Obesity in America
Introduction
The Dynamics of Obesity
Once the issue of malnutrition plagued many countries around the world, today obesity has become the new epidemic. The word epidemic traditionally “refers to an acute outbreak of disease caused by a specific microorganism that spreads through a sizable portion of a population and requires serious responses such as quarantines, travel restrictions, and medical treatment” (Bellisari, 2013, p. 4). Dealing with an epidemic often brings social disruption. When you look at how many millions of people are affected by obesity and its related health concerns, the use of the word epidemic seems very appropriate. When discussing the dynamics of obesity you must consider the rising number of people affected by this illness, the causes of obesity and the costs of obesity.
The Rising Numbers
The United States has the highest rate of obesity within the developed nations. We have seen a steady increase in the number of obese since the 1920s. This trend caught the attention of public health officials who began tracking this increase in 1985. In 1991, 12 percent of Americans were obese. In 1998, 20 percent of Americans were considered obese. “Today about 60 percent of Americans are overweight and 26 percent are obese. Another 6 million are “super-obese,” meaning that they weigh at least 100 pounds more than they should” (Kornblum & Julian, 2012, p. 39).
These numbers of obese Americans is astronomical and affect both men and women of all ethnicities. To break the numbers down we see that 33 percent of men of all ethnic groups are obese. With women the percentages vary slightly depending on the ethnic group. With African American and Mexican American women we see that nearly 50 ...
... middle of paper ...
.... 20).
References
Bellisari, A. (2013). The Obesity Epidemic in North America: Connecting Biology and Culture. Long Grove, IL. Waveland Press, Inc.
Kornblum, W. & Julian, J. (2012). Social Problems. 14th edition. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey. Pearson Education, Inc.
Walsh, T., & Cameron, V., (2005). If your adolescent has an eating disorder: An essential resource for parents. Oxford, New York. Oxford University Press.
Wang, L. (2008, June). Weight discrimination: one size fits all remedy? Yale Law Journal, 117(8), 1900+. Retrieved from http://go.galegroup.com.bakerezproxy.palnet.info/ps/retrieve.do?sgHitCountType=None&sort=DA-SORT&inPS=true&prodId=AONE&userGroupName=lom_accessmich&tabID=T002&searchId=R1&resultListType=RESULT_LIST&contentSegment=&searchType=BasicSearchForm¤tPosition=2&contentSet=GALE|A187961756&&docId=GALE|A187961756&docType=GALE&role=
23 July 2018. Print. The. Brody, Jane E. “Attacking the Obesity Epidemic by First Figuring Out Its Cause.” New York Times.
Gusfield, J. (2011). How Do We Decide What are Social Problems? Retrieved April 6, 2011 from http://www.soc.iastate.edu/sapp/soc235ch02.html
This documentary shows great examples of how obesity is a rapidly growing epidemic as important as terrorism, according to Former Surgeon General Richard Carmona. He stated, “Obesity is a terror within us. It destroys our society from within.” If we don’t take responsibility and change our horrible eating patterns we are going to be doomed. One of the main reasons for obesity, other than the lack of a healthy diet, is the modernization of our world.
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.
Over 60 million people are obese in the world today. The socioeconomic statuses of the Americans play a major part in the obesity rates across the country. People with higher incomes are less likely to be obese than people with lower incomes. One in every seven preschool-aged children living in lower income areas are obese (Center for Disease Control and Prevention). A 2008 study showed that obesity is highest among American Indian and Alaska Native (21.2 percent) and Hispanic Americans (18.5 percent) children, and it is lowest among white (12.6 percent), Asian or Pacific Islander (12.3 percent), and black (11.8 percent) children (Get America Fit).
Goldstein, Hesh. Why There is an Obesity Epidemic. 16 Nov. 2009. 12 Nov. 2011 .
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).
In 1990, obese adults made up less than 15 percent of the population in most U.S. states. By 2010, 36 states had obesity rates of 25 percent or higher, and 12 of those had obesity rates of 30 percent or higher. (CDC) Today, nationwide, roughly two out of three U.S. ...
Today, 78.1 million American adults and 12.5 million children are obese. Obesity in America is a unstoppable epidemic. Since the 1960s, the number of obese adults have doubled and the number of obese children have tripled. Because of America’s obesity problems, Surgeon General David Satcher issued a report saying; "The Surgeon General's Call to Action to Prevent and Decrease Overweight," said that obesity "have reached epidemic proportions" in America. Obesity in America has no doubt reached epidemic proportions. Since 2001, America has been the most obese country in the world. This essay discusses what obesity is and how it is affecting today’s America by answers the following questions:
Since the 1960?s obesity in America has more than tripled regardless of sex or race. Today 30.5 percent, or 69 million, American Adults are considered obese (?AOA Fact Sheets? np). In addition, 13 percent of children aged 6-11 years old are considered overweight, and well on their way to becoming obese. Obesity causes over 300,000 deaths a year and costs the country $117 billion dollars, prompting health care providers and the government to label it an epidemic (?Overweight and Obesity?? np).
It is said that an obesity epidemic is sweeping the country and that the numbers are astronomical. Approximately 31% of all adults and 15% of children, ages 6-19 are obese. Obesity is also severe in a variety of ethnic groups. For example, 50% of non-Hispanic black women are obese. Many researchers believe that the trend in obesity as a lot to do with cultural, economic, and environmental factors. Simply stated I think it can be attributed to genetics, portion size as well as food available and cost, and laziness.
According to the USDA, at the start of century 21st American people have increased their daily caloric intake by consuming five hundred calories more than in 1970. As cited by Whitney & Rolfes (2011), there are many recognized causes of obesity such as genetics, environment, culture, socioeconomic, and metabolism among others; but the cause most evident is that food intake is higher than the calories burned in physical activity. Excess of energy from food is stored in the body as fat causing an increase of weight. During the course of the last 40 years, obesity has grown enormously in the United States and the rates remain on the rise (pgs. 272-273).
Attention Getter: Did you know that 68.8 percent of adult Americans are considered to be either overweight or obese? That’s more than two thirds. And 35.7 percent of adults are considered to be obese. That’s more than one third.
Muise, A. M., Stein, D. G., and Arbess, G. (2003). Eating disorders in adolescent boys: A review of the adolescent and young adult literature. Journal of adolescent Health, 33, 427-435.
Over the course of the last few decades, the U.S. has seen a drastic rise in the spread of obesity. Through the rise of large-scale fast food corporations, the blame has shifted toward the mass consumerism of these global industries. It is, however, due to poor lifestyle choices that the U.S. population has seen a significant increase in the percentage of people afflicted with obesity. In 1990 the percentage of obese people in the United States was approximated at around 15%. In 2010, however, it is said that “36 states had obesity rates of 25 percent or higher”(Millar). These rates have stayed consistent since 2003. The obesity problem in America is