Sandra Wallace Essays (632 words) - Obesity, Health, Medicine

Sandra Wallace WR 227 11/12/16 The Rise in Obesity Rates Data Section Definition of Obesity "Obesity is a complex disorder involving an excessive amount of body fat. Obesity isn't just a cosmetic concern. It increases your risk of diseases and health problems, such as heart disease, diabetes and high blood pressure." (Mayo Clinic) What causes obesity " Although there are genetic, behavioral and hormonal influences on body weight, obesity occurs when you take in more calories than you burn through exercise and normal daily activities. Your body stores these excess calories as fat. " (Mayo Clinic) The most common causes of obesity are: " Inactivity. If you're not very active, you don't burn as many calories. With a sedentary lifestyle, you can easily take in more calories every day than you use through exercise and normal daily activities. Unhealthy diet and eating habits. Weight gain is inevitable if you regularly eat more calories than you burn. And most Americans' diets are too high in calories and are full of fast food and high-calorie beverages. " (Mayo Clinic) You are at risk of Obesity because of unhealthy: Genetics Family lifestyle Inactivity D iet Medical problems Sleep habits (Mayo Clinic) With that being said, just because you have these symptoms it does not mean that you will become obese. The Rise of Obesity Rates "For the first time in human history, the number of overweight people rivals the number of underweight people. While the world's underfed population has declined slightly since 1980 to 1.1 billion, the number of overweight people has surged to 1.1 billion." (Global Issues) " In the United States, 55 percent of adults are overweight by international standards. A whopping 23 percent of American adults are considered obese. And the trend is spreading to children as well, with one in five American kids no w classified as overweight. " (Global Issue) How will this effect children? " One third of children in the U. S. is overweight or obese, and this number is continuing to rise. Children have fewer weight-related health and medical problems than adults. However, overweight children are at high risk of becoming overweight adolescents and adults, placing them at risk of developing chronic diseases such as heart disease and diabetes later in life. They are also more prone to develop stress, sadness, and low self-esteem. " (WebMD) Why this is an issue "According to the National Institutes of Health, obesity and overweight together are the second leading cause of preventable death in the United States, close behind tobacco use (3). An estimated 300,000 deaths per year are due to the obesity epidemic." (Obesity Facts) With death being an extreme case of the problems obesity can cause this goes to show how serious this disease is. Some other problems obesity can cause are: aging, type 2 diabetes, heart attacks, strokes, memory loss, breast cancer, and prostate cancer, etc . How to make a difference Prevention : Everyone is at risk of this disease but YOU are the only person who can prevent this. Here are some things you can do to prevent becoming obese: E xercise regularly F ollow a healthy e ating plan M on itor your weight regularly B e consistent with all the above Treatment: " The goal of obesity treatment is to reach and stay at a healthy weight. You may need to work with a team of health professionals including a dietitian, behavior counselor or an obesity specialist to help you understand and make changes in your eating and activity habits. " (Mayo Clinic) Some treatments include: Dietary changes Exercise and activity Behavior change Prescription weight-loss medications Weight-loss surgery