essay on the obesity

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Essay on Obesity

List of essays on obesity, essay on obesity – short essay (essay 1 – 150 words), essay on obesity (essay 2 – 250 words), essay on obesity – written in english (essay 3 – 300 words), essay on obesity – for school students (class 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 and 12 standard) (essay 4 – 400 words), essay on obesity – for college students (essay 5 – 500 words), essay on obesity – with causes and treatment (essay 6 – 600 words), essay on obesity – for science students (essay 7 – 750 words), essay on obesity – long essay for medical students (essay 8 – 1000 words).

Obesity is a chronic health condition in which the body fat reaches abnormal level. Obesity occurs when we consume much more amount of food than our body really needs on a daily basis. In other words, when the intake of calories is greater than the calories we burn out, it gives rise to obesity.

Audience: The below given essays are exclusively written for school students (Class 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 and 12 Standard), college, science and medical students.

Introduction:

Obesity means being excessively fat. A person would be said to be obese if his or her body mass index is beyond 30. Such a person has a body fat rate that is disproportionate to his body mass.

Obesity and the Body Mass Index:

The body mass index is calculated considering the weight and height of a person. Thus, it is a scientific way of determining the appropriate weight of any person. When the body mass index of a person indicates that he or she is obese, it exposes the person to make health risk.

Stopping Obesity:

There are two major ways to get the body mass index of a person to a moderate rate. The first is to maintain a strict diet. The second is to engage in regular physical exercise. These two approaches are aimed at reducing the amount of fat in the body.

Conclusion:

Obesity can lead to sudden death, heart attack, diabetes and may unwanted illnesses. Stop it by making healthy choices.

Obesity has become a big concern for the youth of today’s generation. Obesity is defined as a medical condition in which an individual gains excessive body fat. When the Body Mass Index (BMI) of a person is over 30, he/ she is termed as obese.

Obesity can be a genetic problem or a disorder that is caused due to unhealthy lifestyle habits of a person. Physical inactivity and the environment in which an individual lives, are also the factors that leads to obesity. It is also seen that when some individuals are in stress or depression, they start cultivating unhealthy eating habits which eventually leads to obesity. Medications like steroids is yet another reason for obesity.

Obesity has several serious health issues associated with it. Some of the impacts of obesity are diabetes, increase of cholesterol level, high blood pressure, etc. Social impacts of obesity includes loss of confidence in an individual, lowering of self-esteem, etc.

The risks of obesity needs to be prevented. This can be done by adopting healthy eating habits, doing some physical exercise regularly, avoiding stress, etc. Individuals should work on weight reduction in order to avoid obesity.

Obesity is indeed a health concern and needs to be prioritized. The management of obesity revolves around healthy eating habits and physical activity. Obesity, if not controlled in its initial stage can cause many severe health issues. So it is wiser to exercise daily and maintain a healthy lifestyle rather than being the victim of obesity.

Obesity can be defined as the clinical condition where accumulation of excessive fat takes place in the adipose tissue leading to worsening of health condition. Usually, the fat is deposited around the trunk and also the waist of the body or even around the periphery.

Obesity is actually a disease that has been spreading far and wide. It is preventable and certain measures are to be taken to curb it to a greater extend. Both in the developing and developed countries, obesity has been growing far and wide affecting the young and the old equally.

The alarming increase in obesity has resulted in stimulated death rate and health issues among the people. There are several methods adopted to lose weight and they include different diet types, physical activity and certain changes in the current lifestyle. Many of the companies are into minting money with the concept of inviting people to fight obesity.

In patients associated with increased risk factor related to obesity, there are certain drug therapies and other procedures adopted to lose weight. There are certain cost effective ways introduced by several companies to enable clinic-based weight loss programs.

Obesity can lead to premature death and even cause Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus. Cardiovascular diseases have also become the part and parcel of obese people. It includes stroke, hypertension, gall bladder disease, coronary heart disease and even cancers like breast cancer, prostate cancer, endometrial cancer and colon cancer. Other less severe arising due to obesity includes osteoarthritis, gastro-esophageal reflux disease and even infertility.

Hence, serious measures are to be taken to fight against this dreadful phenomenon that is spreading its wings far and wide. Giving proper education on benefits of staying fit and mindful eating is as important as curbing this issue. Utmost importance must be given to healthy eating habits right from the small age so that they follow the same until the end of their life.

Obesity is majorly a lifestyle disease attributed to the extra accumulation of fat in the body leading to negative health effects on a person. Ironically, although prevalent at a large scale in many countries, including India, it is one of the most neglect health problems. It is more often ignored even if told by the doctor that the person is obese. Only when people start acquiring other health issues such as heart disease, blood pressure or diabetes, they start taking the problem of obesity seriously.

Obesity Statistics in India:

As per a report, India happens to figure as the third country in the world with the most obese people. This should be a troubling fact for India. However, we are yet to see concrete measures being adopted by the people to remain fit.

Causes of Obesity:

Sedentary lifestyle, alcohol, junk food, medications and some diseases such as hypothyroidism are considered as the factors which lead to obesity. Even children seem to be glued to televisions, laptops and video games which have taken away the urge for physical activities from them. Adding to this, the consumption of junk food has further aggravated the growing problem of obesity in children.

In the case of adults, most of the professions of today make use of computers which again makes people sit for long hours in one place. Also, the hectic lifestyle of today makes it difficult for people to spare time for physical activities and people usually remain stressed most of the times. All this has contributed significantly to the rise of obesity in India.

Obesity and BMI:

Body Mass Index (BMI) is the measure which allows a person to calculate how to fit he or she is. In other words, the BMI tells you if you are obese or not. BMI is calculated by dividing the weight of a person in kg with the square of his / her height in metres. The number thus obtained is called the BMI. A BMI of less than 25 is considered optimal. However, if a person has a BMI over 30 he/she is termed as obese.

