What makes people to become obese and sometimes live unhappy and sick? Nowadays, obesity has become a huge problem that effects people from all over the world. The number of Canadians affected by this trouble is rising so fast and causing a lot of bad effects on people’s health. The government is concerned about how fast obesity is spreading out, since it is costing lots of money. The causes of obesity are attributed to a diversity of factors such as poor diet and lack of exercises, and the consequences are huge to people’s health. The increase in obesity is caused by poor eating habits and lack of exercises as main factors contributing to many diseases, some of them irreversible and is compounded by inaccurate measurements methods. For these …show more content…
First of all, “obesity is considered a problem since the high quantity of fat in the human body can lead to several health problems, compromising the proper functioning of important organs” (Graham & Wong, 2014, para.3). Graham & Wong, 2014, discuss that “the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) considers individuals with a BMI of 30 or greater to be obese”. Second, obesity in Canada has become epidemic. Recently, the number of obese people is growing so fast in children and adults (Graham & Wong, 2014, para.11). Graham and Wong, 2014, states that more than half of the Canadian population is considered obese and “levels of childhood obesity are expected to lead to the first decrease in life expectancy in over 200 years”. Finally, obese people could be affected by some diseases such as diabetes, high blood pressure, cancer, arthritis, reproductive disorders and others (Graham & Wong, 2014, para.3). As Renneboog, 2014, demonstrates “physically, excessive body fat puts mechanical stress on the body, which leads to conditions including sleep apnea, respiratory problems, osteoarthritis, and hypertension”. Accordingly to Hussain, Hydrie, Claussen & Ashgar, 2010, the obesity and diabetes type 2 are strongly related since obesity affects the body fuel metabolism, making people get sick. As Eckel et al, 2011, argue, obesity can cause diabetes more effectively depending on where …show more content…
To begin, the principal method of measurement of the human body fat is the body-mass index (BMI) which is related to the weight and height values to obtain an average (Renneboog, 2014, para.6). The author still states that “these arbitrary designations do not take into account individual characteristics such as body shape or natural muscularity, nor do they apply to children or seniors” (Renneboog, 2014, para.6). However, BMI not always is accurate and presents some limitations in measurement of body fat, sometimes classifying people as obese when in fact they are not. Since BMI is not 100% trustable it is acceptable that “this is one factor which requires more attention in the use of the term “overweight” and “obese”” (Eaton & Clydesdale, 2014, para.10). Accordingly to Eaton & Clydesdale, 2014, “BMI has been used in numerous medical studies, but even the National Institutes of Health (NIH) in the United States realizes its limitations to directly measure body fat or muscle”. Finally, “it is accepted that the most accurate way to measure body fat is to weigh a person underwater or in a chamber that displaces air” (Eaton & Clydesdale, 2014, para.3). According to this same author, “there is another accurate test to measure human body fat, which is called the dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) test, uses X-rays to measure body fat” (Eaton & Clydesdale, 2014, para.3). The author
Both the risk factors and the effects of obesity are now more terrifying than any other preventable disease to both the population and the economy of Canada. In a survey of seventeen developed countries, Canada placed only tenth in life expectancy and wellbeing, while placing fourth in the highest spending on healthcare(Flood). A large factor in Canada’s state of poor well-being is obesity; obesity causes one in ten premature deaths of people aged twenty to sixty-four(Ogilvie) and is a leading cause of many life-threatening illnesses: “Obesity is recognized as a major and rapidly worsening public health problem that rivals smoking as a cause of illness and premature death. Obesity has been linked with type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, hypertension, stroke, gallbladder disease, some forms of cancer, osteoarthritis,
Obesity rates are significantly increasing in Canada and are a major concern when considering the health of Canadians. Throughout the Society, Individual, and Medicine (SIM) lectures, we learned that a quarter of the Canadian adult population is obese (Imbeault, 2016). Dr. Imbeault (2016) emphasized that when obesity rates from 1981 and 2009 were compared, obesity doubled in most age groups regardless of gender, even in young children. These were shocking numbers and made me realize how important it is for physicians to advocate for healthy nutrition and physical activity. This final statistic that Dr. Imbeault mentioned made me realize that change is not an option anymore, but a requirement to maintain quality of life for future generations. He (2016) said 63% of obese children continued
Obesity is a growing concern in Canada and due to the increased time spent in one’s place of employment, there is an augmented importance placed on healthy living in the workplace. In 2004, approximately 6.8 million Canadian adults between the ages of 20 and 64 were overweight, and an additional 4.5 million were obese as recorded by the Canadian Policy Research Networks (Pierre, N., Pollack, N., & Fafard, P. 2007), further emphasizing the need to reduce obesity rates and to improve overall health. This demographic represents primarily the working population, which is the target population in respect to promoting active living in the workplace. According to the World Health Organization (WHO) the “impact of the obesity epidemic on non-communicable diseases such as cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, and cancer threatens to overwhelm health systems; the need for prevention and control is clear” (ECOSOC/UNESCWA/WHO, 2009)
About 2.8 billion adults every year die of obesity (Diet). Rachel Epstein wrote the book “Eating Habits and Disorders” which talks about obesity being a disease. Obesity is a condition with extra body fat which often starts to form in childhood (Epstein 25). While obesity for some adults can be life-threatening (Epstein 25). It can also form psychosocial problems (Epstein 25). Being obese causes a risk in diabetes, heart disease, arthritis, kidney trouble and more (Epstein 25). Being obese during pregnancy can cause many problems for the mom, and for the baby (Epstein 25). Any of these things could cause many problems either in the future, or in the present (Epstein 25). The worse the eating habits, the harder it is to cure (Epstein 25). The government needs to do more about obesity because obesity rates are rising, many kids are being victims of obesity and they don’t even know it, also Medical Care is taking a big part with the growing obesity rates.
