Obesity in America

1. What is Obesity?

Obesity is known as a range of weight that is greater than what is considered healthy for a given height. For adults, the ranges of obesity and of overweightness are generally looked at by using the height and the weight of a person, these measures can calculate a number called “Body Mass Index,” which is also known as a specific person’s BMI. But the BMI is not always accurate, some people, may have a Body Mass Index that show them as overweight, but they may not have an excess of fat. Most of these people fall into the category of athletes. "Other methods of estimating body fat and body fat distribution include measurements of skinfold thickness and waist circumference and techniques such as ultrasound, computed tomography, and magnetic resonance imaging" (CDC).

2. What are some of the health risks?

Some of the most serious and common health risks of obesity, include:

• Hypertension (high blood pressure)
• Osteoarthritis (a degeneration of cartilage and its underlying bone within a joint)
• Dyslipidemia (for example, high total cholesterol or high levels of triglycerides)
• Type 2 diabetes
• Coronary heart disease
• Stroke
• Gallbladder disease
• Sleep apnea and respiratory problems
• Some cancers (endometrial, breast, and colon)

  

   http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/exercise/HQ01676/UPDATEAPP=0

   

"Children and adolescents that are overweight are at a serious health risk. "Data from two NHANES surveys (1976–1980 and 2003–2004) show that the prevalence of overweight is increasing: for children aged 2–5 years, prevalence increased from 5.0% to 13.9%; for those aged 6–11 years, prevalence increased from 6.5% to 18.8%; and for those aged 12–19 years, prevalence increased from 5.0% to 17.4%.^1"(CDC).

When a child is overwieght, then that child or adolescent is at a major health risk in both their youth and later as adults. When overweight children or adolescents, there are many health factors that come into play. These children and adolescents are more likely to get:

•  cardiovascular disease (such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and Type 2 diabetes)
•  to be obese as adults
• and the younger the obese child, the more severe the obesity in adulthood.
   
  
  http://www.mindfully.org/Health/2006/Obesity-Exercise-Schools20sep06.htm
   

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