What is a matter of concern is that with growing urbanisation there has been a rapid increase of obese people in India? It is of utmost importance to consider this health issue a serious threat to the future of our country as a healthy body is important for a healthy soul. We should all be mindful of what we eat and what effect it has on our body. It is our utmost duty to educate not just ourselves but others as well about this serious health hazard.

Obesity can be defined as a condition (medical) that is the accumulation of body fat to an extent that the excess fat begins to have a lot of negative effects on the health of the individual. Obesity is determined by examining the body mass index (BMI) of the person. The BMI is gotten by dividing the weight of the person in kilogram by the height of the person squared.

When the BMI of a person is more than 30, the person is classified as being obese, when the BMI falls between 25 and 30, the person is said to be overweight. In a few countries in East Asia, lower values for the BMI are used. Obesity has been proven to influence the likelihood and risk of many conditions and disease, most especially diabetes of type 2, cardiovascular diseases, sleeplessness that is obstructive, depression, osteoarthritis and some cancer types.

In most cases, obesity is caused through a combination of genetic susceptibility, a lack of or inadequate physical activity, excessive intake of food. Some cases of obesity are primarily caused by mental disorder, medications, endocrine disorders or genes. There is no medical data to support the fact that people suffering from obesity eat very little but gain a lot of weight because of slower metabolism. It has been discovered that an obese person usually expends much more energy than other people as a result of the required energy that is needed to maintain a body mass that is increased.

It is very possible to prevent obesity with a combination of personal choices and social changes. The major treatments are exercising and a change in diet. We can improve the quality of our diet by reducing our consumption of foods that are energy-dense like those that are high in sugars or fat and by trying to increase our dietary fibre intake.

We can also accompany the appropriate diet with the use of medications to help in reducing appetite and decreasing the absorption of fat. If medication, exercise and diet are not yielding any positive results, surgery or gastric balloon can also be carried out to decrease the volume of the stomach and also reduce the intestines’ length which leads to the feel of the person get full early or a reduction in the ability to get and absorb different nutrients from a food.

Obesity is the leading cause of ill-health and death all over the world that is preventable. The rate of obesity in children and adults has drastically increased. In 2015, a whopping 12 percent of adults which is about 600 million and about 100 million children all around the world were found to be obese.

It has also been discovered that women are more obese than men. A lot of government and private institutions and bodies have stated that obesity is top of the list of the most difficult and serious problems of public health that we have in the world today. In the world we live today, there is a lot of stigmatisation of obese people.

We all know how troubling the problem of obesity truly is. It is mainly a form of a medical condition wherein the body tends to accumulate excessive fat which in turn has negative repercussions on the health of an individual.

Given the current lifestyle and dietary style, it has become more common than ever. More and more people are being diagnosed with obesity. Such is its prevalence that it has been termed as an epidemic in the USA. Those who suffer from obesity are at a much higher risk of diabetes, heart diseases and even cancer.

In order to gain a deeper understanding of obesity, it is important to learn what the key causes of obesity are. In a layman term, if your calorie consumption exceeds what you burn because of daily activities and exercises, it is likely to lead to obesity. It is caused over a prolonged period of time when your calorie intake keeps exceeding the calories burned.

Here are some of the key causes which are known to be the driving factors for obesity.

If your diet tends to be rich in fat and contains massive calorie intake, you are all set to suffer from obesity.

Sedentary Lifestyle:

With most people sticking to their desk jobs and living a sedentary lifestyle, the body tends to get obese easily.

Of course, the genetic framework has a lot to do with obesity. If your parents are obese, the chance of you being obese is quite high.

The weight which women gain during their pregnancy can be very hard to shed and this is often one of the top causes of obesity.

Sleep Cycle:

If you are not getting an adequate amount of sleep, it can have an impact on the hormones which might trigger hunger signals. Overall, these linked events tend to make you obese.

Hormonal Disorder:

There are several hormonal changes which are known to be direct causes of obesity. The imbalance of the thyroid stimulating hormone, for instance, is one of the key factors when it comes to obesity.

Now that we know the key causes, let us look at the possible ways by which you can handle it.

Treatment for Obesity:

As strange as it may sound, the treatment for obesity is really simple. All you need to do is follow the right diet and back it with an adequate amount of exercise. If you can succeed in doing so, it will give you the perfect head-start into your journey of getting in shape and bidding goodbye to obesity.

There are a lot of different kinds and styles of diet plans for obesity which are available. You can choose the one which you deem fit. We recommend not opting for crash dieting as it is known to have several repercussions and can make your body terribly weak.

The key here is to stick to a balanced diet which can help you retain the essential nutrients, minerals, and, vitamins and shed the unwanted fat and carbs.

Just like the diet, there are several workout plans for obesity which are available. It is upon you to find out which of the workout plan seems to be apt for you. Choose cardio exercises and dance routines like Zumba to shed the unwanted body weight. Yoga is yet another method to get rid of obesity.

So, follow a blend of these and you will be able to deal with the trouble of obesity in no time. We believe that following these tips will help you get rid of obesity and stay in shape.

Obesity and overweight is a top health concern in the world due to the impact it has on the lives of individuals. Obesity is defined as a condition in which an individual has excessive body fat and is measured using the body mass index (BMI) such that, when an individual’s BMI is above 30, he or she is termed obese. The BMI is calculated using body weight and height and it is different for all individuals.

Obesity has been determined as a risk factor for many diseases. It results from dietary habits, genetics, and lifestyle habits including physical inactivity. Obesity can be prevented so that individuals do not end up having serious complications and health problems. Chronic illnesses like diabetes, heart diseases and relate to obesity in terms of causes and complications.

Factors Influencing Obesity:

Obesity is not only as a result of lifestyle habits as most people put it. There are other important factors that influence obesity. Genetics is one of those factors. A person could be born with genes that predispose them to obesity and they will also have difficulty in losing weight because it is an inborn factor.

The environment also influences obesity because the diet is similar in certain environs. In certain environments, like school, the food available is fast foods and the chances of getting healthy foods is very low, leading to obesity. Also, physical inactivity is an environmental factor for obesity because some places have no fields or tracks where people can jog or maybe the place is very unsafe and people rarely go out to exercise.

