Worldwide, two billion people suffer from a disease that places them with a body mass index, or a weight to height ratio, above the ninety-fifth percentile. Those affected also have an unhealthy amount of extra body fat, which can not only hinder the quality of health, but the quality of life. This disease is called obesity. In the last thirty years, the number of people effected has risen an alarming amount, causing it to become more of an issue and therefore an epidemic. Many factors play into becoming obese and many are still being explored, including effects that arise with being affected. Obesity should be considered an epidemic in the medical field due to physical and chemical causes, effects, and remedies similar to other epidemics, …show more content…
What people eat plays a large role in weight, but foods consumed and the amounts consumed have changed drastically, making it easier to become overweight. As the economy fluctuates, healthier foods become more expensive so easier options are those that are not beneficial to one’s body. The foods that are less expensive, faster and easier to buy are high in calories, salt, sugar, and fat, which all contribute to weight gain. Lower class people are more likely to be obese due to the lack of access to groceries stores that sell fruits and vegetables, causing an unbalanced diet and eventually weight gain. Also, the rise in sugary drinks, like Coca-Cola and Pepsi, have had a massive impact on diets seeing as no beneficial nutritional value come from it, and people are becoming addicted to it. About one fifth of teens drink the equivalent of an extra meal in sugar sweetened beverages (Healthy Generation 1). Another problem with the unhealthy foods is that a majority of celebrities and other popular people who have an impact on society endorse unhealthy foods. “About 80 percent of celebrity-endorsed food ads were high-calorie products including snack chips and chocolate, or fast-food restaurants including McDonalds, Chili's and A&W. Most of the beverage ads were for sugary sodas” (Tanner 1), which shows that unhealthy foods are becoming more …show more content…
Some of the most common health problems faced by the obese population are asthma, heart disease, sleep apnea, high blood pressure, cancer, diabetes, insulin resistance and orthopedic issues. All of these issues make life more difficult and are all related to excess fat hindering the body’s ability to function due to the extra exertion of energy needed to function. Asthma in adults is commonly caused by obesity seeing as 15 to 38 percent of cases are related to the patient being obese (Carmichael 28). Heart disease is one of the most deadly effects of obesity and the American Heart Association statistic states that seventy percent of heart disease cases are due to obesity (Hunter 18) which is an alarming number considering how detrimental the disease is to ones health. Also, sleep apnea effects thirty to fifty of obese teens (Carmichael 28), and this not only affects sleep, but the lack of sleep causes poor performance in school. Cancer is also linked to obesity for an unknown reason which would gain more research if obesity was considered an epidemic. “ Nearly half of all cases of breast cancer are diagnosed in obese women, and approximately 42 percent of colon cancer cases are diagnosed among obese individuals”(Hunter 45) which shows that there must be some sort of connection. Orthopedic issues are also extremely detrimental on obese people because the excess fat gives
Everyday Americans die from the diseases they carry from obesity. Many Americans overeat because of their social problems or because they are hereditary. Many plans have been discussed, but finding the solution is the problem. Junk foods and unhealthy beverages have corrupted children’s minds all over the nation, and putting a stop to it could lead to other benefits. Unhealthy foods and drinks should be taxed and healthy foods should be advertised to help prevent American obesity.
Being overweight or obese are risk factors for many chronic health conditions such as heart disease, diabetes, and … cancers.”
Obesity remains an extremely serious issue worldwide. Once considered a problem for wealthier counties, overweight and obesity are now dramatically increasing in low and middle income countries (WHO, 2011). In American, the rates of obesity continue to soar. CDC (2009) recognizes obesity as a risk factor for diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, and other health problems. According to NHANES over two-thirds of the US are overweight or obese, and over one-third are obese (CDC, 2009). Treatment for this illness varies; it may include the incorporation of diet, exercise, behavior modification, medication, and surgery. Since there is no single cause of all overweight and obesity, there is no single way to prevent or treat overweight and obesity that will help everyone (CDC, 2009).
Obesity is a medical condition in which excess body fat has accumulated to the extent that it may have an adverse effect on health, leading to reduce life expectancy and/or increased health problems. Obesity has been a health problem ever since infectious disease had began in the first half of the 20th Century. The person with obesity is not the only person who is affected by their disease. In the case of childhood obesity, It can affect the parents because they might be the cause of the child’s issues. It can also lead to many different health problems such as cancer, diabetes, heart disease, and respiratory problems, and it can also even lead to death. Obesity has affected the world in many ways: task forces have been formed to address the issue, people are suffering from health problems due to obesity, and others suffer psychological and social issues.
According to the United States Department of Health and Human Services there have been a notably large number of deaths due to obesity since it leads into other diseases like heart disease, type two diabetes and high blood pressure. Over weight and obese people in general
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).
The obesity epidemic is a globally acknowledged serious population-level public health issue. Obesity is the number two cause of mortality behind smoking in ...
