Health Conditions in the United States: The Issue of Obesity - Term Paper Example

Health Conditions in the United s Health Conditions in the United s Problem Definition Maintaining good health conditions in a healthy environment is a basic requirement for people in any country. It is a fact that there are few factors that do not support a healthy lifestyle. In current times, the one factor that is increasing the unhealthy lifestyle is environmental change where latest technologies are changing the lifestyle and transforming the living style of human beings. The other factor is a genetic predisposition, which is causing obesity. The nation of the United States is one of the most obese nations in the world. The United States is facing several diseases that are generated by the one of the most common and rapidly increasing problems, which is converted into the disease, and that is obesity. Epidemiology helps to find out the nature of this disease, which says that it is not very severe in itself. However, the disease is causes other problems in the human body. It is leading to major health and disease conditions in the population of the United States. The research will further help to discover the role of obesity that is a major contributing factor of emerging diseases in the United States. The research paper will analyze those causes due to which obesity is increasing, and the prevention plans to deal with it. Moreover, the treatments and other practices to reduce the obesity rate in the United States. Extent of the Health Condition The multi-dimensional concept is health that can be measured for an individual’s health condition. In order to measure the health condition of any country, there are two absolute measures of health of the population. Those measures are morbidity and mortality. The morbidity can be defined as a health condition in which disease turns into a severe condition, but it does not become a reason for death (Bagchi & Herry, 2013). Whereas, the mortality measures the number of deaths caused by the diseases. According to the measures of morbidity and mortality in the United States, obesity is one of those problems that lead to different diseases, which cause both mortality and morbidity (Bagchi & Herry, 2013). According to Cawley (2011) obesity is the reason to produce many diseases in the human body such as, diabetes, heart disease, hypertension, metabolic syndrome, Dyslipidemia, and many other complications. Similarly, Rossen & Rossen (2012) also presented detailed literature on those diseases that are caused by obesity. All these diseases are the source of mortality and morbidity. The health condition according to the measures of morbidity and mortality in the United States depicts that obesity is the main cause for morbidity. As obesity is increasing, morbidity is also increasing. Here in this research, the main focus will remain on morbidity rather than mortality the reason is that obesity is causing approximately 69% increase in morbidity (Bagchi & Herry, 2013). However, due to obesity the mortality rate is not high though a drastic change can be noticed from the high rate of morbidity in the form of different diseases. While comparing both the morbidity and mortality data of obesity in the United States, it can be said that it is increasing comparatively international communities rapidly. Obesity in the United States has been increased among adults from 15% to 38% and in children it is also increased by 5% to 19% (Bagchi & Herry, 2013). People are getting obese due to overeating, daily intake of junk food and unhealthy food. All these intakes are leading people towards the morbidity of different diseases. There is an evidence showing that obesity is one of the main reason that is causing many diseases it is automatically increasing the morbidity rate. Therefore, it can be said that the morbidity rate of obesity is high. Moreover, mortality due to obesity is not very high. However, it will be not incorrect to state that the health condition of the United States is not good in comparison with the international market. Furthermore, it can be said that mortality is an incomplete and imperfect picture of health condition of the population of the United States or any international community. Disease Description The literature presents the health condition of the United States where, there is a large context is available on obesity. The obesity starts with the over eating and ends up with over weighted obese people that is leading them to different diseases. The patterns of obesity can be described with the help of three different variables that are person, place and time. A health condition that is affecting by obesity the above three variables with their characteristics will be very helpful for developing a better understanding about obesity (Bagchi & Herry, 2013). When the characteristics of persons will be discussed, the most important factor is age of individuals who are affecting by the disease. Obesity can be found in every age group in the US. There are a number of children who get obese due to overeating habit. The males and females both are affecting with this problem. As, the United States is a cosmopolitan country where several nations are living together, but even after specific cultural values the obesity rate is increasing in the US. When people get obese, the socioeconomic status also matters but in some cases there is obesity in the genes of people. Different areas of the country where obesity is common most of the people can describe the characteristics of the place. It is a fact that the obesity is higher in the developed countries because the people are dependent on technologies and do not exert their energy. Obese people do not consume their energy according to their