The United States spends six to 10 percent of healthcare on costs caused by obesity compared to 2 to 3.5 percent in other western countries (Schwarz & Peterson, 2010). Schwarz and Peterson (2010) also explained that adolescent obesity affects the nation’s ability to serve and protect. This is because more than a quarter of 17 to 24 years olds are not fit enough to enroll in the armed services due to being overweight. Adolescence is a crucial stage for implementing and influencing health behaviors. Many of the habits formed during this timeframe will last well into adulthood (Schwarz & Peterson, 2010).
According to the American Obesity Association (2002), obesity is a “complex, multi-factorial chronic disease involving environmental (social and cultural) and genetic, physiologic, metabolic, behavioral and psychological components.” AOA points out that approximately 127 million adults in the U.S. are overweight, with 60 million being obese. Overweight is defined as a BMI (Body Mass Index) of 25 or more and obesity is 30 or more. Added to the health problems engendered by excess body weight is the social stigmatization faced by excessively overweight people, mainly young women and youngsters. A 2001 scientific study found “clear and consistent stigmatization, and in some cases discrimination….in three important areas of living: employment, education and healthcare” (Obese people suffer bias…). In addition, overweight and obese people are portrayed in a negative way in the media, including television and movies.
corticoids and antidepressants.Previously considered as an aesthetic problem, obesity is now regarded as a real illness. Being severely overweight and obesity are responsible for a certain number of problems e.g. Premature death – according to international obesity task force (IOTF) obese women run three times more risk of being affected by a cerebral vascular illness than thin women. There is a high risk of thromboembolic diseases (angina pectoris, phlebitis and pulmonary embolism).Arterial Hypertension - is linked to obesity in 30-60% of cases, notably in western adults under the age of 40. Type 2 Diabetes – this diabetes which appears in adults, and where insulin, which reduces blood sugar levels, is no longer effective is closely linked with being overweight.
How is poverty and obesity associated with each other? Many researches show that a large segment of the U.S. population is affected by obesity. According to my findings, approximately 33 percent of the population is obese and another 33 percent are borderline overweight. One of the common myths about obesity that exists today is that most low income families are more likely to be overweight or suffer from obesity because it has been suggested that low income people are less likely to afford healthier whole or non-processed foods due to its higher costs. People that live in poverty are assumed to have diets consisting of more fats, carbohydrates and processed foods which lead to a higher BMI (Body Mass Index, an indicator for excess body fat).
America is fat. And getting fatter. Even after all the health warnings, doctor recommendations and FDA regulations, and a massive weight loss industry, Americans are still packing on the pounds at an alarming rate. Obesity is one of the biggest problems plaguing America today. As Richard Carmona states in “The Obesity Crisis In America,” “Nearly two out of every three Americans are overweight or obese”(1).
Obesity in children Is obesity a disease? Some think it is not so important. Worse, we are seeing an epidemic problem of obesity in our children. Obesity is an excess of body fat that frequently results in a significant impairment of health. Obesity results when the size or number of fat cells in a person's body increases.
The longer a child has been obese, the less likely it is that the problem will spontaneously resolve. Childhood obesity is a multi-dimensional disorder requiring dieting, exercise, and behavioural modification as primary modes of intervention. Family patterns of exercise and eating play significant roles in the etiology and management of obesity in children. Why has excessive weight become such a problem for modern-day societies? Like many other maladies, weight problems are often associated with social standing and economic well-being.
[A Proposal for Childhood Obesity] [A Proposal for Childhood Obesity ] Natalie Caley [English 122] Childhood obesity and how we got there is the topic of interest. “Obesity is defined has having excess body fat (cdc.gov). And “over weight is defined as having excess body weight for a particular height from fat, muscle, bone, water or a combination of these factors.”(cdc.gov). Childhood obesity is on the rise it has more than tripled in last thirty years. Childhood has both long and short term effect on one’s body and mental wellbeing.
How does the wise choice of food products promote a healthy lifestyle? The UK is having an increasing number of people who are suffering with health issues, the main one being a dramatically growing rate of weight problems. Over 50% of the population is overweight, however in the past we were one of the thinnest in Europe. Key issues with the British diet are that we are the third most unhealthy country in the world, with the third highest amount of obese people (23%). This is because we are eating too many foods that are high in saturated fats which are available in many different ways from fast foods and sweets.
The Modern Plague: Obesity With one of the highest obesity rates in the world, many Americans are affected by this disease, however, they continue to make poor choices in regards to their health. The National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention revealed that over 65% of U.S. adults were overweight, 32% were obese, and about 5% were extremely obese (Marchiondo). Considering that more than half of our population is at risk for obesity, Americans do not seem very distraught. Even with all the dieting techniques, negative depictions in the media towards heavier individuals, advanced technology to help combat obesity, and being one of the world’s most developed nations in terms of resources