Mental health affects the eating habits of individuals. There is a habit of stress eating when a person is depressed and it could result in overweight or obesity if the person remains unhealthy for long period of time.

The overall health of individuals also matter. If a person is unwell and is prescribed with steroids, they may end up being obese. Steroidal medications enable weight gain as a side effect.

Complications of Obesity:

Obesity is a health concern because its complications are severe. Significant social and health problems are experienced by obese people. Socially, they will be bullied and their self-esteem will be low as they will perceive themselves as unworthy.

Chronic illnesses like diabetes results from obesity. Diabetes type 2 has been directly linked to obesity. This condition involves the increased blood sugars in the body and body cells are not responding to insulin as they should. The insulin in the body could also be inadequate due to decreased production. High blood sugar concentrations result in symptoms like frequent hunger, thirst and urination. The symptoms of complicated stages of diabetes type 2 include loss of vision, renal failure and heart failure and eventually death. The importance of having a normal BMI is the ability of the body to control blood sugars.

Another complication is the heightened blood pressures. Obesity has been defined as excessive body fat. The body fat accumulates in blood vessels making them narrow. Narrow blood vessels cause the blood pressures to rise. Increased blood pressure causes the heart to start failing in its physiological functions. Heart failure is the end result in this condition of increased blood pressures.

There is a significant increase in cholesterol in blood of people who are obese. High blood cholesterol levels causes the deposition of fats in various parts of the body and organs. Deposition of fats in the heart and blood vessels result in heart diseases. There are other conditions that result from hypercholesterolemia.

Other chronic illnesses like cancer can also arise from obesity because inflammation of body cells and tissues occurs in order to store fats in obese people. This could result in abnormal growths and alteration of cell morphology. The abnormal growths could be cancerous.

Management of Obesity:

For the people at risk of developing obesity, prevention methods can be implemented. Prevention included a healthy diet and physical activity. The diet and physical activity patterns should be regular and realizable to avoid strains that could result in complications.

Some risk factors for obesity are non-modifiable for example genetics. When a person in genetically predisposed, the lifestyle modifications may be have help.

For the individuals who are already obese, they can work on weight reduction through healthy diets and physical exercises.

In conclusion, obesity is indeed a major health concern because the health complications are very serious. Factors influencing obesity are both modifiable and non-modifiable. The management of obesity revolves around diet and physical activity and so it is important to remain fit.

In olden days, obesity used to affect only adults. However, in the present time, obesity has become a worldwide problem that hits the kids as well. Let’s find out the most prevalent causes of obesity.

Factors Causing Obesity:

Obesity can be due to genetic factors. If a person’s family has a history of obesity, chances are high that he/ she would also be affected by obesity, sooner or later in life.

The second reason is having a poor lifestyle. Now, there are a variety of factors that fall under the category of poor lifestyle. An excessive diet, i.e., eating more than you need is a definite way to attain the stage of obesity. Needless to say, the extra calories are changed into fat and cause obesity.

Junk foods, fried foods, refined foods with high fats and sugar are also responsible for causing obesity in both adults and kids. Lack of physical activity prevents the burning of extra calories, again, leading us all to the path of obesity.

But sometimes, there may also be some indirect causes of obesity. The secondary reasons could be related to our mental and psychological health. Depression, anxiety, stress, and emotional troubles are well-known factors of obesity.

Physical ailments such as hypothyroidism, ovarian cysts, and diabetes often complicate the physical condition and play a massive role in abnormal weight gain.

Moreover, certain medications, such as steroids, antidepressants, and contraceptive pills, have been seen interfering with the metabolic activities of the body. As a result, the long-term use of such drugs can cause obesity. Adding to that, regular consumption of alcohol and smoking are also connected to the condition of obesity.

Harmful Effects of Obesity:

On the surface, obesity may look like a single problem. But, in reality, it is the mother of several major health issues. Obesity simply means excessive fat depositing into our body including the arteries. The drastic consequence of such high cholesterol levels shows up in the form of heart attacks and other life-threatening cardiac troubles.

The fat deposition also hampers the elasticity of the arteries. That means obesity can cause havoc in our body by altering the blood pressure to an abnormal range. And this is just the tip of the iceberg. Obesity is known to create an endless list of problems.

In extreme cases, this disorder gives birth to acute diseases like diabetes and cancer. The weight gain due to obesity puts a lot of pressure on the bones of the body, especially of the legs. This, in turn, makes our bones weak and disturbs their smooth movement. A person suffering from obesity also has higher chances of developing infertility issues and sleep troubles.

Many obese people are seen to be struggling with breathing problems too. In the chronic form, the condition can grow into asthma. The psychological effects of obesity are another serious topic. You can say that obesity and depression form a loop. The more a person is obese, the worse is his/ her depression stage.

How to Control and Treat Obesity:

The simplest and most effective way, to begin with, is changing our diet. There are two factors to consider in the diet plan. First is what and what not to eat. Second is how much to eat.

If you really want to get rid of obesity, include more and more green vegetables in your diet. Spinach, beans, kale, broccoli, cauliflower, asparagus, etc., have enough vitamins and minerals and quite low calories. Other healthier options are mushrooms, pumpkin, beetroots, and sweet potatoes, etc.

Opt for fresh fruits, especially citrus fruits, and berries. Oranges, grapes, pomegranate, pineapple, cherries, strawberries, lime, and cranberries are good for the body. They have low sugar content and are also helpful in strengthening our immune system. Eating the whole fruits is a more preferable way in comparison to gulping the fruit juices. Fruits, when eaten whole, have more fibers and less sugar.

Consuming a big bowl of salad is also great for dealing with the obesity problem. A salad that includes fibrous foods such as carrots, radish, lettuce, tomatoes, works better at satiating the hunger pangs without the risk of weight gain.

