Increasing Rates of Obesity In the United States

 

            Increasing Rates of Obesity In the United States

    


   The main leading causes of increased obesity rates in America are from bad eating habits, large proportion sizes, and not enough physical activity. Obesity is a major public health issue in the US today. Studies have shown that 2/3rds of adults are overweight and in 2010 a study showed more than 1/3rd of children in the US were obese or overweight. It is shown that a quarter of children from the ages of 2-5 are  and 1/3rd of children are overweight in America. Obesity can lead to negative effects such as heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, cancer such as colon, prostate cancer for men and breast cancer for women. You can also develop psychosocial effects, metabolic syndrome, joint problems and sleep apnea and respiratory problems. Obesity is a major cause of type 2 diabetes which typically starts in adults but is also starting with children today. Obesity can put stress on our joints from the excess weight, therefore creating joint problems. 1/3rd of people in the US that are obese have metabolic syndrome.
  
   Ethnicity is also correlated with obesity and whether one race or ethnicity has higher rates of obesity or lower.  It is shown that African American and Hispanic women have higher obesity rates than caucasian women. Also that hispanic males have higher rates than African American and caucasian men. The rates for caucasian women overweight and obesity is 59.5%.  82.1% of black women are obese and the rate for Hispanic obese and overweight women is 75.7%. Hispanic males have the rate of obesity of 81.7% which is higher than 74.0% for caucasian males and 69.9% obesity for African American men. Hispanic and African American children have higher obesity rates than caucasian children. It is said that in the south there are higher rates as well. African American girls have the obesity rate of 41.3% and Hispanics follow with the obesity rate of 38.6%. Caucasian girls have lower obesity rates of 25.6%. Hispanic boys have obesity or overweight rates of 40%, African American boys have obesity rates of 36.9% and white boys have obesity rates of 30.1%. It is concluded that 45.1% of 12-19 year old African American girls are overweight and 42.9% hispanic boys are overweight and obese.
  
   Obesity and overweight  rates can be decreased by receiving more exercise daily, smaller food proportions and maintaining a healthier diet.  Keeping up with a balanced diet and adequate exercise prevents the diseases as well as taking off the extra pounds. Schools and community programs should advertise a healthier diet and influence children to begin eating healthy and getting plenty of exercise at a young age. This way the children are more likely to develop healthier habits and will be less likely to be obese and decrease the overall obesity rates in the US. Schools and communities can simply make are children are getting a PE class at school and are participating in sports and extracurricular activities in order to stay fit. It is important to make sure children and even adults are consuming foods with a good proportion because even if you're eating healthy foods, too much can still be a bad thing. It is important to keep up with these three factors in having a healthy diet.

Video On Obesity:

http://www.cdc.gov/cdctv/ObesityEpidemic/

Sources:

1. http://www.cdc.gov/healthyyouth/obesity/facts.htm
2. http://frac.org/initiatives/hunger-and-obesity/obesity-in-the-us/
3. http://stanfordhospital.org/clinicsmedServices/COE/surgicalServices/generalSurgery/bariatricsurgery/obesity/effects.html