As a little enlightenment on obesity, overweight and obesity result from an imbalance involving excessive calorie consumption and/or inadequate physical activity (Buchholz 5). The increases in overweight and obesity cut across all ages, racial and ethnic groups, and both genders. This increase stems from a variety of factors, primarily more consumption of calories and less vigorous activity. Obesity greatly increases the risk of developing many serious medical conditions, including type 2 diabetes, atherosclerosis, hypertension, osteoarthritis, metabolic syndrome, sleep apnea, and certain forms of cancer (Davis 270). In 1999, 13% of children age 6 to 11 and 14% of adolescents age 12 to 19 were overweight. This prevalence has nearly...
adults are obese. Additionally, the leading cause of death in the United States is heart disease, which is more often than not tied back to obesity and all of its factors. Knowing the causes of obesity is important to conclude whose responsibility is what. Some of the causes are related to genetics, overeating, people’s diets, and how frequent people eat. Some others are lack of physical activity, lack of necessary medication, and use of certain medication. Obesity can also be caused by psychological factors and social issues. Social issues can be anything from lack of money to purchase health foods to lack of safe places to walk or exercise. All of these causes are what makes it difficult to put the blame on a single
The obesity epidemic is a globally acknowledged serious population-level public health issue. Obesity is the number two cause of mortality behind smoking in ...
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 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).
Nearly two-thirds of the United States population is overweight. There are several ways to determine if a person is obese or overweight. Experts say that a person’s body mass index is the best way to determine an adults weight in relation to their height. A BMI from 18.5 to 24.9 kg/m2 is considered normal, adults with a BMI of 25 to 29.9 kg/m2 are considered overweight. There are exceptions with peoples BMI, an athlete can have a high BMI and not be overweight or obese. Adults with a BMI of 30 kg/m2 or higher are considered obese. A person with a high BMI can have a normal amount of body fat if they have more muscle tissue. However, the risk of death and disease is increased for adults who are overweight and obese (Kolata 1)
As a health care professional it is our position statement that obesity should be considered as a disease. Overweight and obese adults are considered at risk for developing diseases such as type II diabetes, hypertension, high blood cholesterol, coronary heart disease, and certain type of cancers. An average of 300,000 deaths is associated with obesity and the total economic cost of obesity in U.S. was about $ 117 billion in 2000. As health care professionals it is our responsibility to increase public awareness of health consequences of over weight and obesity. Obesity as a disease: Obesity fits all the definitions of ‘disease’, that is, interruption in bodily function.
In a study from 2010, the CDC (Center for Disease Control and Prevention) found that the number one cause of death, killing 597,689 people each year, is heart disease. A major cause of heart disease is obesity, meaning that obesity kills many people in the united states each year. “In 1999-2000, 27.5% of men were obese, and by 2009-2010 the prevalence had increased to 35.5%” (Ogden, et al. 4). It is obvious that obesity is on the rise in our country. “the most recent national data on obesity prevalence among U.S. adults, adolescents, and children show that more than one third of adults and almost 17% of children and adolescents were obese in 2009-2010.” (Ogden, et al. 6). If the trends continue, obesity will become an epidemic, killing thousands of people. The CDC defines obesity as having a BMI (body mass index) of 30 or higher. In some instances, this can be misleading. For some people, say athletes that have plenty of muscle and not much body fat, their BMI can indicate they are overweight. Nevertheless, it is still a good indicator for the general public. And studies have shown, using the BMI system, that obesity in America is on the rise.
Childhood obesity has already reduced the average life expectancy between four and nine months. “[T]oday’s generation will have shorter and less healthy lives than their parents for the first time in modern history,” warned S. Jay Olshansky, the University of Illinois researcher and author of the study (1). In 2004, the US Center for Disease Control found that at least 66% of adults were overweight or obese—double the percentage in 1980—and that more than 1/6 th of kids ages 2-19 were overweight. Type II diabetes, usually caused by an unhealthy lifestyle rather than genetics, has increased as a side effect of obesity and heart disease is also on the rise. In short, obesity is a national epidemic.
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.
Obesity occurs in all countries and it is one of the gravest problems in modern society. Obesity problems have become one matter of concern for individuals all around the world. What is more is that Obesity rates continue to rise all around the world. One of the chief causes is unhealthy diets. Obesity is also due to lack of exercise and lack of education and awareness. Therefore obesity has various effects including the risk of suffering from a range of health conditions, increased expenditure on health care and lack of self-esteem.