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Weight Problems in America. Obesity in America – What’s all the fuss about?. Obesity – a definition. Overweight & obesity are labels for ranges of weight greater than what is generally considered healthy for a given height. Expressed by Body Mass Index (BMI) e.g. Statistics.
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Weight Problems in America Obesity in America – What’s all the fuss about?
Obesity – a definition • Overweight & obesity are labels for ranges of weight greater than what is generally considered healthy for a given height. • Expressed by Body Mass Index (BMI) e.g.
Statistics Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (1999) • 61% adults in U.S. overweight - 35% slightly overweight - 26% grossly overweight or obese • 13% of U.S. children overweight or obese American Medical Association (2002) • 31% of American public obese Surgeon General • Morbidity & mortality associated with obesity to exceed that associated with cigarette smoking
The Insurers’ Dilemma To insure or exclude coverage for weight loss surgery? Blue Cross & Blue Shield of North Carolina –accept coverage • Obese members cost 32% more to cover. • Diabetes disappears in 9 of 10 successful surgeries • Pharmaceutical costs reduce by 20% in first year after weight loss surgery. Blue Cross of Florida – no coverage • Average cost is $25,000 (pressure on premiums) • 1% increase in premium, results in 16,000 uninsured.
Relationship between sleep & obesity? Studies by Eastern Virginia Medical School, Mignot, E., (1989) and Prof. Van Culter, E. (2004) • Overweight subjects slept less • The less sleep a subject gets, the greater their BMI • Changes in hunger proportional to changes in hormone levels. • Less sleep>lower leptin level>higher ghrelin -leptin suppresses food intake & stimulates energy expenditure -ghrelin stimulates appetite, fat production & body growth
Media & Childhood Obesity • Study by Young et al. (1996), advertising only affects brand choice. Preference & choice affected by cultural norms. • The Kaiser Family Foundation (2004) - media contribution not fully documented or conclusively researched. - Food advertising definitely affects children’s purchases and those of their families.
Conclusion • Obesity causes many fatal yet preventable conditions such as diabetes, heart disease, asthma, hypertension, stroke, cancer, sleep apnea and so on. • Federal government needs to do more to promote healthy eating & more physical exercise. • Media needs to exercise self regulation in content of food ads aimed at children • A healthy nation is a wealthy nation
References • ANRED. (June 2005). Obesity. Is it an eating disorder? Retrieved July 18, 2005 from http://www.anred.com/toc.htm • Desor, J.A., Maller, O. & Turner, R. (1973). Taste in acceptance of sugars by human infants. Journal of Comparative and Physiological Psychology, 84: 496-501. Retrieved on July 20, 2005 from http://www.store.warc.com/ProductInfo /35Young.pdf • Gifford, R.A. (2005). New thoughts on sleep, weight loss & diabetes. The Saturday Evening Post: 277, 4. Retrieved July 19, 2005 from ProQuest database. • Girion, L. (June 27, 2005). Insurers weigh surgery risks: companies differ on whether to pay for procedures to help patients slim down. Los Angeles Times. Retrieved July 18, 2005, from the ProQuest database. • Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation (2004).The Role of Media in Childhood Obesity. Retrieved on July 26, 2005 from http://www.kff.org/entmedia/upload/The-Role-Of-Media-in-Childhood-Obesity.pdf • Tufts University Health & Nutrition Letter (April 2005). You snooze, you lose? looking for links between sleep, appetite and obesity. 23, 2. Retrieved July 18, 2005 from ProQuest database. • Spiegel, K., Leproult, R., Tasali, E., Penev, P., and Van Cauter, E. (2004). Sleep curtailment in healthy young men is associated with decreased leptin level, elevated ghrelin levels, and increased hunger and appetite. Annals Internal Medicine 141(11):846-50. Retrieved August 2, 2005 from the ProQuest database. • U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (2001). The Surgeon General’s Call to Action to Prevent and Decrease Overweight and Obesity: At a Glance. Retrieved on August 4, 2005 from http://www.surgeongeneral.gov/topics/obesity/calltoaction/fact_glance.htm • Vorona, R.D., Winn, M.P., Babineau, T.W., & Eng, B.P., F.H.R., W.J.C. (2005). Overweight and obese patients in a primary care population report less sleep than patients with a normal body mass index. Archives of Internal Medicine, 165, 25-30. Retrieved on August 4, 2005 from the ProQuest database. • Young, B.M., Webley, P., Hetherington, M. & Zeedyk, S. (1996). The role of television advertising in children’s food choice. London: Report to the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (MAFF). Retrieved on July 20, 2005 from http://www.store.warc.com/ProductInfo/35Young.pdf