Obesity in the US and Around the World
Nearly seventy-nine million men and women in the United States are clinically obese. That’s more than one-third of all US adults. According to information compiled by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), the obesity rate is highest among middle age adults, with nearly 40% of adults between 40 and 59 years of age diagnosed as clinically obese. Obesity is a particular problem for minority groups in the US, with African-American and Hispanic groups having the highest rates of obesity.
Regional food traditions, socioeconomic status and even educational levels all have an effect on the obesity rate in the US. While no state in the US had an average obesity rate of less than 20%, some states, including Mississippi, Arkansas, and West Virginia, have rates of more than 35%, attributed in part to the traditional high-fat foods and cooking methods used heavily in these areas.
Socioeconomic factors may also play a role in obesity rates, especially among minority groups. According to a data brief from the CDC National Center for Health Statistics, African-American and Mexican-American men in higher income brackets were more likely to be obesity than those in low-income brackets, while women of every race were less likely to be clinically obese if they were in a higher income bracket.
Education did not have any discernible effect on the rates of obesity among men. College-educated women, however, are less likely to be severely overweight than their less educated peers.
When the obesity rate in the US is compared to that in the rest of the world, the number are closer than you might expect, with nearly 40% of adults over the aged of 18 considered to be overweight, and 13% classified as obese, which means that worldwide over 600 million people are clinically obese.
What is Clinical Obesity?
Obesity is defined as a medical condition in which the amount of excess body fat that has accumulated in the body has a negative effect on the individual’s health. Medical professionals define clinical obesity by measuring the Body Mass Index (BMI). Calculated by taking the body’s weight in kilograms and dividing it by the square of the body’s height measured in meters, a BMI of 30 or higher is defined as obese. Measuring the BMI is not the sole basis for diagnosing obesity, though it works well as a preliminary screening tool.
Though genetic predisposition is a provable link, the most common causes of obesity are eating too much food and not engaging in enough physical activity to balance your caloric intake. There are some medical conditions that can cause you to gain weight, including an underactive thyroid or Cushing’s disease, and some medications can also contribute to weight gain, though these are rarely, if ever, the main cause.
The Collateral Damage of Obesity
In addition to obesity being a primary cause for millions of visits to the doctor every year, it is also a contributing cause for many more visits. Obesity is directly linked to many diseases and conditions, so much so that treating obesity can often result in certain conditions and diseases being reduced and even eliminated.
Cardiovascular diseases are the most prominently linked group of conditions that are caused by or exacerbated by obesity. Obese people, in general, have higher blood pressure and higher blood cholesterol levels. They also have a greater rate of metabolic disorder, a collection of medical disorders including high triglycerides and diabetes mellitus type 2. Type 2 Diabetes has the most solid link to obesity, with excessive body fat listed as a dominant factor in nearly 64% of men and 77% of women diagnosed with type 2 diabetes.
When it comes to diseases and conditions, the effects of obesity on your health may be either due to the increased mass of fat or to the increased number of fat cells. The sheer weight of excess body fat has a damaging effect on the bones and joints of the body, leading to conditions such as osteoarthritis and joint pain. Obesity can have a crippling effect on the body, with every ten pounds of actual weight equal to forty pounds of virtual weight on the joints and bones of the body. The knees and hips are particularly vulnerable to the damage caused by excessive weight, since they are the main weight-bearing points in the body. Another dangerous condition caused by excessive fat mass is obstructive sleep apnea, which causes the individual to literally stop breathing for brief periods while sleeping. The pressure of excessive weight on the heart and other internal organs can also make it unsafe to lay down to sleep, or even recline too far in a sitting position.
Cardiovascular disease and diabetes are both linked to the increased number of fat cells, as is non-alcoholic liver disease and many forms of cancer. Other conditions and diseases linked to obesity and the increased number of fat cells include gallstones, asthma, gout, urinary incontinence, erectile dysfunction, stroke, and dementia.
Treating Obesity
The US government’s public health goals include increasing the amount of doctor’s visits for obesity and increasing the likelihood that doctors will offer patients information about nutrition and diet, exercise and general weight loss. Visits specifically for obesity are more common among women than men, and nearly three-quarters of all visits for obesity list another reason, such as diabetes, high blood pressure, or other chronic conditions, as a primary reason for the visit.
Treating obesity begins by evaluating the patient’s lifestyle, eating habits, exercise habits, and any other contributing factors that could cause obesity, such as underlying conditions or diseases. Behavioral changes can go a long way toward correcting obesity, but sometimes other interventions are necessary. Pharmacological treatments for obesity and accompanying conditions may be needed to prevent further weight gain and damage to the body. Other medications may also help to stimulate weight loss. In extreme cases where other means have proved unsuccessful, surgical solutions, such as gastric bypass surgery, may be used to control eating habits and decrease weight by limiting the amount of food that can be consumed.
Obesity is one of the primary motivators for doctor’s visits, but addressing obesity specifically as a health condition and providing information on lifestyle changes is not as common as it could be. The government is pushing for increased public health awareness of obesity issues, and encouraging doctors to provide more instruction and treatment that promotes weight loss and healthier lifestyles, but obesity is projected to maintain its current rate or increase at a much slower rate than previous years. Though many people do seek medical help for their obesity issues, it is often the accompanying conditions, from cancer and cardiovascular disease to diabetes and erectile dysfunction, that motivate individuals to seek advice from medical professionals. Doctors are hopeful that increased awareness of our general health and well-being will only increase the likelihood of these visits, giving them more opportunities to help people improve their lifestyles and fight obesity.
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Author Bio:
Gabriella Messina is an author who has written online content on a variety of subjects, including fitness and wellness, nutrition, therapeutic massage, and other healthcare industry and personal healthcare topics.
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