...Processed Foods and Obesity Obesity is rising at an alarming rate in the United States. According to information from the CDC website, “In 2007-2008, based on measured weights and heights, approximately 72.5 million adults in the United States were obese. Obese adults are at increased risk for many serious health conditions, including coronary heart disease, hypertension, stroke, type 2 diabetes, certain types of cancer, and premature death.” (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC], 2009) These numbers are quite alarming when you think about it from a medical standpoint since this means that 33.8% of adults are obese in the United States, that’s one out of every three people. What is obesity? A person is considered obese if their body mass index or BMI is a value or 30 or above. The BMI is a test that compares your body mass to your height, while this is not an exact science it is the most widely used test. Processed foods will also be discussed in this paper, these are foods that have been boxed, bagged, canned, or have a list of ingredients on the side of the box. We process our foods for many different reasons, the most important being safety. There are also many foods that are processed to achieve a better taste, or even to save the manufacturer money. I believe that processed foods are contributing to obesity in the United States; however, processed foods are necessary for many people to sustain their lives. In the past obesity was perceived by many to...
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...As discussed, obesity is an ever-growing problem in the United States. There are some conflicting opinions on what causes obesity, and if it differs from person to person. “…the primary cause of obesity lies in environmental and behavioral changes, rather than in genetic modifications. The percentage of fat energy consumed in the average diet and lack of physical activity are 2 important factors that contribute to explaining the rising prevalence of obesity.” (Jéquier, E) This article states that the primary cause for obesity is that people around the world are becoming less active, and are consuming more food. Because of this, the rate of obesity is rising. “Obesity develops when energy intake exceeds energy expenditure over a prolonged period of time, leading to an accumulation of body fat.” (Wilding, P.H.) This is regarded as the most common and the “primary” reason for obesity. It is proven that if you take in more than you take out, you are going to gain weight. On a severe level, this is exactly what happens when an individual becomes obese. Most people have found the common links between primary things such as inactivity, unhealthy eating habits, pregnancy, lack of sleep and so on. However, the secondary causes of obesity are what are still being discovered today. “These include endocrinological disorders, such as Cushing’s syndrome, polycystic ovary syndrome, hypogonadism and hypothyroidism, as well as genetic, syndromic and drug-related obesity.” (Karam, McFarlane)...
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...sweetener with an unhealthy aftertaste Donna Hill-Spence Devry University High fructose corn syrup (HFCS) has recently received considerable media attention for its negative impacts on consumers’ health. Most investigators and nutritionists believe that the increase in obesity in the United States has paralleled the increasing use of HFCS. Current soft drinks and many other foods are sweetened with this product because it is inexpensive and has useful manufacturing properties. All of these reasons directly benefits the food companies, but are causing body damage and metabolic diseases for the consumers. Even though the corn lobby is trying to prove that HFCS is nearly similar to regular sugar, this is not true. HFCS is high in fructose (55%-72% fructose and 45%-28% glucose) citation needed for these statistics. that is bad for our health. It is so ubiquitous in processed foods and so over-consumed by the average American that many experts believe our nation faces the prospect of an epidemic of metabolic disease in the future, related in significant degree to excess consumption of high-fructose corn syrup. The fact that HFCS is a highly and overly processed unhealthy sugar that is also linked to obesity and other cardiovascular diseases should cause great alarm in all American consumers. First of all, HFCS is very different from regular table sugar. It is a highly processed sweetener that is bad for our health. If you ever tasted cornstarch, you know that it is not sweet...
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...The Impact of Television Food Advertising on Childhood Obesity Lara Klein Abstract Childhood obesity is a growing problem around the world, especially in the United State that is notably harmful as its effects are not only temporary but can have long term effects that can be taken into adulthood. Children’s food preferences are influenced by television advertising that focuses directly at children. It is furthermore concluded that children exposed to high amounts of television advertisements make poor food choices which leads to poor food consumption. Among other factors, parental influence is also critical and can change a child’s behavior towards food advertisement and food choices. Parents should look out to communicate advertisements’ effects to their children, and restrict the amount of time their children spend in front of the television. Moreover, governmental restrictions should be implemented to avoid persuasion of buying unhealthy foods to children at younger ages. The Impact of Television Food Advertising on Childhood Obesity INTRODUCTION According to Bacardi-Gascon and Jimenez-Cruz (2015), childhood obesity is a very serious topic in the United States these days, causing long term economic and social costs due to serious health problems, as well as an increase in morbidity and mortality. Research conducted by Bernhardt, Wilking, Gilbert-Diamond, Emond and Sargent has shown that the more television children watch, the likelihood that they are obese increases...