diet. It increases the rate of obesity in such areas where people are dependent on different equipment to perform their work, and it is mostly in developed countries (Rossen & Rossen, 2012). It has been noticed that the frequency of obesity is increasing over time. The gradual changes are becoming common with the passage of time. The reason is that due to obesity there are numbers of new diseases that are increasing. With the serious diseases that are caused by obesity there are a number of small problems and diseases that play its role to turn a common problem into a serious disease such as with the high intake of oily and junk food the cholesterol level increases in the human body. The high cholesterol level causes cardiac diseases and become a reason for less productivity among people. When the high cholesterol level problem is highlighted at that time, the control over diet and precautions can create changes. However, there are high cohort effects of obesity in the US (Rossen & Rossen, 2012). The finding from these variables suggests that obesity is a major contributing factor that is affecting health conditions of the people of the United States in comparison with the international communities. Obesity is a major problem confronting two third of the adult American population (Marks, 2004). The problem has become so huge that it has become epidemic. There are a number of determinants, which are causing increase rate of obesity: modern technologies, living style, diet, serenity, genes, physiology and psychology. With the increase in the rate of obesity in the US, the numbers of researches and reports have also increased. The US has faced a dramatic increase in the rate of obesity since last two decades (Henderson, 2008). There are various researches, which address the determinants of obesity and its distribution. Determinants The determinants of obesity can be categorized as internal and external. Internal determinants include physiological, genetically and psychological determinants. The most important physiological determinants of obesity are the consumption of excessive energy than the usage (Cancer Resource Centre, 2014). Psychological activity of a person governs its control, behavior, motivation for eating and response to the consequences. The genetic makeup of the body is very important for controlling obesity. Genes control the fat metabolism in the body (Henderson, 2008). External determinants include use of modern technology, lack of physical activity, type of diet, etc. Lack of physical activity or no activity is directly linked with the physiological factors, which are responsible for metabolizing the energy individuals take in the form of food. High fat and low fiber diet is also a major contributor in causing obesity. Distribution The percentage of obesity in the United States population was 15% in 1990, but in 2013 36 states reported the obesity rate of 25% whereas 12 states had the obesity rate of 30% and higher (Harvard School of Public Health, 2014). Studies reveal that presently 69% of US population is overweight whereas 36% is obese. Among the different nations living in the US, the highest obesity rate is found in Hispanics, non-Hispanics black and Mexican Americans. Adolescents and children are also at great risk of obesity with a continuous rise in the percentage (Harvard School of Public Health, 2014). Data Interpretation Issues Butler has reported that the main issue in data interpretation related to obesity is a problem in energy expenditure data interpretation. There is an urgent need for the establishment of therapies for regulation of insulin level, controlling obesity and modulation of energy expenditure (Butler & Kozak, 2010). Very less amount of research is available on fat metabolism and how it is influenced by the lack of physical activity and dietary pattern. In order to develop interventions for obesity, an analysis of putative factors is also required (Gillman & Kan, 2007). Unavailability of this information brings a gap in the literature and causes issues in data interpretation. Knowledge Gaps There are certain knowledge gaps while studying different parameters pertinent to obesity. A research of University of Georgia College of Public Health asserts that the lack of traditional, cultural and culinary knowledge is a dominating factor, which is leading to the continuous rise of obesity rate in the US (McGinty, 2013). There is a knowledge gap found in this area, and limited research is available, which relates the cultural factors with the disease prevalence in the country. Similarly, there is a knowledge gap that how obesity is interlinked with the cause of severe diseases like Cardio-vascular disorders, diabetes, cancer, Gastrointestinal troubles, etc. Many of the people do not even consider obesity as a threatening issue. Research Based on Knowledge Gap Research Question: How cultural and traditional factors of Hispanics impact the increasing rate of obesity in the US. United States is a cosmopolitan country where several nations live together as Americans. A huge number of US populations consist of Hispanics, Asians, Chinese, Koreans, Mexicans and others. Each of these nations’ possesses specific cultural values. Among them, the highest rate of obesity is found in Hispanics. The research is designed to evaluate how cultural and traditional factors of Hispanics Americans affect the increasing rate of obesity. The culture of a nation represents multiple things, which also include their culinary knowledge, eating patterns, type of food, etc. All these factors are very important in the development of obesity as well as its progression. Methodology The research methodology is a systemic review of related literature and survey questionnaire. Instrument For systemic