...Childhood Obesity: It’s a Family Issue Megan Ehrhart Statistical Concept for Research MAT 540 Professor Richard Smatt March 26, 2012 Introduction Parents are the first teachers in a child’s life. This runs true for teaching kids healthy eating habits as well. When parents themselves model good healthy eating habits along with teaching their children healthy habits the children grow up to be healthy adults. When parents are obese and engage their children in this unhealthy life style it is more likely that the children will grow obese and unhealthy and the cycle will continue with their children. Many children these days are allowed to have televisions in their bedrooms, play hours of video games, eat what and when they want and are not required to play outside or participate in extracurricular activities. The parents are doing the same things at home such as playing on the computer, watching television, cooking fast and unhealthy meals and not interacting in any physical activities with their children. All of these issues are factors in the weight gain of today’s youth and their parents. Parents need to take a bigger stand on healthy eating and exercise to prevent obesity. Obesity leads to many health problems and often early death which could be prevented in many cases. Statement of the Problem The Center for Disease Control and Prevention reports that obesity has more than tripled in the past thirty years (Center for Disease Control, para. 1). “ The...
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...Nowadays, people are emphasizing too much on pursuit of wealth in their life yet overlooked the importance of health. Recently, the issues related to obesity around the world are increasing as well as in our country. Obesity in Malaysia is growing in an alarming rate and it has associated with multiple problems. Ismail (2002) claimed that 20.7% of Malaysia’s adults are overweight with a BMI between 25.0 and 29.9. According to Asia Pacific Family Medicine, obesity is a condition in which the natural energy reserve, stored in the fatty tissue of humans and other mammals, is increased to a point where it is associated with certain health conditions or increased mortality (2009). Not only adults, childhood obesity also become one of the serious problems. It grown considerably in the past two decades and most of the children are more likely become overweight adults. Obesity will lead to suffering from the disease, for example heart attack and diabetes. According to Price, Danielle and Nicholas (2000), there are around 300,000 people die each year because infect the disease that causes by obesity (as cited by Sidik and Rampal, 2009). Generally, I strongly agree that obesity is a kind of disease among Malaysian because obesity can cause physical, mental and social problem. First and foremost, obesity can cause negative effects to our bodily systems, which will further affect our physical health. People who excesses weight will more care about their body health, compare to normal...
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...CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION Definition Obesity is a medical condition in which excess body fat has accumulated to the extent that it may have an adverse effect on health, leading to reduced life expectancy and/or increased health problems. People are considered obese when their body mass index (BMI), a measurement obtained by dividing a person's weight in kilograms by the square of the person's height in metres, exceeds 30 kg/m2. Obesity increases the likelihood of various diseases, particularly heart disease, type 2 diabetes, obstructive sleep apnea, certain types of cancer, and osteoarthritis. Obesity is most commonly caused by a combination of excessive food energy intake, lack of physical activity, and genetic susceptibility, although a few cases are caused primarily by genes, endocrine disorders, medications or psychiatric illness. Evidence to support the view that some obese people eat little yet gain weight due to a slow metabolism is limited; on average obese people have a greater energy expenditure than their thin counterparts due to the energy required to maintain an increased body mass. Dieting and physical exercise are the mainstays of treatment for obesity. Diet quality can be improved by reducing the consumption of energy-dense foods such as those high in fat and sugars, and by increasing the intake of dietary fiber. Anti-obesity drugs may be taken to reduce appetite or inhibit fat absorption together with a suitable diet. If diet, exercise and medication are...
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...Teheshia Harvey Dr. Alan Wilson Biol 2112K April 19, 2011 Obesity When one hears the word obesity, thoughts that may come to mind are overweight, big, or even unhealthy. “Obesity is a medical condition in which excess body fat has accumulated to the extent that it may have an adverse effect on health, leading to reduced life expectancy and/or increased health problems. Body mass index (BMI), a measurement which compares weight and height, defines people as overweight when their BMI is between 25 kg/m2 and 30 kg/m2, and obese when it is greater than 30 kg/m2.”(Wikipedia.com) BMI is calculated by dividing a person’s weight in kilograms by height in meters squared. The mathematical formula is weight (kg)/height (m²). Living with excess weight can negatively impact your physical, emotional, relational, and financial well being. The effects of obesity are widespread and far-reaching. Some effects are obvious. You may tire easily, or you may have trouble finding clothing that fits, keeping up with your kids at the playground, or fitting into a movie theater seat. Perhaps you even avoid particular social situations or limit your activities because of your weight. Obesity increases the likelihood of various diseases, particularly heart disease, type 2 diabetes, breathing difficulties during sleep, certain types of cancer, and osteoarthritis. Obesity is a leading preventable cause of death worldwide, with increasing prevalence in adults and children, and authorities view it as...
