Obesity: A Result of Poor Diet or an Inherited Condition?

Obesity is when a person has excess body fat. It is calculated by dividing one’s weight by his or her height to get the body mass index (BMI=kg/m^2). This number is also used to screen for health problems that maybe be caused by certain weight categories. A BMI of 25-29.9 is considered to be overweight and over thirty is considered obese. A third of children are overweight (CDC, 2014). Obesity leads to significant physical and mental health consequences. Obese children are at risk for bone and joint problems, sleep apnea, type two diabetes, high cholesterol, coronary artery disease and hypertension (CDC, 2014).

People are usually identified as obese based on their Body Mass Index (BMI). The average BMI is ranged from 18.5 to 24.9, and overweight BMI is 25-29.9 (Defining Overweight and Obesity, 2012). When a person’s BMI reaches 30 and above, he or she is probably obese. At least one out of three people in United States suffer from obesity which means one third of the nation population needs treatment. In 2013, obesity has been officially recognized as a disease by the American Medical Association. The debate for obesity as a medical disease has never stopped ever since. However, while smoking and alcoholism are addictive and harmful, we hardly consider them as diseases. So why should obesity be a medical disease? Does labeling obesity a disease help calm the epidemic? If obesity is not a disease, how should we label it?

Obesity is defined as defined as abnormal or excessive fat accumulation that may impair health. Obesity is not only based on an individual’s weight but also their BMI. A BMI greater than or equal to 25 is overweight. A BMI greater than or equal to 30 is obesity ((Organization, 2013). Obesity is the most common preventable deaths and the fifths leading health risk globally. Obesity has also been linked to other debilitating diseases and can increase a person’s chances of being hospitalized. Obesity-related conditions include heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes and certain types of cancer, some of the leading causes of preventable death (cdc.gov, 2014).

The demographics of obesity are individualized to a person’s ideal weight for their height and body type. Obesity is categorized by having an excess of weight that is well outside of the medically accepted range based on height. There are varying degrees of obesity and being overweight is not the same as obesity. Obesity is categorized as being 20% or greater than the ideal weight for the individual (PAMF, 2011). The WHO's definitions of "overweight" and "obese" are based on an individual's body mass index (BMI), which measures weight relative to height. Overweight is marked by a BMI greater than or equal to 25 and obese is defined as having a BMI greater than or equal to 30 (World Health Organization, 2012). While it is widely accepted that Americans are one of the most overweight countries in the world, many other nations have seen steady increases in their rates of obesity. Epidemiological data has shown that countries all over the world have been steadily gaining weight in all genders, ethnic groups, ages and educational levels (World Health Organization, 2012). According to the national Institute of Health, 15.5% of teenagers were obese (2006). This means that a large

The pathophysiology of obesity is when there is a buildup of excess body fat. This excess body fat is determined by calculating a person body mass index (BMI). The BMI is calculated by an individual’s weight in kilograms divided by the square of a person’s height in metersthis allows us to come up with appropriate range of weight to an individual’s height. The body mass index is used to find out if an individual is overweight or obese. Individuals who’s BMI that have a range of 25 to 29.99 are thought to be pre- obese and overweight When an individual body mass index has surpassed 30kg this person is considered obese. As an individual’sBMI increases they become part of a different class of obesity there’s class I which is 30-34.9, class II

Obesity and being overweight are problems in America that are continuing to exacerbate each and everyday.  According to Jan Simmonds, being a few pounds above an individual's ideal weight is considered overweight; while obesity is being more than twenty percent above an individual's ideal weight (3).  Ideal weight is a number based on one's height and body frame.  TeensHealth states, "Obese people are very overweight and at risk for serious health problems" (1).  Obesity is life threatening and there are many side effects associated with being obese.

Obesity, or being overweight, is a common problem today. Walk down any street in America and a large majority of people seen will be overweight or obese. Obesity is determined by a measure of body mass index (BMI), which is an indicator of fat content in the body. The BMI score can be obtained by dividing weight in pounds (multiplied by 703) by height in inches squared. A BMI of 25 to 29.9 is considered overweight while a BMI of 30 or more indicates that one is obese. Being overweight affects nearly one third of the population of the United States, with another one third obese, and a portion of those are considered morbidly obese (a BMI of 40 or more). This statistic includes adults, adolescents, and school-aged children. Glassman, Glassman,

An individual is often labeled “obese” when his or her weight is greater than what is considered to be healthy for his or her given height. The individual’s body mass index (BMI) is a reliable

