Government Involvement in Obesity It is evident today in society that obesity levels have increased throughout the years. According to the National Health and Nutrition Survey, more than two out of three adults are considered to be overweight or obese, and one-third of children from ages six to nineteen are considered to be overweight or obese (“Overweight and Obesity Statistics”). This is a dramatic increase since the 1960’s, almost doubled. There is not enough awareness in the United States on the issue. We are one of the most overweight countries of the world. The government must obtain a more positive and enlightened role in America’s obesity levels. Why has the obesity rated doubled in adults and tripled in children since the 1960’s? There is a very simple explanation. Americans are not aware of the severity of the problems with being overweight. The government and media do not emphasize the importance of being healthy and in shape. Obesity has been defined as a culture-bound phenomenon. In the United States, many have just accepted this epidemic to be normal. As the years fly by, we begin to not take notice on people’s body weights. This may because the media is starting to portray a new slogan of “everybody is beautiful- no matter the size and shape.” Although this is a very positive message, it allows the public to believe that being overweight is acceptable. In reality, being overweight affects your heath in numerous, horrible ways. Being overweight means you
Obesity continues to be a problem in the United States. With obesity rates on the rise something must be done to prevent this massive issue. Seventeen percent of children and adolescents about 12.5 million are obese (Diet). Obesity is the result of a rise in fat that accumulated over time due to the lack of exercise and having a calorie surplus due to unhealthy food. An adult with a BMI (body mass index) higher than 30% is considered to be obese (Obesity). There isn’t a direct focus on obesity, because people don’t think it’s an important issue. To ensure a better future, solution is needed now. The solution to ending the obesity epidemic by encouraging a healthier lifestyle on children at young ages, improving nutrition at schools and restaurants, as well as providing more time and space for citizens to get physically active.
During the past 20 years, there has been a substantial increase in obesity in the United States and rates remain high. More than one-third of U.S.
“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 becoming a serious medical issue and if we as a nation don’t gain control over it, we are going to be dealing with major problems in the future. (Obesity In Children And Teens)
The new generation continues to increasingly fall under obesity’s evil spell. Although many Americans recognize that their children are obese, they fail to accept that this is an epidemic that should be controlled and given dramatic attention to. Research suggests that childhood obesity in the United States has doubled in the past decade. Despite the fact that we have necessary resources to control these statistics, Americans continue to expose their youngsters to unhealthy and fattening meals. It is no joke that America is the fattest nation in the world. Thus, preventing this serious issue should be perceived as a life-or-death situation where if we fail to control it, many more overweight children will grow up to be obese adults in the future.
America is facing a growing danger that has been gradually taking more and more years off of the life expectancy of its citizens. Obesity has been a growing issue throughout the United States over the last few decades and is one of the leading causes of preventable deaths in the country. This health issue, particularly childhood obesity, is definitely a health equity issue that needs to be addressed. Being overweight stems from and creates its own complexities that undoubtedly affect the determinants of health. There are two main angles public health can attack this issue from; developing a healthy public policy and developing personal skills with regards to health.
The obesity epidemic has become one of the worst illnesses nationwide over the past few decades. Obesity is technically defined as a disorder that involves excessive body fat which increases the risk for health problems or concerns. The most concerning part of America’s obesity epidemic is the percentage that affects the children. The major question, is can we as Americans do anything to change the obesity rate?
Obesity is becoming one of the biggest problems in the country, but there has to be reasons for it. It can be the economy, society now, or people and companies. It’s time that our country starts to realize that we can’t live like this anymore. We need to see what is causing the sudden rise in obesity, and what we can do to fix it. Education of risks and solutions can be very helpful. Obesity is killing so many people, yet is still 100 percent avoidable. Our country is beginning to care less and really let themselves go. The fast food industry, supermarkets, and schools are the ones at fault for the spreading problem of obesity.
