Download - America's Obesity Crisis
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AMERICA’S
OBESITY
CRISIS
Do we truly understand the Impact of America’s Obesity Epidemic?
Obesity Epidemic
68.8% of Adults
Considered
Overweight
3 out of 4 Men are
Considered
Overweight
How Does this
Impact Society?
How Does Obesity
Effect the
Economy?
GROUP 2
Editor: Lindsey Sparks
Writer 1: Samantha
Davidson
Writer 2: Jonathan Eller
Writer 3: Jessica Ashton
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Introduction 3
Scope of Obesity in America 5
What Does this Mean for America? 6
Solutions 9
Solution One: Get Families Involved in Health 9
Solution Two: Food Stamps for Healthier food and Access
to Healthy food in Low-income Areas 10
Solution 3: Create a Healthy Societal Image through Media 11
Appendix 12
Editor- Lindsey Sparks 12
Writer #1- Samantha Davidson 13
Writer #2- Jonathan Eller 14
Writer #3- Jessica Ashton 15
Works Cited 16
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The History of the Disease
How would you react if you found out
today that there is a widespread disease that
has catastrophic effects on America? This
disease has long-term consequences such as
cardiovascular disease, Type 2 Diabetes,
osteoarthritis, artery problems and is projected
to affect nearly 50% of Americans by 2030
(Zamosky 36). This disease also increases the
risk of asthma, dental health challenges,
allergies, headaches and even affects school
attendance and grade repetition (Echeverría et
al. 406).
Having such a rampant, preventable
crisis infiltrate our nation seems like something
out of a horror film – frightening yet
unrealistic. However, we are facing such a
disease. This monster goes by the name of
‘obesity’.
Where did all this begin? Obesity
became a national issue as early as the 1930’s
(Rasmussen 886). Unfortunately, around the
40’s and 50’s obesity began to be treated like
an addiction. This shaped how society
responded to those who were struggling with
their weight. Treatments such as “Overeaters
Anonymous” and “Take off Pounds Sensibly”
began to arise as other addictions like
alcoholism was successfully treated through
similar programs. However, each program
proved to be unsuccessful. Even when support
groups were added the programs failed to help
as those groups often created feelings of self-
loathing.
The addiction approach also built a
societal stigma against those who were
struggling. Society’s negative reaction towards
obesity may have the good intentions of
encouraging change, however it may reinforce
the problem and turn it into a vicious cycle
instead (Rasmussen 218).
The negative stigma that follows those
who are overweight has become embedded into
our society and can still be seen today, even 70
years later. When specifically looking at
overweight
children, it
has been
found that
“obese
children
are more
exposed to negative stigmatization, bullying, or
social isolation among peers.... [even] among
parents, school faculty, and the general public”
(Echeverria 402).
Obesity is defined as being greater than
40% of over healthy weight which is based on
an individual’s BMI (body max index). This is
especially prevalent within our society as
United States “outranks all other developed
nations in pervasiveness of overweight in the
adult population,” (Berk 417).
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A common misconception views obesity
simply as a result of heredity; indicating that
individuals have no choice but to simply resign
to genetics. Fortunately, this is far from the
truth. This can be seen when comparing
minorities within the United States and those
who are foreign-born. Individuals who had
lived within the United States for 15 or more
years had double the chance of being obese
than those who had only lived within the US for
only five years. This was true even when
socioeconomic status, smoking and
participants’ education was taken into account
(Mehta et al. 4). While heredity plays a part in
obesity, other factors are also highly influential.
Other prevalent factors that need to be
acknowledged include socioeconomic status,
family eating habits, eating due to sight, smell
or taste rather than hunger (see Hunger Scale),
lack of physical activity, television viewing, and
early malnutrition (Berk 417). While heredity
is an influential factor, from 1957 to 1964 there
was a 26%-28% increased rate of obesity which
is too rapid to reflect a “plausible shift in
population genetics and more likely reflects a
change in societal dietary and exercise
patterns,” (Mctigue 861).
