Prevalence of Obesity in USA
Prevalence of Obesity in USA
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Introduction
Obesity has emerged as the most pressing nutritional problem facing the developed world. This trend has occurred over a relatively short period of time; in the United States, it appears to have begun in the last quarter of the 20th century. The epidemic in children followed shortly thereafter. The most recent data (1999 - 2000) from national surveys in the United States suggest that almost two thirds of the adult population is overweight, and almost one third is obese (Flegal et.al, 2002). In children, current estimates (1999 - 2000) put the prevalence of overweight at 15%, a threefold ...
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defines obesity as a condition of abnormal or excess accumulation of adipose tissue (body fat) to an extent that an individual's health may be impaired. Because the precise measurement of adipose tissue requires invasive laboratory measures, in the population context, a simpler measure on which to base an obesity definition is required. Although imperfect, the Body Mass Index (BMI), defined as weight in kilograms divided by height in meters squared, has been adopted by consensus in the United States by the National Institutes of Health (NIH, 1998) and the Centers; for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and internationally by WHO (2000).
Consensus definitions of overweight and obesity have been set at 25 (overweight) and 30 (obesity), with severity classes of obesity defined as follows: overweight, 25.0 to 29.9; Class I obesity, 30.0 to 34.9; Class II obesity, 35.0 to 39.9; and Class III obesity, 40.0+. The WHO (2000) terminology differs slightly, but the cutoff points are the ...
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in adulthood of obesity from childhood is related both to age at onset and severity.
Sequelae
Childhood obesity has a number of immediate, intermediate, and long-term health consequences (Must & Strauss, 1999). These include classic cardiovascular risk factors, such as high blood pressure, abnormal blood lipid levels, and impaired glucose tolerance. Respiratory conditions include sleep-disordered breathing. In addition, early menarche and menstrual abnormalities are linked to overweight. Of particular concern is the emergence of type 2 diabetes, once considered an adult-onset disease, as a disease of childhood. The psychological impact may represent one of the most damaging ...
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Prevalence of Obesity in USA. (2012, November 17). Retrieved December 23, 2024, from http://www.essayworld.com/essays/Prevalence-of-Obesity-in-USA/101935
"Prevalence of Obesity in USA." Essayworld.com. Essayworld.com, 17 Nov. 2012. Web. 23 Dec. 2024. <http://www.essayworld.com/essays/Prevalence-of-Obesity-in-USA/101935>
"Prevalence of Obesity in USA." Essayworld.com. November 17, 2012. Accessed December 23, 2024. http://www.essayworld.com/essays/Prevalence-of-Obesity-in-USA/101935.
"Prevalence of Obesity in USA." Essayworld.com. November 17, 2012. Accessed December 23, 2024. http://www.essayworld.com/essays/Prevalence-of-Obesity-in-USA/101935.
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