A high protein diet of eggs, fish, lean meats, etc., is an excellent choice to get rid of obesity. Take enough of omega fatty acids. Remember to drink plenty of water. Keeping yourself hydrated is a smart way to avoid overeating. Water also helps in removing the toxins and excess fat from the body.

As much as possible, avoid fats, sugars, refined flours, and oily foods to keep the weight in control. Control your portion size. Replace the three heavy meals with small and frequent meals during the day. Snacking on sugarless smoothies, dry fruits, etc., is much recommended.

Regular exercise plays an indispensable role in tackling the obesity problem. Whenever possible, walk to the market, take stairs instead of a lift. Physical activity can be in any other form. It could be a favorite hobby like swimming, cycling, lawn tennis, or light jogging.

Meditation and yoga are quite powerful practices to drive away the stress, depression and thus, obesity. But in more serious cases, meeting a physician is the most appropriate strategy. Sometimes, the right medicines and surgical procedures are necessary to control the health condition.

Obesity is spreading like an epidemic, haunting both the adults and the kids. Although genetic factors and other physical ailments play a role, the problem is mostly caused by a reckless lifestyle.

By changing our way of living, we can surely take control of our health. In other words, it would be possible to eliminate the condition of obesity from our lives completely by leading a healthy lifestyle.

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Obesity Essay

Last updated on: Feb 9, 2023

Obesity Essay: A Complete Guide and Topics

By: Nova A.

11 min read

Reviewed By: Jacklyn H.

Published on: Aug 31, 2021

Are you assigned to write an essay about obesity? The first step is to define obesity.

The obesity epidemic is a major issue facing our country right now. It's complicated- it could be genetic or due to your environment, but either way, there are ways that you can fix it!

Learn all about what causes weight gain and get tips on how you can get healthy again.

On this Page

What is Obesity

What is obesity? Obesity and BMI (body mass index) are both tools of measurement that are used by doctors to assess body fat according to the height, age, and gender of a person. If the BMI is between 25 to 29.9, that means the person has excess weight and body fat.

If the BMI exceeds 30, that means the person is obese. Obesity is a condition that increases the risk of developing cardiovascular diseases, high blood pressure, and other medical conditions like metabolic syndrome, arthritis, and even some types of cancer.

Obesity Definition

Obesity is defined by the World Health Organization as an accumulation of abnormal and excess body fat that comes with several risk factors. It is measured by the body mass index BMI, body weight (in kilograms) divided by the square of a person’s height (in meters).

Obesity in America

Obesity is on the verge of becoming an epidemic as 1 in every 3 Americans can be categorized as overweight and obese. Currently, America is an obese country, and it continues to get worse.

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Causes of obesity

Do you see any obese or overweight people around you?

You likely do.

This is because fast-food chains are becoming more and more common, people are less active, and fruits and vegetables are more expensive than processed foods, thus making them less available to the majority of society. These are the primary causes of obesity.

Obesity is a disease that affects all age groups, including children and elderly people.

Now that you are familiar with the topic of obesity, writing an essay won’t be that difficult for you.

How to Write an Obesity Essay

The format of an obesity essay is similar to writing any other essay. If you need help regarding how to write an obesity essay, it is the same as writing any other essay.

Obesity Essay Introduction

The trick is to start your essay with an interesting and catchy sentence. This will help attract the reader's attention and motivate them to read further. You don’t want to lose the reader’s interest in the beginning and leave a bad impression, especially if the reader is your teacher.

A hook sentence is usually used to open the introductory paragraph of an essay in order to make it interesting. When writing an essay on obesity, the hook sentence can be in the form of an interesting fact or statistic.

Head on to this detailed article on hook examples to get a better idea.

Once you have hooked the reader, the next step is to provide them with relevant background information about the topic. Don’t give away too much at this stage or bombard them with excess information that the reader ends up getting bored with. Only share information that is necessary for the reader to understand your topic.

Next, write a strong thesis statement at the end of your essay, be sure that your thesis identifies the purpose of your essay in a clear and concise manner. Also, keep in mind that the thesis statement should be easy to justify as the body of your essay will revolve around it.

Body Paragraphs

The details related to your topic are to be included in the body paragraphs of your essay. You can use statistics, facts, and figures related to obesity to reinforce your thesis throughout your essay.

If you are writing a cause-and-effect obesity essay, you can mention different causes of obesity and how it can affect a person’s overall health. The number of body paragraphs can increase depending on the parameters of the assignment as set forth by your instructor.

Start each body paragraph with a topic sentence that is the crux of its content. It is necessary to write an engaging topic sentence as it helps grab the reader’s interest. Check out this detailed blog on writing a topic sentence to further understand it.

End your essay with a conclusion by restating your research and tying it to your thesis statement. You can also propose possible solutions to control obesity in your conclusion. Make sure that your conclusion is short yet powerful.

Obesity Essay Examples

Essay about Obesity (PDF)

Childhood Obesity Essay (PDF)

Obesity in America Essay (PDF)

Essay about Obesity Cause and Effects (PDF)

Satire Essay on Obesity (PDF) 

Obesity Argumentative Essay (PDF)

Obesity Essay Topics

Choosing a topic might seem an overwhelming task as you may have many ideas for your assignment. Brainstorm different ideas and narrow them down to one, quality topic.

If you need some examples to help you with your essay topic related to obesity, dive into this article and choose from the list of obesity essay topics.

Childhood Obesity

As mentioned earlier, obesity can affect any age group, including children. Obesity can cause several future health problems as children age.