Obesity is an ongoing epidemic in our county and our world. Carrying around excess weight isn’t just uncomfortable, it also poses a variety of very serious health threats, such as heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure, diabetes, some cancers, osteoarthritis, and gout. Also some breathing problems, such as sleep apnea and asthma. My peers talked about the difference of being obese and overweight. The difference of the two is how your BMI ranges. BMI stands for body mass index meaning that your height is appropriate to your weight. Scientist say that checking your BMI is easy, you just take your weight in kilograms over your height in centimeters squared. Google says More than 35% of U.S. adults are obese, and more than 34% are overweight in the united States. Obesity affects 17% of all children and adolescents in the United States, which is three times more from just one generation ago. Nearly 32% of children and adolescents are either overweight or obese. Obesity in the united states comes from the lack of exercise and the overconsumption of food. Schools getting rid of gym or recess doesn 't help our issue and their school lunches don 't help either. Obesity is an epidemic because it is growing faster than we think and there are many health risk involved with being overweight, the length of your life can change drastically because of your lack of knowledge of food and exercise. Another example of one of my classmates topics is Cyber bullying is an issue in our way of

Obesity is measured using the Body Mass Index formula, this calculates the body fat by dividing body weight in kilograms to determine if an individual is a healthy weight range for their height (Australian Institute of Health and Welfare [AIHW], 2004). Childhood obesity can occur from eating large amounts of unhealthy and high energy dense food and drink or a lack of physical activity or a combination of both, is then stored as fat as they are not burning enough energy, other contributing factors to weight gain include a child’s race, ethnicity, socio-economic barriers, environmental influences, the lack of parental health knowledge and guidance and genetics (Berkowitz and Borchard, 2009). Obesity has a strong genetic

One of the biggest health concern in the united states today is obesity. It has been proven that approximately 36 percent of adults and 17 percent of children and adolescents are obese. Obesity is defined as the condition of being grossly fat or overweight. Obesity can also be represented as “BMI” which simply means body mass index. Most people will pay little or no attention to obesity, but obesity is a dangerous health issue that can result in death. Some of the factors that contribute to obesity are overeating, diseases, drugs and lack of exercise. Behaviors can also be a contributing factor to obesity. Behaviour such as physical activity and dietary patterns.

Diabetes is a disease that occurs when your blood glucose, also called blood sugar, is too high. Currently the number of obese children is increasing in our country and it is a problem that should be concerned. Doctors often use a formula based on height and weight, called body mass index (BMI), to determine obesity. Children with a BMI over 21 is considered obese and over 18 is overweight (Arnett, J.J.2016). Adults with a BMI of 30 or more are considered obese. Severe obesity, also known as severe obesity or morbid obesity, occurs when a BMI of 40 or more is present. With morbid obesity, there may be serious health problems. If children do not have enough activities, they will

Body Mass Index (BMI) is a measurement tool used to determine excess body weight. Overweight is defined as a BMI of 25 or more, obesity is 30 or more, and severe obesity is 40 or more. Overall the problem stems from the general citizens lack of work ethic; in recent years that ethic has declined severely. It is the inability or flat out unwillingness to work and/or struggle to get what you want. The table below highlights the increasing obesity problem.

The ease of slipping on a pair of jeans turns into a battle between a thigh and pant leg while exerting too much pressure on the diaphragm; a loss of breath incurs. How can obesity be defined? This can be described as a critical medical condition in which the body fat has been accumulated in an abnormal way especially in the abdominal area. To be considered obese, a person’s Body Mass Index (BMI) must be 30 or greater, and this measurement can be calculated by dividing the person’s height and weight. Without having the need to find data, just looking around, more people are becoming overweight or obese. Where one problem begins,

These include obesity, diabetes, and several heart conditions. Obesity is the term used for someone who qualifies as significantly overweight. A BMI (Body Mass Index) records weight in relation to height. A BMI of 25 is overweight and a BMI of 30 is obese. Obesity is not a disease in its self but it can lead to different health issues, some fatal. Obesity can be related to eighty percent of type two diabetes, seventy percent of cardiovascular disease, thirty percent to gall bladder surgeries, and forty two percent to breast and colon cancer. Unfortunately, obesity rates in people are rising rapidly. The United States alone had an obesity rate of twenty six percent in 2007. Some cases of obesity are gene related, but most other cases are a result of improper dieting and exercise among the individual ("Why Is Proper Nutrition Important?", Case Western Reserve University).