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...nation. The crisis is obesity. It’s the fastest growing cause of death in America.” According to a government reports, 60 percent of Americans are overweight, and 25 percent are grossly overweight and at medical risk in this country. This condition contributes to approximately 400,000 deaths each year, drains U.S. economy of billions of dollars in direct and indirect medical expenses, disability, and lost productivity. The American culture of obesity is not just a societal trend. It also has strong cultural and economic roots. The economic interests that drive US cultural practices are rarely explained in the media, which makes solving the obesity problem especially difficult. US government officials have become aware of the huge health costs related to diabetes and hypertension, first on individuals, then on the society as whole, through lost productivity and through costs associated with expanding healthcare facilities to serve the increasing number of people with diet-related medical problems. But simple awareness is not enough. Now, when obesity has increasingly becoming a major threat to society and the biggest burden on economy, active government intervention is needed to combat this crisis. Government must develop new economic incentives for businesses and individuals to promote and implement a healthier lifestyle. Obesity is unique in that it is viewed as chronic disease. It is increasing at rates previously only seen with infectious diseases. Obesity is a leading cause...
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...Essay Assignment Obesity in American Adults November 6, 2014 According to the American Diabetes Association, almost two-thirds of American adults are obese or over weight. (Marks, 2004) With the most obvious cause being poor eating habits and lack of physical activity, inactive adults in the US eat on average 500-800 calories more than needed. Given this, these Americans will gain a pound to a pound and a half a week. (Marks, 2004) Obesity is becoming a severe matter in America and it needs to be addressed within reason. Should the government be doing more to challenge the problem or is it up to the individual? First, what is obesity? Obesity is defined on Harvard’s School of Public Health by stating that obesity is being overweight and having too much body fat, most commonly measured by the body mass index (BMI). Being overweight is defined as a body mass index of 25 or higher. Obesity is defined as a BMI of 30 or higher. BMI uses one person’s height and weight to estimate one person’s “fatness”. (Obesity Prevention Source, 2014). What are the effects of obesity? There are many life altering effects that come along with obesity including coronary heart disease, type 2 diabetes, many types of cancer, as well as strokes. Social and emotional effects of obesity, including discrimination, lower wages, lower quality of life and a likely susceptibility to depression are no less effecting as well. (Obesity Prevention Source, 2014) Next, I would like to put obesity in perspective to...
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...Obesity – A Social Problem Society is an integral part one “self”. Social problems are the root cause for many other problems. Being obese is not anymore a personal problem. It is ripened into a huge social problem. Let’s brush up the problems caused due to Obesity in today’s modern world. This is an age of modern living, superior technology, luxurious day-to-day, exaggerated money and last but not the least trending obesity. Growing number of cases of obesity has made it into a fully grown social problem. Child obesity is a much talked about topic in today’s era. What could be the cause of this? The modernization of our living has took us to the top of the ladder on one side and it drenches us in a hollow pit called obesity. The changing life style has brought us into a world of the so called junk foods. These foods are considerable only if there is adequate amount of physical activity. White-collar jobs make us stagnate in a place. Though there is stagnation at work, we could take up initiatives for physical work outs. Rising percentage of obese cases is a red signal for us to stop and think. Obesity knows no boundaries. Any individual who shows least care for his fitness is subjected to obese. Though dumb, people are adjudged by appearances. Here comes the play of the society in the individual. An obese individual faces a social apathy. Child obesity is still worse. Obese children are highly prone to clownishness. When a child faces this kind of ridicule, he/she is subjected...
