Obesity is a medical condition resulting from the accumulation of excess fat in the human body to the extent that it might have great harm effects on the human health by increasing the diseases lowering the average life expectancy (Mahmood, 2015). Ajzen’s Theory of Planned Behavior maintains that an individual’s behavior can be predicted based on attitudes, subjective norms, perceived behavioral control, and especially, intentions (Pickett, etal., 2012). Main causes of childhood obesity can include any of the following: Behavior, Media, and Socioeconomic factors. The developmental and socioeconomic literature speculate that for centuries, body image was used as a judgment of socioeconomic status and cultural opinions. Being overweight was often…
Thesis statement- Although healthy eating is a lifestyle choice, the lack of convenient healthy food alternatives, the geographical location of those alternatives in proportion to overweight Americans, and the cultural norms of insalubrious eating are responsible for the rising rates of adult obesity in the Unites States.…
It’s become common knowledge that the US has a problem with the condition of being overweight or suffering from obesity. Today seven in ten people in the United States are currently suffering from the aforementioned conditions. If this statistic wasn’t shocking enough by itself “only 36 percent think they have a weight…
Heart failure is a serious public health in the United States, causing chronic illness and often mortality (Boghianimoghadam, 53). The Health Belief Model (HBM), developed by is the framework of choice for this project. It will describe one’s health behavior modification and act as a foundation of health education. The model was created in the 1950s by sociologists who wanted to analyze why people declined to participate in preventive health behaviors (Boghianimoghadam,53). HBM addresses the relationship between a person’s beliefs and behaviors. It offered a way to understand and predict how clients would behave in relation to their health and how they would comply with health care therapies. There are six concepts…
In Amanda Spake’s article, “Rethinking Weight”, and Daniel Heimpel’s article “Who Says Americans are Fat?”, the authors discuss underlying issues concerning weight, analyzing the the risks of obesity. They go beyond these risks to examine society’s perception of what is and isn’t obese to discuss where these problems begin and how we should go about ending them. Using facts and large amounts of data, these authors covey their positions in a logical and empirical manner, while at times weaving in their own opinions to persuade readers one way to the other. Although “Rethinking Weight” by Amanda Spake seems to share similar concerns and ideas with “Who Says Americans are Fat?” by Daniel Heimpel, there are significant differences…
Obesity is a condition of having excess body weight. Today in the USA, 97 million adults are overweight, meaning that 1 out of 3 people we come across in our everyday lives may be obese. However, it is also important to understand that being overweight does not mean one is obese. Many people throw around the word ‘obese’ and are ignorant to the difference of being obese or just simply being overweight. Obesity is having too much body weight, as where people may be overweight due to high levels of muscles or water in their body. In recent times, obesity among Americans has almost doubled, causing the USA to have the highest obesity rate. There are many variables that have contributed to this rapid growth such as fast food restaurants becoming increasingly more available and less expensive, automobiles becoming the number one form of transportation rather than walking or riding a bike, and other factors that promote inactivity such as the use of cell phones, email, etc. We ignore this problem and often look beyond these factors because we consider them “standard” in our lives. Although, before obesity rates spiked, fast food was not as unhealthy or cheap, driving an automobile was only possible for a select few, and technology did not exist like it does now. In order to eliminate such high obesity rates in America I believe we must raise awareness on the damages obesity can have on our well-being. In order to so, there should be a higher emphasis put on healthy living rather than promoting fast food and other habits that are harmful to our health. There are many more solutions to this problem such as raising the price of fast food or making it healthier, but many companies are not willing to make these changes. This is why I believe that it is very important that we make Americans aware of this problem. I would like to research this topic because I find it interesting how in a world as efficient as ours today, we are seeing new issues emerge such as obesity…
The epidemic of obesity seems to have happened over night. Over a period of a few decades individuals in the United States witnessed massive weight gains across the entire nation. Obesity stems from individuals failing to implement personal controls by abstaining from unhealthy foods and ingredients, psychological problems relating to food intake and dependence, as well as failures to remain active and exercise. Current obesity rates around the country average at 30 percent, and have the potential to rise to 50 if serious interventions do not take place. Individual health issues are not the only thing at stake with this epidemic. Obese individuals have more health problems over their lifespan than individuals who maintain recommended weights, and therefore require more healthcare spending and resources. These demands on the healthcare system cause higher premiums for everyone in an insurance group whether private or government sponsored. Valuable healthcare resources are also used up in the process resulting in a diminished quality of care due to the inability to meet the demand. This paper will show attempted successful and unsuccessful public health interventions at the local and federal level to combat obesity with reliable resources such as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and research from the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS). Other resources examined come from local and federal programs directly from their sponsored sites. The valuable research in this paper shows empirical evidence that obesity may be significantly diminished by community involvement, greater recognition and awareness, and higher amounts of funding towards public health related programs.…
The purpose of this paper is to describe the four health theories. The paper will address how these theories are applied, address two strengths for each theory model, and any limitations. Furthermore, the paper will address the theory that will be used in my public health campaign and justification.…
Traditionally the family must be involved from the start, to deal with any terminal illness. Some families, relative and friends may wish to prevent the communication of the diagnosis and prognosis from medical professionals to the dying person. The families of a few patients insist on being informed of bad news first, but the patient is usually told as well. Emotions may be displayed openly. For instance; anger, despair, depression. This is an acceptable means of behavior and is sometimes expected. Anger may sometimes be directed towards health care workers.…
