Preview

Cause and Effect of Obesity Essay

Good Essays
Open Document
Open Document
1069 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
Cause and Effect of Obesity Essay
Article Source: http://www.buzzle.com/articles/obesity.html

Overweight and obesity is the second leading cause of death, killing 300,000 people a year, ... There is not a miracle pill that will lead to weight loss ~ Richard Carmona

Obesity is perhaps one of the most dangerous health problems increasing at an alarming rate due to various factors most of which are related to the changing lifestyles. Here is some basic information about obesity.

What is obesity?

Obesity is a condition where the fat layer accumulates in the body to a point where it becomes a health risk. The human body can afford to accumulate a little extra fat but when the fat accumulation exceeds the minimum extent, it interferes with the general health issues and becomes a cause of great concern.

How do I find out whether I am obese?

The easiest and most efficient way to find out if you are obese is to check your body mass index. The body Mass Index (BMI) is calculated by dividing a person’s body weight by his/her height. The statistical benchmarks set by World Health Organization (WHO) define a BMI of 25 or more as ‘overweight’ 25, and a person with a BMI of 30 or more is labeled as ‘obese’. However it is observed that chronic health risks increase from a BMI value of 21 onward.

What are the risks associated with obesity?

In addition to being a cause of physical distress for the person, obesity paves way for various chronic diseases as well. The various medical problems that can be initiated or aggravated by obesity include diabetes, cancer, high blood pressure, abnormal blood fats, osteoarthritis, sleep apnea, fatty liver diseases, gall bladder diseases, fertility and pregnancy problems, in addition to the physical discomfort and psychological stress.

What are the causes of obesity?

An unhealthy diet containing excessive fat percentage and excessive amounts of calories can lead to obesity. A sedentary lifestyle without adequate physical activity is also one of the

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Good Essays

    Obesity increases the risk of diabetes, hypertension, high blood cholesterol, coronary heart disease, stroke, arthritis and many more.…

    • 659 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    “Obesity is an abnormal accumulation of body fat, usually 20% or more over an individual's ideal body weight. Obesity is associated with increased risk of illness, disability, and death.” [www.answer.com]…

    • 2056 Words
    • 9 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Obesity is health condition of anyone significantly above his/her ideal healthy weight. It’s a leading cause of United States mortality, disability, healthcare and today 69% of U.S. adult are categorized as being affected by obesity.…

    • 370 Words
    • 1 Page
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Better Essays

    To determine if someone is overweight or obese we use the body mass index, or BMI. It is a simple, easy to apply, index of weight-for-height that is commonly used in the medical filed to determine styles of body mass. Believe it or not there is a category known as underweight, and it is when your BMI is less than 18.5. Normal is when someone is between 18.5 and 24.9 BMI. This is followed by overweight which is anything from 25.0 to 29.9 BMI. Then the last, but not least is obese, which is considered anything greater than 30.0 BMI (Center for Disease Control and Prevention, 2010). There are those that believe that this is not the best way to correctly measure body fat, and they would be correct. Surely a person who is a professional weight lifter can have the same BMI as someone who has always been a couch potato all their life, but the dramatic distinguishing characteristics between these two body styles should leave no doubt in their mind the difference between what would be physically fit and obese.…

    • 1196 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Let's Move

    • 473 Words
    • 2 Pages

    Webster’s Dictionary defines obesity as a condition characterized by the excessive accumulation and storage of fat in the body. Over the past 40 years, obesity has quadrupled. Obesity has become one of the most dangerous health risks in the United States. Our future children eat more unhealthy food, and get less exercise in today’s society.…

    • 473 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    According to Mayo Clinic, obesity is defined as having an excessive amount of body fat. (Mayo Clinic, 2013) Obesity is a disease that has become an epidemic in the United States. In the last two decades, there has been a dramatic increase in the number of people who are obese. “More than one-third of U.S. adults (35.7%) and approximately 17% (or 12.5 million) of children and adolescents aged 2—19 years are obese.” (CDC, 2013) There are many factors of obesity that can be controlled and some factors that can not be controlled. Obesity has gotten so out-of-hand that even the government has stepped in to help lower the…

