StudentShare
Contact Us
Sign In / Sign Up for FREE
Search
Go to advanced search...
Free

The Levels of Obesity in the USA - Coursework Example

Cite this document
Summary
The paper 'The Levels of Obesity in the USA' presents the number of calories that are consumed is far way higher than the ones expended is known as obesity. It is the condition of having an excess amount of body. It occurs when susceptible individuals are heavily exposed to obesity surroundings…
Download full paper File format: .doc, available for editing
GRAB THE BEST PAPER91.8% of users find it useful
The Levels of Obesity in the USA
Read Text Preview

Extract of sample "The Levels of Obesity in the USA"

Obesity in America Obesity in America! How changes in eating habits in particular, as well other lifestyle changes in general, brought on by Globalization and Westernization are affecting the levels of Obesity in the USA. Introduction A disorder of energy balance, where the number of calories that are consumed are far way higher than the ones expended is known as obesity. It is the condition of having excess amount of body. It occurs when the susceptible individuals are heavily exposed to the obesity-promoting surroundings. This condition, especially in the United States of America, has increased among the individuals to a point where it is perceived as a normal condition. Strictly speaking, obesity is today not only prevalent in the United States of America. but the whole world and is being regarded as a global epidemic. Most people find it hard differentiating between just being overweight and being obese. The National Institute of Health (NIH) defines the term overweight as ‘body weight that is at least 10 percent over the recommended weight for a certain individual.’ The body weight that is recommended is generated by basing on the body mass index (BMI) or the population of the United States of America. In this calculation, there is the assessment of body weight to body height. Therefore on this basis, the term overweight means someone with a BMI that is greater than 25 (Libonati, 2001). There are various causes of obesity that vary from place to place or on people’s culture. Most of these factors are lifestyle-based and are the main ones that are responsible for most obesity cases in the United States of America. Other causes may be combinations of metabolic, hormonal and metabolic factors that play great roles in strengthening this epidemic. However it is hard to clearly point out specific causes of obesity. In United States of America, over the last almost 42 years, there has been an increase in obesity by 50%. But with huge expansion of the epidemic, people are increasingly developing obesity in the recent years. The main factor to be blamed in this case is people’s lifestyles. Modern lifestyles in this case refer to lack of adequate physical activity, eating habits, modern forms of recreation, people’s environment, medicines, smoking, inadequate sleep, emotional factors, health conditions among others. Inadequate physical activities in a person’s body tend to increase the amount of accumulate body fatty acids. This is because of their reduced combustion and oxidation, hence accelerating the condition of becoming fat and eventually obese. Reduced body work is further enhanced by the nature of work and jobs people are undertaking today. Research by the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics evaluates that there is a great relationship between obesity and the physical activity in the work place. It further asserts that in 1960s, almost a half of the private sector employment required at least a moderate physical work. In the year 2010, 15% of this only required physical work. Reduced physical work in the workplaces is influenced by America’s increased advances technologically in agriculture and processing industries (Courtemanche, 2008). Another factor contributing to this is the issue of modern recreation. America is a country which has improved drastically in the field of modern recreation. Americans who spent most of their time working in less physically active environments need to use their leisure time doing a lot of exercises so as to counterbalance. Unfortunately, most of them use most of this time sitting in the parks, walking for short distances, watching movies and TV, among others. The American Cancer Society (ACS) conducted a study that showed that from around 120,000 adult citizens of an average age of 64 that were used in the study, it was realized that sitting for longer hours is very hazardous to one’s health. It outlined that people who spent most of their time sitting have a 16% higher risk of death than their peers who spent of their time moving around. Most of the deaths caused are linked on cardiovascular infections that are also associated with obesity. (Jordan, 2008) A share for the causes of obesity has also to be granted to modern eating lifestyles as a factor. It is majorly to blame especially for obesity in teenagers and children in the United States of America. Most people feed on high calorie foods that can’t be burnt easily by their less physical activities. If you check lunch packs of most school-going teenagers, you will be surprised to find the whole pack with fast foods, and after that they are dropped at school by their parents. Parents also do the same with an increasing number of food companies emerging. The environment has also been known to accelerate obesity. It does not support it. In fact, in America, there are inadequate or no sidewalks and enough places for recreation. Lack of enough trails, area parks, gyms which are affordable makes it hard for individuals to be active physically. At our homes, parents do not encourage their children by examples. They themselves fail to consider healthy living and their children copy (Heinberg, 2009) Another key factor being focused on is the types of medicines people use. There are certain kinds which cause people to gain weight and they include seizure medicines, corticosteroids and antidepressants. These medicines are known by medics to be responsible for increasing a person’s appetite, holding on too much water, and reducing the oxidation of body calories. All these tend to increase the condition of overweight and obesity. Most cigarette companies have been detesting that smoking doesn’t encourage obesity. In real sense, a close observation of heavy smokers reveals that they end up overweight after they stop smoking. This is due to the fact that food tends to smell good after one has quit smoking. People therefore end up eating too much. Excess food makes