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...HEALTH RISKS & COSTS The Effects Of Obesity, Smoking, And Drinking On Medical Problems And Costs Obesity outranks both smoking and drinking in its deleterious effects on health and health costs. by Roland Sturm ABSTRACT: This paper compares the effects of obesity, overweight, smoking, and problem drinking on health care use and health status based on national survey data. Obesity has roughly the same association with chronic health conditions as does twenty years’ aging; this greatly exceeds the associations of smoking or problem drinking. Utilization effects mirrors the health effects. Obesity is associated with a 36 percent increase in inpatient and outpatient spending and a 77 percent increase in medications, compared with a 21 percent increase in inpatient and outpatient spending and a 28 percent increase in medications for current smokers and smaller effects for problem drinkers. Nevertheless, the latter two groups have received more consistent attention in recent decades in clinical practice and public health policy. M a n y b e h a v i o r a l r i s k f a c t o r s , chief among them smoking, heavy drinking, and obesity, are known causes of chronic health conditions. Chronic health conditions, like cancer, diabetes, or heart disease, in turn are primary drivers of health care spending, disability, and death. This paper compares the associations of smoking, problem drinking, and obesity with health care use and chronic conditions....
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...suggests that obesity may be the most preventable risk factor of cancer for non-smokers, and many studies are testing for the effects that obesity has in all cancers and at specific cancer sites. It is known that obesity plays a significant role in cancer; however, the knowledge of the relationship to all cancers and the overall health effect of excess weight in terms of total mortality from cancer is limited (Calle, Redriguez, Walker-Thurmond, & Thun, 2003). In this paper I will examine the research available on obesity and its relationship to breast cancer (in post-menopausal women), endometrial, colon, esophagus, kidney, and pancreatic cancers, and briefly mention a few other cancers currently being studied for a possible link to obesity. The rise of obesity in the last 25 years has been most prominent in the United States. It is not, however, limited to the United States; for instance, similar trends are being seen in other developing countries. As it becomes easier to access tasty but unhealthy food options and as physical activity declines, caloric intake is now exceeding caloric expenditure. Genetic factors have been shown to predispose an individual to become obese, but environmental factors are the ultimate cause for the rise of obesity within populations. It is the metabolic consequences of obesity that are having an effect on cancer cell growth. The effects of circulating peptide and steroid hormones along with their binding factors are culprits linking obesity to cancer...
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...the condition of mental health consumers. Background: The review articles used in this paper shows a high linkage between metabolic and cardiovascular abnormalities with the use of Antipsychotic medications; which is one of the leading causes of mortality and morbidity among metal health consumers. Approach: Selective Article Reviews are being used. Findings and Implications: Metabolic and cardiovascular side effects such as weight gain, diabetes and hypertension are some of the risks of Antipsychotic drugs; however, there are other underlying factors that cause this such abnormalities such as genetic factors, lifestyle, and other medications. Hence, education, early monitoring and lifestyle modification is highly recommended. Conclusion: Atypical drugs are the frequently used treatment for mental disorders, particularly schizophrenia; but despite of its metabolic and cardiovascular side effects still it’s used is increasing. Therefore, early intervention and monitoring must be implemented, with the promotions of education, lifestyle and diet management. Introduction It is well known that psychotropic drugs, in general and antipsychotic drugs, in particular have as one of their side effect liabilities and potential to cause weight gain and disturbances in metabolic parameters; and the prevalence of these risk is high among patients taking these drugs. At this point, it is still unclear why these drugs caused this such abnormalities and we...
