The Correlation Between Obesity, Depression, and Physical Activity

An estimated 97 million adults in the United States are overweight or obese (Klein 2000). “"Affecting one in five Americans – or more than 22 percent of the U.S. population – obesity is one of the most pervasive health problems in our nation right now," said George L. Blackburn, M.D., Ph.D., associate professor of surgery and associate director of the Division of Nutrition at Harvard Medical School/Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts. "We need to implement steps to slow the progression of this national epidemic” (NAASO 1999). But the problem of obesity does not only affect the United States. "We now know that the growing prevalence of obesity is creating major health problems worldwide," said Dr. James O. Hill, president of the North American Association for the Study of Obesity (NAASO) and Professor of Pediatrics and Medicine at the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center. Obesity was once regarded as unique to Americans, but it is now seen as a global health risk affecting developing and underdeveloped countries (AOA 2000). Obesity is increasing at an epidemic rate in the United States - 1.3% a year for women over 20. Rates of obesity among minority populations, including African-Americans and Hispanic Americans are especially high (AOA 2000). There is also a marked increase in obesity among children.

Obesity has been a life long struggle. While myself and fifty percent of adults in the United States are battling obesity, the psychological effects have become larger than the obesity itself. Not only are we forced to deal with the physical effects of being overweight, I, like others have had to overcome the psychological effects as well. Low self esteem has been a challenge and has ultimately fueled my bout with depression. Although obesity, low self esteem, and depression are three separate issues, they are all linked and are all relevant to not only me, but to millions of Americans.

One in three Americans are at risk for more than 30 chronic illnesses due to obesity. It is the biggest driver of healthcare, costing the country millions of dollars each year. Poor eating habits are the main cause of this disease and could all be changed beginning with the youth of the nation. 20 million children under the age of five are now considered overweight or obese in America (Dyer). What was once a rare disease, has now become an epidemic. Few health topics have initiated as much debate and controversy as obesity has within the past 15 years. The hope of new treatments progresses as obesity becomes the norm of our society and continues to change America every day.

Many researches indicated that exercise have impact on mental disorders such as depression. Depression is a common problem that affects many people’s lives directly or indirectly, through their family members or friends. This paper will introduce the definition of exercise and depression, what the influence that exercise have on depression, biological supportive reason, under what circumstance the treatment have the best influence and the negative effects on certain condition.

Obesity is a threat to the health of this nation and is the root of many life-threatening ailments, including coronary heart disease, high blood pressure, stroke and type 2 diabetes (“What are the Risks of Obesity and Overweight” 2012). These diseases severely decrease the the quality of life for those affected, with many of the victims suffering greatly until they are consumed by death. The treatment of these diseases is expensive and it does not cure the underlying cause nor does it ameliorate its grueling side effects. 17% of children aged between 2 and 19 are obese (“Prevalence of Childhood Obesity” 2015), creating a new generation of obese Americans. These children are being plagued by diseases that previously solely affected adults, namely diabetes and heart disease. Along with the children, the elderly and middle-aged are prone to obesity as well. 40.2% of Americans between the ages of 40 and 59 are classified as obese, along with 37% of people over 60 (Ogden et. al., 2015). The quality of life for these individuals is severely diminished, and it is

It is no surprise that obesity is becoming an increasingly prominent health concern. In fact, since 1980 global obesity has almost doubled. (1) “The percentage of children aged 6-11 years in the United States who were obese increased from 7% in 1980 to nearly 18% in 2012. Similarly, the percentage of adolescents aged 12-19 years who were obese increased from 5% to nearly 21% over the same period.” (2) “35% of adults aged 20 and over were overweight in 2008, and 11% were obese.” (1) To put these percentages into perspective, in 2008 the world population was at almost 7 billion, more than 1.4 billion adults, 20 and older, were overweight, roughly 500 million were obese. (1) Obesity can no longer simply be a concern; it is a

The obesity rate in America has become a major national health issue over the last several decades. Increasingly alarming statistics have garnered national headlines. Current statistics place 68.5% of the U.S. population in classifications ranging from "overweight" to "super obese." Approximately 35% of all U.S. adults currently fall under the label of "obese".(Ogden, et al., 2014) Potentially more alarming is the prevalence of obesity in adolescents. U.S. youth are becoming obese at earlier and earlier ages. One out of six children ages 2-19 are now obese and fully one-third of adolescents are overweight or obese. (Ogden, Carroll, Curtin, Lamb, & Flegal, 2010) Between 1980 and 2000, obesity rates among adults doubled and tripled among adolescents. (CDC.gov)