Television viewing has increased over
the years becoming an integrated part of
everyday life. Television acts as a family activity
often being present during mealtimes, while
cleaning or watching younger children. TV
even acts as a companion when one finds
themselves alone (Westerick et al. 178). The
increase of television watching not only has
social implications, but is also closely linked
with the risk one has of becoming obese.
Individuals who watch four or more hours a
day are at the highest risk (Crespo 364). The
problem arises when the use of media displaces
other activities such as hobbies, exercise,
reading, studying, social activities, and sleep
(Berns 300). “A Child that had a TV in her
bedroom, the odds of being overweight jumped
an additional 31% for every hour watched…A
child’s risk of being overweight increased by 6
“Avoid watching television,
texting, or being on the
computer while eating as
these will distract you from
recognizing when you are full.
Eat at the kitchen table or in
other specified places.”
-Sandy Gloss, RND, LD
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percent for every hour of television watched
per day.” (Berns 299)
“A Child that had a TV in her bedroom, the odds of being
overweight jumped an additional 31% for every hour watched…A child’s risk of being overweight increased by 6 percent for every hour of television watched per
day.” (Berns 299)
As research continues and history
unfolds, we have been able to find that those
who are at the highest risk of obesity can be
identified prior to health complications arising.
Like with the ability to screen for cancers,
obesity screening should become a priority in
order to prevent the damage of letting those at
highest risk go untreated. Like any other
disease, prevention should be prioritized
within our country. Simply treating the
symptoms will never lead us to get ahead of
this disease.
SCOPE OF OBESITY IN
AMERICA
The Epidemic
Obesity has become a worldwide
epidemic that is putting our lives and the lives
of our children at risk.
A recent study performed in January of
2015 by the "World Health Organization"
reported that "worldwide obesity has more
than doubled since 1980" (Obesity and
Overweight). An even more serious fact from
the report explains that 42 million children
under the age of 5 were considered overweight
or obese. That means there are at least 42
million children under the age of 5 who are at a
greater risk for diseases such as cardiovascular
disease, diabetes, and some forms of
musculoskeletal disorders (Obesity and
Overweight).
In a study done by the Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention the statistics
mentioned earlier are further broken down by
age group. 20.5% of children aged 12-19, 17.7%
of children 6-11, and 8.4% of children aged 2-5
are all classified as obese (CDC Obesity Facts).
In order to understand the gravity of these
numbers one has to know that to be considered
obese the individual must have a BMI (body
mass index) of 40 or greater. Contrary to
popular belief, Obesity is a problem affecting
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the entire planet. Obesity was once considered
a problem that was only prevalent in higher the
high-income countries. However, that trend is
now starting to increase in all countries
including those countries that are low and
middle income.
Over the past decade researchers have
attempted to find a connection between
household income and obesity. The 2009
Pediatric Nutrition Surveillance System Data
was able to show that nearly one third of the
3.7 million low-income children aged two to
four years old were obese and/or overweight
(Pediatric Nutrition Surveillance).
Dr. Youfa Wang, Faculty Director at
Johns Hopkins University, published an article
in the International Journal of Epidemiology
showing his findings on the subject. He was
able to see that in regards to children aged 6-9
years of age, there was little difference between
the high/medium/low income families (Wang
3). Around 25% of the children in this age
group (regardless of income) were considered
obese or overweight (Wang 4). However the
influence of socioeconomics appeared to have a
strong impact on the 10-18 year olds. The
high-income children in this age group had a
combined obese and overweight percentage of
19%. Shockingly the children from low-income
families in the same age group showed an
alarming 32.7% rate of obesity (Wang 4).
It is clear from Dr. Wang's data that low
income directly effects children's weight gain
patterns. For that reason it is imperative for
the government to create programs to help this
group of individuals.
The Ramifications of Obesity
As the second leading preventable cause
of death in the United States, obesity plagues
our nation. Each year approximately 300,000
lives are lost due to the direct or indirect
consequences of obesity.
Obesity has a known effect in our day to
day health, ones level of activity, but is also
associated with a great deal of comorbidities
including but not limited to high cholesterol,
stroke, heart disease, hypertension, gallbladder
disease, osteoarthritis, sleep apnea and other
breathing problems, and some cancers
(uterine, breast, colorectal, kidney, and
gallbladder).
