Obesity in America

1160 Words3 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: Causes of obesity

You don’t have a lot of money on you and you’re hungry so you grab a bite to eat at a nearby fast food restaurant. Without realizing what you are putting into your body you continue eating these inexpensive meals every night on your way home from work. Weeks turn into months and the next thing you know your cloths don’t fit the way they used you beginning to notice yourself gaining weight. Obesity among young Americans is a problem and can have serious effects if nothing is done about it.

Obesity isn’t a person with a few extra pounds to spare. It is a medical condition in which excess body fat has accumulated to the extent that it may have an effect on health causing reduced life expectancy and possibly increased health problems. A person is not considered obese until they are at least 10 pounds heavier than the recommended weight for their body type and height. In most cases obesity begins in adolescence and continues to grow from there. Obesity isn’t necessarily caused by someone who eats all day and incorporates no exercise into their diet. The causes of obesity are complex and vary from genetics and behavior to cultural factors. Obesity can occur when a person consumes more calories than the body can burn up. When both parents of a child are obese, the child has an 80 percent chance of becoming obese. Even before you take your first bite, obesity could be your future solely based on your family’s genetics. Behavior is linked to obesity because when a person goes through stressful events such as a divorce, separations, moves, death, or abuse their body reacts differently and weight gain is more likely to occur. Other reasons for obesity in adolescents are depression, low self-esteem, family and peer problems, lack of exerci...

... middle of paper ...

...re complicated and requires work to see the changes in your body you want to see. Diet and exercise need to be continued permanently to keep the weight off. (Obesity In Children And Teens)

Obesity is a problem that needs to be fixed before it gets out of hand.

Works Cited

Citation Page

Obesity In Children And Teens | American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry." American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry. N.p., n.d. Web. 25 May 2010. http://www.aacap.org/cs/root/facts_for_families/obesity_in_children_and_teens.

Facts About Childhood Obesity and Overweightness - Statistical Data Included | Family Economics and Nutrition Review | Find Articles at BNET." Find Articles at BNET | News Articles, Magazine Back Issues & Reference Articles on All Topics. N.p., n.d. Web. 26 May 2010. http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0EUB/is_1_12/ai_57512258/.

Show More
Related

  • A Proposal to Reverse Obesity Rates

    1830 Words  | 4 Pages

    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.

    Read More

  • The Pros And Cons Of Progressive Movements In America

    1464 Words  | 3 Pages

    It is natural for a society to be concerned for the future generations. With the rate of obesity growing in adults and children, many begin to see it as an issue that needs to be addressed. New reports show “ childhood obesity has more than doubled in children and quadrupled in adolescents in the past 30 years” (cdc.gov). Overweight and obese are not actually the same. Overweight is defined as “having excess body weight for a particular height from fat,” and obesity is defined as “having excess body fat” (cdc.gov). With obesity comes the chance for cardiovascular disease and diabetes. Both can be

    Read More

  • A Social Ecological Approach to Rising Levels of Overweight and Obesity in Children and Adolescents in the United States

    2208 Words  | 5 Pages

    Childhood onset overweight and obesity and its’ associated health consequences are quickly becoming major significant public health issues facing America today. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) define overweight as a body mass index (BMI) between the 85th and 95th percentile while obese is defined as BMI above the 95th percentile for children of the same age and sex . The prevalence of overweight children, defined based on 2009 CDC’s National Center for Health Statistics data, has more than tripled in the past 30 years. Between 1980 and 2006, the incidence of overweight among children aged 6 to 11 years increased from 6.5% to 17.0% while overweight levels for adolescents aged 12 to 19 years increased from 5.0% to 17.6% . Not only has prevalence of child and adolescent overweight and obesity increased dramatically over the last several decades, but being an overweight or obese child puts one at a heightened risk for adult overweight and obesity .

    Read More

  • Obesity in America

    1106 Words  | 3 Pages

    Obesity in America is a very serious problem affecting many Americans currently and is a problem that continues to grow each year. “Over the past 40 years, the prevalence of obesity has more than doubled in the United States” (Wimalawansa). This issue is known to many but believed not be an issue to care much about but this is not true. Obesity in America affects everyone regardless if they are obese or not. In order to resolve the problem, we can slaughter all the adults that are currently obese in America.

    Read More

  • A Conundrum in America: Obesity

    846 Words  | 2 Pages

    According to the American Heart Association, 23.9 million children ages 2 to 19 are overweight or obese. In addition to them, 154.7 million adults are pudgy. That means more than one-third of children and two-thirds of adults in the United States are overweight (Pages 1-3). Many Americans know about the high rates of obesity in our country. Michelle Obama, along with several other politicians and health professionals, push for recognition of these facts. They believe too many citizens are overweight and something has to change. The statistics raise several questions and problems, but of these conflicts, which ones are worth solving?

