Obesity is a health disorder that entails the buildup of excess body fat. The extra fat affects the health of the individual in a negative way to the extent of developing other diseases such as hypertension, type two diabetes and cardiovascular diseases. The rate of obesity is quite high in Kansas City, which ranked the twelfth position in 2015 with the prevalence of the disease increasing from the previous year. Primarily, the rate of prevalence of the disease is 34.2 percent, which is an increase from 19.1 percent in the year 2000(Hack, 2015). Kansas City was ranked the seventh position in 2016 with the rate of obesity increasing mainly during this year (Horwath, 2016. In the recent past, the rate of obesity has risen in the nation. In fact, one in three adults in Kansas was obese in the year 2015, while the rate varied among racial groups.The rate of affected black population was at 42.7 percent, 35.4 percent for Latinos, and 31 percent for whites.
Obesity is associated with other health complications that include cardiovascular diseases and hypertension. The prevalence of the disease is a concern to various stakeholders in the economy since it may negatively affect a nation’s economy. In essence, obesity creates a financial burden to the U.S. economy whereby an estimated $190.2 billion is spent on the diseases related health issues every year (Horwath, 2016). The statistics represent 21 percent of annual medical spending which is a higher rate. Enormous amounts of resources are allotted to the health industry in the country and could be minimized if proper measures were put in place to eradicate the obesity menace that utilizes the greater percentage of the health allocation budget.
References
Hack, G. (2015). Kansas fares poorly in obesity rankings, Missouri more toward the middle. Kansas City. Retrieved from http://www.kansascity.com/news/business/technology/article35984856.html
Horwath, B. (2016). Kansas is becoming more obese, study says. Kansas City. Retrieved from http://www.kansascity.com/living/health-fitness/article121255358.html
