Alexa Kassels, Class of 2021
Obesity has become a major problem in the United States with the development of processed foods and unhealthy options. According to a new study in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine, employees who purchase less healthy food in the cafeteria are more likely to have an unhealthy diet outside of work and be overweight (Eating Healthily at Work Matters). Additonally, the National Center for Health Statistics states that around 40% of adults over the age of 20 are obese, around 21% of adolescents aged 12-19 are obese, and around 18% of children ages 16-11 are obese (FastStats).
When you weigh more than what is considered healthy, you are described as being obese. The Body Mass Index (BMI) can help determine if you are a healthy weight by looking at your height and weight. If you BMI is over 30.0, you are in the obese range. Obesity is often subdivided into three categories: Class 1, Class 2, and Class 3. Class 1 is defined as having a BMI between 30 and 35, Class 2 consists of having a BMI between 35 and 40, and Class 3 results from a BMI being over 40 (Defining Adult Overweight and Obesity).
Obesity is a major issue because it can have many negative effects on your body. As obesity becomes more severe, the likeliness of developing other diseases also increases. Some of these include type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, sleep apnea, heart disease, respiratory disorders, stroke, and cancer. For example, you are ten times more likely to develop type 2 diabetes when you are obese and three to four times more likely to have a respiratory disorder, such as asthma (The Impact of Obesity).
Obesity can result from an arrange of factors involving behavior and genetics. Some of these include physical activity, dietary patterns, inactivity, and the use of medication. Genetics cannot fully be responsible for the obesity epidemic because genetic changes in human populations do not occur fast enough. However, genetics must play a role since different people respond differently to unhealthy environments, such as poor diet and lack of activity. Variants in genes can interact to increase hunger and caloric intake. Behavior has the largest effect on obesity. Healthy behaviors consist of having a healthy diet pattern and regular physical activity. Excess weight gain can be prevented by balancing the number of calories consumed from food and beverages with the number of calories the body uses for activity. Additionally, a healthy diet requires eating whole grains, fruits, vegetables, lean protein, low-fat and fat-free dairy products, and drinking water. Furthermore, it is recommended that adults exercise at moderate intensity for at least 150 minutes per week along with 2 days of strength training (Adult Obesity Causes).
There are many ways we can work together as a community to prevent obesity. Schools and worksites should focus on supporting healthy eating and active living throughout the school and work day (Community Efforts). Schools and work sites can offer healthier options for lunch and eliminate sugary beverages and high energy food. In addition, people can be educated about how small changes can make a large difference in preventing weight gain. Weight gain and current obesity levels in the United States have been shown to be caused from a slight intake of extra calories. Therefore, small changes in behavior can prevent this slight shift towards positive energy balance, such as walking extra or eating a smaller portion of dessert. This approach can be sustained longer than encouraging more extreme actions, such as intense dieting. (Lean 2006) Health insurance can also have an important influence on the weight control behaviors of patients. The cost of obesity prevention and treatment can be covered by insurance and prevention programs can be instituted (Health Care 2016).
Overall, even though obesity is a large problem throughout the United States, it can be prevented through educating the population about the effects of obesity and how they can make healthier choices.
References
When you weigh more than what is considered healthy, you are described as being obese. The Body Mass Index (BMI) can help determine if you are a healthy weight by looking at your height and weight. If you BMI is over 30.0, you are in the obese range. Obesity is often subdivided into three categories: Class 1, Class 2, and Class 3. Class 1 is defined as having a BMI between 30 and 35, Class 2 consists of having a BMI between 35 and 40, and Class 3 results from a BMI being over 40 (Defining Adult Overweight and Obesity).
Obesity is a major issue because it can have many negative effects on your body. As obesity becomes more severe, the likeliness of developing other diseases also increases. Some of these include type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, sleep apnea, heart disease, respiratory disorders, stroke, and cancer. For example, you are ten times more likely to develop type 2 diabetes when you are obese and three to four times more likely to have a respiratory disorder, such as asthma (The Impact of Obesity).
Obesity can result from an arrange of factors involving behavior and genetics. Some of these include physical activity, dietary patterns, inactivity, and the use of medication. Genetics cannot fully be responsible for the obesity epidemic because genetic changes in human populations do not occur fast enough. However, genetics must play a role since different people respond differently to unhealthy environments, such as poor diet and lack of activity. Variants in genes can interact to increase hunger and caloric intake. Behavior has the largest effect on obesity. Healthy behaviors consist of having a healthy diet pattern and regular physical activity. Excess weight gain can be prevented by balancing the number of calories consumed from food and beverages with the number of calories the body uses for activity. Additionally, a healthy diet requires eating whole grains, fruits, vegetables, lean protein, low-fat and fat-free dairy products, and drinking water. Furthermore, it is recommended that adults exercise at moderate intensity for at least 150 minutes per week along with 2 days of strength training (Adult Obesity Causes).
There are many ways we can work together as a community to prevent obesity. Schools and worksites should focus on supporting healthy eating and active living throughout the school and work day (Community Efforts). Schools and work sites can offer healthier options for lunch and eliminate sugary beverages and high energy food. In addition, people can be educated about how small changes can make a large difference in preventing weight gain. Weight gain and current obesity levels in the United States have been shown to be caused from a slight intake of extra calories. Therefore, small changes in behavior can prevent this slight shift towards positive energy balance, such as walking extra or eating a smaller portion of dessert. This approach can be sustained longer than encouraging more extreme actions, such as intense dieting. (Lean 2006) Health insurance can also have an important influence on the weight control behaviors of patients. The cost of obesity prevention and treatment can be covered by insurance and prevention programs can be instituted (Health Care 2016).
Overall, even though obesity is a large problem throughout the United States, it can be prevented through educating the population about the effects of obesity and how they can make healthier choices.
References
- Adult Obesity Causes & Consequences | Overweight & Obesity | CDC. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. [accessed 2019 May 31]. https://www.cdc.gov/obesity/adult/causes.html
- Community Efforts | Overweight & Obesity | CDC. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. [accessed 2019 May 31]. https://www.cdc.gov/obesity/strategies/community.html
- Defining Adult Overweight and Obesity | Overweight & Obesity | CDC. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. [accessed 2019 May 31]. https://www.cdc.gov/obesity/adult/defining.html
- Eating healthily at work matters. ScienceDaily. 2019 May 22 [accessed 2019 Jun 17]. https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2019/05/190522141827.htm
- FastStats - Overweight Prevalence. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. [accessed 2019 May 31]. https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/fastats/obesity-overweight.htm
- Health Care. Obesity Prevention Source. 2016 Apr 11 [accessed 2019 May 31]. https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/obesity-prevention-source/obesity-prevention/healthcare/
- Lean M, Lara J, Hill JO. ABC of obesity. Strategies for preventing obesity. BMJ (Clinical research ed.). 2006 Nov 4 [accessed 2019 May 31]. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1633816/
- The Impact of Obesity on Your Body and Health | ASMBS. American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery. [accessed 2019 May 31]. https://asmbs.org/patients/impact-of-obesity
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