Preview

Obesity Is a Disease

Good Essays
Open Document
Open Document
852 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
Obesity Is a Disease
Obesity
Is
A
Disease

Obesity is a disease that affects one in three members of the American population. The trend of obese Americans has continually increased since 1960, and is not showing signs of slowing down. More than half of the adults in America are considered overweight or obese, and about thirty-four percent of the total population in the U.S is either overweight or obese. One is considered “overweight” if the body mass index, or BMI, is twenty-five to twenty-nine kilograms. “Obese” is any number thirty or greater (Hateweight.com). Obesity is the cause of at least 300,000 deaths in the U.S every year, second only to smoking (American Obesity Association). There are many causes of obesity, some of which are environmentally related and others are geneticly related. Genetics from an obese relative can be passed from generation to another; this form of obesity is hard to control without proper treatment (Hateweight.com). The American culture has been the biggest cause of obesity. All of our surroundings and social environments have greatly influenced obesity. Most social events revolve around food or drinks, which are usually unhealthy for the body. Food itself has become a reward; young children are often rewarded for good behavior with a “treat” (American Obesity Association). This treat is often a child’s favorite candy or sweet. Adults also use food as a reward. Successful business transactions between companies are often celebrated with food and drinks. Employees often stop after work to have drinks and possibly dinner to celebrate. Alcoholic drinks are very high in fat and have no nutritional value. Also, most restaurant food is high in fat and calories. Another factor which is the cause of this disease is lifestyle. People are no as physically active as they should be. They have become more dependent on someone else to do their work for them. An example if this would be fast food restaurants. Why make dinner when you



Bibliography: www.hateweight.com www.obesity.org www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/obesity.html http://www.obesity-online.com/ http://www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/dnpa/obesity/

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Good Essays

    Obesity is a condition of having excess body weight. Today in the USA, 97 million adults are overweight, meaning that 1 out of 3 people we come across in our everyday lives may be obese. However, it is also important to understand that being overweight does not mean one is obese. Many people throw around the word ‘obese’ and are ignorant to the difference of being obese or just simply being overweight. Obesity is having too much body weight, as where people may be overweight due to high levels of muscles or water in their body. In recent times, obesity among Americans has almost doubled, causing the USA to have the highest obesity rate. There are many variables that have contributed to this rapid growth such as fast food restaurants becoming increasingly more available and less expensive, automobiles becoming the number one form of transportation rather than walking or riding a bike, and other factors that promote inactivity such as the use of cell phones, email, etc. We ignore this problem and often look beyond these factors because we consider them “standard” in our lives. Although, before obesity rates spiked, fast food was not as unhealthy or cheap, driving an automobile was only possible for a select few, and technology did not exist like it does now. In order to eliminate such high obesity rates in America I believe we must raise awareness on the damages obesity can have on our well-being. In order to so, there should be a higher emphasis put on healthy living rather than promoting fast food and other habits that are harmful to our health. There are many more solutions to this problem such as raising the price of fast food or making it healthier, but many companies are not willing to make these changes. This is why I believe that it is very important that we make Americans aware of this problem. I would like to research this topic because I find it interesting how in a world as efficient as ours today, we are seeing new issues emerge such as obesity…

    • 711 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    With more than 60% of the U.S. adult population overweight and 25% of those considered obese, it is important to understand the obesity epidemic and the serious effects it has on health.…

    • 799 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    Obesity in America

    • 2116 Words
    • 9 Pages

    Obesity in America is a continually growing problem and even worse our own children are sharing in this problem. A commentary in the Washington Times reports that sixty million Americans are obese. What really is the meaning of obese? Obese is having a body mass index of thirty percent or more. In recent years, the percentage of obese Americans has risen. In the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey conducted by the National Center for Health Statistics, the percentage of obese Americans rose from 22.9 in 1984-1994 to 32.2 in 2003 and 2004. The study also says if you throw in the number of "over weight" Americans (body mass index of 25 to 29.9) the total jumps to 66.3 percent of all Americans (Alfred A18). Why are we steadily becoming heavier as a nation, primarily because of our eating habits, genetic and metabolic causes and an excess of inactivity. As more and more people of our nation deal with obesity, they also have to deal with major health problems such as high blood pressure, heart attack and Type II diabetes that all stem from being obese.…

    • 2116 Words
    • 9 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Best Essays

    Current Events: Obesity

    • 4873 Words
    • 20 Pages

    Americans are well aware of the fact that the United States has one of the world’s highest rates of obesity and that the country has gained the worldwide stereotype of being overweight. This all pertains to the term that has been a coined phrase within American society for the past few years—the American obesity epidemic. Despite the widespread knowledge that being obese or overweight can negatively affect one’s health, America’s rates of obesity continue to climb. In addition, there are many Americans who claim that obesity is simply a controllable factor and that there is reason to refer to the obese population as an epidemic. They claim, in fact, that there is no such thing as an obesity epidemic; and that America’s large percentage of people who are overweight is nothing to panic over or to consider as a dangerous plague. The fact is, however, obesity is quite a serious issue. Most recently in current events, it was stated that obesity has now surpassed smoking as the leading cause of preventable death in the United States of America. The smoking epidemic gained a great deal of publicity, leading to protest groups and awareness groups that all aimed to educate Americans about the health hazards associated with smoking; but now that obesity kills more people annually than smoking, it is clear that there is absolutely an obesity epidemic taking place within the United States and that is must be addressed, taken seriously, and combated through further education about health, fitness, and nutrition.…

