Obesity Is An Epidemic Of Growing Proportions - 1103 Words

Obesity in the United States is an epidemic of growing proportions. According to the Center for Disease Control more than one-third (34.9% or 78.6 million) of U.S. adults are obese. (Adult Obesity Facts, 2014). Obesity is defined as a body mass index or BMI, over 30. A person’s height and weight are used to determine BMI but does not measure how much body fat a person has. There are several factors that play into the lifestyle of obese patients. The Center for Disease Control have outlined important trends: â€Å"Among non-Hispanic black and Mexican-American men, those with higher incomes are more likely to have obesity than those with low income, higher income women are less likely to have obesity than low-income women. Also there is no†¦show more content†¦Obesity has many different effect on several body systems. The most affected body system is the cardiovascular system. High blood pressure or hypertension is a cardiovascular disease that many obese patients suff er. Blood pressure is the measurement of the force of blood against arterial walls as the heart pumps. The World Health Organization has recently reported â€Å"One in three adults worldwide, according to the report, has raised blood pressure – a condition that causes around half of all deaths from stroke and heart disease.† (New data highlight increases in hypertension, diabetes incidence, 2012) Additionally, Dr. Aram Chobanian, a professor at Boston University has noted â€Å"About 40 percent of those who are obese have high blood pressure† (Chobanian, 2008) Hypertension can increase the risk of heart disease which is the leading cause of death in the United States. Obesity also increases the risk for Type 2 Diabetes. Type 2 diabetes occurs when the pancreas is not making enough insulin or the body is not adequately using insulin as it should. When insulin is not used the body appropriately, glucose cannot get to cells and may not function properly. Obesity also has significant effect on the musculoskeletal system. As with other body systems, obesity puts significant stress on