it hard for the body to burn all those calories hence developing the overweight nature and thus overweight (Heinberg, 2009). Teenagers and young children in the United States of America spend most of their time watching movies, TV or playing computer games. This goes on till late hours of the night and in some cases spend the whole night without sleeping just watching. Such like people therefore deprive themselves of adequate sleep. Inadequate sleep increases the hormonal imbalance that makes the patient feel hungry or full. Feeling hungry is as a result of the hormone ghrelin whose level goes up in inadequate sleep cases. Leptin causes one feel full and tends to drop in such inadequate sleep cases. Lack of sleep also has an effect on how the body reacts to insulin which controls body sugar level. Inadequate sleep increases the body sugar level thus increasing the diabetes risk (Eric & Finkelstein, 2010). There are consequences that are mostly associated with obesity. They have been accelerated by the idea of too much westernization and globalization in America. This has brought with it lifestyles that are highly regarded as main causes of obesity. Most people have embraced these lifestyles but at the end they wind up with these people’s lives (Akabas, 2012). Consequences of being obese and overweight can be split into various sub divisions. The subdivisions are the physiological effects, the social effects, the physical effects and the social effects. To start with, the physical effects are the main ones. They are mainly ailment related and if not controlled properly may lead to death. Cardiovascular diseases are the infections of the delicate organ in the body, the heart. They cause clogging up of the blood vessels and accumulation of fat around the heart. This affects the way the heart works, thus eventually causing death. An array of cancers such as the cancer of the colon may find their way developing. (Blass, 2008) Other physical consequences in this case are risk of high blood pressure, diabetes type 2, strokes, having an experience of fertility problems, non-alcoholic fatty liver infection, among many others. All of the named infections except fertility disorders are very deadly and can cost individuals and the country much time and money treating them. Moreover, obesity can reduce the life expectancy of one up to 8 years. Also, obese women have a higher risk of pregnancy lose than their healthy weight peers. Psychological consequences are in the category also. Studies have had it that obese people experience inadequate body satisfaction, anxiety, low self-esteem and depression. Such like people have the sense of alienation and tend to be psychologically tortured having a sense of not being normal. They are always satisfied and tend to not accept themselves. They don’t want to be recognized by people and hence keeping that low quality life. (James, 2008) There is also this is issue of social problems with obese and overweight people. This is due to the fact that these individuals tend to experience some sort of social prejudice at some point in their life. They also tend to have fewer friends and further, studies have revealed that they mostly have lower educational attainment. Their employment chances and ability is low as well as tendency of having fewer opportunities in life. (Libonati, 201) Obesity treatment is very costly to most families. The money and time that is supposed to be spent on other productive activities is spent on the obese patients. This affects the family’s economic status and that of the country as most funds are spend on awareness creation, treatment and other activities aimed at reducing obesity. It leads to death thus depriving a country of its required manpower and most families’ breadwinners. Conclusion The consequences of obesity are costly and chronic; their control is hard to various nations including the United States of America. Plans need to be put in place the government of the United States to ensure that obesity does not win. The people have to be taught on best ways of living so as they change their lifestyles. Parents need to teach their parents on the best ways of maintaining a healthy life. Bibliography Blass, E. M. (2008). Obesity: causes, mechanisms, prevention, and treatment. Sunderland,Massachusetts: Sinauer Associates. Courtemanche, C. J. (2008). Essays on the Economic Causes of Obesity. Michigan: ProQuest,. Eric A. and Finkelstein, L. Z. (2010). The Fattening of America: How The Economy Makes Us Fat, If It Matters, and What To Do About It. New Jersey: John Wiley & Sons. James, J. C. (2008). Handbook of Obesity Intervention for the Lifespan. New York: Springer. Jordan, A. B. (2008). Overweight and Obesity in America’s Children: Causes, Consequences, Solutions. Thousand Oaks: SAGE Publications. Leslie J. Heinberg, J. K. (2009). Obesity in youth: causes, consequences, and cures. Washington: American Psychological Association. Libonati, J. P. (2001). What State Do You Live In?: The Consequences of Obesity. Bloomington: AuthorHouse. Sharon Akabas, S. A. (2012). Textbook of Obesity: Biological, Psychological and Cultural Influences. New Jersey: John Wiley & Sons. Read More
Cite this document
  • APA
  • MLA
  • CHICAGO
(The Levels of Obesity in the USA Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words, n.d.)
The Levels of Obesity in the USA Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words. https://studentshare.org/health-sciences-medicine/1826037-obesity-in-america-how-changes-in-eating-habits-in-particular-as-well-ad-other-lifestyle-changes-in-general-brought-on-by-globalisation-and-westernisation-are-affecting-the-levels-of-obesity-in-the-usa-evaluate-the-consequences-of-this-tran
(The Levels of Obesity in the USA Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 Words)
The Levels of Obesity in the USA Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 Words. https://studentshare.org/health-sciences-medicine/1826037-obesity-in-america-how-changes-in-eating-habits-in-particular-as-well-ad-other-lifestyle-changes-in-general-brought-on-by-globalisation-and-westernisation-are-affecting-the-levels-of-obesity-in-the-usa-evaluate-the-consequences-of-this-tran.
“The Levels of Obesity in the USA Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 Words”. https://studentshare.org/health-sciences-medicine/1826037-obesity-in-america-how-changes-in-eating-habits-in-particular-as-well-ad-other-lifestyle-changes-in-general-brought-on-by-globalisation-and-westernisation-are-affecting-the-levels-of-obesity-in-the-usa-evaluate-the-consequences-of-this-tran.
  • Cited: 0 times

