Good Example Of Research Paper On Obesity, A Disease Or An Epidemic

English 1A M, W and F 1:00 to 3:50

More than one out of three Americans is considered obese (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services). Many Americans are considered or tend to be obese due to several factors including their food consumption, involvement in physical activities and their class and race. With regards to class and race, the poor people living in America are most likely to be obese due to differences in income. For the past two decades, there has been a significant increase in the number of obese cases in the United States, estimating over 72 million adults aging 20 years old and above classified as such. This shows that almost 30% of America’s population is at risk of several diseases that are related to obesity such as type two cardiovascular diseases, diabetes mellitus, and hypertension (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services).
Obesity is nutritional classification of having a body mass index of 30.0kg/m2 or more. This measurement shows the relative quantity of body fat and is used to predict possible risks related to it (Mechanick et al. 644). Nowadays, it is an epidemic reflecting profound changes in society and communities’ behavioral patterns. As areas become urbanized and increase in income and population occurs, change in the diets also happen. Food selection is a pool of ones with higher proportion of fat, saturated fats and sugar rather than complex carbohydrates. Furthermore, work shifts have been less demanding when it comes to physical actions thus decreasing the physical activity of the workers (WHO).
The rampant number of people being affected by the condition has led to debates and researches on going to see if obesity should be classified as a disease or not. As for the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists (AACE), it views obesity as a disease in line with the criteria set by American Medical Association. In order for one clinical problem to be considered as a disease, it should be: a) an impairment of the normal functioning of some aspect of the body; b) must show characteristics signs or symptoms; and c) harm or affect morbidity (Mechanick et al. 644).
Obesity has been positive to all the mentioned criteria. First, it is an altered physical and metabolic state that results to increased morbidity and mortality. Second, the characteristic of increase in body fat is detected by BMI or the physical manifestation of accumulated fat mass. Finally, it affects mortality and morbidity as it progresses to several diseases such as type-two hypertension, diabetes mellitus, and various cardiovascular diseases (Mechanick et al. 645). Extensive evidences link excessive body weight to mortality rate. When adjusted with age, overall correlation of the two showed a J shaped curve with an acceleration of mortality risk above a BMI of 30.0kg/m2 (Jung).
As the number of fat cells increase in the body, the likelihood of having hypertension and diabetes also steeply increases together with increased risk of cancer of the breast colon, endometroium, kidney, prostrate, and gallbladder. Chronic obesity also contributes significantly to osteoarthritis which is a major cause of disability in adults. According to WHO, 90% of patients with type two diabetes mellitus are obese and overweight. In the World Health Report released in 2002 it showed that 58% of diabetes and 21% of ischemic heart disease and 8-42% of certain cancers globally were attributable to a BMI above 21 kg/m2 (WHO). It goes to show how rampant is obesity and its direct effect to other diseases that it needs high attention in order to be addressed just like other diseases such as HIV.
But several groups that are not in favor of classifying obesity as a disease says that in order for it to become a disease a better measurement should be used rather than the BMI to diagnose the individual in a clinical practice (Beal, 18). To some, obesity is more of a risk factor of other disease rather than a disease itself (IASO). Some research also suggest that calling obesity a disease could affect the patient in terms of decreasing their self-esteem and motivation and increase pessimism about their ability in changing their behaviour (Beal 19).
Every disease has an accompanied cost in terms of medical treatment. If it will be looked at, the government’s health services have been spending a lot for obesity, may it be direct or indirect medical cost. In 1996, $31 billion of treatment costs for cardiovascular disease among adults was related to overweight and obesity. During 1997-1999 cost related to obesity in the group of children and adolescents went up to $127 million, which is $35 million more during 1979-1981. In 2000, out of the $117 billion cost of obesity, $61 billion was used for direct medical cost while the rest was indirect medical cost (US Department of Health and Human Services).
This goes to show that obesity requires much attention in order to be addressed just like any other serious diseases. With the number of people affected by the epidemic, a proper labeling is needed for it to be categorized an actioned. Recognizing the obesity as a disease will also help changing how the medical community and society deals with its prevention and treatment. Having a correct designation also changes the financial support the medical condition can get. With proper funding, more intensive scientific investigation and drug discovery can be made. More health care resources for patients and development in training of health care professionals to strategize both prevention and treatment will also be available (Mechanick et al. 645).
In the end, it is still a collaborative effort of every member of the society. Proper self-care that includes diet and proper exercise for adults and enough physical activities for children can help prevent obesity but further extensive researches and program should also be made to treat the existing issue and combat further possible causes.

Works Cited

Beal, Eileen. "The Pros and Cons of Designating Obesity a Disease." American Journal of Nursing 113.11 (2013): 18, 19. Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.
International Association for the Study of Obesity. "Is Obesity a Disease?" Web. Retrieved from <http://www.worldobesity.org/site_media/uploads/Is_obesity_a_disease.pdf>.
Jung, Ronald. “Obesity as a Disease”. Oxford Journals 53.2 (1997): 307-21.
Mechanick, Jeffrey I., Alan J. Garber, Yehuda Handelsman, and W. Timothy Garvey. "American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists' Position Statement on Obesity and Obesity Medicine." Endocrine Practice (2012): 642-48.
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Overweight and Obesity Statistics (2012). National Institutes of Health (NIH). Web. Retrieved from < http://win.niddk.nih.gov/publications/PDFs/stat904z.pdf>.
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. "Preventing Obesity and Chronic Diseases Through Good Nutrition and Physical Activity." Preventing Chronic Diseases: Investing Wisely in Health (2008). Web. Retrieved from <http://www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/publications/factsheets/prevention/pdf/obesity.pdf>.
World Health Organization. "Obesity and Overweight."(2003). Web. <http://www.who.int/dietphysicalactivity/media/en/gsfs_obesity.pdf>.