Complications can occur in many organ
systems, ranging from cardiovascular to
respiratory to orthopedic and even
ophthalmologic. In addition, obesity is
associated with pregnancy complications, high
blood cholesterol, menstrual irregularities,
hirsutism (excessive hair growth), stress
incontinence, sleep apnea, arthritis,
psychological disorders, depression and
increased surgical risk.
Social discrimination against obese
persons has a strong negative effect on their
quality of life. Studies have shown that there is
50 to 100 percent increased risk of all-cause
mortality amongst obese individuals.
Studies have shown that there is
50 to 100 percent increased risk of
all-cause mortality amongst obese
individuals.
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Additionally, obesity is expensive
personally and nationally, costing our nation
billions of dollars! Reuters reported “obesity in
America is now adding an astounding $190
billion to the annual national healthcare price
tag, exceeding smoking as public health enemy
number one when it comes to cost.” (Ungar)
Other uncommon cost factors related to obesity
include but are not limited to the following:
• The estimated economic loss of
productivity caused by excess mortality is
estimated at $49 billion per year in the United
States and Canada (Hojjat).
The economic loss of productivity
caused by overweight or obesity for
totally disabled workers is at $72
billion (Ibid).
Behan and Cox estimated that the
total annual medically-related cost of
overweight and obese individuals in
the United States and Canada is
caused by medical costs, excess
mortality, and disability and is
approximately $300 billion in 2009.
Medical costs associated with obesity
in the United States are estimated to
be $170 billion in 2013 (Hojjat).
Sheldon Jacobson of the University of
Illinois found that the extra weight carried by
vehicles as a result of obese and overweight
Americans is responsible for almost one billion
additional gallons of gasoline being burned
each year by our automobiles—nearly 1 percent
of our total gasoline usage. As per the so-called
direct costs generated by obesity, compared to
normal weight individuals, it is estimated that
obese adults have an average of 19.5 percent
more physician visits (Hojjat)
Another study has found that obese adults
have 48% more inpatient days per year and 1.8
times more pharmacy dispenses. (Hojjat)
As a person's BMI increases, costs
associated with that person increases as do the
number of sick days, medical claims and
healthcare costs – including an increase in
disability payments and insurance premiums
(Heithoff 811).
Obese individuals have a 36% higher
average annual health care costs, including
105% higher prescription costs and 39% higher
primary-care costs. Those who are overweight
had 37% higher prescription costs and 13 %
higher primary-care costs than the healthy-
weight group. (Hammond)
Direct medical costs related to obesity are
secondary to preventive, diagnostic and
treatment services. Hammond and Levine
measured direct medical costs associated with
obesity. They argue that relative medical
spending for the obese may be as much as 100
percent higher than for healthy weight adults
(Ungar).
One specific industry that is dealing directly
with the effects of obesity every day is our
national healthcare service.
According to one study, the number of
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severely obese (BMI ≥ 40) patients quadrupled
between 1986 and 2000 from one in 200 to
one in 50. The number of super-obese (BMI ≥
50) patients grew by a factor of five, from one
in 2,000 to one in 400. This increases unique
challenges to emergency responders and
healthcare providers in transporting and
treating these patients.
In a recent interview with Michael Ashton,
FACHE, who serves as the Administrator of
Milford Memorial Hospital with Bayhealth
Medical Center, Ashton shared some of the
day-to-day operational costs associated with
the treatment of bariatric patients. A small
sampling of these are listed below:
• A normal medical/surgical hospital bed
can range from $3,000 to $13,000. A bariatric
similar bed can range from $5,000 - $37,000+
per bed. They also need special mattresses,
which are very costly.
• O.R. tables that are bariatric capable
and that can hold patients up to 1,000 pounds
can cost over $100,000 per O.R. table.
• Surgical instrumentations have to be
longer and more complex and capable to
handle deeper body cavities – including
laparoscopic equipment.
