Obesity is a growing epidemic in the United States. Recent statistics indicate that two thirds of all adults are overweight (a BMI equal to or greater than 25, which also includes those who are clinically obese). At least one child in five is overweight. Over the last two decades, the prevalence of overweight people in the Untied States has steadily increased, and continues to climb. All of this excess weight is taking a toll on physical health, the economy, mental health, and interpersonal relationships.
Health Consequences
Being overweight and obese are known risk factors for:
- Diabetes
- Heart disease
- Stroke
- Hypertension
- Gallbladder disease and gallstones
- Osteoarthritis
- Gout
- Pulmonary problems (including sleep apnea)
- Some forms of cancer (uterine, breast, cervix, ovary, colorectal, prostate, kidney, and gallbladder)
Obesity is associated with:
- High blood cholesterol and triglycerides
- Complications of pregnancy
- Menstrual irregularities
- Angina
- Hirsutism (presence of excess body and facial hair)
- Stress incontinence
- Psychological disorders (depression, low self-esteem)
- Increased surgical risk
Someone who is 40 percent overweight is twice as likely to die prematurely than is a person of average weight.
Economic Impact
Recent statistics show that the cost of being overweight and obese in America is $117 billion each year. This includes direct costs, such as preventive, diagnostic, and treatment services totaling $61 billion, as well as the indirect costs of $56 billion from the value of wages lost by people unable to work because of illness or disability and the value of future earnings lost due to premature death.
Psychological and Social Costs
American society places great emphasis on appearance, often equating slimness with beauty. Thin women sometimes receive catcalls as they walk down the sidewalk, but obese women sometimes hear the sounds of cattle lowing. Both are offensive, but the latter is especially damaging to self-esteem.
Obese people suffer discrimination in the work place and in social settings. Obesity often is viewed as a choice to overeat and under-exercise. "She could be thin if she'd just learn to put the fork down," some might say. Many people assume obese people are lazy, gluttonous, slovenly, weak willed, or a combination of these.
Obesity begins to affect self-image and self-esteem among pre-adolescents and adolescents. A recent study found that overweight children feel lower self-worth than their slimmer contemporaries. The psychological impact of excessive weight is especially intense among adolescent females, who have a higher incidence of depression, smoking, and drinking than do their normal weight peers.
However, obesity is more a chronic disease than a lifestyle choice. Various factors including genetics, psychological and environmental factors, and some rare illnesses contribute to weight gain.
Regardless of the reason for excess weight, losing as little as five to ten percent of the excess weight can lower many of the risks associated with being overweight. Severely obese people could talk with a healthcare provider about medical intervention, such as weight-loss medications or gastrointestinal surgery. But the best way to lose weight is slowly and steadily (no more than one pound per week) by improving diet, becoming more physically active, and dealing with the psychological issues behind the weight gain. |