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...Breast Cancer and Obesity Melita Dodaj Felician College Abstract Breast cancer continues to be a major cause of cancer deaths in women. Based on recent studies the prevalence of overweight and obesity in almost every country has been increased. Estrogen is manly responsible for the elevated risk for breast cancer in obese women. Also the other tow mediators that are held responsible are adipokine leptin and insulin -like growth factor-I, IGF-I. Experiments demonstrated a mitogenic role of these three mediator an cell proliferation. The data in the article shows a stimulative effect of substances produce by the adipose tissue on the breast cancer. Body weight cell specific proliferation suggests that obesity related adipokines and mediators enhance cell proliferation and increase the risk for breast cancer. A couple guidelines and recommendations that help to prevent obesity are physical activity and diets. Obesity is associated with poorer survival in women with breast cancer, regardless of menopausal status. The purpose of this study was to determine if the associations of obesity with breast-cancer specific, all cause, and non-breast cancer mortality differ from between Hispanic and non-Hispanic white women with breast cancer. Also some other recent studies have shown that elevated BMI may be associated with breast cancer treatment-related lymphedema. Introduction Cancer is a disease of the cells in the body, fundamentally genetic. Cancer is defined as ...
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...business and the consumer’s freedom to choose any type of drink they want. The proposal prohibits the sale of any cup or bottle of sweetened drink larger than 16 fluid ounces. There are many reasons for restricting the sale and quantity of sodas in New York and this regulation is really just a wise decision that made public health one of the priorities in the City of New York. One reason we should ban selling the popular sugary drinks is that the consumption of big amounts cause obesity and other health diseases. Research has demonstrated a direct relationship between consumption of sugary drinks and an increase in the risk of overweight and obesity, which in turn promote many health conditions including: hypertension, coronary heart disease, type 2 diabetes, stroke, gall bladder disease, osteoarthritis, sleep apnea, respiratory problems, some cancers (endometrial, breast, and colon), and dyslipidemia (CDC, 2006). Although one of the national health objectives is to reduce the prevalence of obesity among adults, current data indicate that the circumstances are worsening (MMWR, 2006). This is particularly problematic because most of the daily calories come from sodas, energy drinks, sports drinks, fruit drinks and sweetened bottled waters. These beverages don’t provide any nutritional value to a regular diet. In fact, the soda contributes with no protein, fat, fiber, vitamins or minerals. It only may add carbohydrates that causes people to eat less nutrient foods and have an...
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...Purdue University | Sitting Kills… | A brief overview of sedentary lifestyle behaviors and their health outcomes | McCombs, Brandon William 11/14/2013 | Introduction Sedentary behavior and leisure time sitting have increased over the last few decades. As a result negative health outcomes such as hypertension, obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular diseases have exponentially increased. Sedentary activities consist of, but are not limited to, commuting to and from work, watching TV, reading, and sitting at work. Over the last half century the transition from manual labor to a more occupational sitting has led to increased sedentary behavior. This coupled with increased home and leisure time activities due to technological advances, such as TV and computer usage, has drastically increased time spent sitting for adults inside and outside of the workplace. Data has been collected and used for research over several decades to combat this growing issue of poor health amongst adults. Previous research has shown a direct correlation between sedentary behavior and obesity along with other negative health concerns. With these results a need to increase awareness on the subject has risen with proactive solutions being introduced in today’s social institutions. Research Design & Methods Data was commonly collected through in-home interviews, questionnaires, surveys sent through the mail, and other larger databases. These surveys and questionnaires consisted of...
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...Obesity in American Society Wade Henson RN Western Governors University Abstract The obesity rates in America have steadily risen over the past several decades. The roots of the exploding waistlines in the United States have many causes. This paper will take a look at what “obesity “ is by definition, some of the causes of obesity and what societal factors influence this rise. We will also examine to what extent obesity affects the United States and look at obesity through the parameters of sociological theory. Obesity in American Society The World Health Organization defines obesity as it relates to BMI or the Basic Metabolic Index. BMI is (Weight in Kilograms/Height in Meters squared). Healthy BMI is between 18.5 and 24.9, Over weight is from 25 to 29.9, while obese is defined as BMI from 30 to 39.9 and morbidly obese is greater that 40. Many experts argue that this BMI definition of obesity is not accurate because in does not allow for the heavy muscled individual, but none argue that obesity is not a growing problem. According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) 4.7 percent of the United States population is morbidly obese. This is up from 2.7% less than 20 years ago. With the direct link between obesity and many of societies health and disease issues, it is easy to see what all the concern is about. At its core the cause of obesity is simple. When a person’s energy intake exceeds energy expenditure a person’s body stores the excess...