    Read More

  • The Childhood Obesity Epidemic in the United States

    3786 Words  | 8 Pages

    Obesity is defined by Webster’s dictionary as increase body weight due to excessive accumulation of body fat. It is a condition or disease in which the “the natural energy reserve of humans or mammals, which is stored in fat tissue, is expanded far beyond usual levels to the point where it impairs health.” Obesity is most often measured by using the BMI (body mass index). BMI is calculated by dividing the weight in kilograms by the height squared in meters. A desirable BMI for children to sustain a healthy life is between 18.5 and 25. A child with a BMI over 25.0 kg/m 2 is considered overweight. A BMI over 30.0kg/m 2 is considered obese, and a BMI over 40 is morbid obesity. “An estimated 80% of overweight adolescents continue to be obese into adulthood, so the implications of childhood obesity on the nation’s health are huge”. (Survey on childhood obesity, 2014). Obesity is a chronic condition that develops as a result of genetic, behavioral and environmental factors.

    Read More

  • Caloric Intake and Childhood Obesity

    2753 Words  | 6 Pages

    "Childhood Obesity." Childhood Obesity on the Rise. Mayo Clinic, 24 Apr. 2012. Web. 02 Mar.

    Read More

  • Childhood Obesity is an Epidemic

    880 Words  | 2 Pages

    Today, approximately 25 percent of children and teenagers are obese and the number is on the rise. Since the 1960’s childhood obesity has increased by 54 percent in children ages six to eleven. In children twelve to seventeen it has increased by 39 percent. (Silberstein, 1) Childhood obesity is so prevalent among these age groups that it has reached epidemic proportions.

    Read More

  • Obesity in the United States

    1005 Words  | 3 Pages

    Although the fight against obesity seems like a lost cause, things are being done. Government programs have been set up in school cafeterias, these programs promote healthy eating and start healthy eating habits. Parents need to cut time spent watching television greatly, and they need to encourage more physical activities. There are plenty of opportunities to stop the destructive behavior that causes obesity, and we all need to work together to get it done. In our home, schools, work place and communities, we all need to find a way to make this a healthy nation.

    Read More

  • Obesity in America

    1216 Words  | 3 Pages

    Obesity in the United States continues growing alarmingly. Approximately 66 % of adults and 33 % of children and teenagers in the US are overweight. Obesity is the result of fat accumulated over time due to the lack of a balanced diet and exercise. An adult with a BMI (body mass index) higher than thirty percent is considered obese (Whitney & Rolfes, 2011, pg. 271).

    Read More

  • Childhood Obesity

    1465 Words  | 3 Pages

    Before pointing fingers at any one reason, one must consider the causes of obesity. The sources are varied. These causes include: environmental factors, social factors and medication. Environmental factors including of overeating, lack of physical activity, eating out too often and school lunches (Schoenstadt). “The top two causes of obesity in children are the unhealthy diets and physical inactivity. A sedentary life along with a fat rich diet will also result in obesity” (Schoenstadt). Social factors may consist of not having enough money or even low levels of education. Medication is also a contributor because these drugs may cause weight gain (Schoenstadt).

    Read More

  • Childhood Obesity in the United States

    2855 Words  | 6 Pages

    According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC) about “17% (or 12.5 million) of children and adolescents aged 2-19 years are obese” (Moreno et al., 2013 P.157). “Surveys administered in 1976-1980 and 2007-2008 show that the prevalence of obesity has changed from 6.5% to 19.6% among children 6-11 years old age and from 5.0% to 18.1% for those aged 12-19 years (Moreno et al., 2013 P.157).

    Read More

  • Unhealthy Eating Habits in America

    1017 Words  | 3 Pages

    "TeensHealth." When Being Overweight Is a Health Problem. N.p., n.d. Web. 30 Nov. 2013. .

    Read More

  • Obesity: The Physical and Emotional Problems

    1410 Words  | 3 Pages

    Society should consider the physical and emotional problems of obesity in our nation. “Obesity is defined as an excess proportion of total body fat (Mayo Clinic).” American society has become increasingly obese, “characterized by environments that promote increased food intake, unhealthy foods, and physical inactivity (cdcinfo@cdc.gov).” Our nation increasingly has become consumers of a fast food diet. It is so simple to just pick up food on the go and not deal with the hassle of cooking and cleaning up afterwards. What are nation needs to acknowledge is the health risks they will obtain if they do not acquire a healthy life style.

    Read More

  • Obesity and How to Solve it

    1160 Words  | 3 Pages

    With a little help and determination America can solve the problem of obesity and prevent future health problems by: eating healthier, encouraging physical activity, and setting limits on the consumption fast food, to provide better nutrition for the people of America.

    Read More

More about Obesity in America

Open Document