• A normal MRI or CT magnet machine
typically holds a patient up to 300 pounds. A
MRI or CT scan that can fit a bariatric patient
has to have an open field which can range
anywhere from 1.5-3 million dollars – and
that’s just the equipment. You have to still
build out the whole room with lead lined walls.
• Just to help lift a bariatric patient,
hospitals need a whole team of employees and
special equipment. Hospitals many times have
to spend extra costs on bringing in a special lift
to assist in transporting bariatric patients.
• Other special costs included specialized
bariatric furniture, bathrooms, different
plumbing, and a completely different
infrastructure. For example, a bariatric room
cannot use a regular porcelain toilet mounted
on the wall. They have to install steel toilets
mounted on the floor.
• Bariatric rooms take more physical
space in a hospital. For example, you cannot
use a normal door. A bariatric wheelchair has
to have a minimum of a 40” door which are
much larger and more expensive. Two
bariatric rooms on a hospital floor are much
larger and take more room than regular patient
rooms. They also need more storage for
bariatric supplies, etc…
While the future impact of obesity is
unknown in its surety, estimates from
researches predict that by 2030, if obesity
trends continue unchecked, obesity-related
medical costs alone could rise by $48 to $66
billion a year in the U.S. (Cawley 219). Future
economic losses could mean the difference
between solvency and bankruptcy for
Medicare, between expanding and shrinking
health care coverage, and between investment
in and neglect of our social infrastructure, with
profound implications for our international
competitiveness. The human costs would be
incalculable (Hajjat)
While the future impact of obesity is unknown in its surety, estimates from researches
predict that by 2030, if obesity trends continue unchecked, obesity-related medical costs
alone could rise by $48 to $66 billion a year in the U.S. (Cawley 219).
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Solution One: Get Families Involved in Health
Obesity is a preventable and treatable disease. However, not all interventions are equally
successful. In order to decrease the threat to individuals, family based interventions have been the
most helpful especially when the focus is on changing behavior (Berk 293).
One program that was especially beneficial
had both the parents and the children involved.
The families revised their eating habits, increased
physical activity, and supported each other’s efforts
through verbal praise. As the parents and children
made good dietary and activity choices, they also
earned points which were redeemable for special
time spent together. Interestingly enough, the
more weight the parents lost, the more their
children lost as well. And the children also were more successful at maintaining the healthier weight
overtime indicating the need for early intervention (Wrotniak et al. 344).
Implementing a few household routines can also greatly reduce the risk of obesity for the entire
family. The risk of being obese your family faces can be greatly reduced by limiting screen viewing
time as we have discussed previously, getting enough sleep, and regularly eating dinner together
(Anderson & Whitaker 427).
The routine of getting enough sleep may surprise you, but there has been a connection between
inadequate sleep and increased eating throughout the day. Getting enough sleep may improve your
self-regulation which reduces the tendency to overeat (Burt 73). The relationship between obesity and
sleep has been widely studied and connections have been found from pre-school throughout
adulthood that indicate the better quality of sleep, the less risk one has at becoming obese in the
coming years.
Eating meals together as a family is
another routine that may come as a shock.
However, the more frequent families eat
together at home, the lower their BMI (body
mass index). Dinners eaten together at home
usually are also home cooked which helps
reduce the adult body weight (Sobal 86). Family
meals also help protect adolescents from
becoming overweight or obese in their young
adult years (Berge 299). This may be due to
parental influence that makes healthier foods
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more accessible for both the children and their parents. Eating breakfasts together frequently also
showed an increase of diet quality as more fruits, whole grains, and fiber were eaten – lowering the
risk of being overweight or obese (Larson et al., 1608).
Overall, by limiting screen time, getting adequate sleep, and having frequent meals together as
a family throughout the day, families can greatly protect their homes both now and in the future from
facing the challenges of this disease. Obesity is a multi-faceted disease. However, while obesity is a
complex issue, prevention is possible especially as the diet and lifestyle is focused on at a family level.