review PubMed, Cinahl, Ebscohost and Google Scholar are searched, and survey is conducted via questionnaire. Population 150 men and 120 women age between 25-35 in Hispanics neighborhood in California. Methods for assessing internal and external validity The external validity of this research will be assessed by a consequent research using same questionnaire and population size but in Hispanics population living in Texas. The internal validity will be assessed by detailed literature review based on credulity of the sources used and the numbers of current studies included. Treatment There are different approaches for the treatment of obesity based on the determinants. i) Calorie intake For the treatment of obesity, it is very important to control the calorie intake. In order to lose 1 to 2 pounds in a week, a calorie cut down of 500 to 1000 calories is required. Generally consuming 1000 to 1200 calories in a day helps in losing weight in women and 1200 to 1600 in men. It greatly depends upon the amount of physical activity a person performs in a day. ii) Healthy Diet In order to lose weight, taking healthy diet is essential. Healthy food regulates the body metabolism and helps in consuming the taken energy. Healthy food items include low-fat dairy products, fish, poultry, bran bread, brown rice, olive oil, soya bean oil, unprocessed food items, etc. In taking healthy diet, also asks for eliminating unhealthy high fat and high carbohydrate food from the diet. iii) Physical Activity Increasing physical activity, and exercise in daily routine is the fundamental therapy to reduce weight. Incorporating physical activity in routine helps in the regulation of body metabolism, hormonal activity, depletion of fat stores and balance of energy consumption. iv) Life Style Changes Dieticians suggest that bring changes in the lifestyle also helps in reducing weight. For instance instead of watching TV while sitting on the couch, play some music and dance with it. Try to take stairs in the office rather than using escalators. Go for a walk daily in the morning or instead of going nearby places in your car take a walk. Plan your eating habits, keep a record of your calorie intake and set small achievable goals on the way to losing weight. v) Medicines Doctors also recommend some weight loss medicines approved by FDA. The initial therapy always starts with the above-mentioned ways however if it does not found to be effective physicians also describe medicines like Sibutramine, Orlistat, and Lorcaserin. vi) Surgery Weight loss surgery is another option for people having body mass index above 40.It is the last option when all other therapies have failed to respond (NIH, 2014). Prevention Obesity can be prevented by taking certain measures like incorporation of light to heavy exercise in routine, keeping the diet healthy and reducing intake of high fat and high carbohydrate diet, monitoring body weights and body measurements regularly, consistently following the diet plan and avoid excessive eating (NIH, 2014). Conclusion From the studies and research it is concluded that  the obesity rate is increasing rapidly in the United States. It is causing morbidity and mortality drastically. There are a number of people who are facing this problem and becoming a part of various diseases because of their overeating habit. It has been found out during the research that the rate of morbidity and mortality in the United States is high comparatively international communities. The overall health condition in the US is decreasing due to obesity it is causing diseases and low productivity. The health condition with the help of three different variables assesses that many children are also getting obese in the US. Furthermore, there are a number of determinants causing increased rate of obesity. Obesity itself can be lethal and is a major contributing factor in the development of cardiac diseases, cancer, liver disorders, kidney problems, hormonal imbalance, pregnancy issues, etc. There are proven methods for the treatment and prevention of obesity, which have been successfully used for the therapy. References List Bagchi, D., & Herry, G. (2013). Obesity: Epidemiology, Pathophysiology, and Prevention. New York: Taylor and Francis Group. Butler, A., & Kozak, L. (2010). A Recurring Problem With the Analysis of Energy Expenditure in Genetic Models Expressing Lean and Obese Phenotypes. Diabetes , 29 (2), 523-529. Cawley, J. (2011 ). The Oxford Handbook of the Social Science of Obesity. New York: Oxford University Press. Cancer Resource Centre. (2014). Determinants of weight gain,overweight, and obesity. Cancer Resource Centre. Gillman, M., & Kan, K. (2007). Invited Commentary: Antecedents of Obesity—Analysis, Interpretation, and Use of Longitudinal Data. American Journal of Epidemiology , 166 (1), 14-16. Harvard School of Public Health. (2014). An Epidemic of Obesity: US Obesity Trends. Retrieved from http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/an-epidemic-of-obesity/ Henderson, K. (2008). Obesity in America. Retrieved from http://www.grin.com/en/e-book/163559/obesity-in-america NIH. (2014). How Are Overweight and Obesity Treated? Retrieved from http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/health-topics/topics/obe/treatment.html NIH. (2014). How Can Overweight and Obesity Be Prevented? Retrieved from http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/health-topics/topics/obe/prevention.html Marks, J. (2004). Obesity in America: It’s Getting Worse. Clinical Diabetes , 22 (1), 1-2. McGinty, J. (2013). Public health researcher connects rise in obesity to generational ‘knowledge gap’. Georgia: University of Georgia. Rossen, L. M., & Rossen, E. A. (2012). Obesity 101. New York: Springer Publishing Company,. Read More