask is, “What is the cause?” The cause of obesity can come from, but is not limited to, some of these things: eating habits, lack of exercise, or a medical condition.
"The increased prevalence of overweight and obesity particularly among children and adolescents is a severe public health problem" (Bray, 2005). According to our text, health education and health promotion are recognized increasingly as ways to meet public health objectives and improve the success of public health and medical interventions around the world (Gollust, 2014).
According to an article in Oxford Journals, “There is substantial evidence for the hereditability of obesity, and research in both rare and common forms of obesity has identified genes with significant roles in its etiology” (Genetics…).
obesity is also associated with complications of pregnancy, menstrual irregularities, hirsutism, stress incontinence, increased surgical risk, and increased mortality (win@info.niddk.nih.gov). Not only does obesity affect the body physically but also emotionally. “One of the most painful aspects of obesity is the emotional suffering it causes” (WebMD). Psychological disorders such as depression are developed as a result of obesity. Many people are unaware of all the ...
“More than one third of America’s population is obese, which is about 35.4% including: men, women, and children” (www.cdc.gov). Unfortunately, this statistic is 100% true. America is hungry, constantly. This definitely shows that the land of liberty is growing in the midsection; no, not the Midwest, on the bellies of the people who live throughout the nation. America has a typical hierarchy of factors who rule the over the obese population. Junk food, lack of mobility, and undereducated knowledge of a healthy lifestyle, often contradict the fate of an obese person.
Obesity and overweight have became a global problem in the last decade, according to the World Health Organization back in 2005 approximately 1.6 billion adults over the of age 15 were overweight, at least 400 million adults were obese and at least 20 million children under the age of 5 years were overweight. Experts believe if the current trends continue by 2015 approximately 2.3 billion adults will be overweight and more than 700 million will be obese. The scale of the obesity problem has a number of serious consequences for individuals and government health systems. Obesity is a concern because of its implications for the health of an individual as it increases the risk of many diseases and health conditions. Being obese means having so much body fat that your health is in danger. However, being fat is simply not an opinion. Having too much body fat can lead to many diseases. Obesity and overweight have become a global problem in the last decade.
Obesity is a common condition that affects thousands around the world. Its causes may vary from simply eating too much to not getting the exercise needed to attempting to quit smoking. Treatment of this condition may be as simple as getting the right diet or exercise, or a planned schedule from one’s physician. Obesity may be heredity or may be a result of any of the above mentioned causes. It is a serious matter to be dealt with yet may be treated easily.