Solution Two: Food Stamps for Healthier food and Access to
Healthy food in Low-income Areas
In the United States Preamble, the forefathers declared that the government’s responsibilities
include to "promote the general welfare". The government has made a decent effort thus far creating
programs such as "WIC" (Woman, Infants, Children). WIC helps pregnant women and children aged
0-5 by providing healthy food options like fresh fruits and vegetables, milk, eggs, and cheese. These
products are generally more expensive for low income parents to buy for their children but WIC helps
them solve the dilemma.
The government has also created the Food
Stamps program that helps assist low income
families but a study done by the "Journal of
Nutrition Education and Behavior" showed that
families on food stamps often make unhealthy
choices. The Journal recorded "Among all study
participants, baseline consumption of fruits,
vegetables, and whole grains was low, and
consumption of refined grains, sweets, and bakery
desserts, and sugar-sweetened beverages was high
compared with the recommendation from the 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans" (Journal of
Nutrition).
In order for our nation to combat the unwise decisions that Food Stamps oftentimes present is
to apply an incentive system. The RAND Corporation published a preliminary study on South Africa's
"HealthyFood" initiative. The program rewarded families on food stamps with a 25% rebate
whenever they purchased healthy foods (Discounts on Healthy Foods). The study showed that a
discount of 10-25% increased daily fruits and vegetables consumption by .62 servings.
We propose to implement the United States own "HealthyFood" initiative. If families received
discounts on healthier foods it will help incentivize them to make smart decisions. It is difficult to eat
healthy and increased prices do not help. By allowing those on food stamps to get a discount on
everyday healthy snacks it will increase the healthy food that they consume helping reduce the
amount of obese/overweight children and families in our nation.
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Solution 3: Create a Healthy Societal Image through Media
Prevention is key to trimming obesity’s high costs and the roles of advertising and technology
can help. It is possible that a clearer understanding of the cost of obesity will spur larger and more
urgent programs to prevent and treat it. Through advertising and technology, the media can assist in
“campaigning” for a healthier lifestyle.
The media should help educate America’s population on the high costs of an unhealthy
lifestyle. Social media, advertising, and other forms of technology could also benefit our society if
there were restrictions on unhealthy advertising messages - especially messages directed to children.
It would contribute to an overall healthier societal image if unhealthy messages were removed from
social media and other advertising avenues.
While the U.S. has made some investments in prevention, with the First Lady’s “Let’s Move”
initiative and “Communities Putting Prevention to Work”, these efforts represent relatively small
steps forward, and future public health prevention funding remain under threat. To make true
advances, these initiatives should be part of concerted efforts by local and national governmental,
health, nonprofit organizations, food companies, advertisers, and individuals to make healthy weights
the norm rather than the exception (Wang 815). The key component to this solution would be to
restrict unhealthy advertising messages – especially if directed to children and teens.
Advantages
1. The media’s influence on society can help promote a healthier America advertising healthy life-styles and habits contributing to an overall message of making healthy weights the norm rather than the exception.
2. The media can help educate the population on the “expensive” cost of obesity.
3. The media can support community initiatives to contribute to healthier lifestyle habits and advertise community programs to help those battling obesity.
Disadvantages
1. This campaign to change media marketing battles economic power. Companies with lots
of capital pay more for unhealthy advertising.
2. It is hard to get people to change. Especially when the change requires work.
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APPENDIX
Editor
Lindsey Sparks currently lives is Scottsdale, AZ but was
born and raised in St. Petersburg, FL. July, 2015 she
graduates with her Bachelor’s Degree in Marriage and
Family Studies from Brigham Young University - Idaho.
She has been married for about two and a half years and
has no children.
Lindsey is the oldest of eight siblings from a very blended
family.
In her free time she likes to learn new recipes and do crafts.
Our team chose to do this topic because we care about the health of the United States of America. We
have resources and relationships with those who work toward health everyday including a hospital
administrator, personal trainers, and nutritionists. We also chose this topic because we learned how
to make our lives healthier individually.
Lindsey is the editor of this team. She collected the sections from the writers and compiled them to
create the final issue book. She edited all of the sections and designed the look and layout of this issue
book.
