Running head: OBESITY IN THE UNITED STATES 1

Obesity in the United States

Student’s Name

Institutional Affiliation
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Obesity in the United States

1. Discuss the history, depth, and breadth of the obesity problem in the United States.

Today, obesity is considered a health issue and an indicator of an unhealthy lifestyle.

Historically, in the United States, people believed that obesity is a result of addiction to an

unhealthy lifestyle, including food and nutrition, and a sedentary life without any frequent

physical activity. The popular thought on obesity in the 1940s and 1950s framed obesity as

addiction and used this view to formulate and implement healthcare policies. Being overweight

and obese was considered a result of a psychological defect. This was based on the

psychodynamic theory that addiction is a psychological defect (Rasmussen, 2015).

The idea that obesity is a result of addiction led to the amplification of weight stigma in

the country. Theorizing that obesity is a consequence of addiction also led to the formulation and

implementation of policies that ignored obesity’s consequences on public health. The

government, therefore, focused on modifying individual eating behavior while ignoring possible

population-level interventions. Therefore, there are numerous risks of framing obesity as an

addiction. They include reinforcing stigma and neglecting possible policies that might reduce the

consumption of energy-dense foods in the US population (Rasmussen, 2015).

Obesity is currently considered as an epidemic in the US. It is linked to personal and

social illness. Obese people are seen to be lazy, out of control, and at risk. Increasing rates of

obesity in the US could be as a result of residential instability. The likelihood of getting obese is

influenced by the built environment one life in. When social amenities that support physical

exercise and healthy eating are present in a residential area, along with the motivation to utilize

them, the chances of getting obese are lowered (Jones, 2015).

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While obesity was recognized as an addiction that affected the quality of life, the

condition was identified as a significant issue of public policy concerns in the 1990s. Since then,

obesity rates have continued to increase steadily. One-third of the adult population in the US is

considered obese, and another one-third is considered to be overweight based on Body Mass

Index (BMI) measurements. This is not only applicable to adults but also in children. A third of

children in the US are overweight, while one-sixth are obese (Alston & Okrent, 2017).

2. Examine the impact that obesity as a leading healthcare indicator has on the

population as a whole.

Obesity is a prevalent issue in the US. It has numerous health and economic impacts on

the US population. One of the most significant impacts is the increase in the cost of medical care.

Obesity has led to an increase in the US national medical expenditure and in the percentage

devoted to treating obesity and the arising complications. The amount dedicated to medical

expenditure rose from 6.13% to 7.91% within fourteen years, between 2001 and 2015. Therefore,

based on the statistics provided, obesity increases medical care costs. It also leads to a reduction

in wages and a reduction in the probability of employment (Biener, Cawley, & Meyerhoefer,

2018).

Obesity also impacts the health of the population as it causes complications that reduce

the quality of life and put people at risk. One of the major complications caused by obesity is

increased cardiovascular risk. Apart from obesity, other associated medical conditions that

increase cardiovascular risk are diabetes, hypertension, sleep apnoea syndrome, and insulin

resistance. The increase in cardiovascular risk is a result of structural and functional changes of

the heart, which are likely to lead to heart failure. It is linked to several cardiovascular conditions
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such as atherosclerosis, coronary artery disease, heart failure, cardiac arrhythmias, and sudden

cardiac death (Csige et al., 2018).

Obesity is also associated with increased morbidity in chronic obstructive pulmonary

disease (COPD). High obesity rates lead to an increased number of comorbidities. It worsens the

general quality of life and respiration-specific issues (Lambert et al., 2017). Obesity also has an

impact on reproductive health among men and women. In women, about 20% of women in the

reproductive age are obese. Obesity is not only associated with prenatal maternal and fetal

effects but also a reduction in female fertility. Obesity in women increases the risk of developing

ovulatory dysfunction as a result of dysregulation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-ovarian axis.

Obese women also record lower success rates in the use of in vitro fertilization. Additionally, the

presence of excess fatty acids has toxic effects on reproductive tissue (Broughton & Moley,

2017).

There also exist biological links between obesity and cancer. The relationship between

obesity and cancer leads to increased mortality and morbidity rates. Research shows that cancer

is a consequence of obesity. High BMI increases the chances of getting cancer. Biological links

between cancer and obesity are hyperinsulinemia and insulin-like growth factors (IGF).

Additionally, adipose tissue produces sex hormones, hypoxia, and pro-inflammatory cytokines.

These, in turn, increase the initiation and progression of tumors. Obese cancer patients also have

an increased risk of chemotherapy-related toxicity (Ottaiano et al., 2018).

Obesity not only leads to increased health care costs but also disability costs. Being obese

leads to the declaration of premature disability. Therefore, lower levels of productivity are

recorded, along with a decrease in the quality of life and increased mortality. Obesity is also a

risk factor for several musculoskeletal disorders. Such disorders include back pain, osteoarthritis,
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and increased difficulty with physical functioning. It is also one of the leading causes of an

upsurge in knee replacement surgery. Obesity also has psychosocial impacts on the population. It

leads to increased depressive symptoms and mood disorders rates. Obese people are also

subjected to a lot of stigmatization and discrimination (Yarborough et al., 2018).

3. Discuss the impact of healthcare policy-making on obesity.

There is a variation in the acknowledgment of obesity as a disease due to policy-

variations across the US health sector. Developing a national obesity strategy streamlines efforts

to reduce obesity and its impact on adults and children. One of the most crucial considerations in

obesity is portion sizes. Portion sizes determine the dietary energy intake in the population.

