Obesity Epidemic Essay

The American Obesity Epidemic The American obesity epidemic is an issue that has become increasingly prevelant over the years. While this is a very large and complex issue, it can be primarily pin-pointed to a few key factors, such as poverty, lifestyle, and the types and availability of food these days. The largest contributing factor to obesity in this country is poverty. Charles L. Baum discusses this extensively in his article The Effects of Food stamps on Obesity. “Poverty has historically

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

Introduction The World Health Organization (WHO) defines obesity as the excessive accumulation of fat that puts the person’s health at risk (Lenzi et al., 2015). The prevalence of obesity has increased worldwide over the past three decades. According to Holtz (2016), obese people have outnumbered the undernourished, with the World Health Organization estimating that 1.9 billion adults are overweight, out of which about 600 million are obese. Given the recent trends, it is estimated that 1.12 billion

To understand whether or not an obesity epidemic exists, one has to define obesity and determine what suggests an epidemic. According to the National Institute of Health (NIH) (2015), obesity means having too much body fat which can occur when one has more caloric intake than one uses, which is different for each person. In comparison, overweight means weighing too much and may result from bone, fat, muscle and body water (NIH, 2015). In both obesity and overweight, an individual’s weight is considered

The obesity epidemic proves to be an issue in America and continues to grow with time. In simple terms, obesity is a disorder where the subject has increasing amounts of fat, leading to health problems in the future. This epidemic has steadily increased in American bodies for decades and researchers have tried to find the root causes of this problem. Though there is controversy as to what is the primary cause of this rising epidemic, it is clear that there are many factors that contribute to the

Childhood obesity is not just an issue in United States- it is an growing epidemic. Obesity epidemic in kids has increased by alarming rate just in last few decades. Nearly one in every five child is obese in the United States. If the pattern of obesity continued on most of America’s children will be living with diabetes, heart disease, and dying young due to obesity. The American Heart Association reported this year that childhood obesity is the top health concern among parents in the United States

evidence that Americans are among the most overweight across the globe, this issue is constantly ignored. We hear about obesity being one of the most prevalent issues in America yet through the years this issue seems to worsen. Although Obesity may not be taken seriously by many, it is one of the leading health issues in America today. Many don’t understand the causes of this obesity epidemic, but being educated on this topic is the best way to prevent and control this issue. A recent study from the Nation

Introduction Obesity is becoming an outrageous and alarming health issue in today’s society. Children are rapidly getting engulfed by this pandemic every day. According to the book Public Health 101: Health People-Healthy Populations, pandemic can be defined as, “An epidemic occurring worldwide, or over a very wide area, crossing international boundaries and affecting a large number of people” (Riegelman, Kirkwood, 2015). The World Health Organization estimates that 43 million children worldwide

the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Obesity does not only mean a bigger waist line, but also a greater chance at developing life-threating health problems. Preventable diseases such as “heart disease, type 2 diabetes and certain types of cancer” are increased in individuals who are considered obese (CDC). While physical activity plays an important role in a healthy lifestyle, what one consumes is also a significant factor. With obesity at staggering high rates, healthy food choices should

Obesity rates are soaring throughout North America (What Is Obesity?, 2013). With obesity reaching almost epidemic proportions in the United States, and the threat of a global epidemic, we must watch this alarming increase carefully ( Health Risks of Obesity, 2013). Obesity is defined as: "…an excess of adipose tissue…" (A Report of the Surgeon General, 2014). The two most common measures of obesity are Body Mass Index (BMI is a ratio of weight to height) and relative weight index, such as percent