Here are a few topics you can choose from and discuss for your childhood obesity essay:

• What are the causes of increasing obesity in children?
• Obese parents may be at risk for having children with obesity.
• What is the ratio of obesity between adults and children?
• What are the possible treatments for obese children?
• Are there any social programs that can help children with combating obesity?
• Has technology boosted the rate of obesity in children?
• Are children spending more time on gadgets instead of playing outside?
• Schools should encourage regular exercises and sports for children.
• How can sports and other physical activities protect children from becoming obese?
• Can childhood abuse be a cause of obesity among children?
• What is the relationship between neglect in childhood and obesity in adulthood?
• Does obesity have any effect on the psychological condition and well-being of a child?
• Are electronic medical records effective in diagnosing obesity among children?
• Obesity can affect the academic performance of your child.
• Do you believe that children who are raised by a single parent can be vulnerable to obesity?
• You can promote interesting exercises to encourage children.
• What is the main cause of obesity, and why is it increasing with every passing day?
• Schools and colleges should work harder to develop methodologies to decrease childhood obesity.
• The government should not allow schools and colleges to include sweet or fatty snacks as a part of their lunch.
• If a mother is obese, can it affect the health of the child?
• Children who gain weight frequently can develop chronic diseases.

Obesity Argumentative Essay Topics

Do you want to write an argumentative essay on the topic of obesity?

The following list can help you with that!

Here are some examples you can choose from for your argumentative essay about obesity:

• Can vegetables and fruits decrease the chances of obesity?
• Should you go for surgery to overcome obesity?
• Are there any harmful side effects?
• Can obesity be related to the mental condition of an individual?
• Are parents responsible for controlling obesity in childhood?
• What are the most effective measures to prevent the increase in the obesity rate?
• Why is the obesity rate increasing in the United States?
• Can the lifestyle of a person be a cause of obesity?
• Does the economic situation of a country affect the obesity rate?
• How is obesity considered an international health issue?
• Can technology and gadgets affect obesity rates?
• What can be the possible reasons for obesity in a school?
• How can we address the issue of obesity?
• Is obesity a chronic disease?
• Is obesity a major cause of heart attacks?
• Are the junk food chains causing an increase in obesity?
• Do nutritional programs help in reducing the obesity rate?
• How can the right type of diet help with obesity?
• Why should we encourage sports activities in schools and colleges?
• Can obesity affect a person’s behavior?

Health Related Topics for Research Paper

If you are writing a research paper, you can explain the cause and effect of obesity.

Here are a few topics that link to the cause and effects of obesity.Review the literature of previous articles related to obesity. Describe the ideas presented in the previous papers.

• Can family history cause obesity in future generations?
• Can we predict obesity through genetic testing?
• What is the cause of the increasing obesity rate?
• Do you think the increase in fast-food restaurants is a cause of the rising obesity rate?
• Is the ratio of obese women greater than obese men?
• Why are women more prone to be obese as compared to men?
• Stress can be a cause of obesity. Mention the reasons how mental health can be related to physical health.
• Is urban life a cause of the increasing obesity rate?
• People from cities are prone to be obese as compared to people from the countryside.
• How obesity affects the life expectancy of people? What are possible solutions to decrease the obesity rate?
• Do family eating habits affect or trigger obesity?
• How do eating habits affect the health of an individual?
• How can obesity affect the future of a child?
• Obese children are more prone to get bullied in high school and college.
• Why should schools encourage more sports and exercise for children?

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Topics for Essay on Obesity as a Problem

Do you think a rise in obesity rate can affect the economy of a country?

Here are some topics for your assistance regarding your economics related obesity essay.

• Does socioeconomic status affect the possibility of obesity in an individual?
• Analyze the film and write a review on “Fed Up” – an obesity epidemic.
• Share your reviews on the movie “The Weight of The Nation.”
• Should we increase the prices of fast food and decrease the prices of fruits and vegetables to decrease obesity?
• Do you think healthy food prices can be a cause of obesity?
• Describe what measures other countries have taken in order to control obesity?
• The government should play an important role in controlling obesity. What precautions should they take?
• Do you think obesity can be one of the reasons children get bullied?
• Do obese people experience any sort of discrimination or inappropriate behavior due to their weight?
• Are there any legal protections for people who suffer from discrimination due to their weight?
• Which communities have a higher percentage of obesity in the United States?
• Discuss the side effects of the fast-food industry and their advertisements on children.
• Describe how the increasing obesity rate has affected the economic condition of the United States.
• What is the current percentage of obesity all over the world? Is the obesity rate increasing with every passing day?
• Why is the obesity rate higher in the United States as compared to other countries?
• Do Asians have a greater percentage of obese people as compared to Europe?
• Does the cultural difference affect the eating habits of an individual?
• Obesity and body shaming.
• Why is a skinny body considered to be ideal? Is it an effective way to reduce the obesity rate?

Obesity Solution Essay Topics

With all the developments in medicine and technology, we still don’t have exact measures to treat obesity.

Here are some insights you can discuss in your essay:

• How do obese people suffer from metabolic complications?
• Describe the fat distribution in obese people.
• Is type 2 diabetes related to obesity?
• Are obese people more prone to suffer from diabetes in the future?
• How are cardiac diseases related to obesity?
• Can obesity affect a woman’s childbearing time phase?
• Describe the digestive diseases related to obesity.
• Obesity may be genetic.
• Obesity can cause a higher risk of suffering a heart attack.
• What are the causes of obesity? What health problems can be caused if an individual suffers from obesity?
• What are the side effects of surgery to overcome obesity?
• Which drugs are effective when it comes to the treatment of obesity?
• Is there a difference between being obese and overweight?
• Can obesity affect the sociological perspective of an individual?
• Explain how an obesity treatment works.
• How can the government help people to lose weight and improve public health?

Writing an essay is a challenging yet rewarding task. All you need is to be organized and clear when it comes to academic writing.

• Choose a topic you would like to write on.
• Organize your thoughts.
• Pen down your ideas.
• Compose a perfect essay that will help you ace your subject.
• Proofread and revise your paper.

Were the topics useful for you? We hope so!

However, if you are still struggling to write your paper, you can pick any of the topics from this list, and our essay writer will help you craft a perfect essay.

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Essays About Obesity: Top 5 Examples and 7 Writing Prompts

Obesity is a pressing health issue many people must deal with in their lives. If you are writing essays about obesity, check out our guide for helpful examples and writing prompts. 

