The problem of obesity in the United States - Essay Example

This has resulted in a dramatic increase in the lifestyle diseases. Obesity is one such lifestyle disease which has become a subject of concern. This is owing to the global increase in the people who suffer from obesity and also owing to the fact that obesity increases the risk of many other pathological conditions. According to the World Health Organization, the occurrence of obesity has increased more than twice from the year 1980 and the statistics of 2008 revealed the fact that 200 million males and 300 million females around the globe were suffering from obesity.

It has also been presented that obesity is a far greater problem for people than being underweight as it results in the loss of greater lives. There are many underlying causes of obesity and the number of people suffering from the condition has greatly increased in the United States. It has been highlighted that two-thirds of the population of the United States have a weight above the normal limits. One-third of the people from this group suffer from obesity. There has been a dramatic rise in the cases of obesity over the years.

   These statistics have greatly risen to 35.1 percent till the year 2003-2004. This increase has very severe consequences on the health of the individuals and it has been linked with a rise in the mortality rate in the United States. Cardiovascular pathologies that result due to obesity lead to 112,000 loss of lives and 15,000 people die due to cancer resulting due obesity on an annual basis. . Obesity can result due to many underlying reasons. The most common cause of obesity is an imbalance between the calorie intake and output.

This is because of an increased consumption of calories and a reduction in the physical activities to burn these calories. This results in an increase in the amount of fat in the body and a person gains weight above the normal limits. Obesity has been promoted owing to the fact that people have started to live a sedentary lifestyle and there has been a reduction in the physical activity of the people. Furthermore, the consumption of unhealthy foods has also increased. The intake of an unbalanced diet which does not consist of the correct proportions of different constituents results in an increase in the weight of an individual.

The increased intake of junk food can also be considered to be a factor (Barnett 2009; Weight Control Information Network 2010). Pathological states can also result in obesity. These include hormonal imbalances which lead to the individual becoming obese. It has also been highlighted that genetics also play a role in the causation of obesity. Ob gene is an important gene which is associated with the weight control mechanism in an individual. Any alteration or mutation in this gene can result in obesity.

The gene is related to a hormone known as leptin in the body. Leptin is a hormone or transmitter which helps in conveying specific signals to the brain. The body fat has to be maintained by this hormone as it sends signals to the brain to regulate the metabolism of fat. Thus, a mutation in this gene tends to alter this normal regulatory mechanism and results in the causing obesity (NCBI 1998). Obesity has also been related to the occurrence of