One of the most commonly discussed issues of America in the last few decades has been obesity. It remains one of the biggest problems in American society and requires a careful, systematic but also immediate solution. Obesity is a term used to describe body weight that is much greater than what is considered healthy. Today, 65% of adults in the U.S. are overweight and half of those are obese. The rates for children are smaller but they are not satisfying either: 15% are overweight and another 15% are headed that way (Lemonick). Besides the aesthetic problems for many people that this condition creates, it is most importantly known as the main cause of serious health problems as well.
Obesity has been on the rise in America and is reaching all time heights. Obesity in America is at 27.7 percent and 1 in 5 children in America are obese currently and many will have to deal with it throughout their lifetime. With almost a third of our population struggling with this problem, the increasing obesity rates are becoming a major concern. Even though there isn’t a single answer to why obesity has become so prevalent, there are many contributing factors such as socio-economic status, the rise in technology, fast food, car culture, politics, socio-economic status, stress, and biology.
The rate of childhood obesity has grown an enormous amount over the years with more than 40 million children being overweight! That number is astonishingly high and it is very obvious that something needs to be done about this. Studies had shown in 2008 that more than 40 million children were said to be overweight and the sad truth is that they are still increasing rapidly to this day; also every 1 in 4 teenagers is said to not reach the fitness guidelines (Tanner) according to an article by Lindsey Tanner. For this problem to be resolved not only do the parents of children need to make sure their kids are staying active but also, the schools they attend need to make sure they are getting a well-balanced meal and have some type of physical activity during their school day. Each state in America is given a percentage rate on the number of obese people in that particular state. The highest ranking state is Mississippi with a percentage of 34.9 and the state ranking the least is Connecticut with 24.5 percent. Different researches have shown that each day 850 lives are taken due to obesity and each year there are more than 300,000 people that die from obesity related illnesses. These are deaths that most likely could have been avoided if these individuals would have had the proper exercise and diet in their lives.
There is a epidemic facing that has facing Americans for years. It’s not the regular epidemic that people are used to such as illness or some other outbreak. Obesity is affecting people of every age and gender more in the past ten years, then from the years 1900-1999. According to research done by the National Institute of Health, 1 in 3 adults are considered obese and 1 in 6 children ages ranging from 6 to 19 year old are considered obese today. This makes us the number one most obese nation in the world. Compared to the 1960s, the average American today is 24 pounds heavier says research from Trust for America’s Health. Why is this though, that obesity has tripled for adults and doubled for Children? Could it
America is facing a rigorous obesity plague that is endangering the health of millions. Moreover, we are passing our bad practices down to our children. Obesity is a stipulation in which anomalous or excessive fat buildup in adipose tissue that damages health. Obesity is defined in adults as a body mass index (BMI) exceeding 30 (kg/m). Obesity is one of the most discernible, but until recently, most deserted public health problems. The present high pervasiveness of obesity and the brisk increase in pervasiveness in the last twenty years has been referred to as an endemic (Johnson SJ, Birch LL. 1994). Children all through the U.S. are getting fatter and less fit, through potentially treacherous enduring consequences. The figure of
It is important to gather data regarding the risk, number or people affected and morality pertaining to cardiovascular disease. Different surveillance methods are used to obtain reporting information regarding CVD. This information is beneficial to physicians, health care providers, and people in the community. It provides data that can be used to establish prevalence in different categories. It provides evidence and allows for issues to be prioritized. This is extremely important because different nations, states, counties, and cities are able to factors pertinent to their areas. The United States uses the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) to gather information about the health and nutritional status from households of different people (CDC Centters for Disease Control and Prevention (n.d.). National health and nutrition examination survey). The NHANES combines information from completed surveys and physical examinations of people. This data is used to identify make changes and implement policies. It is also used to identify ways to improve the health care of the entire population. Baselines regarding different diseases are established using this information on a national level. The state of Ohio uses self reporting to obtain the prevalence of heart disease (Healthy Ohio, n.d). They use a Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) to obtain this information about their residents. This information will allow programs to be implemented to
Obesity has caused great dilemma in America. It was known as an adult disease. “Over two thirds of adults are over weight or obese.”(Obesity, Jerry R Ballenttne) these numbers are increasing rapidly. Obesity is not just a appearance