Nutrition, Obesity, and Disease

Obesity is a leading preventable cause of death worldwide and its prevalence is increasing at an alarming rate (Barness et al, 2007). For thousands of years obesity was rarely seen, it was not until the 20th century that it became common, some much so that in 1997, the World Health Organization (WHO) formally recognized obesity as a global epidemic (Caballero, 2007).

Obesity remains an extremely serious issue worldwide. Once considered a problem for wealthier counties, overweight and obesity are now dramatically increasing in low and middle income countries (WHO, 2011). In American, the rates of obesity continue to soar. CDC (2009) recognizes obesity as a risk factor for diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, and other health problems. According to NHANES over two-thirds of the US are overweight or obese, and over one-third are obese (CDC, 2009). Treatment for this illness varies; it may include the incorporation of diet, exercise, behavior modification, medication, and surgery. Since there is no single cause of all overweight and obesity, there is no single way to prevent or treat overweight

Obesity is an epidemic and affects millions of people in the United States every day. This health problem affects everybody, not only adults but in people of all ages even children. It is also a disease, a disease from improper nutrition that requires long term medical treatment otherwise causing many health risks leading to death. “This isn't rocket science. People want to eat healthy diets, but they tend to eat whatever's convenient and affordable.

Adult overweight and obesity have become a worldwide issue that has very dangerous consequences on health. World Health Organization defines obesity as the “epidemic of the 21st Century”. WHO reports show that 1.9 billion people with 18 years age and older are overweight, and 600 million of them are obese. In the United States, obesity is a serious problem today that results from overconsumption of high-fat food and sugary food with lack of exercise. The Centers for Diseases Control and Prevention reports show that the obesity rates are above 20 percent in all states. Overweight and obesity have become a major public health issue because of their high rates of mortality and morbidity. People who are considered overweight or obese are at increased

This topic of obesity has been a rising issue for many years. There are many different reasons and predictions as to why the number for this disease is rising in America. Recent epidemiologic studies of diet and health outcomes including obesity have changed the focus to the overall diet quality and dietary pattern instead of single nutrients, such as dietary fat (Hu et al, 2000; Fung et al, 2001a, 2001b). The process starts with the lack of physical exercise and the food that people eat. As Americans, we need to picture more healthier foods to eat, have more physical activity to help food digest easier and faster. According to Campbell “to date, interventions have focused on improving the more amenable determinants of obesity: physical inactivity

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 WHO classifies an adult with a Body Mass Index (BMI) of 30 or above as being obese. The BMI tool is used globally, and is calculated by dividing a person’s body weight in kilograms by their height in inches. Bostram and Eliasson (2006) argue a serious weakness with BMI is that the measure cannot differentiate between fat and muscle mass, and that a change in girth or abdominal circumference is a better reflection on the onset of obesity among other associated problems such as type 2 diabetes. Obesity is one of the major public health issues affecting society and is fast becoming a major cause of death across the globe. Seidell & Halberstadt (2015) indicate that the prevalence of obesity is growing at an alarming rate, and over the last thirty years, overnutrition and obesity has transformed from a minor health issue which affected only the most affluent of societies, to being a major threat to public health throughout the world.

One thing that the world’s health experts and leaders can agree upon is that obesity is a major health problem in our modern era. Obesity is not only an aesthetic concern, there are also serious medical conditions associated with obesity such as diabetes type 2, heart disease, increased blood pressure, and increased cholesterol. In America alone, over 300,000 people die every year with obesity related health problems. (Sharma) That being said, worldwide there is little agreement about what is a safe BMI (Body Mass Index) to avoid the complications of obesity.

Obesity and overweight are because of caloric imbalance which has become one of the major and serious social concerns in America. Almost two third of adults in United States have become obese and overweight (Flegal et al., 2010). In spite of the media, the public, mass educational campaign, and health profession related to increased physical activity and benefits of a healthier diet, the occurrence of obesity is increasing in the United States with a rapid pace (Tompson et al., 2012). The rate of obesity has been doubled in recent decade, which is posing a serious challenge for health care professionals.

Obesity, the condition of being severely overweight, is a serious issue in the United States that is gradually beginning to affect more and more citizens. In recent years, the number of Americans suffering from this chronic disease has significantly increased. Researchers have found that nearly one third of the U.S. population is considered overweight and, on average, three hundred thousand individuals die yearly as a result of obesity (Hollands et al. 2). When one participates in little to no physical activity and their diet consists mostly of high fat foods, chances are they will gain weight. If someone becomes obese, they may develop serious health related issues that, in some cases,

Obesity basically means having too much body fat. Not being overweight for your height, having too much muscle, or water in your body. What exactly is obesity? “Obesity is a condition that is associated with having an excess of body fat, defined by genetic and environmental factors that are difficult to control when dieting. Obesity is classified as having a Body Mass Index (BMI) of 30 or greater. BMI is a tool used to measure obesity. Obesity increases your risk of developing related conditions such as diabetes, hypertension and sleep apnea, to name a few. Many individuals are affected by obesity and are not aware of it” (O.A.C, 2016). Causes of obesity vary from person to person, but most are from the same reasons. Taking in more calories than your body can burn leads to obesity because your body stores the unused calories as fat. Typical causes are eating too much food than your body can use, drinking too much alcohol, and not getting enough exercise. Many obese people who lose large amounts of weight and gain it back think it is their fault. They blame themselves for not having the willpower to keep the weight off. Many people regain more weight than they lost. Today, we know that biology is a big reason why some people cannot keep the weight off. Some people who live in the same place and eat the same foods become obese, while others do not. Our bodies have a complex system to help keep our

Nutrition and weight status is a vitally important issue as obesity is on the rise in the United States. One third of children in this country ages 2-19 are either overweight or obese and this potentially sets them up to develop diabetes and other comorbidities during their lifetime (U.S. Task Force, 2010). It is important to promote health by way of consumption of healthy foods, getting adequate exercise and maintaining a healthy body weight and body image. The Let’s Move initiative, founded by First Lady Michelle Obama, approaches the obesity epidemic at a grassroots level and encourages children to eat healthy, get active and take actions towards a healthy lifestyle ("Let’s Move," n.d.).

The everyday routines of life can and will be more difficult if encumbered with obesity.

Obesity is a condition in which the over accumulation of adipose fat tissue causes the weight of a person to increase abnormally. Their weight exceeds by 20%, as a factor of their ideal body weight. According to recent analysis, statistics show that more than one third of the world’s population is targeted by obesity. Research shows that overweight and obesity kills more people than underweight. Obesity occurs greatly amongst adults who are 18 years or older. An estimated 600 million adults were obese out of the 1.9 billion that were overweight, around the world in 2014. One in three adults in Mexico, New Zealand and United States are obese, and one in four adults in Australia, Canada, Chile and Hungary are obese. In contrast, rates of obesity are much lower in Asian countries, where approximately 2-4% of adults have obesity. In countries such as Mexico and the United States, Latino and Africans have the highest rates of obesity amongst all the individuals. However, along with adults, statistics show that the rates for obesity are also high among children within and below the age of 5. As calculated in 2013, the number of children across the world that were either overweight or obese was 42 million. Since then, the rates have increased by 30% more in in low- and middle-income countries than in developed countries. Due to the fact that this condition continues at higher rates across the world, several organizations, such as the World Health Organization, are working with and