    • 4873 Words
    • 20 Pages
    Best Essays
  • Good Essays

    From 1986 to 2000, the number of people who are severely obese–which is identified by having a body mass index of 40 or more–has quadrupled, from about 1 in 200 adults to 1 in every 50. This startling statistic has caused more people to be aware of this rising occurrence that has swept over the United States. Obesity has medical professionals worrying; not only are the numbers of overweight people continuing to rise but weight-related medical costs are soaring. Healthcare costs for illnesses due to obesity have now exceeded those related to both smoking and alcoholism. The obesity epidemic is a big contributor to skyrocketing health care costs in the United States, partly due to the weight-related diseases that come hand-in-hand with obesity. Ailments such as type II diabetes, heart disease, hypertension, and high cholesterol are closely connected to obesity and an alarming 80 percent of obese adults suffer from one of these…

    • 963 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    "In 1996, a U.S. Department of Agriculture study revealed that at least 33 percent of all adults in the United States were overweight; that number increased to 61 percent of adults and 13 percent of children in 1999, according to the Surgeon General. In late 2001, the Surgeon General's report said 27 percent of Americans are obese and 61 percent are overweight" (Tuberose, par3).…

    • 1724 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    Obesity Epidemic in America

    • 3259 Words
    • 14 Pages

    Obesity in society today is a serious issue with many health issues and social consequences that don 't look to be fixed anytime soon. Is it any wonder? Take a look around; obesity is a disease that is on the rise affecting more and more people each year. In the USA 58 million Americans are overweight, 40 million are obese and three million are morbidly obese. These numbers are insane as eight out of ten Americans over the age of twenty-five are overweight. In 2001 a survey conducted by the National Institute of Diabetes & Digestive & Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) of…

    • 3259 Words
    • 14 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Good Essays

    Spch(Chlhood Obesity)

    • 632 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Obesity has been called the new American epidemic by many doctors. It is estimated that fifty eight million Americans living in the United States are obese, and that eight out of ten people who are over twenty-five are overweight.…

    • 632 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    According to Mayo Clinic, obesity is defined as having an excessive amount of body fat. (Mayo Clinic, 2013) Obesity is a disease that has become an epidemic in the United States. In the last two decades, there has been a dramatic increase in the number of people who are obese. “More than one-third of U.S. adults (35.7%) and approximately 17% (or 12.5 million) of children and adolescents aged 2—19 years are obese.” (CDC, 2013) There are many factors of obesity that can be controlled and some factors that can not be controlled. Obesity has gotten so out-of-hand that even the government has stepped in to help lower the…

    • 1611 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Obesity Is Not a Disease

    • 395 Words
    • 2 Pages

    On June 18 the American Medical Association voted to categorize obesity as a disease, moving the condition above its past designation as a major health concern. I disagree with this decision. The AMA said in a memo that more widespread recognition of obesity as a disease “could result in greater investments by government and the private sector to develop and reimburse obesity treatments. (American Medical Association, June) ” This statement uses the word “could” which is vague and argumentative. The reliability of this information is also questionable because it appeals to government and private sector for money to further their studies. I believe that obesity is a choice and not a disease. I do not believe that a human being is born predestined to be obese. The council also stated that “labeling obesity as a disease might increase support for obesity-prevention programs such as physical education initiatives and reform to school lunch” (American Medical Association, June) . This statement also uses the word “might” which is also vague in nature and has no definitive meaning. Board member Patrice Harris said, “Recognizing obesity as a disease will help change the way the medical community tackles this complex issue that affects approximately one in three Americans.” (American Medical Association, June) This statement uses the work “help” which is invalid and the word “approximately” which is also an invalid argument. I disagree with this statement because it is the opinion of the board member and not a proven fact with data to back up the statement. I also think that reclassifying obesity as a disease will traumatize the individual and may shift focus on expensive surgical treatment and away from ways to encourage healthy diets and regular exercise programs. This article leads me to believe the AMA have been influenced by the pharmaceutical and weight…

    • 395 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    Obese Attitude

    • 1259 Words
    • 6 Pages

    You are considered obese by the American Medical Association, if 30% of your body weight is fat. . Obesity occurs when a person has a greater calorie intake than he or she burns during that day. Dr. Mary Ferguson believes that "doctors need to encourage greater weight loss in obese patients due to the fact that obese people are twice as likely to die from such health conditions as heart disease, strokes, cancer, gallbladder disease and diabetes. Dr. Ferguson also stated that the average number of deaths a year caused by obesity is 324,940 in the USA.…

    • 1259 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    According to the Frequently Asked Questions page of the CDC’s website, “in the United States approximately 112,000 deaths a year are associated with obesity”. Obesity causes a number of diseases and conditions such as type 2 diabetes, hypertension, heart…

    • 2008 Words
    • 9 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Good Essays

    Obesity In America

    • 611 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Obesity in America is a subject of concern that is getting as big as peoples waste-lines. It affects many Americans on a daily basis, and also affects the way people interact with others. It is an unhealthy trend with a rapid growth rate, quickly consuming many lives. The problem must be fixed for a more happy and healthy life. In order to fix it, the issue of obesity must first be understood, and then controlled at the state it's at, and finally it must be prevented from continually occurring.…

    • 611 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Better Essays

    America is the red, the blue, and the white. We are a great nation with amazing abilities to influence the world. However in the recent years, obesity has increased drastically. Over one third of America’s population is obese. (Go Red Flag) In fact, obesity is starting to take over America, but it needs to come to an end. Obesity can lead to many health problems. For example, type two diabetes can be caused from being overweight. Strokes and breast cancer are also possible health problems caused from being obese. Obesity in America needs to be dealt with because it could possibly lead to type two diabetes, strokes, or breast cancer.…

    • 1047 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Good Essays

    Atkins Par L And Ll

    • 767 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Obesity is an abnormal accumulation of body fat, usually 20% or more over an individual's ideal body weight. Obesity is associated with increased risk of illness, disability, and death.…

    • 767 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays

Related Topics