Obesity Epidemic in America - Research Paper Example

Obesity Epidemic in America Introduction According to the World Health Organization (2011), obesity is the “abnormal or excessive fat accumulation that presents a risk to health”. A close estimation of obesity is the body mass index which represents a person’s weight in kilograms divided by the square of the person’s height in meters. For those with a BMI of 30 or more, they are generally considered obese; and those with a BMI of 25 to 29 are considered overweight (WHO, 2011). Obesity is considered a major health risk factor in different diseases, especially those related to cardiovascular illnesses (WHO, 2011). These diseases are a major cause of concern because they often lead to high morbidity and mortality rates. The global rates of obesity are fast increasing; people around the world are getting more and more obese. The WHO reveals that by the year 2015, there will be about 2.3 billion overweight adults in the world and about 700 million of these would likely be obese (BBC News, 2008). This problem is considered a contemporary problem because obesity statistics were not even known to exist 50 years ago. This increase has mostly been attributed to the prevalence of convenience foods and labor saving devices which have driven many individuals to high fat diets and sedentary lifestyles. It is also a major issue among children with about 20 million children under the age of 5 being overweight (BBC News, 2008). Since the 1980s, the rates for obesity grew to extensive levels and in OECD nations, one in 2 adults was considered overweight; 1 in 6 was considered obese (Robb, 2010). This rate is expected to increase by 1% each year for the next 10 years in some nations. These rates are highest in the United States, Mexico, and are lowest in Japan and Korea; everywhere else, the numbers are increasing (Robb, 2010). One in three children of the world is considered overweight. They are exposed to risks associated with obesity including a reduction of 8-10 years in their expected life span – this is similar to smokers. They are also likely to develop diseases like diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, and cancer (Robb, 2010). Obesity is also a burden to the health care system and expenditure because the expenditure among these patients is at least 25% higher than for those with normal weight. In the US, childhood obesity is a major problem and if this issue is not somehow resolved within the next few years, these children would likely suffer major weight-related diseases much earlier than expected. Considering the above scenario, this paper shall now discuss the obesity epidemic in the United States. It shall discuss the causes of obesity in America, the effects and health issues related to obesity, the current health programs being implemented to address the obesity issue, and the effectiveness of these health programs. This paper shall also come up with recommendations in order to address this growing problem. Body/Discussion Causes of obesity in America There are various causes of obesity in the United States. Experts have weighed in on this discussion and they have acknowledged that the main causes of obesity are the amount, the quality of food intake, and the sedentary living of Americans. The volume of food that the average American is taking seems to have increased during the past few years and the quality of these foods have also shifted to high-fat, high salt, and high-caloric content foods (Goodman, 2006). The fact that Americans have reduced their physical activities is also a major contributory factor to obesity. The portions in the food servings in the US have grown significantly in the past decade or so – especially the portions which are eaten away from home which mostly include fast foods from various food chains. The trends in the US have included the value menus which sell food items, like burgers and fries for lower prices but at lower costs (American Heart Association, n.d). These portions also include larger allocations of fat, salt content, and cholesterol. Moreover, although these food portions are indeed large, they do not contain the necessary nutritional benefits for healthy living. Many Americans seem to be feeding on empty calories or foods with low nutritional value. But these foods contain much fat, sodium, added sugars, and calories which all promote obesity (American Heart Association, n.d). At the same time, the essential foods which help promote a healthy lifestyle, like fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and fat free products are not included in the daily American’s diet. Many Americans have also developed the habit of eating out more in fast-food restaurants and convenience stores. These foods seem to fit the fast paced lifestyle of these Americans. In addition, almost one in four children does not engage themselves in free-time physical activities. The average American child seems to spend about four to five hours in front of the television, or in playing video or computer games (American Heart Associaiton, n.d). The increase in portion sizes of foods has successfully added about 250 to 300 more calories in the average American’s consumption. This is equivalent to about 26 to 31 pounds more for every year. Studies further reveal that adolescents are eating about 8% more than the adolescents 30 years ago (American Heart Association, n.d). Some scientists have also considered other causes of obesity, and these causes have been opened for discussion among health experts. These causes are said to be additional factors which exacerbate the obesity issue in the US. Sleep deprivation is one of these causes; Americans are said to be getting fewer hours of sleep with each passing year. Another cause is pollution. Pollutants have been known to interfere with the function of hormones and these hormones help regulate the body’s normal growth and development (Goodman, 2006). Decreased smoking is also said to be a cause for weight gain; smoking actually tends to reduce a person’s weight and more Americans have quit smoking. Medicine intake is also considered a cause of obesity in the US. More and more Americans are taking medicines for most of their illnesses. These medicines include contraceptives, steroids, diabetes drugs, antidepressants, and even blood pressure drugs; some of these medicines cause weight gain (Goodman, 2006). The population, age, and ethnicity of people living in the US are also factors in the increase rates of obesity in the country. There are many middle-aged and Hispanic-Americans living in the US; hence, their numbers are contributing to the higher obesity rates in America. The marriage of obese partners has also increased; and