Obesity means that human body has an excess amount of fat, caused by environmental and genetic factors. A Body Mass Index is a measuring tool for obesity, the body mass index of an obese person is 30 or more. Also, there is another tool to measure obesity which is the waist circumference, women waist circumference of 35 inches or more is considered obese, and for men 40 inches or more is considered obese.
There are many diseases are considered consequences of obesity such as heart diseases, high blood pressure, high blood sugar, obstructive sleep apnea, high cholesterol, some cancers, and gallbladder diseases.
There are many factors contributed to obesity. Genetics, environment and behavior are the major obesity contributors.
Behavior
Nowadays,
…show more content…
More than 30% of the United States adults are obese, the middle age adults have a higher risk for obesity than younger adults and elderly. In the United States on 2008, the obesity medical cost per year was $ 147 billion.
In 2014, all the states in America had obesity prevalence more than 20%, the Midwest of the United States had the highest obesity prevalence, followed by the South, the Northeast, and the West (CDC, 2015).
Obesity in Philadelphia
The obesity in Philadelphia is a public health crisis, in 2008 more than 60% of the adult were obese, and more than 50 % of children were obese too. All over the world, the obesity prevalence has tripled in the past two decades. In Philadelphia on 2008, the obesity medical costs were $ 147 billion. As I mentioned above the obesity is a risk for many diseases such as heart diseases, type 2 diabetes, and some cancers, the prevalence of these diseases in Philadelphia is higher than the national goals, as well as the racial and socioeconomic disparities are common.
Over the last 15 years, more than 20,000 Philadelphians died due to diseases related to unhealthy diet and lack of physical