The Fight Against Obesity

A Guide to Optimal Health

Introduction
Every day, millions of Americans just like you are faced with the challenge of
constantly making important decisions about their health, often with little education about
how to maintain good health. The result is one of modern societys most dangerous
concerns: obesity. Today, unhealthy options, such as fast food, are cheaper and more
convenient than ever before, making already expensive healthy foods seem even more
costly. To make matters worse, the importance of physical activity and exercise is lost on an
already overworked and undercompensated population. Modern adults and children are
simply finding themselves with less time and
money to dedicate to nurturing their health.
In 2003, the U.S. Surgeon General declared
obesity an epidemic within the U.S. Since then, it
has been a growing major concern for adults and
children alike. In fact, studies show that in 2012
34.9% of adults were obese with 68.6% of adults
being overweight or obese (The State of Obesity).
In children and teenagers between the ages of two
and 19, approximately 17% were obese with 31.8%
of children being overweight or obese (The State
of Obesity). Trends show that since 2003, these
numbers have risen and are continuing to rise.
As individuals and as a society, it is of the
utmost importance to curb the rise of obesity and
its dangerous health effects. Each year,
obesity-related health conditions result in over 150 billion dollars in medical and
healthcare bills (CDC). An estimated 300,000 premature deaths per year in the U.S. are
linked to obesity (CDC). Experts believe the U.S. may soon see the first generation of
children that will have a shorter life expectancy than their parents generation.

In this guide, our goal is to educate you on the subject of obesity and ways to
maintain a healthy lifestyle. The first step in working towards a solution is understanding
the dangers of obesity and how it can affect your well-being and quality of life. A major part
of that is realizing the true costs of being in poor health. With that knowledge, we can then
begin to address the problems by starting and maintaining healthy diets in a more
affordable way, as well as balancing exercise and physical activity into everyday routines.

Effects

Medical Conditions
Obesity is the medical condition of being extremely overweight. According to the
Center for Disease Control and Prevention, a person having a body mass index (BMI) of 30
or over may be obese (Defining Adult Overweight and Obesity). Though obesity is a
condition itself, what makes it even more dangerous is the fact that it can cause many more
diseases and illnesses. As an article, written mostly by health specialists, states, Obesity is
a leading preventable cause of chronic illnesses and death and has emerged as one of the
most serious public health concerns in the 21st century (Trends in a Life Threatening
Condition: Morbid Obesity in Dutch, Turkish and Moroccan Children in The Netherlands,
1).
Some of the common conditions resulting from obesity are:

heart disease
diabetes
depression
fatigue
insomnia
cancer
(Obesity on the Rise)

The risks of having these conditions may increase over the years for adults. Children
with obesity may have several medical conditions, which may worsen or cause even more
illnesses, as they grow older. These illnesses include:

hypertension
dyslipidemia
insulin resistance
diabetes
fatty liver disease

psychosocial complications
(Trends in a Life Threatening Condition: Morbid Obesity in Dutch, Turkish and
Moroccan Children in The Netherlands, 1)

Of the 307 obese or overweight children who participated in a study in the

Netherlands, 56% had hypertension and 67% had at least one cardiovascular risk factor
(Trends in a Life Threatening Condition: Morbid Obesity in Dutch, Turkish and Moroccan
Children in The Netherlands, 1).
This study proves that it is not uncommon for children suffering from this illness to
have other medical conditions because of their obesity. In fact, they most likely will have
several medical conditions, whether during their childhood, adulthood, or both. Children
will have a higher chance of being obese if their parents are. According to SPARK, an
obesity research program, if parents are overweight, then a childs likelihood of being
overweight is increased by 60% to 80%, and they have a 70% chance of being obese.

There are several medical conditions caused by obesity that people should be more
aware of. Heart disease is one of the biggest killers in the U.S. today, and obese individuals

have a higher risk of suffering from it (SPARK). Obese children can also develop arthritis at
an early age if they are extremely overweight (SPARK). Obesity also affects the lung
capacity, which can cause serious asthma attacks (SPARK). These are just some of the
medical conditions obesity can cause.
The less people know about obesity and its other medical effects, the higher the risk
will be of having them. Obesity can shorten the lives of children and adults because of these
outcomes resulting from it. It also is a very expensive condition to live with.