    • 1611 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Good Essays

    Illustration Essay

    • 725 Words
    • 2 Pages

    Obesity is the condition of being very over weight. Did you know this condition has affected millions of Americans throughout out the United States! People who are obese deal with many negative health factors throughout out their lives. These include depression, anxiety, and sometimes even death. Most people that deal with this medical issue have many social problems. Something has to change! With so many Americans living such unhealthy lives, they are becoming disabled from living happy normal lives. People who are overweight should also try to increase their exercise levels and eat healthier in order to maintain healthy lifestyles and overcome obesity.…

    • 725 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Best Essays

    Obesity in America

    • 3301 Words
    • 14 Pages

    What is Obesity? According to the Centers for Disease Control, obesity is defined as "the condition of an excessively high amount of body fat or adipose tissue in relation to lean body mass." A more commonly-known definition of obesity is that of an individual 's weight being 30% or more above what is considered normal as defined by a standardly-accepted height/weight chart. (CDC, 2012)…

    • 3301 Words
    • 14 Pages
    Best Essays
  • Better Essays

    Obesity in America

    • 1811 Words
    • 8 Pages

    According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, obesity can be defined as a weight that is more than what is considered a healthy weight. Obesity has come up as one of our nation’s deadliest killer along with tobacco and alcohol. Obesity rates have climbed with the increasing popularity of fast food. Companies have figured out a way…

    • 1811 Words
    • 8 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Better Essays

    What is the true definition of Obesity? According to the Mayoclinic, “Obesity is a complex disorder involving an excessive amount of body fat”. Obesity continues to be a problem not only in America but other countries as well. No one grows up wanting to be obese, however, depending on where a person lives and where they were raised, some had no other choice but to eat what is offered many times and not question anything. Obesity is not just a physical issue but it creates an unstable mental state of mind. Further discussion will focus on characteristics of individuals and groups…

    • 1015 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Good Essays

    b) Briefly explain some of the health risks associated with obesity. Obesity is not only a cosmetic problem but a health hazard. According to Web MD someone who is 40% overweight is twice as likely to die prematurely as is an average weight person. Obesity has been linked to the following serious medical conditions; Heart…

    • 1446 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Obesity in America

    • 990 Words
    • 4 Pages

    What is obesity? Obesity is when there is too much stored in the body's fatty tissues. When the excess amount of fatty tissues increases, there is a corresponding increase to other medical risk as well. Some of these medical risks have the possibility to be life threatening. The cause of overweight conditions is when the energy intake from foods in greater than what the body needs. The excess is turned into fat cells and stored in the body. The amount of excess energy intake is very small but over time can add up to cause the overweight condition. By the lack of exercise, healthy eating habits, or knowledge is the reason why so many people are obese. It is a major problem with it affecting children as well as adults. In the US alone it has been calculated that 1 out of 3 kids is considered overweight or obese and in adults more than two-thirds of…

    • 990 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Over eighty million people are overweight and the number of obese or overweight people is increasing drastically every year. There are many overwhelming factors that contribute to obesity. Some of the factors include poor diet, genetics and medical issues. Not only is obesity on the rise, it is the number one leader of heart attacks. But, what is obesity? According to the Obesity Society (2014), obesity is one of the most pervasive chronic diseases and is the leading cause in mortality morbidity, disability, and other health issues. By identifying the factors you maybe able to prevent obesity.…

    • 649 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Health Care Proposal Essay

    • 1100 Words
    • 5 Pages

    Obesity is a condition that affects more than one-quarter of adults and one out of five children according to the American Obesity Association (AOA). The effects of obesity are disease, death, disabilities and morbidity. This disease does not receive the attention that it deserves from the government and insurance companies. America spends billions on health care each year. Yet, obesity is on the rise. The diseases that obesity can contribute to are part of the leading death rates.…

    • 1100 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    The term has been simply defined by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the National Institutes of Health (NIH) as weight that is higher than healthy weight. The causes of obesity are well known as it has been one subject that has undergone a lot of research. Two of the major causes of obesity are unhealthy diets and sedentary lifestyles, two factors that has become prevalent in modern…

    • 222 Words
    • 1 Page
    Good Essays

Related Topics