Personal Reflection:
As the editor of this Issue Book I had to think about how it was all going to come together. I
wanted the information to be easy to understand and organized in a way that made you want to read
on. This information that we accumulated can really help the people in this country if it is taken
seriously. I was thinking a lot about how the government, particularly Michelle Obama, takes note on
the health of this country especially in our schools. So it is obviously an important subject in our
country.
In our country we do a lot to help those who are in poverty. We help those who cannot afford
housing or food. We help those who are disabled. If we really want people to be healthy we need to
make the healthy choice the easy choice. It can be hard to afford produce and other fresh ingredients.
Food Stamps and other government help should be geared toward helping people make the healthy
choice, because it’s what is available to them.
While completing this assignment I was also thinking about how, as a culture, we are more
complacent. We try consistently to make things easier, better, faster. We want things to do for us,
rather than do ourselves. I wonder if this is just a general flaw in our thought process. We have this
desire to be healthier, but we lack the motivation. At the same time, we continue to create
technologies to make our lives “easier”. Which I also think of as more “stationary”.
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This assignment has made me think about some of the habits that I have developed in my own
lifestyle and how I want to make changes for the better. Nobody is perfect, and we can all improve.
This is an area for me that I know I can do better in.
Writer #1
Samantha Davidson is currently a senior attending Brigham
Young University-Idaho. She will be graduating within the next year
with a bachelor’s degree in Marriage and Family Studies and a minor in
Horticulture. Throughout her education, she has found balance in
following her passion to strengthen and build family relationships with
her desire to create landscapes and floral arrangements. Samantha is
currently following her biggest dream, which is to become a
homemaker. She has been married to her sweetheart, Jarom, for nearly
two years. They have recently become parents to a little boy who has
brought an added joy into their life. It was this life changing event that
caused Samantha to look more carefully into their family’s diet and
health practices in order to provide a better quality of life for her
growing family.
While considering different concerns that America is currently
facing, the topic of health came up. We wanted to make a significant
contribution to our society in some way. Since curing cancer seemed a little bit out of our reach, we
decided to focus on an issue that we could influence: the spreading disease of obesity. We live in a fast
paced word where it seems that history is made every day. We have jumped from the beginnings of
alternating current in 1886 to smartphones and tablets that are commonplace today. Keeping up with
all the new changes has proved quite the challenge and we are just now beginning to understand how
the new forms of media, food processing, and other conveniences we enjoy can quickly become a
serious issue within our society. Each progressive step forward has allowed us to accomplish much
more than we could have imagined scarcely a century and a half ago. However there is danger of living
in too much excess whether it be media usage, processed foods, or even information. As Plato so
wisely put it, “Excess of liberty, whether it lies in state or individuals, seems only to pass into excess of
slavery.” We live in fortunate times, but such fortune requires us to have greater self-restraint.
As a writer, my focus was on the history of obesity. As the topic was newer to me, I began with
learning what obesity was and what trends increase an individual’s risk. I was pleased to interview
Sandy Gloss, RDN, LD, and learn of such trends such as television viewing and eating more processed
foods and more about the nutritional side of obesity. Using her knowledge and expertise along with
modern research, I was able to compile a general view of the history of obesity and how it has
transformed over the years. I included some of the main factors that contribute to gaining excess
weight and was surprised to find sleeping habits to be included in the lifestyles that often needed to be
altered. Using this understanding and through researching a possible solution, I discovered that most
often it is the interventions at the family level which show the lasting benefits.
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Personal Reflection:
I have been grateful to learn more about this challenge and have taken the opportunity to learn
what I can do to improve my own habits as well as help share what I have learned with those around
me. During the interview process specifically, I learned many valuable dietary facts that opened my
eyes. For example, I personally had no idea that fruit juice – even with ‘no sugar added’ is not a
healthy drink as it has too much natural sugar and lacks many of the nutrients found in whole fruit. I
also learned that a common misconception is that individuals who struggle with their weight, get
enough of the nutrients they need. Unfortunately this is not so. Obese individuals are actually often
malnourished. When eating highly processed foods with refined flour and sugar, our bodies often do
not feel satisfied as they still are lacking many of the needed nutrients. This creates the urge to eat
more making it so we eat more calories than we would if we were to obtain the nutrients through
eating wholefoods. It is the vicious cycle of processed foods as they do not leave you feeling satisfied,
just hungry for more because your body is craving the nutrients it still lacks.
