Obesity And The American Medical Association

Obesity has played a major role in media over the last decade. With growing concern over the issue, a controversy over whether obesity is a disease itself or not has developed. Obesity, by definition, is a condition that is characterized by excessive accumulation and storage of fat in the body, usually indicated by a body mass index of 30 or greater. According to the currently accepted definition of disease, a condition of the body or one of its parts that impairs normal functioning and is typically manifested by distinguishing signs and symptoms, it can be concluded that obesity does not meet the criteria to be classified as a disease.

Obesity is usually defined by using the body mass index (BMI). A persons BMI is worked out by dividing the persons weight in kilograms by their height in meters squared. To be classified as obese a person’s BMI will be equal to or over 30. (CDC, 2015)

In the United States today, obesity has become an enormous problem. In the last 3 decades, the number of people overweight has increased dramatically. A study done by the Centers of Disease Control showed that since 1980, one third of our adult population has become overweight. America is the richest but also the fattest nation in the world and our obese backsides are the butt of jokes in every other country (Klein 28). The 1980s were a time when Americans suddenly started going crazy over dieting, jumping onto the treadmills, and buying prepackaged non-fat foods. However, while all of that was going on, the number of obese Americans began to increase. According to a report in the Journal of the American Medical Association, 58 million

Individuals with a body mass index of 30 or higher are considered to be obese. Body max index is the way you are able to calculate a person’s health conditions based on their height and weight.

The higher the number, the more the body fat a person has. BMI, however, does not work the same way for everyone. Bodybuilders may have a very high BMI, despite not being obese, leading to incorrect readings and on the other hand, older people might have low BMI, but that is because they have lost muscle mass and not because they are obese. Hence, BMI is different for every person and is not a good way to generalize how a person’s physique should be judged. BMI should be evaluated by a health care provider who will be using various sources, along with BMI, in order to figure out how unhealthy or fit a person really

In order to identify a condition as a disease, it should fit certain criteria. One of the reasons that obesity is classified as a disease is because of its large comorbidity. Obesity is a risk factor for chronic diseases such as hypertension, dyslipidaemia, type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, sleep apnoea, musculoskeletal disorders and some cancers (Rossner, 2002). According to Rossner (2002), the death rate from all causes, cardiovascular disease, cancer and other diseases increases among moderate and severe overweight men and women in all age groups. Therefore, obesity is

Dalton revisits the controversial issue of whether obesity should be declared a disease or not. In the author's opinion, obesity is not a disease. With that in mind, this book will offer a sound basis for my assertion that obesity cannot be regarded a disease but a contributing factor to ill health.

Although many individuals are uncertain about the increasing statistics associated with obesity, more than seventy percent of men and virtually sixty-two percent of women within the United States adult population are overweight or obese (Wilmore, Costill, & Kenney). Obesity refers to the condition of having an excessive amount of body fat. If an individual’s amount of body fat becomes too excessive, he/she is at a much greater risk of developing life-altering diseases such as heart failure, hypertension, type II diabetes, cancer, gallbladder disease, osteoarthritis, etc. (Wilmore, et al., 2008).

Contains evidence or examples (quotes): “Obesity means having too much body fat. It is different from being overweight, which means weighing too much.” More specifically, “The most common way to determine if a person is overweight or obese is to calculate body mass index (BMI). BMI is an estimate of body fat based on comparing a person’s weight to his or her height.” Using a BMI calculator you can determine if you are overweight or obese. 18.5 to 24.9 is considered normal, 25.0 to 29.9 is considered overweight, 30.0 to 39.9 is considered obese, and 40.0 and higher is considered extremely obese.

What is obesity? Obesity, as defined by the National Institutes of Health, is having a BMI (Body Mass Index) of 30 or more. BMI is a person's weight in kilograms divided by his or her height in meters squared. Since the BMI describes the body weight relative to height, it is strongly correlated to the total amount of body fat. Obesity affects 1 in every 3 Americans and is the cause of 1 in every 10 deaths in the United States. Obesity rates have doubled worldwide since 1980, and they continue to increase each year in the United States. But, should obesity be considered a disease? Some say yes because obesity meets the definition of a disease; it impairs the body, just like other diseases; and it can be a genetic disorder. Others say no because obesity is not a disease itself but it is a risk factor for other diseases; it results from eating too much; and it results from not exercising enough.

Attention Step: How many of you all know of someone who is overweight? How many of you all know of someone who is dead because of weight problems? Obviously, a serious factor that is going on across the United States is obesity. According to The Gale Encyclopedia of Fitness written by the authors Rosalyn Carson-DeWitt and William Atkins, the definition of obesity means that it is a health condition where an excessive amount of body fat is inside the human body. This excessive body fat can cause health related issues including illness, disability, and worst of all, death (Carson-DeWitt and Atkins 615).

For example, a person could weigh 200 lbs at 5 feet and their BMI would be 39.1, while obesity is a BMI of 30 and above. But what if that person were a short body builder? BMI doesn't take into account the weight of muscle or bone density. Body shape is also of some importance; if someone has 50 extra pounds in their thighs they are at less risk for heart disease than someone with 50 extra pounds in their waist. Visceral fat, or fat located directly around the organs, is linked to many risk factors including insulin resistance. 26 million people in America have diabetes, and 90% - 95% of those are type two. According to the American Diabetes Association, 85.2% of people with type two diabetes are overweight.

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).

Obesity is defined as an abnormal condition where a person accumulated so much body fat that may impair an individual’s health.