SOURCE: www.affinityheath.org
Introduction
The United States currently is experiencing escalating rates of chronic diseases. In the past few decades, the influx of diseases such as diabetes, arthritis, heart diseases, obesity and cancers is alarming. According to CDC records in 2012, it was proximate that about 177 million people in the U.S which is approximately half of all adults had one or more of the chronic diseases. The statistics also established in every four adults one has two or more chronic conditions. Out of the top 10 causes of mortality in the U.S, 7 of the cases were chronic health conditions. Cancer and heart diseases were responsible for almost 48% of all deaths in the United States. CDC further revealed that apart from cancer and heart diseases, obesity pose a major health problem almost in all states. More than a third of the adult population is obese. Obesity is highly associated with other chronic, for example, obese people are more vulnerable to diabetes and heart diseases CDC (2012). It is because of the grave nature of obesity that this health information handout seeks to provide more information about the disorder.
U.S prevalence of adult obesity (2012-2013)
Facts and Statistics
Obesity is a medical disorder describing an excessive amount of body fat in the body. Currently, obesity is one of the major public health concerns globally. WHO estimates that annually 2.8 million deaths are caused by obesity or overweight; WHO further estimates that 2.3% of the DALYS, around 35.8 million DALYS are as a result of overweight or obesity. In the U.S 78 million adults and 12 million children are obese. The statistics from 2013 Department of Health and Human Services records indicates that obesity is on the rise in the United States. All states have an obesity rate of more than 21%. States such as Alaska, New Jersey, Tennessee, Delaware, Idaho, and Wyoming have recorded an increase in obesity rates in the past five years. Two states have an obesity rate exceeding 35% while obesity rate in 20 states stands at 30% or more. If the trajectory continues CDC projects that thirteen states could have obesity rates above 60%, 39 states would experience rates exceeding 50% and 50 states would experience rates above 44% in the year 2030 (CDC, 2012).
American adults by weight category- yearly average
Marion county health statistics (percentage of population with lifestyle related risk)
Population of Interest
Adults make majority of obese persons in the United States, any person 18 years and above is considered an adult. In Indiana, 65.9% of adults are considered overweight with a body mass index of 25 or more while 29.6 % of the adults are obese with body mass index of 30 or more. The high rate of obesity among the adults has made it necessary to provide sufficient information about the disorder especially the causes, diagnosis, treatment and prevention, health risk and places where to get assistance and help (CDC, 2012).
Measuring Overweight
Weight of an individual is measured using Body Mass Index (BMI), an index that uses weight for height to determine overweight or obesity. People with a BMI of 30 or more are considered obese while people with a BMI of 25 of more are considered overweight. BIM is not used as a diagnostic tool for obesity because weight gain could be caused by other factors other than fats, for example, weight gain from muscles or bones. Even though BMI is not used to diagnose obesity it an important tool to determine overweight in a person, and overweight individuals have high chances of developing obesity (Zhang & Wang, 2012)
Causes of Obesity
Many factors cause obesity in Indianapolis, for example, unhealthy life style which involves inactivity and unhealthy eating habits. Other factors include pregnancy, lack of sleep, certain medical problems and medications. People living sedentary life do not burn many calories but take more calories. The accumulation of the calories means that the body would have more fats leading to overweight or obesity. Many people in Indianapolis eat junk food high in fats and sugars. The foods are popular because of their low prices and availability. The population is also busy and has little time cooking healthy food thus depends on fast foods. As more people divert to fast foods, the number of the obese increases. Pregnancy is a cause of obesity in that; during pregnancy women naturally gain weight. Some women have difficulty in reducing the weight gained during pregnancy; this weight may accumulate to the excess level leading to obesity. When one lacks sleep changes in hormones may occur. The changes may increase appetite and crave for fast foods. Medications such as those of diabetes, antipsychotic, or antidepressants are known to contribute to weight gain if proper diet and exercise are not followed during the medication. Medical conditions such as Prader-Willis syndrome and Cushing’s syndrome have been linked to obesity. Conditions such as arthritis may also lead to weight gain because the condition jeopardizes physical activity in a patient (CDC, 2012).
Obesity Prevention and Treatment
Even though currently obesity does not have a cure, proper prevention measures would alleviate the severity of the disorder among the Indianapolis populace. Dieticians and researchers recommend that the disease can be managed by low intake of calories and fat; about 800- 1500 kca of energy in a day would greatly reduce chances of weight gain or obesity. In addition to a healthy diet, an increase in energy expenditure through exercise may result to negative energy balance leading reduced body fat. The treatment for obesity could be a combination of both healthy diets and physical activity. Most patients that combine the treatment methods register weight loss within a short period and have low chances of developing obesity associated diseases such diabetes or cancers. Behavior therapy has also proved to be effective in treating obesity for example decision to observe a healthy diet and consistent exercise. Pharmacology has also contributed in reducing obesity, for example, giving obesity patients drugs that reduce appetite or change metabolism Wunderlich (2013). In some cases, doctors in consultation with the patient may opt for surgery.
The United States is greatly concern about obesity, and numerous health sites have invested in providing the public with sufficient information about the disorder. Some of the sites that have adequate information about obesity include the Obesity Society, CDC, American Heart Association, National Heart, Lung, and Blood institute, American Obesity Treatment Association and Kids’ Health.
References
Causes and Consequences. (2012, April 27). Retrieved November 13, 2014, from http://www.cdc.gov/obesity/adult/causes/index.html
Expert Panel on the Identification, Evaluation, and Treatment Of Overweight And Obesity In Adults. (2010). Executive Summary of the Clinical Guidelines on the Identification, Evaluation, and Treatment of Overweight and Obesity in Adults. Archives of Internal Medicine, 1855-1867
Wunderlich, S. (2013). Overweight and Obesity among Older Adults: How should Obesity be Determined? Journal of Obesity & Weight Loss Therapy.
Zhang, Q., & Wang, Y. (2012). Trends in the Association between Obesity and Socioeconomic Status in U.S. Adults: 1971 To 2000. Obesity, 1622-1632