I was also impressed by the research supporting families eating together during meals. I have
heard similar research in my field of Marriage and Family Studies indicating that family dinners are
extremely beneficial for parent-child relationships. However, the need to share meals together as a
family goes beyond that as I have learned through this opportunity to look at family dinners from a
nutritional perspective. I can see the truth in my own life as I am far more motivated to prepare
nutritious meals rather than ‘get by’ snacks when I am cooking for my family rather than just for
myself. It truly is amazing how the little choices we make every day can impact not only our own lives,
but the lives of those we love and the future generations. I hope I can make an impact for good
through the writing of this booklet.
Writer #2
Jonathan Eller is a Bachelor’s student at Brigham Young
University –Idaho, born into a family with repeated generations of
type two diabetes and other ailments caused by weight. Jonathan is
attempting to be a pioneer and break the repeated cycle that has been
part of his family for multiple generations. He believes that eating
healthy is a lifestyle change that any person can accomplish with the
right motivation.
In this Issue Book, Jonathan will focus on; the ages of those
effected by obesity in both children and adolescents, Obesity vs.
Income, Geography, and the health issues amongst children (Obesity
is the #1 health issue). In order to address these questions Jonathan
has interviewed NASM Certified Trainer Cassidy Price and has a
plethora of sources to validate his research.
Personal Reflection:
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I really gained a deeper understanding at this horrible epidemic affecting our Nation. The part I find
most interesting is that Obesity is 100% preventable. It is something that may be difficult for some
and require due diligence, however its rewards are a healthier life. Obesity is a perfect example of
instant gratification. When we eat unhealthy food it makes us feel good and happy that instant.
However afterwards there is sometimes guilt or sadness. In addition to that, the more weight you
gain the unhealthier you become.
Something I learned while doing this project is that food is an addiction. Especially unhealthy food!
Some people get a personal “high” just from consuming some of their favorite dishes. Being
overweight is costly and it causes more wear and tear on your clothing, your cars, your bed, etc. On
top of that Obesity with children increases the amount of doctor visits and health problems like
diabetes, heart failure, kidney disease, and other forms of cancer.
In closing, I learned that the biggest problem is lack of knowledge. As a nation we became so fat so
fast that we have had little time to sit and see all of the problems. Just a few years ago being “fat”
signified wealth. However in today’s nation we need to make sure to teach parents and students the
importance of weight management and healthy eating. We need to make eating fun for children and
in return it will help reduce the amount of overweight/obese children in our nation.
Writer #3
Jessica Ashton is completing her Bachelor's Degree in
Public Health from Brigham Young University Idaho. She is
a mom to three children, wife to her local hospital
administrator and has been a fitness instructor for eight
years. Jessica has always enjoyed living an active lifestyle,
but recently has valued even more the benefits of wellness as
she combats hereditary trails of high blood pressure,
depression and diabetes. She comes from a family history
that struggles with maintaining a healthy weight and the
obesity epidemic is no stranger to her loved ones. She has
personal experience of the challenges and depression that
shadow an unhealthy life-style, and the joy and freedom that
comes with overcoming those challenges.
Obesity is the second leading preventable cause of
death in the United States. Because of our passion for life and
wellness, our team decided to further explore this issue. We have discovered that obesity is a real
crisis affecting our society in many ways. Jessica chose to focus on the ramifications that obesity has
on our healthcare system and economy. The obesity epidemic is expensive – and we are all paying for
it!
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Jessica interviewed Michael Ashton, President of Bayhealth Milford Memorial Hospital, to
receive a more in-depth perspective of the hospital costs associated with bariatric patients. She was
surprised by all the hidden costs that hospitals have to pay to accommodate morbidly obese patients.
In addition, she was surprised by the overall negative impact that obesity has on our healthcare,
emergency costs, in the workplace and many more surprising negative effects on our economy. Our
team chose to use the following peer-reviewed journals and scientific studies for the statistics in our
research.
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