Design Interventional Models For Primary Care Providers

One of the more serious problems that the Southeast Queens Community is facing is obesity. Obesity has led to many other health concerns in this community such as Type 2 diabetes , heart disease, stroke, and even certain cancers. This presentation looks into who is at risk, and why? And what can be done to help this community.

Within the last half century, the obesity rate in America has increased by twenty one percent from thirteen percent to thirty four percent of adults; while the percent of the population considered overweight has remained stagnate at thirty-four percent. Unfortunately, the increase in the obese population poses a large threat to the health and well-being of United States citizens. Obesity is not only an accumulation of fat mass, but has been linked to many diseases such as cancer, cardiovascular disease, and diabetes. The strain that each of these respective diseases contributes onto the United States healthcare system is great, but how exactly does obesity contribute to the occurrence of these three diseases? What health factors are affected by obesity and lead to the development of chronic illness?

Obesity presents numerous health risks, both physical and mental. Obesity has been linked to or is a risk factor for many non-communicable diseases such as cardiovascular disease (including stroke and heart) type two diabetes, many cancers (including breast, colorectal….), musculoskeletal conditions such as osteoarthritis, depression and mental health disorders. Obesity along with all of the alarming health implications have the ability to

Obesity also is having a devastating effect on the American economy. In 2013 the total cost of obesity related medical problems was $190 billion approximately 21% of the total US health care cost (PHIT America p.1). This year already Americans have spent $32,160,950,000 on obesity related problems and the number continues to rise. In 2013 Americans spent $3.4 billion more and burned 938,000,000 gallons of gasoline then we would have had to if our obesity rate was where it was in 1960 (PHIT America p.1).The Society of Actuaries estimates that last year employers lost $164 billion due to obesity related issues with employees in America alone (PHIT America p.1). The list of obesity related expenses goes on and on. It is predicted by 2030 $580 billion will be spent each year on the health care for obesity related issues alone, in less our current situation changes.

One of the most important lifestyle factors influencing health outcomes is obesity. Specifically, obesity is widely recognized as a primary cause of poor health outcomes across all socioeconomic and ethnic groups in the US. The CDC reports that “people who are obese, compared to those with a healthy or normal weight, are at increased risk for many serious diseases and health conditions, including… all-causes of death (mortality), high blood pressure (hypertension), type 2 diabetes, coronary heart disease, stroke, gallbladder disease, osteoarthritis, certain cancers, and mental illness.” Thus, exploring

Increasingly high obesity rates among the U.S. population have both personal and societal ramifications. For the individual, increased body mass has been linked to a myriad of health issues including heart disease, Type II diabetes, high cholesterol, cancer, strokes, kidney & liver disease, and hypertension. (Wilmore, et al., 2008) On a societal level, the Center for Disease Control estimates that obesity related medical care costs reached a staggering $147 billion in 2008 with obese patients costing $1,400 more per patient than those that fell into a "normal" weight rage (CDC). Obesity-related diseases may also contribute to millions of lost workdays and higher insurance premiums (CNBC).

Obesity has dramatically increased in the United States over the past two decades. Along with obesity come many serious, preventable health conditions. Currently, more than one-third of adults in the United States are obese (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 2015). If current trends continue, experts predict that half of all Americans will be obese by the year 2030 (CDC, 2015). Body mass index (BMI) is said to provide the most useful population-level measure of overweight and obesity (National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA), 2015). Using tools such as the adult BMI assessment, health care providers can identify problems and work with patients on a solution to decrease the incidence of obesity and maintain

Consequently, the result of this negative trend caused obesity to be the second leading cause of preventable deaths with 18% of American adults dying each year (CDC, 2016). According to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases “more than one-third (35.7%) of adults are considered obese. More than 1 in 20 (6.3%) have extreme obesity” (NIDDK, 2012).

The enormity of this economic burden and the impacts that excessive weight take on human health and the well-being are increasing. The awareness of individuals, communities, states and nations are slowly acknowledging the problem, yet necessary interventions are limited at all levels and the essential tools and knowledge to combat the rising tide of obesity are not uniform.

This research paper will address the issues of adults’ obesity in the United States. It includes obese population, effects of obesity on major health damages and life expectancy, and potential solutions to prevent and reduce the impacts of obesity on American adults. Obesity is a critical issue in today’s society because more than one-third, which is 35.7 percent, of adults are considered to be obese today in America, and the number is still increasing. Furthermore, obesity is a potential cause for many diseases, such as cancer, high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, stroke, and more.

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).

Two obesity interventions that could greatly decrease obesity are physical activity and nutrition, which should be reinforced to every patient. Obesity occurs from a caloric imbalance. People are consuming way too many calories without burning off the extra calories the body doesn’t need. Physical activity is a key intervention to get rid of these extra calories. It will also help them lose weight or stay within a healthy weight range. Exercise will also lower the risk for many complications, such as cardiovascular disease, cerebral vascular accident, diabetes, hypertension, osteoporosis, and certain cancers. Start by taking patients weight and asking what physical activity

Given that obesity has a great impact on multiple aspects of health, it will be the problem focused on for this paper. It was noted during the assessment that York County ranks in the least favorable quartile among peer counties in this area of health (Community Health Status Indicators, 2015).

Obesity has become the silent killer in American society. It is a risk factor for numerous chronic diseases including the four leading causes of death. Obesity can be linked to stroke, heart disease, cancer and diabetes, all serious health problems that can be fatal. Obesity is linked to 300,000 deaths annually in the industrial world (Flamholz, 2001). Often in society and in the medical community there exists a lack of understanding that obesity is in fact a disease and needs attention, otherwise the rates of many diseases will continue to climb.

Adult obesity is a serious health issue to address. It can result from genetics or behaviors including dietary patterns and level of physical activity. “Additional contributing factors in our society include the food and physical activity environment, education and skills, and food marketing and promotion” ("Adult Obesity Causes & Consequences," 2017).