Essay on The Effects of Obesity - 1920 Words

Obesity is a well documented problem in the United States. Every year, billions of dollars are spent on this epidemic and the plethora of diseases and issues it causes. This has been shown to be a problem at the state as well as the national level. In order to better understand the impact it has, we will discuss the issue of obesity as a whole, the problems associated with this disease, the costs of those problems, as well as possible solutions to this growing problem in our country. For the purposes of this paper, it is important to give reference points with regards to certain key definitions. The generally accepted way of defining obesity is in the National Institutes of Health Weight Classification system. This system relies†¦show more content†¦When looking more specifically at the demographic breakdown, the CDC reports between 2006 and 2008 that Blacks had the highest number of cases of obesity at 35.7% followed by Hispanics and Whites at 28.7% and 23.7% respectively. These findings can be attributed to the behaviors and social norms that differ between ethnic groups about weight gain, appropriate body weight, as well as disparities in access to healthy foods, and safe environments to exercise. The CDC noted in their study that â€Å"the high prevalence of obesity across all the racial/ethnic groups highlights the importance of implementing effective intervention strategies among the general US population.† Additionally, self reported data from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, or BRFSS shows that nearly 20% of the total US population are obese, with 21% of Medicare and 30% of Medicaid recipients self-reporting that they were obese. So why is obesity such a problem? Obesity has been shown to cause many diseases and increase risks for many more. Some of these diseases include coronary heart disease, type 2 diabetes, cancer (endometrial, breast and colon in the top three), hypertension or high blood pressure, high cholesterol, stroke, liver and gallbladder disease, respiratory problems, osteoarthritis, and many more. When coupled with the aforementioned causes of obesity, we can see that it is a vicious cycle. A person could have unhealthy eatingShow MoreRelatedObesity And Its Effects On Obesity1637 Words   |  7 Pagesdestructive can effects of obesity be. First of all what is an obesity? Obesity is an abnormal accumulation of body fat, usually 20% or more over an individual s ideal body weight. It is a very serious problem and is becoming very dangerous in today’s world. Obesity is now considered to be the second most preventable death in America, with tobacco being the first. As use of tobacco rat es continues to decline, the obesity rates continue to rise. 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Foster, author of the article Primary Physicians’ Attitudes about Obesity and it’s Treatment ,this disease become epidemic in the society and not being solved as the patients’ fears to treat obesity is mainly due to their negative approaches towards this problemRead MoreObesity And Its Effects On Obesity1612 Words   |  7 PagesApproximately 17% of children in the United States have been diagnosed as obese (Prevention, 2011). Although the prevalence of obesity has plateaued in the most recent years, the amount of children who are obese is still higher than what is desired. These obesity rates are alarming due to the effect it will have on them and their healthcare. As more children are diagnosed with obesity, the more children increase their risk of cardiovascular disease, hypertension, and insulin resistance later as adults (NewbyRead MoreObesity And Its Effects On Obesity Essay913 Words   |  4 PagesRecent years health experts have been warning people to control their weight and adopt a healthier lifestyle.Over time obesity is a still problem with our society today also, its rates have tripled especially in America.It is obvious we are losing the battle against obesity. Combating obesity and its numerous illnesses will not require more drugs to lower cholesterol, diet books. It will require rethinking our environment.Other measures need to be taken to tackle this international epidemic. AddressingRead MoreObesity And Its Effects On Obesity895 Words   |  4 PagesRecent years health experts have been warning people to control their weight and adopt a healthier lifestyle.Over time obesity is a still problem with our society today also, its rates have tripled especially in America.It is obvious we are losing the battle against obesity. Combating obesity and its numerous illnesses will not require more drugs to lower cholesterol, diet books. It will require rethinking our environment.Other measures need to be taken to tackle this international epidemic. AddressingRead MoreObesity And Its Effects On Obesity1092 Words   |  5 PagesObesity in America is rising with an alarming, and disturbing rate: more than one-third of adults (78.6 millions) are obese according to Center for Diseases Control and Prevention. In addition, no states in America have prevalence of obesity less than 20 percent; while the states having leading percent of obesity are Arkansas, Mississippi, and West Virginia. Obesity’s common effects on health are low life expectancy, high blood pressure, stroke, migraine, low back pain, etc. Furthermore, a recent