Alison Motluk believes that people who are obese shouldn 't be to blame for their obesity. (562). Motluk claims that “In 1992 about 13 percent of Americans were clinically obese...ten years later that figure skyrocketed to 22 percent...” (562). Many other countries such as the UK, Australia, and many other Western countries are following the United States lead in the obese epidemic, which is seen as one of the developed world 's biggest public-health problems. (563). Motluk claims that people who are obese can 't actually be blamed for it because the culture in the United States promotes obesity which makes unhealthy eating the default option. (563). Motluk quotes Martin Brinks, a psychologist at Duke University 's Diet and Fitness Center, when she states that calorie rich foods are much more easier to obtain than ever before. (563). This is proven by the fact that most of the average American 's food budget is spent on food that is eaten outside of the home, most of which is high in fat and calories. (563). Portion sizes are larger than they used to be, making the consumer want to eat more. (563). In the 1960s a McDonald 's meal of a hamburger, fries, and a twelve-ounce coke contained about 590 calories but now a quarter-pounder with cheese, super sized fries, and a coke contains around 1,550 calories. (563). This really goes to show how much of a change that America has done when considering diet. Motluk provides a valid argument that children are not receiving enough physical activity to balance the amount of calories that they are consuming. (563). In schools, many children do not even participate in a gym class. (563). There is also little to no walking access anymore in towns that are very developed because there are little to no sidewalks available, thus forcing people to drive…
In America, obesity is running rampant. It 's killing people and running up medical costs nationwide, and it shows no signs of stopping. Obesity is also a gateway to other diseases. On the website alighterme.com they highlight these diseases by stating these statistics, "80% of type two diabetes [cases are] related to obesity, 70% of Cardiovascular disease [is] related to obesity, [and] 42% of breast and colon cancer [has been] diagnosed among obese individuals...". Based on this evidence, we need to come up with rational, smart, and sensible ways to motivate those who are obese or those who are on their way to make better decisions.…
Obesity is an epidemic in America. It has had an alarmingly growing prevalence rate since the 1960’s: almost 34% for adults alone. The percentage of children aged 6–11 years in the United States who were obese increased from 7% in 1980 to nearly 18% in 2010 and rising yearly. Obesity occurs across all socioeconomic groups regardless of race, gender and age. Studies do show that obesity occurs in America’s minority and ethnic populations at slightly higher rates, 25% more than white Americans. According to the centers for disease control and prevention (CDC), an alarming 1/3 of U.S adults are obese. Another 1/3 is overweight, leaving 68.8 percent of the total population of the United States overweight or obese! No state met the nation 's Healthy People 2010 goal to lower obesity prevalence to 15%. Rather, in 2010, there were 12 states with an obesity prevalence of 30%. A person is considered obese if he or she has a BMI of 30 or higher, which is a weight of at least 20% more than the maximum healthy weight for his or her height. To be considered overweight he or she must have a BMI of 25-29.…
No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system without the permission in writing from the publisher. Published by The Center for Consumer Freedom, Washington, D.C. Printed in the United States of America ISBN 0-9774380-0-7 Obesity Myths.indd A8 11/29/2005 11:59:29 AM An Epidemic of Obesity Myths The Myths Introduction ................................................................................. 1 65 Percent of Americans Are Overweight or Obese ................. 4 “Overweight” and “obese” celebrities and sports stars.................…
Health care organizations in partnership with government agencies admit that the obesity epidemic in America is out of control and requires intervention to address causes for obesity, and solutions to correct this problem. The obesity epidemic in America raises health concerns for citizens suffering from obesity because unhealthy body weight causes other health problems. Health care providers believe that community and environmental factors causes people to eat unhealthy foods, which place those individuals at risk for chronic health conditions. Many people believe that “Obesity is almost always due to a combination of genetic predisposition, lifestyle, and environment” (Arial, Newell, Silvey, & Zlot, 2007, p. 1). Health problems associated with obesity include high blood pressure, stroke, diabetes, heart disease, depression, asthma, and high cholesterol. The consequences of obesity lead to chronic health conditions, and premature death, which reduces the quality of life for some obese people. The media, health care providers, and the government awareness actions raise attention to the epidemic by informing the public of obesity problems via television, e-mail, and billboard advertisements. Health care providers offer health/wellness programs to encourage parents to join the battle against childhood obesity, adult obesity. The design of intervention exists to eliminate and resolve problems, however; “The intensity of interventions required to treat obesity is likely to vary among individuals” (Arial, Newell, Silvey, & Zlot, 2007, p. 1).…
In the United States today, obesity has become an enormous problem. In the last 3decades, the number of people overweight has increased dramatically. A study done by theCenters of Disease Control showed that since 1980, one third of our adult population has becomeoverweight. America is the richest but also the fattest nation in the world, and our obese backsides are the butt of jokes in every other country (Klein 28). The 1980s were a time whenAmericans suddenly started going crazy over dieting, jumping onto the treadmills, and buying prepackaged non-fat foods. However, while all of that was going on, the number of obeseAmericans began to increase. According to a report in the Journal of the American MedicalAssociation, 58 million people in our country weigh over 20 percent of their body’s ideal weight.The article “Fat Times” states, “If this were about tuberculosis, it would be called an epidemic”(Elmer-Dewit 58). The eating habits of society have steadily become more harmful and havestarted to produce gluttonous children, over-indulgent adults, and a food industry set too muchon satisfying our appetites.Obesity can begin at a very young age. Many children in our society are overweight,setting themselves up for serious health problems later in life. Type 2 diabetes, high bloodcholesterol, high blood pressure, and heart problems are just some of the risks. Children who areoverweight also tend to feel less secure, less happy, and be stressed more than normal weight…