Obesity

The Problems of Obesity in Adults

Rose Lyn Galera

California State University, Channel Islands

Health-499

Ashley Winnans

March 05, 2021

 It is normal for people to be overweight or obese in the United States, since 1990 the

rates of obesity have increased and it varies by state. Adults who are obese are most likely to

develop diseases such as, diabetes, heart disease, some type of cancer and hypertension

(Djalalinia, S., Qorbani, M., Peykari, N., & Kelishadi, R, 2015). Body mass index (BMI)

measures weight and height to provide a good estimate of body fat in the body. Moreover, this

determines if an adult is underweight, normal weight, overweight and obese by calculating

weights for height. Obesity can be prevented by having a healthy lifestyle such as, eating a

healthy diet and engaging in physical activity (Anderson, L., Martinson, B., Crain, A., Pronk, N.,

Whitebird, R., O''Connor, P., & Fine, L, 2005).

Obesity is considered to be an important public health problem. It is a medical condition

and a multifactorial disorder that occurs when a person carries excess body fat and body weight.

A BMI between 25 and 29.9 is considered to be overweight, while a person who is obese has a

high body mass index of 30 or higher. BMI measures body fat obtained from skinfold thickness

and does not measure body fat directly(Gruber, K., & Haldeman, L 2009). Women’s body fat is

about 10% higher than men because the excess body fat in women is distributed on thighs,

buttocks and breast, whereas men store body fat on the abdominal area (Djalalinia, S., Qorbani,

M., Peykari, N., & Kelishadi, R, 2015).

Obesity is known to be a serious and costly disease. According to the CDC, in 2008 the

United States spent $147 billion in medical costs on obesity(CDC, 2021). This disease affects

some groups more than others, the highest race of obesity are Non-Hispanics Black by 49.6%.

Furthermore, this goes out among younger adults aged 20-39 years old about 40% and 44.8%

among adults aged 40-59. In order to reduce and prevent obesity, maintaining a healthy weight

and being physically active are a great factor. This comes with developing many health
conditions, such as arthritis, diabetes, hypertension, cardiovascular diseases and certain cancers

(Djalalinia, S., Qorbani, M., Peykari, N., & Kelishadi, R, 2015).

Studies show that people can die from obesity and the particular reason for this

circumstance is that BMI predicts mortality. According to the Framingham study, male and

female non smokers who were obese tend to live 5.8 and 7.1 years less than non-obese

individuals at the aged of 40 (Segula, D 2014). In addition, diabetes is the main disease an obese

person can have. Type 2 diabetes is when the body uses sugar(glucose) as a source of energy and

too much consumption will result in circulation in the bloodstream (Segula, D 2014). People that

has severe obesity are likely to develop type 2 diabetes ten times more than a non obese person

(Djalalinia, S., Qorbani, M., Peykari, N., & Kelishadi, R., 2015). 600,000 people in the United

States die of heart disease every year.

In order to treat obesity, it involves heavily lifestyle changes such as diet and sleeping

patterns. If lifestyle changes are not helping, surgical procedures may be an option (Anderson,

L., Martinson, B., Crain, A., Pronk, N., Whitebird, R., O''Connor, P., & Fine, L., 2005). Obesity

is not the only problem that society faces, but it’s also a problem that society causes (Puhl, R. M.,

& Heuer, 2010). For example, unhealthy food availability, pricing and marketing is easy access

for everyone. It is more affordable to eat junk food than to eat healthy. Some people are more

exposed to fast food because McDonalds and other restaurants are in every corner. As a result,

obesity and health problems increase overtime.

 REFERENCE

Adult obesity facts. (2021, February 11). Retrieved March 04, 2021, from

https://www.cdc.gov/obesity/data/adult.html

Anderson, L., Martinson, B., Crain, A., Pronk, N., Whitebird, R., O''Connor, P., & Fine,

L. (2005, October). Health care charges associated with physical inactivity, overweight, and

obesity. Retrieved February 26, 2021, from

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1435706/

Djalalinia, S., Qorbani, M., Peykari, N., & Kelishadi, R. (2015). Health impacts of

Obesity. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4386197/

Gruber, K., & Haldeman, L. (2009, July). Using the family to combat childhood and adult

obesity. Retrieved March 01, 2020, from

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2722397/

Puhl, R. M., & Heuer, C. A. (2010, June). Obesity stigma: important considerations for

public health. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2866597/

Segula, D. (2014, March). Complications of obesity in adults: A short review of the

literature. Retrieved March 05, 2021, from

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4062780/