Financial Impact
Most people may not realize the hidden truth about the cost of obesity. As ones
health decreases, the health care costs increase. This is due to the many medical conditions
resulting from obesity. These medical conditions require health care, and health care
requires more investments. Evidently, all of these effects are linked.
According to Kenneth E. Thorpe, Chair of the Department of Health Policy and
Management in the Rollins School of Emory University, obesity and stress accounted for
27% of health care expenditures between 1987 and 2002 (Rise in Health Care Spending
and What to do About It, 1438). Also, there are more medical treatments for people with
illnesses that are linked with obesity. This results in higher healthcare costs. Obese adults
spend annually 36% to 37.4% more than normal-weighted adults on medical care, as
stated in the scholarly article,
Obesity on the Rise. The higher
the BMI, the higher the health
care costs. This correlation,
though quite significant, seems to
be less apparent to those
suffering from obesity.
A BMI in the range of 30
to 35 increases health care
expenditures by 25%, and a BMI
between 35 and 40 increases
expenditures by 50% (Obesity
on the Rise). A BMI greater than
40 doubles health care
expenditures compared with
normal-weighted adults
(Obesity on the Rise). An even

more astounding statistic is that older obese adults live as long as normal-weighted adults
but spend more than $39,000 more on health care in their lifetime (Obesity on the Rise).
However, obese adults are not the only ones to be affected by these high medical costs.

Because of the increase in obesity over the years, taxpayers must aid health care
programs such as Medicare in order for these programs to provide more treatment to those
suffering from this condition. Medicare spends about 34% more on an obese adult than on
a normal-weighted adult (Obesity on the Rise). As a result, obese workers increase costs
to employers due to higher health care expenditures (Obesity on the Rise).
It is no doubt that this costly condition affects a variety of people and groups,
especially in the United States. Therefore, readers need to be informed and inform others
before these negative effects worsen. Acknowledging the fact that obesity significantly
decreases ones health, results in even more medical conditions, and increases health care
expenditures is the first step in finding a solution to this unhealthy lifestyle.
The road to a happy and healthy life starts with learning how to balance a healthy
diet and fitness into an individual's everyday schedule.

The Solution

Applying a Healthy Diet

What a person puts into his or her body determines the outcome of ones health.
Eating a daily healthy diet is essential for individuals to maintain a healthy lifestyle.
The

United States Department of Agriculture recommends for everyone to consume the

portions listed on a chart called My Plate, instead of the previously well-known food
pyramid (ChooseMyPlate). MyPlate suggests that in order for individuals to maintain a
healthy diet, they should be consuming the following:

The issue that Americans face when given the exact portions essential for optimum
health is the high cost of the foods that are needed to maintain that healthy lifestyle,
especially when the typical American family only makes an average of $50,000 per year
(NPR). Feeding an entire family a predominantly fruit and vegetable based diet is much
more expensive than buying processed or fast foods. Processed foods that are easy to grab,
last longer, and are sometimes an eighth of the price of raw and organic meals are quite
tempting. The unknown ingredients, chemicals, and high sugars within them are not.
Thankfully, hope is not lost when trying to maintain a healthy lifestyle while on a budget.
Knowledge is power when it comes to grocery shopping for a large family and
feeding them foods that their bodies will thank them for later in life. The following tips are
necessary ways to avoid purchasing harmful foods
and to keep a family filled with good health:

Stay around the

outside perimeter
of a

grocery store.
Check the grocery store's circular
before
going
shopping.
Make a list.
Clip Coupons!
Staying around the outside perimeter of a
grocery store will keep one away from the
chemically processed foods and focused on the
meats, dairies, fruits, vegetables, and grains. The items surrounding the outsides of the
grocery store are the exact food groups that My Plate, designed by the USDA, focuses on
and the only things one should be putting into their body on a daily basis. Checking the
circular to find the brand of items that are on sale for that week is essential in grocery
shopping on a budget. Writing out a list of those items and clipping any coupons could save
more than half of the price of an entire shopping trip.
Another knowledgeable tip for healthy food shopping is to know that fruits and
vegetables that are in season tend to be priced lower than those to which are out of season.
Supply and demand plays a big role in that. Healthy foods that are in season and in
abundance tend to be priced fairly lower than those that are harsh to find and out of
season. Knowledge truly is power in all aspects of life and maintaining a healthy lifestyle.
Along with a healthy daily diet, daily exercise is needed for optimal health.