It has been all to prescient that we are beginning to blame other and outside forces for our weight gain and unhealthy diets, instead of looking at ourselves to blame. This doesn’t mean the people who are advertising foods that are bad for your health with false facts aren’t apart of it but they are only a piece of the problem. By teaching our generation about moderation and to be conscious of our eating choices is a way to get this “epidemic” fixed.
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 fast food industry is one of the largest sectors of the United States economy. Companies such as Burger King, Wendy's, Taco Bell, McDonalds and KFC have all become household names. Each of these companies operates under a similar mission statement: to serve a quick, filling meal for a very low cost. The primary marketing medium for these companies is television where via commercials, they can portray both their products and a lifestyle. Their intense advertising focus on minorities and children, however, has begun to exacerbate the epidemic of obesity that is sweeping our nation. Fast food's televised advertising is a significant contributor to obesity in today's minority youth. By promoting unhealthy tendencies and high-calorie foods as well as an attitude that promotes tolerance of diseases such as obesity, these companies are influencing people to such a degree that it is negatively affecting their health. This dangerous marketing method is not only sweeping America, but other countries as well. The emphasis on fast food companies' immoral marketing raises the question: Are people eating for hunger or because of an advertised, influenced habit? However, we must also address whether or not fast food companies are mainly responsible, or if the blame also covers their consumers.
Needs assessments are a fundamental component of developing and implementing a program. Regarding obesity among adolescents, it is essential to understand the extent of the obesity epidemic. According to the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey in 2007 and 2008, the prevalence of all obese male adolescents ages 12-19 was 19.3 percent and the prevalence of obese female adolescents was 16.8 percent (CDC, 2010). A needs assessment also gathers information regarding all services that are available to the adolescent population. It is important for a needs assessment to be conducted because it allows the target population to comprehend any assets they may have in the community and allow them to see the severity of obesity themselves. Additionally, a needs assessment helps to identify the gaps in services that are available to this target population (Hodges & Videto, 2011).
Childhood obesity is a growing epidemic in modern day society. We see it act as a mismatch because it in evolutionary terms, obesity is heavily influenced by one’s metabolism. Due to the fact that eating habits have evolved so drastically over the past couple decades, some humans have had trouble adapting. The mismatch between childhood obesity and metabolism carries much weight. According to multiple studies, this mismatch became apparent as humans became less active. Modern day activities are much less grueling on the human body which caused our metabolism to slow down drastically. The slowing of our metabolism didn’t necessarily need to lead to this massive epidemic. However, the epidemic exists because some humans had trouble adapting their
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).
Obesity is a physiological condition characterised by an excessive accumulation of body fat, specifically the build-up of adipose tissue beneath the skin. In recent years, the number of people diagnosed with clinical obesity has increased dramatically, with governments desperately trying to tackle the obesity epidemic and its associated consequences (McLannahan and Clifton, 2008). Studies have found that the prevalence of obesity once stood at an estimated 9.8% (Kelly, Yang, Chen, Reynolds & He, 2008), a considerable figure representing almost 400 million individuals worldwide. Even though obesity has now been recognised as a major problem the number of people affected is increasing rapidly, with almost 300,000 deaths attributable to obesity in the USA each year (Allison, Fontaine, Manson, Stevens, & VanItallie, 1999). Excessive amounts of fat can prove dangerous as the condition has a very high comorbidity rate with other long term health issues such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease, hypertension and cancer (Pi-Sunyer, 1993). Numerous examples of media, medical journals and educational literature concerning obesity refer to the condition as a disease, with an increasing use of the word ‘Epidemic’ to describe the somewhat recent surge of obesity cases in western societies (Boero, 2007), however there is little material available that offers evidence for obesity meeting specification for disease. Instead it has been proposed that obesity is alternatively a risk factor for developing other potentially harmful diseases, influenced by a variety of other factors i.e. genetics, cultural ideals and biological impairments.
One of the chief causes is unhealthy diets. On one hand, there are high-calorie foods in daily diets like chocolates, sugar, cheese and butter. Teenagers eat more and more high-fat burgers and pizza in fast food restaurants. For example, according to Altman and Leitch (2012), in Mexico, students drink cola rather than water due to the short of hygienic drinking water. Coca cola made agreements with many schools that they would exclusively sell Coca cola inside the schools. Therefore, Mexicans are considering being the most obese country which will have 70% overweight people including 30% obsess in the future. (Altman and Leitch,2012). The foods most commonly eaten by over 80% of kids are white bread, savoury snacks, chips, biscuits and chocolate confectionery. Besides, almost 20% kids do not eat any fruit at all. In general, kids eat about half the recommended five portions of fruit and vegetables a day. On the other hand, some people judge traditional food healthier; however, some traditional foods are extremely oily as well. For example, Chinese pay attention to use oil to heat the ingredients quickly. This makes the food fairly oily and high-fat. Furthermore, diets today are changing according to ...