CHECK THESE SAMPLES OF The Levels of Obesity in the USA

Obesity Level Of People In The USA

The paper "Obesity Level Of People in the usa" presents a case for an improvement in the obesity level of the people of the nation.... Consistent with this finding of the greatest ranking in obesity in the South, Pan et al.... The two articles encourage the government, communities, parents, businesses and schools to become involved in the drive to eradicate obesity in the nation.... hellip; Further, the report demonstrated the results of obesity across the various States....
2 Pages (500 words) Essay

The Rise in Obesity

Today, obesity is as common, if not more, among children as it is among the adults in many… The gravity of this problem can be estimated from the fact that at least one-third of the total population of the usa is obese (Flegal et al.... The gravity of this problem can be estimated from the fact that at least one-third of the total population of the usa is obese (Flegal et al.... Obesity is an outcome of the modern lifestyle which is characterized by junk food consumption and lack of obesity One of the biggest problems of the contemporary age is obesity....
2 Pages (500 words) Essay

Statistics of the Population

This essay "Statistics of the Population" presents countries that had a huge urban population were the most affected by obesity.... obesity was used to determine the “health of the people” part of the atlas.... Today obesity is a serious health problem in most countries.... Countries with higher literacy levels were more likely to tolerate persons of the LGBT community and the same sex marriages were legal.... Countries that had a huge rural population also had lower literacy levels....
1 Pages (250 words) Essay

Physical activity and health and physical fitness and exercise

Research also shows, through obesity experts, that the modern phase of obesity epidemic is much associated with the reduced human activity brought about by the industrial development (Garry, Neeltje, & Klaas, 2001).... To qualify the relevance of this theory, a research that was done in an Old Order Amish Community in North America proved that these people have a very high level of activity lifestyle, which was used to explain why they have low prevalence of obesity....
1 Pages (250 words) Assignment

Consumption of Junk Food in the USA

According to a study that was carried out in the year 2012 junk food consumption was discovered to be the most common of the behavioral causes of obesity in the usa (Pereira 38).... Others argue that the effects of consumption of junk food are always exaggerated and that junk food can be harmless if This paper aims at looking at the effect of consumption of junk food in the usa.... This state occurs as a result of the failure of the hormone insulin in the regulation of the levels of glucose...
4 Pages (1000 words) Essay

Research Proposal Draft

According to Papoutsi, Drichoutis & Nayga (2013), in a country like the usa, children who come from the economically disadvantages are the ones at the highest risk of being obese.... The study will monitor food intake, oxygen saturation, blood pressure, heart rate, blood glucose and cholesterol levels of the participants. Research Question Will there be increased positive health benefits such as, improved oxygen circulation, healthy blood pressure, heart rate, blood glucose and cholesterol levels, in the participants who will be children age 8 to 18 with a BMI above the 95th percentile? What will be the things that are the most likely to motivate the children to be able to eat healthily and to lead a more physically active lifestyle? Research hypotheses The hypothesis for this research is that there will be clear indication of the positive health outcomes that will be achieved by the 50 participants who will be involved in this controlled medical study for weight loss. Null hypotheses The results of the study will not indicate any significance differences in the health benefits when the results for females are compared for males....
3 Pages (750 words) Essay

Is Obesity a Disability

The causes of obesity may demand for discrimination protection.... The claim management is required to investigate various aspects and parameters of obesity and its impact on the morbidity psychosocial problems.... The European law does not discriminate on the ground of obesity, it may result in disability in future.... CJ judgment suggest that the symptoms of obesity may result in discrimination protection.... Kartsen Kaltoft from Denmark was discharged from his job on the basis of obesity, but the Danish authority board and the union criticized against such discrimination made against the employee of the organization on the basis of obesity....
6 Pages (1500 words) Essay

Obesity as a Social Problem and its Possible Solutions

These are the main causes of obesity which has become a societal issue in recent days.... The essay "obesity as a Social Problem and its Possible Solutions" focuses on the critical analysis and evaluation of the prime reason for which obesity is recognized as a social issue within the nation of the United States of America (Cahnman & et.... hellip; obesity is one of the most common and rising social problems in the world, and one of the most threatening chronic disorder that almost expanded its side effects in the entire globe....
6 Pages (1500 words) Essay
sponsored ads
We use cookies to create the best experience for you. Keep on browsing if you are OK with that, or find out how to manage cookies.
Contact Us