their union often affects how their children are also raised (Goodman, 2006). And these children are often raised with unhealthy eating habits which eventually lead to obesity. Economic differences can also impact on obesity. Childhood obesity seems to have a significant impact on families with low income because the price of fresh produce and other nutritious foods is high – preventing the lower income families from availing of these products (American Heart Association, n.d). Those with better incomes also tend to eat healthier foods and exercise more often. The poorer income families cannot access health clubs, gyms, and sports facilities because they cannot afford the monthly membership dues. Some communities also have limited food choices. In fact areas with poorer and non-white residents had limited access to fruits, vegetables, bakeries, and natural food stores (American Heart Association, n.d). Access to healthy supermarkets seems to be a crucial determinant of obesity because areas with no access to fresh fruits and produce seem to manifest with a higher number of obese individuals. Another important consideration in the causes of obesity is the environment upon which children are brought up. Studies reveal that areas with access to parks and wide open green spaces seem to manifest with lower obesity rates (American Heart Association, n.d). In effect, children who live near parks and green areas are more physically active and are less likely to live sedentary lives. With the above considerations for the obesity issue in the US, the discussion now leads to the different effects and health issues associated with obesity. Effects and health issues related to obesity in America There are various health issues associated with obesity. Studies reveal that it can cause serious health problems like type 2 diabetes, heart diseases, hypertension, and in some cases, stroke (Wellman and Friedburg, 2002). Weight gain of about 11 to 18 pounds often increases the possibility to twice (than normal) of developing type 2 diabetes; those gaining 44 pounds or more increase their risk to four times the risk of developing type 2 diabetes (Wellman and Friedburg, 2002). Other studies also reveal that higher rates of obesity have been seen among individuals diagnosed with some types of cancer. It also seems to cause cardiovascular diseases, sleep apnea, hernia, and arthritis (Sturm, 2002). Obesity is considered the 7th leading cause of death in the US with about 300,000 deaths attributed to obesity with each year (Wellman and Friedburg, 2002). Based on a review conducted by Reilly, et.al., (2003), the authors were able to establish that there was a direct relationship between obesity and high blood pressure, dyslipidemia, abnormalities in the left ventricular mass, hyperinsulinemia, and insulin resistance. Many of these obese individuals also manifested with a high diastolic pressure, high cholesterol levels, and asymptomatic atherosclerotic lesions (Reilly, et.al., 2003). The long-term consequences of obesity, especially among children were also evaluated and studies were able to establish that obesity often lingered until adult years causing various health problems, most of which already mentioned previously. Moreover, early mortality for adults has also been seen due to obesity and the health issues that accompany it. Obesity also has economic impacts on the individual as well as the government authorities. In the year 2000, the WHO estimated that the total cost of obesity was pegged at $117 billion, with $61 billion direct and $56 billion indirect allocations (Wellman and Friedburg, 2002). Direct costs are the preventive, diagnostic, and treatments allocated for the obese. This would include physician’s fees, hospital, and home nursing care. The indirect values are the wages lost by obese individuals caused by an illness related to their obesity; this includes future earnings and early death (Wellman and Friedburg, 2002). Most of the financial costs for obesity are attributed to type 2 diabetes, coronary artery disease and hypertension (Wellman and Friedburg, 2002). In terms of social impact and discrimination, obesity also seems to be a major contributor. Many children and adults often suffer from emotional trauma and discrimination because of their overweight condition (Wellman and Friedburg, 2002). American society seems to be obsessed with maintaining slim and model-worthy physiques and they often mock or make fun of people who are overweight. As a result, these obese individuals often suffer from depression and other psychological disturbances related to body issues (Wellman and Friedburg, 2002). Some of these obese individuals deal with their depression by overeating and as a result, they often end up gaining more weight. This represents a cycle which is difficult to cut off. As these obese individuals feel more depressed about their bodies, the more they eat, and the more they gain weight. American society seems to have a negative perspective about these obese individuals – they see them as lazy or gluttonous. What makes the situation worse for them is that this prejudice often extends to their work environment when they are not considered for employment, for promotions, or when they are discriminated in their schools and made fun of by students and/or teachers (Wellman and Friedburg, 2002). In fact, based on a 1991 study covering obese individuals, 100% of them preferred to be deaf, dyslexic, diabetic, have bad acne, rather than be overweight; 91% of them preferred leg amputation; 89.4 preferred blindness; and all of them preferred to be a normal weight person rather than be an obese millionaire (Wellman and Friedburg, 2002). This study speaks of the lengths upon which obese individuals would go through in order to avoid the stigma of their excess weight. This implies serious self-image issues which generally impact on the mental health of these individuals. Current health programs to address obesity in America One of the major concerns which US government authorities have looked into in order to control and manage obesity is the passage of regulations for fast food chains and their food portions. These policies have yet to be fully implemented. In the meantime, state governments have set forth policies in order to implement nutritional and physical activity programs (US Health Policy Gateway, n.d). Local governments have also been making use of zoning laws in order to control the number of fast food chains in a particular area. Other agencies have also been coordinating with health authorities in order to improve the quality of the food being distributed in schools (Health Policy Gateway, n.d). Lawsuits have also been brought forth against fast food