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...Childhood Obesity Childhood Obesity: The Causes and Cure of Childhood Obesity Patricia Harris Epidemiology and Applied Healthcare Statistics June 17, 2011 Childhood Obesity: The Causes and Cure of Childhood Obesity In the United State the current childhood obesity epidemic is caused by fast food industries, video games, poor eating habits and the lack of exercise. This disease affects adults and children in the United States (Evans2006). Obesity is the state of being well above one’s normal weight. Children are becoming sick and being overweight because of this condition. ( medterms 2008). Everyday one in four children (from ages 5 to 18) eats fast food. As a result, children are gaining extra pounds daily while increasing the risk of obesity. Child obesity from fast food consumptions is an issue for parents because of the health risks associated by obesity. Fast food products contain higher fats, carbohydrates, sugars, and calories than any other products. As a result, children of all ages worldwide are accumulating excess weight because of unbalanced nutrients found in these products. According to several studies, child obesity from fast foods is a major problem because children consume over 120 extra calories daily. Poor nutritional habits are one of the important reasons for childhood obesity. Television and Video games Another problem that could lead to obesity is playing video games...
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...Childhood Obesity Shaleta Lathon PE 112-02 Saint Xavier University In Today’s society one in three American children are either overweight or obese, which is triple the rate it was in 1963 (American Heart Association, 2014). Childhood Obesity is not limited to the United States it is becoming more of a problem for every child all over the world. Childhood obesity is defined as having excess body fat, and being overweight means that having excess body weight from fat, muscle, bone water or a combination of these factors (CDC, 2013). A way to determine if a child is overweight is by using the body mass index chart. This chart can determine if a child is at an unhealthy weight, healthy weight, overweight, or obese (CDC, 2013). There are many health issues for those who are overweight or obese such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes and more. There has been a lot of research conducted on childhood obesity from kindergarten to middle school, whether or not appetite is linked to obesity, and whether or not children should have bariatric surgery to remove the fat. Obesity is a major problem because it causes many health problems. Children that are overweight or obese are more likely to suffer from high blood pressure or high cholesterol (CDC, 2013). In a sample of obese children 70% hat at least one risk for cardiovascular disease (CDC, 2013). Children who suffer from obesity are also more likely to suffer from joint and bone problems (CDC, 2013). Being overweight...
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...Obesity an American Epidemic HCS/552 Karen L. Chambers University of Phoenix Monday June 4, 2012 Professor James Hamilton Obesity an American Epidemic Numerous research studies have confirmed that poor eating habits, lack of exercise and a sedentary lifestyle are the prime contributors to obesity in the US. Because of on the go life styles, fast food consumption and microwave meals, people have sacrificed their health. Instead of eating pure, wholesome foods, many people opt to eat a diet of packaged, processed and refined foods. Obesity is a condition in which excess body fat has accumulated to such levels that a person’s health can be negatively affected. The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have ranked obesity as the number one health threat in America, with an estimated 400,000 deaths annually. (Smoking causes an estimated 440,000 deaths annually) Being simply overweight is not as dangerous as being obese. An overweight person can easily lose a few pounds by monitored diets and exercise, and usually regains a healthy body and mind. Obese people cannot accomplish this as easily, no matter how much effort is exerted. Studies conducted by researchers at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, examined three large, nationally representative surveys on food consumption conducted from 1987 to 1998. The survey collected data on what more than 63,000 people said that they ate. Salty snacks (crackers, chips, pretzels) increased from 1 ounce to...
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...Obesity in America Obesity isn't just something to joke about, it's REAL LIFE! I will be sharing three main topics about obesity in America: How many people in America are obese, What is the percentage of obesity in America, and How many children are obese in America. If we don't shape up as a nation, our world will be full of misery and death. I hope you take some thought about the next thing you eat and take away from it. What is the percentage of obesity in America 2016? More than two-thirds (68.8 percent) of adults are considered to be overweight or obese. More than one-third (35.7 percent) of adults are considered to be obese. More than 1 in 20 (6.3 percent) have extreme obesity. Almost 3 in 4 men (74 percent) are...