In the world we live in today, certain diseases such as obesity are becoming more significant problems. People suffering from obesity have excess fat, which threatens their health significantly. This can lead to strokes, high blood pressure, heart attacks, and even death. It also dramatically alters one’s physical appearance.

However, we must not be so quick to judge and criticize obese people for their weight and supposed “lifestyle choices.” Not every obese person makes “bad choices” and is automatically “lazy,” as various contributing causes exist. Therefore, we must balance concern for obese people’s health and outright shaming them. 

To write insightful essays about obesity, you can start by reading essay examples. 

5 Best Essay examples

1. obesity as a social issue by earnest washington, 2. is there such a thing as ‘healthy obesity’ by gillian mohney, 3. problems of child obesity by peggy maldonado, 4.  what is fat shaming are you a shamer by jamie long.

• 5. ​​The Dangerous Link Between Coronavirus and Obesity by Rami Bailony

Writing Prompts for Essays About Obesity

1. what causes obesity, 2. what are the effects of obesity, 3. how can you prevent obesity, 4. what is “fat shaming”, 5. why is obesity rate so higher, 6. obesity in the united states, 7. your experience with obesity.

“Weight must be considered as a genuine risk in today’s world. Other than social issues like body shaming, obesity has significantly more to it and is a risk to human life. It must be dealt with and taken care of simply like some other interminable illness and we as people must recollect that machines and innovation has progressed to help us not however not make us unenergetic.”

Washington writes about the dangers of obesity, saying that it can significantly damage your digestive and cardiovascular systems and even cause cancer. In addition, humans’ “expanded reliance on machines” has led us to become less active and more sedentary; as a result, we keep getting fatter. While he acknowledges that shaming obese people does no good, Washington stresses the dangers of being too heavy and encourages people to get fit. 

“‘I think we need to move away from using BMI as categorizing one as obese/overweight or unhealthy,” Zarabi told Healthline. “The real debate here is how do we define health? Is the vegetarian who has a BMI of 30, avoiding all saturated fats from meats and consuming a diet heavy in simple carbohydrates [and thus] reducing his risk of cardiac disease but increasing likelihood of elevated triglycerides and insulin, considered healthy?

Mohney, writing for Healthline, explains how “healthy obesity” is nuanced and should perhaps be retired. Some people may be metabolically healthy and obese simultaneously; however, they are still at risk of diseases associated with obesity. Others believe that health should be determined by more factors than BMI, as some people eat healthily and exercise but remain heavy. People have conflicting opinions on this term, and Mohney describes suggestions to instead focus on getting treatment for “healthy obese” people

“The absence of physical movement is turning into an increasingly normal factor as youngsters are investing more energy inside, and less time outside. Since technology is turning into an immense piece of present-day youngsters’ lives, exercises, for example, watching TV, gaming, messaging and playing on the PC, all of which require next to no vitality and replaces the physical exercises.”

In her essay, Maldonado discusses the causes and effects of childhood obesity. For example, hereditary factors and lack of physical activity make more children overweight; also, high-calorie food and the pressure on kids to “finish their food” make them consume more. 

Obesity leads to high blood pressure and cholesterol, heart disease, and cancer; children should not suffer as they are still so young. 

“Regardless of the catalyst at the root of fat shaming, it persists quite simply because we as a society aren’t doing enough to call it out and stand in solidarity against it. Our culture has largely bought into the farce that thinness equals health and success. Instead, the emphasis needs to shift from the obsession of appearance to promoting healthy lifestyle behaviors for all, regardless of body size. A lean body shouldn’t be a requisite to be treated with dignity and respect. Fat shaming is nonsensical and is the manifestation of ignorance and possibly, hate.”

Long warns readers of the dangers of fat shaming, declaring that it is reprehensible and should not be done. People may have “good intentions” when criticizing overweight or obese people, but it does not, in fact, help with making them healthier. Long believes that society should highlight a healthy lifestyle rather than a “healthy” body, as everyone’s bodies are different and should not be the sole indicator of health. 

5. ​​ The Dangerous Link Between Coronavirus and Obesity by Rami Bailony

“In a study out of NYU, severe obesity (BMI >40) was a greater risk factor for hospitalization among Covid-19 patients than heart failure, smoking status, diabetes, or chronic kidney disease. In China, in a small case series of critically ill Covid-19 patients, 88.24% of patients who died had obesity versus an obesity rate of 18.95% in survivors. In France, patients with a BMI greater than 35 were seven times more likely to require mechanical ventilation than patients with a BMI below 25.”

Bailony’s essay sheds light on research conducted in several countries regarding obesity and COVID-19. The disease is said to be “a leading risk factor in mortality and morbidity” from the virus; studies conducted in the U.S., China, and France show that most obese people who contracted the coronavirus died. Bailony believes obesity is not taken seriously enough and should be treated as an actual disease rather than a mere “lifestyle choice.”

It is well-known that obesity is an excess buildup of body fat, but what exactly causes this? It is not simply due to “eating a lot,” as many people simply understand it; there are other factors besides diet that affect someone’s body size. Look into the different causes of obesity, explaining each and how they are connected.

Obesity can result in the development of many diseases. In addition, it can significantly affect one’s physique and digestive, respiratory, and circulatory systems. For your essay, discuss the different symptoms of obesity and the health complications it can lead to in the future.

It can be safely assumed that no one wants to be obese, as it is detrimental to one’s health. Write an essay guide of some sort, giving tips on managing your weight, staying healthy, and preventing obesity. Include some dietary guidelines, exercise suggestions, and the importance of keeping the balance between these two.

“Fat shaming” is a phenomenon that has become more popular with the rise in obesity rates. Define this term, explain how it is seen in society, and explain why it is terrible. Also, include ways that you can speak about the dangers of obesity without making fun of obese people or making them feel bad for their current state. 

The 21st century has seen a dramatic rise in obesity rates worldwide compared to previous decades. Why is this the case? Explore one or more probable causes for the increase in obese people. You should mention multiple causes in your essay, but you may choose to focus on one only- explain it in detail.

