Obesity is a widely prevalent condition in the U.S. Almost all states in U.S had an obesity prevalence of more than 20% in 2010. In states like Alabama, Arkansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, and West Virginia, the prevalence is particularly high, with more than 30% of the adult population being obese in 2010. According to a data published by CDC in 2015, ~ 36% of the adults and 17% of the children in the U.S, have obesity. The figures are even more alarming among ethnic minorities. The prevalence of obesity is African American women is 56.6% and in African American men, it is 37.1%. In Hispanics, the prevalence of obesity is 41.4% in women and 40.0% in men. (Cdc.gov, 2016; Frac.org, 2016; Obesity.org, 2016)
Obesity is an indication of energy imbalance and high amount of fat deposition in the body. It can predispose the person to a number of chronic health conditions like obstructive pulmonary diseases, cardiovascular problems, diabetes, cancer, autoimmune disorders, depression, osteoarthritis, pneumonia, metabolic syndrome, stroke, etc. Apart from this, they also have a negative effect on work performance, social life and sexual activity. People can diagnose the presence of obesity themselves, by simply calculating their BMI. An individual with a BMI above 30 is considered obese, while a BMI above 25 to 29 is treated as overweight. (Martin, 2016) Being a diseases of calorie imbalance, the most common factor that can result in obesity are: eating above once calorie requirement and lack of physical activity. An unhealthy lifestyle that is characterized by unhealthy diet and lack of exercise is very often noticed among obese people. Apart from this, pregnancy, certain diseases, drugs, depression, anxiety, alcoholism, lack of sleep and genes can also promote weight gain in the individual and culminate in obesity. The fast food culture, easy availability of calorie rich food, lack of outdoor sports and television, make American children obese. There is an urgent need to create awareness about this in the community and the need to encourage people to adopt a lifestyle that will help prevent and treat obesity. Though obesity appears to be a disease of abundance; studies show that low income communities are at higher risk of developing obesity. The exact reason for this trend is not completely understood. According to one finding cheap food is often rich in calories, and has poor balance of essential nutrients. Poor quality and quantity of diet in the poor socioeconomic community could be a reason for the high prevalence of obesity in this community.
Preventing obesity will help prevent obesity related chronic diseases and also improve once quality of life. In children, obesity can hamper proper mental development. At school level, teachers must motivate parents rather than children to help the child combat obesity. One way of preventing obesity in the community is by combating the obesogenic environment. A non-obesogenic environment will provide provision for adequate sleep, increased physical and cognitive activity. Investing money on healthy food and promoting healthy food related behavior is equally important in preventing obesity. The lunch box project is an initiative to promote healthy eating habits in low income schools. This initiative can help prevent obesity in school children. Providing locally available fruits and vegetable as snacks in lunch boxes can be promoted through healthy lunch box initiative. Food that is low in saturated fat and rich in proteins, fibers, vitamins and minerals is healthy and helps maintain normal weight.
Using a bicycle to reach work or choosing to walk and reducing the use of motor vehicles, will help meet the necessary physical activity required for the day. People can also choose stairs, instead of lift if possible, for the same reason. A minimum of 120 to 150 minutes of moderate physical activity is recommended per day. Brisk walking and swimming are identified as activities that help reduce weight. A healthy lifestyle can help prevent obesity and associated complications.
References:
Cdc.gov,. (2016). Adult Obesity Facts | Data | Adult | Obesity | DNPAO | CDC. Retrieved 12 February 2016, from http://www.cdc.gov/obesity/data/adult.html
Frac.org,. (2016). Obesity in the U.S. « Food Research & Action Center. Retrieved 12 February 2016, from http://frac.org/initiatives/hunger-and-obesity/obesity-in-the-us/
Martin, L. (2016). Obesity: MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia. Nlm.nih.gov. Retrieved 12 February 2016, from https://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/007297.htm
Obesity.org,. (2016). Obesity Statistics - The Obesity Society. Retrieved 12 February 2016, from http://www.obesity.org/obesity/resources/facts-about-obesity/statistics