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...Obesity Rising in America Florida State College of Jacksonville People are becoming more obese in America. According to Ferraro and Kelley-Moore (2003), "The number of people in America considered obese has been steadily rising since the 1960s, up 12 % since then. Obesity is not to be confused with being overweight. Obesity is defined as having a body mass index (BMI) greater than or equal to 30 according to the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute guidelines (NHLBI)" (p.708). Ferraro and Kelley-Moore (2003) go on to claim that, “Obesity is an important mediating variable between socioeconomic status and health. Persons of lower socioeconomic status are more likely to be obese, and the effect of obesity reduces the independent association between socioeconomic status and health measures” (p.724). There are many arguments about what is causing obesity, poor diet, genetics and low socioeconomic status are just a few factors blamed for obesity. Adler and Stewart (2009) reinforce Ferraro and Kelley-Moore’s findings of the correlations between socioeconomic status and obesity, “Environment also plays a role in obesity. Poor communities lack health promoting resources; for example, poorer communities have fewer supermarkets, more fast-food restaurants, and fewer accessible and safe recreational opportunities” (p.49-50). In the next ten years obesity will be at its highest rates if it continues on this path. With...
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...Name: University: Course: Tutor: Date: Obese People and Health Insurance Policies Obesity is seemingly becoming a healthcare problem because its health and economic burden is exceedingly enormous. Before 1980’s, the prevalence rate of obesity was relatively low, but its prevalence and incidence rates have assumed an upward trend, probably due to the rapid change of lifestyle. Prevalence rate of obesity has increased by two folds, over the last three decades in the US, and the incidence rate is predicted to triple by 2015. Currently, obesity is ranked fifth leading cause of mortality in the entire world. From a global scope, obesity and its related morbidity accounts for about 2.8 million deaths yearly. Recent epidemiological reports reveal that, approximately 44 percent of the diabetes disease burden is caused by obesity; whereas, 23 percent of the cardiovascular disease burden is attributable to being overweight and obese. Further reports indicate that, obesity is responsible for about 7-41 percent of the total cancer burden worldwide (WHO par. 3). It is absurd for medical insurance companies to charge obese people high premiums for their healthcare policies compared with the physically fit Americans. Since obesity seems to be causing negative consequences on the American healthcare systems, efficient approaches are required so as to curb this health problem (Dent &Morgan 3). This paper will dissect the reasons as to why the obese people should be charged normal or less...
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...Childhood Obesity ENG 122 April 26, 2012 Childhood Obesity Childhood obesity is an ongoing problem that we will all face in our lifetime. We may encounter this from our own experience as being an overweight child, seeing it in our children, their friends or even in our grandchildren. We all need to have a better understanding of childhood obesity. We will start this journey by address a brief history of childhood obesity, short and long-term health concerns, methods for treating obesity, and prevention of obesity in children. The overall purpose will be to foster an understanding of the impact high-fructose corn syrup usage in the last 30 years has had in relation to the childhood obesity epidemic. Childhood obesity is not a new problem but it is becoming an epidemic in the United States. Dr. Fals (2009) writes, “this country has been struggling with obesity for well over 20 years now” (p. 1). Most of us can remember when there was maybe one overweight child in a classroom, now there are two to three instead. The National Center for Health Statistics has been conducting surveys since 1963 relating to obesity among children and adolescents in the United States (Ogden, 2010). This is the only organization that has solid scientific history and statistical data available. It appears that obesity was not tracked on a nationwide level prior to 1963. One reason may be that there weren’t enough cases of childhood obesity to raise any red flags up until the 1960s. Since...
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...Junk Food and Child Obesity Jaya Sinha Childhood obesity has become a prominent health issue in developed countries and has now gained access in the developing world as well. Secular trends indicate increasing prevalence rates of childhood obesity in India, from 9.8% (2006) to 11.7% (2009). Similar increase can be seen in other developing countries; 4.1% (1974) to 13.9% (1997) in Brazil and from 12.2% (1991) to 15.6% (1993) in Thailand. Important determinants of childhood obesity include poor dietary habits, sedentary lifestyle, high socioeconomic status, unawareness and false beliefs about nutrition, marketing by transnational food companies, increasing academic stress, and poor facilities for physical activity. Obesity among children has medical as well as psychosocial impact leading to huge economic impact on the individual family, health sector as well as the country. Successful prevention/reduction and management of childhood obesity requires a multilevel approach involving the family, school, peer group, government and the society as a whole. Introduction Obesity has reached epidemic proportions globally and its prevalence has doubled in the last two decades (1). Over the last 5 years, most developing countries have reported prevalence rates of obesity (inclusive of overweight) > 15% in children and adolescents aged 5–19 year (2–4). Childhood obesity is increasing at an alarming pace in India, giving rise to adult diseases in youth, like high blood pressure...
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