Research shows that portion sizes have been increasing over the past 50 years.

Increasing the portions of packages of food offered increases consumption rates. The

increase is due to the availability of larger portion sizes and larger items of tableware. Therefore,

one of the most popular national and international policies implemented to reduce obesity

reduction of portion sizes. Acceptable portion sizes are shaped by observation of social trends

and marketing campaigns that feature larger portions. Reducing portion sizes will recalibrate

consumption norms to healthier-sized portions. Health policies to reduce acceptable policy sizes

reduce demand and supply, thus recalibrating portion sizes (Marteau et al., 2015).

4. Formulate at least one recommendation that would support further progress in this

area of interest.

Nudging is the modification of existing environments to support behavioral change

without people’s conscious awareness. Nudging is done with the intent of improving people’s

health. It involves altering the environment where the behavior occurs. However, public
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acceptability is critical to yield results. Policymakers also need to be well informed to promote

public acceptability. Nudging is one of the most effective ways to improve public health. Most

governments use nudging to promote eating and physical activities as ways to reduce obesity.

Possible nudging interventions that can be used to reduce obesity in the US include reducing

portion sizes and changing the container shape and shelf-location of sugar-sweetened beverages.

Taxation and education are traditional interventions to reduce obesity (Petrescu et al., 2016).

Developing a national food/nutrition strategy is another effective strategy to reduce

obesity rates in the US (Esdaile et al., 2019). As mentioned before, acceptable portion sizes have

been increasing for the past 50 years due to the use of larger sizes in marketing campaigns and

larger sized tableware. People are also consuming more sugar-sweetened drinks increasing the

rate of obesity. Developing a food/nutrition strategy in the country will provide guidance on

healthy foods and portions and reduce the rate of obesity among adults and children.

5. Discuss the influence that your Christian worldview has on how you view your role

in supporting population health efforts overall, as well as people who are affected by

the chosen health indicator.

“Please test your servants for ten days, and let them give us vegetables to eat and water to

drink. Then let our appearance be examined before you, and the appearance of the young men

who eat the portion of the king’s delicacies; and as you see fit, so deal with your servants”

(Daniel 1: 12-13, The New King James Version). My view on Christianity is that through Bible

scripture such as the one indicated above, Christians are taught to embrace health practices and

strive to thrive in their health. Christians are also encouraged to be generous and to help the

needy who lack access to healthy and enough food. Therefore, Christianity, as a religion,

emphasizes the need for believers in supporting population health efforts.

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Obesity is a result of the consumption of excess energy-filled foods. Christianity also

discourages gluttony using the verse "Be not among winebibbers; among riotous eaters of flesh:

For the drunkard and the glutton shall come to poverty: and drowsiness shall clothe a man with

rags" (Proverbs 23:20-21, The New King James Version). Gluttony, in this case, consumption of

excess portions is one of the leading causes of obesity and can be reduced when Christians heed

these warnings.
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References

Alston, J. M., & Okrent, A. M. (2017). Obesity in America. In The Effects of Farm and Food

Policy on Obesity in the United States (pp. 13-53). Palgrave Macmillan, New York.

Biener, A., Cawley, J., & Meyerhoefer, C. (2018). The impact of obesity on medical care costs

and labor market outcomes in the US. Clinical chemistry, 64(1), 108-117.

Broughton, D. E., & Moley, K. H. (2017). Obesity and female infertility: potential mediators of

obesity's impact. Fertility and sterility, 107(4), 840-847.

Csige, I., Ujvárosy, D., Szabó, Z., Lőrincz, I., Paragh, G., Harangi, M., & Somodi, S. (2018).

The impact of obesity on the cardiovascular system. Journal of diabetes research, 2018.

Esdaile, E., Thow, A. M., Gill, T., Sacks, G., Golley, R., Love, P., ... & Rissel, C. (2019).

National policies to prevent obesity in early childhood: Using policy mapping to compare

policy lessons for Australia with six developed countries. Obesity Reviews, 20(11), 1542-

1556.

Jones, A. (2015). Residential instability and obesity over time: the role of the social and built

environment. Health & place, 32, 74-82.

Lambert, A. A., Putcha, N., Drummond, M. B., Boriek, A. M., Hanania, N. A., Kim, V., ... &

McCormack, M. C. (2017). Obesity is associated with increased morbidity in moderate to

severe COPD. Chest, 151(1), 68-77.

Marteau, T. M., Hollands, G. J., Shemilt, I., & Jebb, S. A. (2015). Downsizing: policy options to

reduce portion sizes to help tackle obesity. Bmj, 351, h5863.

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Ottaiano, A., De Divitiis, C., Capozzi, M., Avallone, A., Pisano, C., Pignata, S., & Tafuto, S.

(2018). Obesity and Cancer: Biological links and treatment implications. Current cancer

drug targets, 18(3), 231-238.

Petrescu, D. C., Hollands, G. J., Couturier, D. L., Ng, Y. L., & Marteau, T. M. (2016). Public

acceptability in the UK and USA of nudging to reduce obesity: the example of reducing

sugar-sweetened beverages consumption. PLoS One, 11(6).

Rasmussen, N. (2015). Stigma and the addiction paradigm for obesity: lessons from 1950s

America. Addiction, 110(2), 217-225.

Yarborough III, C. M., Brethauer, S., Burton, W. N., Fabius, R. J., Hymel, P., Kothari, S., ... &

Roslin, M. S. (2018). ACOEM Guidance Statement: Obesity in the Workplace: Impact,

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