3. Source: Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, CDC. 1996 2003 Obesity Trends* Among U.S. Adults BRFSS, 1991, 1996, 2003 No Data <10% 10%-14% 15%-19% 20%-24% 25% (*BMI 30, or about 30 lbs overweight for 5’4” person) 1991
4. Source: Mokdad A H, et al. J Am Med Assoc 1999;282:16, 2001;286:10. <10% 10%-14% 15%-19% No Data
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Editor's Notes
I’d like to begin by showing you why we need to launch an effort to encouragesensible eating and physical activity behaviors. As a population, Americans have gained weight over the past 20 years at an alarming rate. Visually, the increase is striking.
There is only one way to get fat: we have to consume more food calories than we expend in activity. It's an immutable law of nature. Where researchers disagree is on the component of the formula that's making more Americans overweight. Are we eating more, are we less active, or is it a combination of the two? We don't really even have a good definition for obesity. When I hear the word obese , I think of Newman on Seinfeld or Homer Simpson. Experts define it as an excess of body fat. Is that a little too much, or a lot too much? The definition isn’t really that clear. Here, you can see that the obesity trends among U.S. adults have risen quite significantly in the last twenty years. 28% of Michiganders alone are considered to be obese today.
What we are looking at here is BMI or Body Mass Index data. BMI is a measure of weight in relation to height – a way to evaluate height and weight proportions. It is used as a proxy for body fat. In adults, overweight is defined as a BMI of 25 or greater. Adults with BMIs of 30 or more are considered obese. A BMI of 30 is roughly equivalent to 30 extra pounds on a person 5 foot 4 inches tall. These maps show obesity as a percentage of the total adult population. This data comes from CDC. It’s reliable but probably under-reports the prevalence of obesity because BMIs here are based on self-reported heights as weights collected during telephone surveys. In 1985 only 20 states collected this data and only 8 of these states have obesity levels over 10%.
The obesity epidemic is not limited to adults, trends in youth are similar. The percentage of young Americans who are overweight has more than doubled in the past 20 years. There are several causes for obesity in America, including fast-food restaurants and their marketing, hereditary obesity and people reacting to the stereotypes in the media that you must be beautiful to be accepted. With today's busy society and America's growing fast food marketing companies, people eat more fatty foods then every before. Companies spent an estimated $12 billion dollars marketing food, drinks, and meals to children and youth in 2009. Marketing to youth indicates some reasons that people become unhealthy from such a young age. Overall, restaurant marketing is geared towards fatty foods as opposed to healthier alternatives. Americans show lack of willpower toward choosing healthy meals which is partly responsible for rising obesity numbers.
Excess body weight has serious health implications. There are other reasons people could be overweight, such as overeating which may be caused by personal problems such as; tension, anger, being upset, loneliness, or boredom. Overeating can be just another habit from stress such as, nail biting, and laughing. Children are encouraged to overeat by their parents &quot;eat everything on your plate.&quot; Overeating can also be due to an addiction to food. High calorie foods can sometimes lure you in with the great flavors, cheap prices, and deals. The irony of this situation is that overweight people are pressured to be thin in our society, and it causes them stress which leads to them overeating. Stress is very high in obese people which is a very good reason for obesity in America.
Other conditions include = premature death, gallbladder disease, asthma, sleep apnea, hypertension, high cholesterol, complications with pregnancy, incontinence, and depression.
. The consumption of unhealthy food is corrupting all Americans, as well as America's youth (2-11). The growth of companies and unhealthy foods popularity is proving to be the demise of America's health. Many teens are consumed by obesity in America. 21% of teens (12-19) are overweight in America. The future of America is in the youth of our nation and if we continue to have a higher percent in obesity, our future will most likely be filled with health issues. Average American teens spend 22 hours a week watching T.V. and playing video games. Laziness contributes to obesity, with more distracting things to do and the changes in technology then exercise and eat healthy; teens usually choose the lazy way of doing things which is eating junk foods.
Adopting more sensible eating patterns and becoming more physically active improves health and reduces mortality risk even without weight loss.
As this slide indicates small changes in behavior have dramatic consequences over time. 300 excess calories a day in a year is 10 pounds. To control obesity and improve our health, we need to design ways to compensate for this discrepancy and incorporate them into our daily routines. The situation is urgent but solutions are well-within our grasp.
Compare weight and obesity to smoking and tobacco. . . Everyday in the US… 61% of adults are overweight or obese 19% of adults smoke Everyday in the US… Smoking is the #1 cause of preventable deaths Obesity is #2. And gaining…
Obesity is a growing problem in America due to continuous and aggressive marketing by fast food corporations. It will continue to be a problem as long as there is no one fighting for a solution to help America lose its reputation as the fattest nation in the world. With today's busy society and America's growing marketing for fast food companies, people eat more fatty foods than ever before. Some solutions for this growing epidemic could easily solve some issues in our society. Industries should work with health officials and consumer groups to develop a rating and labeling system that conveys the nutritional quality of foods effectively to better the health of America. The labeling on foods usually never gets looked at by the consumer. Media and entertainment could easily market healthy nutrition through T.V., films, cartoons, even video games, yet they fail to do so. Children and people use these forms of entertainment everyday which could help people to make wiser and healthier choices. Some restaurants have recently taken steps to promote healthier offerings, but overall marketing continues to be spent more towards high fat foods. Attempts have been made, but the overall attempts by the fast food industries have failed. Money seems to be a major issue over health concerns Americans. The fast food industries have failed to create a healthier world; they are simply polluting our nation’s health.
America can overcome this great devastation with some simple problem solving and will power. It is time we take responsibility for our actions, our health and even more so, our children. The future leaders of our nation depend on us to teach them the way. With our current responsibilities being abused our future seems to be decaying. For the hope of future mankind, responsibilities must be enforced throughout our nation for the betterment of our nation.
I hope we all learned something here today. I know I did! Thanks for watching…
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