Healthy Buildings For Disease Control And Prevention

Obesity is defined as a medical condition in which excess body fat has accumulated to the extent that it may have an adverse effect on health, leading to reduce life expectancy and/or increased health problems. “The problem of obesity is increasing in the United States. Understanding the impact of social inequalities on health has become a public health priority in the new millennium. Social, political, and economic factors now are acknowledged to be "fundamental" causes of disease that affect behavior, beliefs, and biology.” (Goodman, 2003)  In the United States today, obesity has become an enormous problem. In the last 3 decades, the number of people overweight has increased dramatically. Obesity has not always been seen as a medical

“Obesity is a disease that affects more than one-third of the U.S adult population (approximately 78.6 million Americans). The number of Americans with obesity had steadily increase since 1960, a trend that has slowed down in recent years but show no sign of reversing”.

Obesity is an expensive and extremely common public health issue that affects more than one-third of the United States population including 17 percent

What can Americans do to make a sedentary lifestyle change? Despite Americans unhealthy habits and the obesity epidemic plaguing the Country, a change in sedentary lifestyle such as: Regular physical activities, and better eating in conjunction with a better diet are steps that can be taken immediately to remedy the situation and put Americans on the path of recovery.

Obese- is becoming an “epidemic!” We have 44.3 million people that are either obese or over weight. In 1986, the numbers were at 1 in 2000, and they became 1 in 400 by the year 2000. Even our high school age students are at an all time high of 16% overweight and 10% obese. As that number keeps increasing, future projections for covering healthcare expenditures must figure in the obese-related

“Come on! It’s simple, just get up off your butt and stop eating so darn much,” a common phrase used when with addressing modern obesity. Yet, this fairly recent epidemic continues to plague and destroy around 93 million Americans (The Issue). Although, with Michael Obama’s “Let’s Move” Campaign making a head wave, the hope for a healthy tomorrow has been restored in the hearts of many Americans. Along those same lines it seems that these days you cannot turn on the TV or Radio without seeing an ad for this Gym or that weight lost supplement. Such items and services also suggest that we as individuals can exercise and never worry about the big, bad condition known as obesity. With all these resources,

Affecting over 36% of the population, obesity is a rising epidemic within the United States. An estimated 75% of adults over the age of twenty are classified as overweight or obese (Kolata, 2016). The disease affects women more significantly than men, with a greater prevalence within African American and Hispanic ethnic groups. Extreme obesity (BMI >40), affects six percent, and growing, of the American populace. This rise in obesity correlates not lonely with a lower life expectancy but also a rise in numerous other non-communicable diseases, such as cancer, diabetes, pulmonary ailments, cardiovascular diseases, and mental health issues. Although the obesity epidemic is seen mostly within developed countries, such as the United States, the non-communicable disease is showing advancing prevalence and incidence rates worldwide, including low and middle income countries. The World Health Organization estimates one billion people are classified as overweight or obese (Kapil, 2016). In addition to the plethora of additional health care problems, obese patients are often hard to treat as the health care system does not yet have the equipment to detect, measure, or treat possible underlying problems. The treatment of obesity and related conditions is currently estimated to reach $100 billion within the United States (Kapil, 2016). Accounting for more than 100,000 premature deaths each year, the disease is the second highest noncommunicable and preventable disease

According to the U.S news, obesity percentage in America is 32.8%, which makes our country takes the cake as the most overweight country. Nevertheless, the massive obesity rate in the citizens of America leads to a rise in numbers of people affected by the disease as well. “People who shrug off weight gain do so at their own risk -- risk of cardiovascular disease, diabetes, cancer, and other life-threatening conditions,” said Dr. Christopher Murray, director of the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation at the University of

In a country best known for its extensive amounts of junk food establishments, it is no wonder why an obesity problem is on our hands. With nearly 15,000 McDonald's locations in the United States alone, it provides quick access to fast food, which remains as one of the leading factors in the increasing accumulation of obese adults in the nation. This number of obese people in America has been racking up simultaneously with the development of fast food and stagnant day jobs, which require little to no exercise. Sweatpants and leggings are accepted as everyday attire, allowing people to wear stretchy pants without the consequence of being able to notice any weight gain they may be experiencing. America as a whole has been neglecting the lifestyle