chains which assist in the perpetuation of obesity. Several of these lawsuits have been brought against McDonald’s for negligently not warning their customers about the risks of their products and the (Mello, et.al., 2006). These lawsuits have been difficult to try because the plaintiffs must prove that the food ingested caused significant health risks and that the defendant was negligent in its duty of warning the customers of such risks. Most of the laws that were passed to protect against obesity have involved the schools. These laws have prompted the establishment of policies which would reduce the students’ access to foods which are not healthy; these policies also involve the increase of physical activity in these schools (Mello, et.al., 2006). Laws were also passed against restrictions imposed on food sales. These policies are meant to help secure the school lunch programs against intrusion by other non-nutritious vendors. Some states have also implemented nutrition and fitness activities beyond the school through the creation of safe areas to carry out outdoor activities (Mello, et.al., 2006). Other states have adopted higher taxes for junk foods; driving the prices for these foods higher than the regular food items. Some states and locales have also imposed restrictions on the airing of advertisements during children’s television programs; these states have also called for broadcasters to present equal time for messages on good nutrition and physical activity to be aired (Mello, et.al., 2006). The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) under agreement with the Food and Drug Administration set forth policies on food labeling. Their policies prevented food companies from falsely representing the nutrition facts of their products; it also prevented unfair trade practices. Such unfair practices include actions which are likely to “cause substantial, unavoidable injury to consumers that are not outweighed by offsetting consumer or competitive benefits” (Mello, et.al., 2006). In general, these policies are working to address the main causes of obesity in America which are the food portions in fast food chains and the lack of physical activity among children and adults. Effectiveness of health programs In assessing these health programs, the school-based programs are deemed to be programs which are likely to have the greatest impact on obese individuals. These activities which help promote healthy and nutritious meals as well as physical activities for students have been important steps towards the prevention and reduction of obesity rates. In a study Veugelers and Fitzgerald (2005), there are uneven results with some schools manifesting effectiveness of the school-based programs and other schools showing a lack of effectiveness of these programs. Some schools have manifested with lower levels of obesity after the implementation of anti-obesity programs; however, some other schools did not indicate any significant changes in body weights (Veugelers and Fitzgerald, 2005). Some schools have also been willing to strictly implement anti-obesity policies; while others have opted to loosely implement these policies. Nevertheless, a common trend among these schools is that the students are actually willing to take the healthier choices in their meals if such options are present in their cafeteria (Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, 2008). In general, the policies and programs which fight obesity are effective to a point; however, these policies still need to be implemented strictly and to cover more schools and territories. Conclusion Obesity is one of the major health issues in the United States. In recent years, its prevalence rates have increased and the health risks associated with this disease have also increased in prevalence. Obesity is a major health problem primarily because it also leads to other health risks which are all potentially deadly. These health risks include cardiovascular diseases, type 2 diabetes, hypertension, stroke, and other health issues. Solutions for this health issue have been set forth by government authorities; for the most part these remedies have been effective, however, more effective and strict measures need to be implemented by the government authorities. In order to address this issue, there are various recommendations which can be implemented by the government authorities. For families, these recommendations include: a healthy diet planned for the entire family. A healthy diet plan which would include all the members of the family can help ensure that having a healthy diet can be something that the whole family can participate in. These activities can also include a healthy exercise routine for the family. It can be something which the family can do together and be involved in without having to single out some members of the family who are obese. The important consideration for anti-obesity programs is the need for obese individuals to have the moral and emotional support from family members. Having family support can help the obese individual undergo the weight loss process effectively. Strict implementation of healthy lunch programs for schools can also be implemented by school authorities. These schools must be vigilant with this program and constantly stress upon the students the importance of maintaining a healthy diet and of keeping up with various physical activities. As these habits are emphasized from a very young age, the student can carry this habit throughout his adulthood. Obesity is a health issue which may be difficult to resolve, however, with the appropriate and effective policies and programs, it is possible to change people’s habits and direct these towards healthier life choices. Works Cited Goodman, B. (2006) Study Suggests 10 New Obesity Causes. CBS News. Retrieved 09 March 2011 from http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2006/06/27/health/webmd/main1757772.shtml How Obesity Policies in America are Failing. (2008). Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. Retrieved 09 March 2011 from http://healthyamericans.org/reports/obesity2008/Obesity2008Report.pdf Mello, M., Studdert, D., & Brennan, T. (2006) Obesity ― The New Frontier of Public Health Law. Shouxi.net. Retrieved 09 March 2011 from http://journal.shouxi.net/qikan/article.php?id=221816 Obesity (2011). World Health Organization. Retrieved 09 March 2011 from http://www.who.int/topics/obesity/en/ Obesity: in statistics. (2008) BBC News. 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Veugelers, P. & Fitzgerald, A. (2005). Effectiveness of School Programs in Preventing Childhood Obesity: A Multilevel Comparison. American Journal of Public Health, volume 95(3), pp. 433-435 Read More