The United States, in particular, is known to be a country with many obese people. This is due to a combination of factors, all connected in some way. Research obesity in the U.S. and write about why it is a bigger problem than in other countries- take a look at portion size, fitness habits, and food production. 

If applicable, you may write about your experience with obesity. Whether you have struggled or are struggling with it in the past or know someone who has, discuss how this makes you feel. Reflect on how this knowledge has impacted you as a person and any lessons this may have taught you. 

For help with your essays, check out our round-up of the best essay checkers .If you’re looking for more ideas, check out our essays about bullying topic guide !

Martin is an avid writer specializing in editing and proofreading. He also enjoys literary analysis and writing about food and travel.

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• Review Article
• Published: 27 February 2019

Obesity: global epidemiology and pathogenesis

• Matthias Blüher 1  

Nature Reviews Endocrinology volume  15 ,  pages 288–298 ( 2019 ) Cite this article

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• Epidemiology
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• Pathogenesis

The prevalence of obesity has increased worldwide in the past ~50 years, reaching pandemic levels. Obesity represents a major health challenge because it substantially increases the risk of diseases such as type 2 diabetes mellitus, fatty liver disease, hypertension, myocardial infarction, stroke, dementia, osteoarthritis, obstructive sleep apnoea and several cancers, thereby contributing to a decline in both quality of life and life expectancy. Obesity is also associated with unemployment, social disadvantages and reduced socio-economic productivity, thus increasingly creating an economic burden. Thus far, obesity prevention and treatment strategies — both at the individual and population level — have not been successful in the long term. Lifestyle and behavioural interventions aimed at reducing calorie intake and increasing energy expenditure have limited effectiveness because complex and persistent hormonal, metabolic and neurochemical adaptations defend against weight loss and promote weight regain. Reducing the obesity burden requires approaches that combine individual interventions with changes in the environment and society. Therefore, a better understanding of the remarkable regional differences in obesity prevalence and trends might help to identify societal causes of obesity and provide guidance on which are the most promising intervention strategies.

Obesity prevalence has increased in pandemic dimensions over the past 50 years.

Obesity is a disease that can cause premature disability and death by increasing the risk of cardiometabolic diseases, osteoarthritis, dementia, depression and some types of cancers.

Obesity prevention and treatments frequently fail in the long term (for example, behavioural interventions aiming at reducing energy intake and increasing energy expenditure) or are not available or suitable (bariatric surgery) for the majority of people affected.

Although obesity prevalence increased in every single country in the world, regional differences exist in both obesity prevalence and trends; understanding the drivers of these regional differences might help to provide guidance for the most promising intervention strategies.

Changes in the global food system together with increased sedentary behaviour seem to be the main drivers of the obesity pandemic.

The major challenge is to translate our knowledge of the main causes of increased obesity prevalence into effective actions; such actions might include policy changes that facilitate individual choices for foods that have reduced fat, sugar and salt content.

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Obesity in America: A Public Health Crisis

Obesity is a public health issue that impacts more than 100 million adults and children in the U.S.

What You Need to Know About Obesity

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Obesity has become a public health crisis in the United States. The medical condition, which involves having an excessive amount of body fat, is linked to severe chronic diseases including type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure and cancer. It causes about 1 in 5 deaths in the U.S. each year – nearly as many as smoking, according to a study published in the American Journal of Public Health.

The financial cost of obesity is high as well. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention , "The estimated annual medical cost of obesity in the United States was $147 billion in 2008 U.S. dollars; the medical cost for people who have obesity was $1,429 higher than those of normal weight."

While researchers say the obesity epidemic began in the U.S. in the 1980s, there has been a sharp increase in obesity rates in the U.S. over the last decade. Nearly 40% of all adults over the age of 20 in the U.S. – about 93.3 million people – are currently obese, according to data published in JAMA in 2018. Every state in the U.S. has more than 20% of adults with obesity, according to the CDC – a significant uptick since 1985, when no state had an obesity rate higher than 15%. Certain states have higher rates than others: there are more obese people living in the South (32.4%) and Midwest (32.3%) than in other parts of the country.

Sugar Taxes and Other Efforts to Reduce Obesity

Federal, state and local governments have moved to address obesity in several ways. On the federal level, several programs – such as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Women, Infants and Children (WIC) Program, Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) and the Healthy Food FInancing Initiative – as well as the U.S. Departments of Agriculture and Health and Human Services work to make healthier foods affordable and available in underserved communities. To prevent childhood obesity in particular, there are also school and early childhood policies, such as Head Start – a comprehensive early childhood education program – school-based physical education and Safe Routes to School, which promotes walking and biking to and from school and increasing healthy eating and physical activity while reducing the risk of obesity.

In March, the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American Heart Association offered several public policy recommendations , including raising the price of sugary drinks, encouraging federal and state governments to limit the marketing of sugary drinks to kids and teenagers, having vending machines offer water, milk and other healthy beverages, improving nutritional information on labels, restaurant menus and advertisements, and supporting hospitals in establishing policies to discourage the purchase of sugary drinks in their facilities.

Meanwhile, states have implemented laws, largely through early childhood education settings, to improve access to healthy food and increase physical activity in order to promote a healthy weight. These policies stretch from breastfeeding, providing available drinking water and daily physical activity to limited screen time as well as meals and snacks that meet healthy eating standards set by the USDA or CACFP.

City governments have considered, and in some cases implemented, so-called "sin taxes" that aim to make potentially unhealthy food choices less attractive and accessible. Cities including Philadelphia, Boulder, Colorado, and Berkeley, California, levy a tax on sugar-sweetened beverages; The American Public Health Association noted in 2016 that the tax led to a 21% drop in the consumption of sugary drinks in Berkeley alone. (A proposal to expand it to all of California stalled this year .) In Philadelphia , the price of sugary beverages sold in supermarkets, mass merchandisers and pharmacies rose – and sales fell – after the city implemented a tax on those products, but a study found that sales in towns bordering Philadelphia increased.