Obesity rates in the United States are alarming, with more than one-third of U.S. adults and 17% of children qualifying as obese with a Body Mass Index greater than 30.0 (Centers for Disease Control (CDC), 2015). Even more frightening is the growth rate of this crippling health epidemic; between 1980 and 2014, obesity has doubled for adults and tripled for children (CDC, 2015). The physical consequences of rising obesity rates in our country include an abundance of physical ailments including type-2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, sleep apnea, arthritis, elevated cholesterol, and even some cancers. Additionally, obesity-related health care costs to our country are estimated at $147 billion annually, plus the costs of productivity lost at

The trend of health care costs is still primarily based on treatment and less on prevention. Adult obesity is a significant cause of preventable chronic diseases and one cause of increased health care costs in the United States. The cost of obesity impacts each state and community. Adult obesity can be associated with chronic diseases like diabetes, heart disease, stroke, osteoarthritis, and some cancers, just to name a few, and account for more than 75 percent of U.S. health care cost. Currently, costs range from $147 billion to nearly $210 billion per year. If this trend continues, obesity-related medical costs alone could reach 66 billion a year by 2030.

My social issue of interest is physical inactivity. Four common beliefs about this phenomenon are: physical inactivity is the primary reason for obesity (false association commonly associated with fitness industry, physical education guidelines and mass media); physical inactivity is an individual issues, such as lack of motivation to exercise, and not a social or environment issue (emerging research is looking at the impact of physical and policy environment on physical activity levels, with mixed results); children and youth are naturally physically active (i.e., running around is part of childhood experience), but unfortunately, being active is less part of the daily routine of children and families; and modern technologies, such a vehicles and computers, have made us less active as a society (although this is true to a certain extent, the value that people place on the role of physical activity and the

Today's world is full of modern conveniences. Communication is at the touch of a button, you can drive right to the window and get handed a greasy, hot meal, and even walking has become bothersome. Trying to find that spot closest to the door is worth driving around the lot five times. Kids play more in virtual reality than outdoors, and parents who are strapped for time settle on quick, processed meals for dinner. Unfortunately, we've created an environment fit for the lazy. Instead of having to preform physical activities to function throughout the day, we must find time for physical activity, which might not be realistic for everyone. The fast food industry and quick processed dinners feed the consumer with no time for exercise, and the

While you may not be obese yourself, the obesity problem does affect everyone. In a research paper published by the Department of Health Policy at George Washington University, the average obese individual costs society an estimated $7000 a year or more due to lost productivity and an increase in medical needs. The paper notes that not only is obesity costing tax paying citizens more money, it also costs the obese individuals more money. Over the course of a lifetime, an obese person spends approximately $30,000 more than an average weight person in personal medical costs (Dor, A., et al.). Obesity and obesity related health issues are also responsible for an estimated 112,000 excess deaths a year (Flegal, Katherine M., et al.)

Passive and eco-friendly housing is becoming increasingly popular, and as more and more structures arise, learning provides scope for innovation, further cost saving and optimization. The rise of passive housing could have a possible impact on Global warming, an increasingly important topic, as housing contributes vastly to the cause: in 2009 buildings accounted for 43% of all the UK’s carbon emissions (gov.uk). Therefore, the UK Government aimed to reduce the UK’s greenhouse gas emission by at least 80% by 2050. To meet this target this could be achieved by moving to a more energy efficient, low-carbon economy. It would also help the UK become less reliant on imported fossil fuels and less exposed to higher energy prices in the future. Undoubtedly, some may have chosen to pursue a passive house as a way to protect the environment. Yet, at an individual level, the marginal benefit to society of extra investment is often considered as small compared to (in some cases) markedly increased costs. The important question, which will ultimately determine if passive housing will become a valid option for masses, is whether the additional spending is justified economically. The long term benefits of cost saving are visible (Passpedia (2015) Are Passive Houses cost-effective?), yet the marginal returns are decreasing. Therefore, Is the Passivhaus standard a cost effective way of achieving the UK CO2 emissions reduction target for new housing in practice?”. This research