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...Obesity and Children Kimberly Jordan English Comp 122 Hope Phillips Umansky February 21, 2011 Childhood obesity has been on the rise by 20% in children ages 6 to 11 and that number is triple for children under the age of six. This is posing a serious issue with many health and social consequences that may often continue into adulthood. Research on childhood on obesity is showing that family eating patterns are a crucial factor and environmental and lifestyle are all contributing factors. The responsibility for this national epidemic is the question. Who is responsible for these children’s lifestyle and eating habits which all play an important part in childhood obesity? The first question to answer is what is childhood obesity? According to the Mayo Clinic (Mayo Clinic, Childhood Obesity 2010), “childhood obesity is a serious medical condition that affects children and adolescents. It occurs when a child is well above the normal weight for his or her age and height. Generally consumption of foods high in sugar and fats lead to obesity.” According to research, we all have and need fat tissue in our bodies. (UM, 2010) When there is too much body fat, the result is obesity (Dorland's Medical Dictionary for Health Consumers, 2007, Saunders). There are many factors that contribute to causing obesity including: physical activity, lifestyle, eating habits, environment, family and genetic inheritance (Mayo clinic, childhood Obesity...
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...Introduction The Global issue relating to Eating Disorders is the subject of this report. A Global issue must occur in 3 parts of the world; in this case study Japan, the US and Africa is studied. It must effect a sizable population, and must be a problem of enormous magnitude. Eating disorders as defined by The American Psychiatric Association in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders as a condition characterized by a severe disturbances in eating behavior (Gilbert and Gilbert,p 3). According to disabled world, an eating disorder is a continual disturbance of eating and or eating-related behavior that leads to altered consumption or absorption of food in the body system, in a great way impairing the physical health or psychological and social functioning of the person. Eating disorders are more often than not long-term problems, which can cause great suffering for victims and their families (Eating Disorder Symptoms, Types and Treatment Methods, Para 1). Analysis The writer has chosen this topic because as the statistics across the world have proven obesity has almost turned out to be a national disaster. The thesis of this report is that having an eating disorder puts your body into a high extent of harm. Solutions to the issue will be availed at the conclusion of the report. The writer has chosen this topic because the scope of this enquiry will extend from 2006 to 2011 is discussing the problem, and from 3,000 BC to 2011 AD in...
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...stroke and obesity. As our world becoming more and more industrialized, the pace of our lives is speeding up, those diseases appearing to increase in frequency. Lifestyle diseases have become common problems that needed our attention. One major lifestyle disease is cardiovascular disease. Cardiovascular disease has become the world’s major cause of death. According to statistics, it is responsible for over 30% of total global deaths (Murray & Lopez, 1996). As the average lifetime expectancy rising, the number of people at risk of cardiovascular disease is also increasing. This number could keep growing due to the increasingly sedentary lifestyle and the rapid rising in obesity children and teenagers. There are many risk factors for cardiovascular disease such as age, family history even gender, but it is believed that serum cholesterol, blood pressure and smoking are the major modifiable factors, which are strongly relate to one’s lifestyle (Hobbs & Arroll, 2009). Positive lifestyle changes are very important to prevent and manage cardiovascular disease. Smoking is one of the strongest risk factors that for atherosclerotic disease and has effect on cardiovascular. It is estimated that about 13% of death caused by cardiovascular disease are related to smoking. Among coronary heart disease patients less than 65 years old, about 35% of coronary heart disease in men and 33% in women is attributable to smoking (Ridolfo, Stevenson, 2001). Apparently, smoking has strong effect on cardiovascular...
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...Linn November 10, 2010 Childhood Obesity Childhood obesity is a serious medical condition that has reached epidemic proportions in many developed countries throughout the world, with America having one of the highest rates of overweight children. The consequences this issue has for the children involved can be serious in a number of aspects of their lives. Not only does this issue affect a child physically, it can also have detrimental effects on a child’s psychological and emotional wellbeing. Childhood obesity also has adverse outcomes for society economically in a number of ways. The causes of obesity are multi-factorial, however some aspects create greater worries for health professionals. Obesity is largely the result of caloric imbalance, too few calories expended for the amount of calories consumed. Perhaps the most important contributing factors are lack of exercise and unhealthy diet and eating habits causing this caloric imbalance. It is also mediated by genetic, behavioral, and environmental factors. According to the National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Childhood obesity has more than tripled in the past 30 years. The prevalence of obesity among children in America aged 6 to 11 years increased from 6.5% in 1980 to 19.6% in 2008. The prevalence of obesity among adolescents aged 12 to 19 years increased from 5.0% to 18.1% (Centres for Disease Control and Prevention). The physical effects that obesity has on children can lead to serious...
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