American Medical Association: Obesity as a Dicease

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Recommended: Obesity and its effects in todays society

Is it true that over a third of Americans are diseased? The American Medical Association, AMA, has officially recognized obesity as a disease. Obesity is defined as “a condition that is characterized by excessive accumulation and storage of fat in the body and that in an adult is typically indicated by a body mass index of thirty or greater” (“Is Obesity a Disease”). The debate over whether it is a disease still rises up today as obesity rates and the costs of treating obesity-related conditions increase in the United States. Many supporters stress that obesity is in fact a disease because they believe it is a result of genetics and biological factors. Opponents, on the other hand, argue that obesity is not a disease because it is a result of a person’s chosen lifestyle and eating habits. They also argue that it has the ability to put people at risk for actual diseases, including Type 2 diabetes or high blood pressure. Obesity should not be labeled as a disease. Treating obesity as a disease instead of blaming poor dietary decisions unfairly harms healthy Americans. Obesity is something that can lead to diseases but is not one itself. Obesity should be classified as more of a risk factor rather than a disease because it stems from the individual choices a person makes.
Obesity should not be categorized as a disease since it is a starting point for one. David L. Katz, MD, has never liked the idea of characterizing obesity as a disease. He believes diseases occur when the body is malfunctioning. Turning surplus calories into a fat reserve is not a malfunction; it is normal physiology (Rossi). What Katz is saying is very reasonable. Obesity does not necessarily impair normal body functions because many people who have a body mass ind...

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...00: Obesity Is Not a Disease." Huffington Post. TheHuffingPost.com, 30 Aug. 2013. Web. 14 Nov. 2013.
Hawley, George. "Obesity Is Not a Disease." Gale Opposing Viewpoints in Context. Gale, n.d. Web. 6 Nov. 2013.
"Is Obesity a Disease" ProCon.org. Procon.org, 15 Oct. 2013. Web. 6 Nov. 2013.
Kabat, Geoffrey. "Why Labeling Obesity as a Disease Is a Big Mistake." Forbes, 9 July 2013: n. pag. Web. 6 Nov. 2013.
Pollack, Andrew. "A.M.A. Recognizes Obesity as a Disease." The New York Times. New York Times Company, 18 June 2013. Web. 6 Nov. 2013.
Rettner, Rachael. "Is Obesity a Disease? Doctors Debate." Live Science. Tech Media Network, 27 July 2012. Web. 6 Nov. 2013.
Rossi, Carey. "Is Obesity a Disease?" Prevention. Rodale, June 2013. Web. 6 Nov. 2013.
Tanner, Michael. "Obesity Is Not a Disease." National Review Online. National Review Online, 3 July 2013. Web. 14 Nov. 2013.

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