Obesity: A Media Created Epidemic Essays

The definition of obesity is someone who is grossly overweight. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) defines obesity as: "...labels for ranges of weight that are greater than what is generally considered healthy for a given height" (Causes and Consequences 1). Almost one-third (35%) of America's population falls under the category of 'obese'. Colorado has the lowest statistics of obesity with less than 25% of its population registering as obese. This percentage in the U.S. has been rising steadily since 1986 when the obesity rate registered less than 10% nation wide. This data states that in less than thirty years, the obesity rate has exploded in North America and is still climbing. Many fear the rate might continue climbing to dangerous levels in the near future. A study conducted by the American College of Preventive Medicine (Obesity Forecasts Through 2030) reveals data predicting obesity rates to skyrocket past 50% nationwide by 2030 (Finkelstein 1). This quickly growing rate has many looking to the cause of this epidemic in an attempt to

Obesity is associated with an increased risk of illness, disability, and

Obesity is a common disease that makes a person massively overweight. This disease can potentially be lethal if not treated correctly. In addition, this could also lead to other common diseases such as heart disease and diabetes and cancer..

As more research is conducted, it has been found that, contrary to popular belief, obesity in aging individuals has been associated with increased survival time. This phenomenon is referred to as the “obesity paradox” (Childers and Allison, 2010). An unexpected finding has shown that people who are 65-years-old and over have a slower rate of mortality if they are overweight

Obesity in the United States has been a serious problem affecting Americans and has been continually growing higher in numbers each year. American obesity has nearly doubled within the last 40 years and is now considered to be an epidemic that is affecting millions of people around the nation. According to the National institute of Diabetes and digestive and kidney Diseases, 31% of men and 35% of women are considered seriously overweight, along with 15% of children between the ages of six and nineteen are also overweight. The lack of physical inactivity and extreme poor dieting are catching up to almost the same threat as cigarettes and tobacco smoking. We as a nation are considered to be the fattest country in the world.

As matter of fact, in the article, Obesity in the United States: Public Perceptions it states, “The U.S. public considers obesity second only to cancer as the nation’s most serious health issue, with conditions closely related to obesity—diabetes and heart disease—tied for third” (T. Tompson, J. Benz, J. Agiesta, K.H. Brewer, L. Bye, R. Reimer, D. Junius). Americans must realize their nutrition affects their health and over all well being greatly. If Americans do not try to prevent obesity now when they can, they will look for help when it will be too late or too hard for them to lose the weight. Obesity is one of the most complex, chronic medical conditions and successful treatment often requires the support and care of healthcare professionals. Health authorities, and doctors have had to make a stand about the current situation the United States is in. For example, The Publics Perception of the Obesity epidemic argues, “Obesity has been called a major health crisis and a national epidemic. Health authorities, including prominent spokespeople like Michelle Obama and the Surgeon General, have sounded the alarm, and the media has responded with a bombardment of stories about the state of the nation’s waistline” (Cornell University). Americans should consider changing some of their diets because the unhealthy foods

Health issues are a major problem for obese people. High blood pressure is one of the many issues associated with obesity. It's also the number one cause of death in Americans older then 25 with 75 million people suffering from high blood pressure in America today. (Center for Disease Control). Type two diabetes is also a major concern when it comes to obesity. According to the world

Obesity is the condition of being largely overweight. Rogan Kersh has a PHD in political science from Yale University and is also a professor at Yale University. Kersh says, “The continuing rise in obesity rates across the United States has proved impervious to clinical treatment or public health exhortation,” in his article, “The Politics of Obesity: A Current Assessment and Look Ahead” (Kersh). This quote shows that despite treatment, obesity is still prevalent in America. Many Americans are not aware of the prevalent issue of obesity; obesity is an expensive disease to treat, and it is also likely to lead to severe health implications such as diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease,

It’s estimated that nearly 1/3 of people suffer from obesity in North America. Rather than being a part of the solution, the media has a portrayal of what one should and should not look like, what is beautiful and what is not, typically possessing unrealistic standards and showing those that are overweight, as weak-willed individuals, who generally are blue collared individuals. This paper shall discuss obese individuals and how they are portrayed on television or on online streaming programming. Secondly, this paper shall discuss why this group has such a negative portrayal. Third, this paper will discuss what social pressures and production forces shape these portrayals. Finally, this paper will incorporate a media theory and explain what effects it has on the audiences and how obese individuals are typically treated in society.

Obesity is a chronic disease that can lead to other serious illness. Maxfield briefly touches that obesity can be a factor when it comes to “heart disease, diabetes, and cancer” (Maxfield). Gaines provides a deeper understanding of how dangerous obesity can be. In 2013,

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

Obesity can cause a plethora of health issues. When BMI rates rise so does the rate of disease and disorders. Obesity can lead to health ailments like cardiovascular disease, diabetes and various types of cancer. Obesity caused ailments are preventable. Around 300,000 deaths occur each year from obesity related issues. This makes in one of the top causes of preventable death in the United States. In 2010 estimated cost of obesity was 190.2 billion and accounted for nearly 21% of the annual

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.

Obesity is a health risk and can lead to a range of medical conditions and complications (Medibank, 2010). An obese person has a higher possibility to suffer form many cardiovascular and musculoskeletal diseases and some cancers, e.g., type 2 diabetes, osteoarthritis, and pancreas cancer (Medibank, 2010). In addition, being overweight can hamper the ability to control or manage chronic disorders (Peeters and Backholer 2012). As the level of excess weight increases, so does the risk of developing these conditions (Aihw.gov.au, 2014).

Obesity can cause other health problems to occur. There is a direct like between obesity and type 2 diabetes. It also put you at higher risk of developing certain types of cancer and other illnesses