Obesity Level Of People In The USA - Essay Example

Health Behavior Anonymous. (2008). New report: Adult obesity rates rise in 37 s; obesity rates now exceed 25 percent in more than half of s. U.S. Newswire. Retrieved from http://proquest.umi.com/pqdweb?did=1535052961&sid=5&Fmt=3&clientId=29440&RQT=309&VName=PQD This report published by the National Editors of the U.S. Newswire presents a case for an improvement in the obesity level of the people of the nation. The author highlights obesity as a severe “epidemic” that is currently plaguing the nation.

Thus, the author believes that the effects of obesity warrants a greater input from the government in terms of establishing and implementing a national agenda to arrest this increase in obesity affecting the nations. Further, the report demonstrated the results of obesity across the various States. The researchers discovered that from 2007 to 2008 the obesity prevalence increased in thirty (37) States. One major finding from the report is that the ten (10) States with the highest ranking in obesity simultaneously comprise 10 of the poorest states in the nation.

In addition, eleven of the highest rankings in obesity States were in the South. The author therefore concluded there is a correlation between the poverty levels and obesity levels in the States. This finding would suggest that there is need to investigate the racial and ethnical composition of individuals with an obesity concern. Consistent with this finding of the greatest ranking in obesity in the South, Pan et al. (2009) purport that non- Hispanic blacks scored amongst the highest in the area of obesity.

The United States Bureau of Labor notes that the healthcare industry responds to the needs of millions of people, thus, the author ended the article with several recommendations to all stakeholders for the eradication of this obesity “epidemic”. Pan, L., Galuska, D., Sherry, B., Hunter, A., Rutledge, G., Dietz, W., Balluz, L. (2009). Differences in prevalence of obesity among black, white, and Hispanic adults - United States, 2006-2008. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. 58 (27), 740.

Retrieved from http://proquest.umi.com/pqdweb?did=1808404891&sid=5&Fmt=3&clientId=29440&RQT=309&VName=PQD Pan et al. (2009) utilizes data from the Center for Disease Control to highlight the disparity in the prevalence of obesity among three ethnic groups, namely, non- Hispanic blacks, non-Hispanic whites and Hispanics. Interestingly, in the 2003/2004 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey reported that non-Hispanic blacks were among the highest ranking among three ethnicities. The non-Hispanic blacks obtained the highest score of 45%, the Hispanics 36.

8% whereas the whites obtained a score of 30.6%. Pan et al. proposed three distinct reasons for the differences in obesity among the three ethnic groups. Firstly, Pan et al. suggest that both non-Hispanic blacks and Hispanics may not participate in physical activity outside the occupational context. Along gender lines, women were among the highest ranking in obesity. Thus, the authors propose that non-Hispanic white women may be the least comfortable with their bodies therefore they will endeavor to reduce their weight to a body size with which they were comfortable.

On the other hand, non-Hispanic blacks and Hispanic women were quite contented with their body sizes therefore they would not be as willing to change/reduce their body weight. Thirdly, accessibility to healthy foods as well as “physical activity facilities” is greatly disproportionate among the non-Hispanic blacks and the Hispanic communities when compared to the non-Hispanic whites. The finding of this study is consistent with the finding of the U.S. Newswire (2008) report which states that eleven of the fifteen lowest ranking States in obesity were in the South.

In addition, like the U.S. Newswire, Pan et al. highlight the hazards associated with the prevalence of obesity. However, Pan et al. adds to the news report by specifying the prevalence according to age groups, ethnicity and gender. The two articles encourage the government, communities, parents, businesses and schools to become involved in the drive to eradicate obesity in the nation. References Anonymous. (2008).New report: Adult obesity rates rise in 37 States; Obesity rates now exceed 25 percent in more than half of States. U.S. Newswire. Retrieved from http://proquest.umi.com/pqdweb?

did=1535052961&sid=5&Fmt=3&clientId=29440&RQT=309&VName=PQD Pan, L., Galuska, D., Sherry, B., Hunter, A., Rutledge, G., Dietz, W. & Balluz, L. (2009). Differences in prevalence of obesity among black, white, and Hispanic adults - United States, 2006-2008. MMWR. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. 58 (27), 740. Retrieved from http://proquest.umi.com/pqdweb?did=1808404891&sid=5&Fmt=3&clientId=29440&RQT=309&VName=PQD the hazards associate with the prevalence of obesity among varying age groups United States Department of Labor. (2011). Career Guide to Industries, 2010-2011.

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