Argumentative Essay: Is Obesity A Disease?

Some share opposing views on this and would have you believe that obesity is a disease. Some would say that it meets the definition of a disease since it causes an impairment of the normal functioning of some aspect of the body. For example, obese people have excess fat tissue that causes the raising of leptin levels which results in irregular food regulation and intake. Obese individuals may suffer from sleep apnea, back aches, and less mobility in the knees and joints such as tendinitis and arthritis. Obesity is also linked to infertility, lower sperm count, and miscarriages. A disease involves having distinct characteristics signs and symptoms such as carrying excess fat tissue, a change in weight, and an increase in BMI.

Lastly, a disease

Obesity doesn’t cause an impairment of the normal functioning of the body because turning excess calories into fat reserves is not an impairment of the normal function; it is natural physiology. Saying obesity is a disease entails that the body is not working correctly, rather than the body politic. If obesity was a disease and followed this definition, non-diseased individual’s bodies would look like skin and bones since their body never converted excess carbs, fats, and proteins into fat reserves. Yes, obese individuals do have characteristic signs and symptoms, but there is no definitive line to correctly identify an obese individual from a non-obese individual. The AMA uses a BMI index to categorize obese from non-obese individuals, but this method is flawed. BMI is solely based on the height and weight of an individual, but does not distinguish this recorded weight as fat, muscle, or bone tissue. Therefore BMI may say an individual is obese, when she or he is clearly in good health. For example Arnold Schwarzenegger, the renowned Mr. Olympia, who weighs 240 pounds and is six foot one would be classified as being obese and having a BMI of 33.5 even though all his weight his pure muscle. While a couch potato who watches television all day and never goes to the gym weighs 203 pounds and is six feet tall would be classified as being overweight and having a BMI of

The USDA reports “the average American restaurant meal size portion is four times as large than portions in the 1950s and 95% of dishes surpass dietary guideline for fat, saturated fat, and sodium with some almost exceeding daily intakes in one meal.” In 2008-2009, thirty to thirty-nine year old men consumed an estimated 2,800 calories a day (which is 23% over the recommendation) while women of the same age consumed 1,800 calories (which is 2% over the recommendation.) Compared to 45 years ago, people today spend more time in front of a T.V., commuting, playing computer games, and exercising very little. During the 1960s a modest amount of physical activity was needed for 55% of jobs, while today only 25% of jobs have the same requirement. The other 75% require meagar to no activity. The change in food and life style represent the 120-200 fewer calories burned per day, which correlates to America’s weight gain trend over the