Each year in the United States, almost $100 billion dollars are spent on health issues related to obesity, and about 300,000 people die of conditions related to obesity (Mulvihill et al., 2006).…
According to Loureiro, obesity is an emergent health problem, the World health organization (WHO) refers to obesity as a “global epidemic” (2006). Nevertheless, economists don’t know much about its causes and consequences; “obesity is not just about its additional costs to our already-straining health budgets. Obesity also creates challenges to our overall economy and to the public health (Troy, 2012 p 3 para 2).” With that said, the demand for healthcare depends on age, education income, and health status (Dewar, 2010). Furthermore, one of the most cited economic impacts of the obesity epidemic is direct medical spending.…
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…
Obesity is a medical diagnosis determined when an individual has accumulated enough weight to cause adverse health effects; usually recognized by Body Mass Index (BMI) as a number of thirty or higher on a height compared to a weight scale. It is a result of an imbalance between energy intake and energy expenditure. There are several notable health consequences directly linked to obesity, such as: hypertension, type 2 diabetes, stroke, osteoarthritis, cardiovascular disease, gallbladder disease, osteoarthritis, sleep apnea, respiratory problems, endometrial, breast, prostate, and colon cancer (National Institutes of Health, 1998). The correlation of obesity’s effect on healthcare costs can be assessed in both direct (actual medical treatment costs) and indirect (financial loss due to the result of the condition) aspects. In 2008, the estimated capital loss due to obesity and its detrimental effects on the quality of life and health totaled to about $147 billion; thus equating to being the most costly preventable expense in health (Center for Disease Control, 2012).…
Obesity haunts the United States and threatens to seriously devalue our society in numerous ways. There are some that would argue to say that obesity is okay and that it is not that big of a deal, they are…
We the people of the United States have a problem in our midst, Obesity. While most recognize the importance to stop it, few can agree on a viable method to fight it. It is a problem, no doubt, but it is a problem that lies within every single american. That being said, only people themselves can do something about it, the government can’t simply pass a few laws and put an end to this epidemic. It is not the government’s job to keep people healthy, the U.S. is a democratic Republic and if it intends to stay that way, government will stay within its boundaries, and out of the personal lives of the citizens who consider themselves free.…
Obesity is often discussed as a growing concern in America and risen from an area of concern to an epidemic in a short period of time. As obesity rates continue to climb, so does advice for how to manage it. Today I will bring to light some of that advice offered from two articles that provide wisdom towards handling obesity: Don’t Blame the Eater by David Zinczenko and What You Eat Is Your Business by Radley Balko. While both articles discuss logical view points, I will point out Balko’s rationale for making his point more effective than Zinczenko’s.…
The rising rate of obesity has reached epidemic proportions and is now one of the most serious…
The Mexican Gray Wolf once flourished and roamed the lands from México to Canada, but in the 20th there populations were severely dwindled and they now find themselves on the endangered list. The United States government approved a systematical eradication of the Mexican Gray wolf from the lower 48 states (Mexican 1999). During the 1800’s, westward expansion was rapidly moving across the US leading to the elimination of the larger mammals the wolves preyed upon. After some time, the depletion of the wolves hunting stocks forced the wolves to hunt livestock. Due to the wolves turning to livestock, they were hunted, poisoned, trapped, and shot down by bounty hunters. By the 1970’s, the Mexican Gray Wolf was placed under the protection of the Endangered Species Act. Sadly, by the time the Mexican Gray Wolf was placed under this Act, there were only a few hundred remaining in Minnesota (Gray Wolf 2007). Ever since the Endangered Species Act, efforts have been made to reintroduce the Mexican Gray Wolf back into its natural habitat (Mexican Gray Wolf 1999). In 1982, the United States Fish and Wildlife Service partnered with Mexico to establish measures and preserve the wild populations of the Mexican Gray Wolf in Mexico and areas of southwestern United States (Shoenecker 1997) The Mexican Gray Wolf reintroduction program has its pro’s and con’s, but is a serious debate that needs a final decision made immediately.…
Obesity is defined as “a medical condition in which excess body fat has accumulated to the extent that it may have an adverse effect on health, leading to reduced life expectancy and/or increased health problems” (1). It is a huge problem in America and is an epidemic that is growing to enormous proportions. “Two out of every three adults are either overweight or obese. In addition, one out of every three children is either overweight or obese” (2). “It causes at least 300,000 needless deaths annually in the United States, and related healthcare costs top $100 billion” (3). This is an issue that not only affects our country, but extends worldwide, as well. So, the question at hand is what our responsibility is collectively as a nation, and particularly the government in turning this issue around for Americans?…
According to the book “Obesity in Childhood and Adolescence”, childhood obesity is a strong indicator of adulthood obesity (pg.50). If this continues to be a problem that corrupts our countries youth, then they will continue to carry these issues with them through adulthood, which is something we are already seeing. The people of our society and the nation’s performance when it comes to competing with other countries in the growing competition in the economy will ultimately pay the consequences.…
Obesity in America is a subject of concern that is getting as big as peoples waste-lines. It affects many Americans on a daily basis, and also affects the way people interact with others. It is an unhealthy trend with a rapid growth rate, quickly consuming many lives. The problem must be fixed for a more happy and healthy life. In order to fix it, the issue of obesity must first be understood, and then controlled at the state it's at, and finally it must be prevented from continually occurring.…
In 1999, an estimated 61% of adults in the United States were obese. One in seven children was also obese. Obesity is the biggest public health problem in North America. It can cause serious disease such as diabetes. In economic term, the cost of obesity in the United States was about $117 billion in 2000. Therefore, North American Society needs to be aware that modern life can cause obesity. This modern life includes fast food, transportation and new technology.…
Obesity, a medical condition in which excess body fat can grow to have a negative effect on the human body and cause long term health problems, affects more than 35 percent of adults along with 17 percent of adolescents (“How many people are affected by/at risk for obesity & overweight”). America is one of many obese countries all over the world. It is an enfeeble health condition that can lead to respiratory problems, Type two diabetes, Gallbladder disease, Stroke/heart attack, Osteoarthritis, and can even result in some forms of cancer ("Obesity - Health Risks of Obesity"). According to National Center for Health Statistics, obesity has grown significantly among adults in the United States over the past twenty years. For many reasons, it is bad enough to have to live with this disorder, but the fact that it is life threatening only makes matters worse. Obesity is affecting a significant amount of people and it has just now became an issue in 2013, little was known about the idea of being extremely overweight but as America becomes more and more advanced everything starts to change.…
Obesity in America is an ever-growing problem each day. As of 2011, The United States of America has the highest obesity rate of any other country of the world. What is obesity? Obesity is defined as “a condition characterized by the excessive accumulation and storage of fat in the body” (Webster). Excess obesity usually begins to have negative affects on the body and often causes health complications. The obesity rate in America has been on the rise for many years and will continue to only get worse if Americans do not take action immediately. Jeff Levi, Ph.D., executive director of TFAH said “Today, the state with the lowest obesity rate would have had the highest rate in 1995.” This is a fact that is not easy to hear and even harder to disprove (Levi). Based on polls taken in 2008, more than 50% of 4,000 people that took part in a poll said that they would give up a year of their lives if it meant they would no longer be obese. The same poll also gathered researched that shows the increasing weight of passengers on planes. Airlines have had to spend almost three hundred million on extra fuel to compensate for the massive growth in weight and size of passengers (Heather).…