In the United States, adults and adolescents are at risk of detrimental health conditions from being overweight or obese. This is a continuous and increasing public health issue for many Americans who hope to overcome the odds. According to the World Health Organization, obesity is defined as a disease where excess body fat is so severe that the health of a person is impaired (Flegal, K. M., 2005).Excessive consumption of sugary, high-fat content foods is one of the reasons many Americans are overweight or obese. In combination with lack of exercise or lack of a proper balanced nutrition, there is no doubt many individuals will tip the scales quickly and early in life. With easily accessible junk food and sugary snacks in schools, work places, grocery stores, etc., many more adolescents or adults are at risk of contracting diseases or health conditions such as hypertension, type 2 diabetes, coronary heart disease, stroke, and certain cancers (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2006). The types of cancers obesity are linked to include cancers of the esophagus, breast, colon and rectum, pancreas, kidney, thyroid, gallbladder and other cancer types (Fader, A. N., Arriba, L. N., Frasure, H. E., & …show more content…
BMI is calculated by dividing a person’s weight in kilograms by their height in meters squared. The body mass index provides a more accurate measure of body fat for obese or overweight individuals rather than just weight alone (Dehghan, M., Akhtar-Danesh, N., & Merchant, A. T., 2005). Research has been increasingly showing that the measurement of waist circumference or central obesity is a better predictor of obesity related diseases rather than it being evaluated by using BMI. Waist circumference is deemed as more valuable than BMI due to its higher predictive value for future health concerns, simplicity of measurement, and understanding by the general public (Flegal, K. M.,