Using Exercise to Control Weight and Obesity

The key to controlling weight and obesity is physical activity. The American Heart
Association considers physical activity as any activity that a person does in order to burn
calories. The American Heart Association suggests at least 150 minutes per week or 30
minutes per day of moderate exercise or 75 minutes per week of vigorous exercise. This
could be anything from cardiovascular exercise or even weightlifting or strength training.
These type of activities can
decrease heart disease and stroke, a
bi-product of being overweight. One
may ask, In order to control weight,
do I need to be a member of a fitness
center?
The answer is no! Moderate
exercise could be anything such as
walking at a fast pace, swimming, or
even mowing the lawn. Vigorous
activities include running and aerobic
dancing. Strength training could be
anything from lifting weights to rock
climbing or heavy gardening.
Something is better than nothing.
However, if a person is obese or overweight, he or she would want to increase these
outputs and decrease the food intake. The first step is to consult a doctor to ensure physical
activity can be a part of ones lifestyle. If you are unable to exercise a full 30 minutes, try to
exercise in three ten minute workouts. The second step is to decide on a goal, such as how
much weight to lose each week, and that goal should be charted. A workout partner could
also assist in maintaining your goal. These are just recommendations how physical activity
as part of your everyday life can reduce your chance of being obese. These

recommendations can also help in

maintaining an ideal weight and
reducing the amount of
overweight- associated health
problems.

Conclusion
Fighting against the ever growing obesity epidemic is incredibly important in not
just improving ones quality of life, but ensuring the longevity and health of future
generations. The knowledge about obesity emphasizes the long term dangers of unhealthy
decisions. It is important to maintain our bodies and watch what we put into them in order
to avoid medical complications and life threatening conditions such as heart disease,
diabetes, and high blood pressure. Furthermore, learning about the true cost of healthcare
of obesity reveals a financial side of the situation that undoubtedly resonates with families
strongly. This knowledge is a call to action for many adults to care not only about their own
health, but also their childrens.
Practicing healthy decisions such as diet and exercise into daily routines helps
improve the quality of life and well-being for adults and future generations to come. By
putting a bit more thought and effort into your food purchasing habits, you can not only be
happier and healthier, but you also save money. There are plenty of paths to better health,
whether it is tricks to shop smarter, or incorporating physical activity into everyday
routines. Ingraining healthy lifestyles is a critical step to fighting obesity and passing along
good health to future generations. A few small changes can go a long way. With this
knowledge and know-how, together we can live with the peace of mind of being healthier
and happier.

Works Cited
Weight vs. Health Expenditures Graph
. Digital image.
Whatifpost
. N.p., n.d. Web. 24 Nov.
2015. <https://leisureguy.wordpress.com/2009/07/10/obesity-and-healthcare-costs/>.
"Defining Adult Overweight and Obesity."
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 27 Apr. 2012. Web. 26 Nov. 2015.
<http://www.cdc.gov/obesity/adult/defining.html>.
"Why Mozart In Shape? - Ch02."
Why Mozart In Shape? - Ch02
. N.p., n.d. Web. 06 Dec. 2015.
<http://www.mozartinshape.org/misvsobesity/whymis.php?id=ch02>.
Thorpe, Kenneth E. The Rise in Health Care Spending and What To Do About It.
Health
Affairs
24.6 (2005): 1436-1445.
Academic Search Premier
. Web. 21 Nov. 2015.
Boardley, D, and RS Pobocik. Obesity On The Rise.
Primary Care
36.2 (2009): 243-255
13p.
CINAHL with Full Text
. Web. 21 Nov. 2015.
Van Dommelen, Paula, et al. Trends In A Life Threatening Condition: Morbid Obesity In
Dutch, Turkish And Moroccan Children In The Netherlands.
Plos ONE
9.4 (2014): 1-5.
Academic Search Premier
. Web. 26 Nov. 2015.
"American Heart Association Recommendations for Physical Activity in Adults."
American
Heart Association Recommendations for Physical Activity in Adults
. N.p., 17 Aug. 2015. Web.
27 Nov. 2015.
Laskowski, Edward R. "How Much Should the Average Adult Exercise Every Day?"
Www.mayoclinic.org
. N.p., 3 Jan. 2014. Web. 27 Nov. 2015.
"|
Choose MyPlate
." Choose MyPlate. N.p., 03 Feb. 2015. Web. 21 Nov. 2015.
http://www.choosemyplate.gov/MyPlate
VO, LAM THUY. "
What Americans Earn
." NPR. NPR, 16 July 2012. Web. 21 Nov. 2015.
http://www.npr.org/sections/money/2012/07/16/156688596/what-americans-earn
"Adult Obesity Causes & Consequences." Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 16 June 2015. Web. 23 Nov. 2015.
"Obesity." Stanford Healthcare. Stanford Healthcare, n.d. Web. 23 Nov. 2015.
"Obesity Rates & Trends Overview."
: The State of Obesity
. N.p., Sept. 2015. Web. 23 Nov.
2015.