Obesity is a chronic health condition characterized by presence of excess of body fat. Obesity is measured by using Body Mass Index (BMI) in children 2 years of age and older. The BMI is calculated by the body weight (in kilograms) divided by the height squared in meters. In adults, a BMI between 25 and 30 kg/m2 is regarded as overweight and a BMI greater or equal to 30 kg/m2 is regarded as obese. Obesity in adults is subcategorized as class I (BMI ≥30 to 35), class II (BMI ≥35 to 40), and class III (BMI ≥40) (Klish, 2016). It is associated with physiological ailments such as hypertension, Type 2 diabetes, heart disease, stroke, various forms of cancer, and is a key factor in metabolic syndrome (Must et al., 1999). A marked increase in the prevalence of overweight and obese children and adolescents has been observed all over the world in 80’s and 90’s. Evidence from the US suggests that this upward trend has continued into the 21st century ((Janssen et al., 2005). The prevalence of obesity among adolescents in the United States

In the United States alone, there are 17% (12.5 million) youth who are obese (Ogden et al, 2014). To analyze the obesity epidemic and obesity related factors in children and adolescents, a population-based study of obesity and its complication in children and adolescents was conducted (Yu-bin, 2013).

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

Childhood obesity has been a longstanding issue that researchers have been analyzing for many years. Researchers Wells, Eves, Beavis, & Ong (2014) states that obesity is one of the most rapid epidemics. The prevalence of obesity has increased ten percent from 1988 to 1994 with the incidence of being overweight in adolescents (12 to 19) increasing from 11% to 17%. A different study dating back to 1998, evaluated children that entered kindergarten that same year. Researchers realized that 14.9% of the children initially entered overweight and the prevalence of obesity will reach to 20% by the time they reach the 8th grade (Cunningham, Kramer, & Narayan 2012). They make the claim that this is not only true for the specific population but the

Did you know that obesity could affect young children and older adults? The United States of America has the second highest obesity rate among other countries. Obesity is being overweight often based on your body mass. Obesity rates have more than doubled in adults and children since the 1970’s. More than one-third of U.S. adults are obese, one in six children and adolescents are obese in the U.S. and, about 15 percent of low-income preschoolers are obese. Despite the attention of the health profession, the media, and the public, and mass educational campaigns about the benefits of healthier diets and increased physical activity, the prevalence of obesity in the United States has more than doubled over the

It’s no secret that obesity is a serious worldwide issue and a diseased affecting many people’s lives around the world and becoming a huge health problem. In the book titled I know someone who is obesity written by Sue Barraclough stated that over 400 million people on Earth are conceder obese since 2009. “In Nov. 2010 the US Surgeon General reported that an estimated 500,000 deaths per year were attributed to obesity. “According to BBC news Obesity was the third leading cause of death in 2015, after smocking and high blood pressure. For years scientists and studies have been trying to identify if obesity is a diseased or more of a condition.

Obesity is a condition that is influenced by your biological, genetic, behavioral, social, cultural, and environmental influences. Body mass index (BMI) is a measure used to determine childhood overweight and obesity. Overweight is defined as a BMI at or above the 85th percentile and below the 95th percentile for children and teens of the same age and sex (CDC, 2015). Obesity is defined as a BMI at or above the 95th percentile for children and teens of the same age and sex (CDC, 2015). Obesity can lead to death and is now the second leading cause of death in the United States of America and is likely to become the first (Mokdad, Marks, Stroup, & Gerberding, 2004). Unless this epidemic is successfully addressed, life expectancy will actually decline in the U.S. (Olshansky et al., 2005). Not only do obese individuals die earlier, but their quality of life is severely compromised; they are far more likely to suffer from diabetes and other complications like kidney failure, blindness, leg amputations, stroke, cancer, osteoarthritis and depression (Jebb, 2004). Childhood obesity is causing serious public health issues and in many countries threatening the sustainability of basic health care delivery by affecting all socio-economic groups, age, sex or ethnicity. Without being controlled or prevented, obese children most likely grow up to become obese adults. Childhood obesity is strongly linked to mortality and morbidity in adulthood and is linked to psychological problems, asthma,

Specific Aim 1 is to perform a longitudinal study on the population to compare the obese, depressed, and healthy population. This aim will test the hypothesis that Obesity and Depression have a correlational relationship. We will be accomplished by observing the entire population of Birmingham and grouping each individual with regards to age, sex, ethnicity, history of Single Major Depressive Disorder (MDD-S)(determined by the Composite International Diagnostic Interview test (CIDI), Repetitive Major Depressive Disorder (MDD-R)(determined by the CIDI test), Body Mass Index(BMI), Body Fat Percentage(BFP), and dietary habits. We will perform a continuous study with the developments of subject’s