The Obesity Epidemic Essay

Recently, obesity has become an epidemic in many parts of the world. The condition has accelerated in the past thirty to fifty years, and its health effects are devastating. Obesity is a leading contributor of type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, cancer, and countless other health concerns. Obesity is also the second leading preventable cause of death in the United States. Currently, around one in three Americans are obese. Now more than ever, obesity prevention in the health field…

How would you feel if I told you that there is no one state with an obesity rate lower than 20%? Take this information and compare it to twenty years ago when every state had an obesity rate lower than 15%. Obesity has become not only the number one cause in death, but according to David Zinczenko, editor-in-chief of Men’s Health and author of “Don’t Blame the Eater”, it is the number one cost in health care with numbers rising well over 100 billion dollars a year (196). There are many…

A recent study considered the framing of the obesity epidemic in UK newspapers from 1996 to 2010. It claims that during this fifteen year period there was an increase in media reporting on obesity. These figures may reflect the claims that obesity was on the increase during this period. However, an article in the Sociolgical Forum suggests that “Journalists sensationalise what they report on by using certain themes, language or metaphors to attract public attention” (Saguy & Almeling, 2008,…

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…

Have we all question ourselves what is childhood obesity? Well today about one in three children in America are overweight or obese, which has tripled since 1963. The American Heart Association, comments that among the children today, obesity has been causing a reach of health problem that was only seen in adulthood. Obesity not only affects children appearance or the fit of their clothing. The people that are obese most likely will have health problems such as joint problem, sleep apnea, and asthma…

The last decade has welcomed, with open arms, a new epidemic: obesity. Currently in the United States, more than one-third of adults, 35.7%, and approximately 17% of children and adolescents are obese. Obesity is not only a problem in the US but also worldwide with its prevalence doubling in high income and economically advanced countries and is also growing in under-developed areas. Its incidence rate is continually increasing with each successive generation and in each age group, including the…

Obesity is a tragic case that many people face today. Children especially face obesity at a young age due to many cases. Children are more likely face obesity if their parents, for example, eat fast food or processed goods. However, is the school lunch program a huge factor into children’s obesity? Schools can either provide only healthy foods or allow unhealthy options. In some cases, going healthy means they go into debt, or they can choose to allow unhealthy options and generate revenue. Schools…

overweight or obesity. BMI can be easily calculated by an individual’s weight in kilograms divided by the square of individual’s height in meters (kg / m^2). According to the World Health Organization, an individual is classified by BMI, in the following order: underweight = <18.5, normal weight = 18.5-24.9, overweight = 25-29.9, obesity = >30. BMI is useful to measure population because it is standardized in both sexes and all ages in adults. According to the WHO, overweight and obesity is the fifth…

Childhood obesity it is a huge problem. Over the past years, the number of obesity in children has increased. The number of obese children in the U.S. has increased over the past years. The number has obviously also grown due to the video games, computers, and televisions, which are considered to be needed now-a-days, and have begun to take over the importance of exercising. The lack of exercise can lead to obesity, which approaches lots of negative effects. Obesity continuously puts these children…

the fattest country in the world. Obesity in America has reach epidemic proportions. Obesity and weight gain has become major concern of public health in the United States. In every state, at least twenty percent of adults are obese, and in twelve of these states the obesity rate is above thirty percent. Mississippi currently holds the highest rate of obesity with 34.9 percent of its residents being obese. On the contrary, Colorado has the lowest rate of obesity with 20.7 percent. CNN estimated that…