Topic > America's Number One Health Risk: Obesity - 997

In 2004, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) ranked obesity as America's number one health risk. Obesity is defined as a body weight at least 30% above ideal weight for a specific height, with an individual's maximum body index (BMI) greater than 30 (Koch, 2013). The CDC estimates that there are 400,000 deaths each year in the United States and that over 15% of children are obese (Koch, 2013). Baum (2010) states that approximately 30% of adults are classified as obese, an increase of approximately 100% from 25 years ago. This increase can be seen in terms of men, women, race, ethnicity, and socioeconomic status (Baum, 2010). It is clear that obesity is a growing epidemic that causes serious consequences. We live in an unprecedented time in history where technology and education have become easily available to the majority of the public. Researchers have been studying why obesity has grown so rapidly, and as someone who struggles with being overweight, this topic concerns me too. Many explanations have been suggested to explain this increase. The increase in sedentary jobs, the increased convenience of fast food, and less physical activity are just some of the variables that, according to some, increase obesity (Koch, 2013). Thanks to government and awareness campaigns, Americans currently have more knowledge than ever about the consequences of obesity, yet obesity continues to increase (Baum, 2010). Although awareness has increased, there have been studies showing that not all Americans have equal access to healthy choices—indeed, some areas are awash with convenience stores and fast food restaurants rather than full-service grocery stores and farmers' markets ( Treuhaft & Karpyn, 2010). Obesity has increased across all categories of Americans, however, this increase has not been equal across groups. Flegale et al. (2002) found that African Americans and Hispanics are more likely to be obese than Whites. African Americans are 11% higher than whites, and Hispanics are nearly 6% more commonly obese. Treuhaft and Karpyn (2010) state that people living in low-income communities of color have more difficulty accessing healthy foods than other neighborhoods. Areas where there is little or no access to healthy, affordable food are called food deserts (Treuhaft & Karpyn, 2010). There is evidence that low-income neighborhoods lack healthy, high-quality foods in stores, more liquor and convenience stores, and lack transportation to access quality stores farther away.