Some researchers say there's little proof that taxing food or drink choices really changes behavior. In spite of taxes and warnings about the health effects of drinking sugary beverages, eight of every 10 American households buys sodas and other sugary drinks each week, adding up to 2,000 calories per household per week, new research shows .

"Large authoritative systematic reviews of the peer-reviewed scientific literature have failed to illustrate any compelling evidence that economic interventions are effective in promoting any type of dietary behavior change," says Taylor Wallace , principal and CEO of the Think Healthy Group and an adjunct professor in the department of nutrition and food studies at George Mason University.

But others contend that making it more expensive to buy sugary drinks is a step in the right direction.

"We need to ensure that people understand the threat of these products to their health, so they want to reduce their consumption," says Sandra Mullin, senior vice president of policy, advocacy and communication for Vital Strategies, an organization that works to implement health initiatives, and a former public health official in New York City "And [hiking] the price is a prompt for them to do that."

Learn more about obesity:

What is obesity?

Obesity is a chronic disease . It occurs when an excessive amount of body fat affects a person's overall health.

How is obesity diagnosed?

According to the Obesity Action Coalition , a healthcare provider may diagnose a patient with obesity if his or her body mass index, or BMI, is 30 or greater. BMI is a value derived from the weight and height of a person; normal BMI ranges from 20 to 25. There is no lab test, blood screening or other diagnostic used to diagnose obesity.

What is morbid obesity?

Morbid obesity is diagnosed when a person has a BMI of 40 or greater. People can also be diagnosed with morbid obesity if their BMI is 35 if they are also experiencing health complications like high blood pressure or diabetes.

How is being overweight different from being obese?

Obesity has to do with having too much body fat and a Body Mass Index, or BMI, of 30 or more. Being overweight can involve having too much body fat, the Department of Health and Human Services says , but having extra muscle, bone or water can also be a factor.

What causes obesity?

Obesity occurs when a person takes in more calories than he or she burns through normal daily activities and exercise, according to the Mayo Clinic . It is not simply a matter of over-indulgence or a lack of self control, obesity researcher Dr. George Bray said at the first annual U.S. News Combating Childhood Obesity summit , held at Texas Children's Hospital in May.

"Obesity isn't a disease of willpower – it's a biological problem," he said . "Genes load the gun, and environment pulls the trigger."

Certain scientific and societal factors – including genetics, the increased consumption of processed foods and sugar-sweetened beverages, and some medications and medical conditions – can increase a person's risk of becoming obese. Age and pregnancy can also trigger weight gain.

The 10 Fattest States in the U.S.

Diet has an important connection to obesity. Studies show the amount of soybean oil Americans consume spiked in the 1960s and 1970s, most likely as highly processed foods became popular, and American adults and children started to weight more around that time, Bray said.

"The fats in our food supply may well be playing a part in our inability to regulate" food intake, Bray said at the obesity summit . Consumption of sugary soft drinks also skyrocketed between 1950 and 2000, he pointed out, as Americans tripled the amount of sweet beverages they drank each year.

Artificial sweeteners have also been linked to obesity . A study presented at the 2018 Experimental Biology meeting suggests artificial sweeteners alter how bodies process fat and obtain energy.

"Despite the addition of these non-caloric artificial sweeteners to our everyday diets, there has still been a drastic rise in obesity and diabetes," one of the study's authors, Brian Hoffmann, assistant professor in the department of biomedical engineering at the Medical College of Wisconsin and Marquette University , said. "In our studies, both sugar and artificial sweeteners seem to exhibit negative effects linked to obesity and diabetes, albeit through very different mechanisms from each other."

What are some of the risk factors for obesity?

Genetic factors include: the amount of body fat a person stores, where it's distributed and how efficiently his or her body metabolizes food into energy.

Medical conditions include: Prader-Willi syndrome, Cushing's syndrome, arthritis and other diseases that can lead to decreased activity. Certain medications – some antidepressants, anti-seizure, diabetes, antipsychotic medications, steroids and beta blockers – can also cause weight gain.

Lifestyle and behavioral factors include: a lack of physical activity that burns calories, smoking, lack of sleep (which can lead to an increased desire to consume calories), eating an unhealthy diet.

Social and economic factors include: not having a safe space to exercise, not having enough money to afford healthier foods, food deserts where grocery stores that carry fresh fruits and vegetables are not available, lack of transportation to access healthy food options.

Can children be obese?

Obesity can be diagnosed at any age. The prevalence of obesity among children and adolescents between ages 2 and 19 was estimated to be 18.5% – more than one in six – between 2015 and 2016, with 13.7 million impacted, according to the CDC's National Center for Health Statistics .

Children who are obese are at risk for developing premature heart disease , the American Heart Association reports. A study of nearly 2.3 million people monitored over the course of 40 years found that the risk of dying from heart disease was two to three times higher if they had been overweight or obese as teens.

Obesity is a problem in other countries as well. A study published in the Lancet in 2017 found that the number of obese 5 to 19 year olds worldwide increased from 11 million in 1975 and to 124 million in 2016. The researchers projected the number of children and adolescents who are obese will surpass those that are moderately or severly underweight by 2022.

How many adult men and women are obese?

U.S. adult obesity prevalence between 2015 and 2016 was nearly 40% – about 93.3 million people, according to the CDC . The highest rate (42.8%) was among adults between the ages of 40 and 59; the prevalence among adults age 20 to 39 years was 35.7%, and 41% among adults age 60 and older. There was no significant difference between men and women overall or by age group, according to the data brief.

What preventable diseases and health issues are associated with obesity?

Mental and physical health problems involving obesity include:

• Type 2 diabetes
• High blood pressure
• Heart disease
• Gallbladder disease
• Cancers (including breast, liver, pancreas, endometrial, colorectal, prostate and kidney)
• High cholesterol
• Osteoarthritis of weight-bearing joints
• Sleep apnea
• Respiratory problems
• Gastroesophageal reflux disease
• Urinary stress incontinence
• Infertility
• Sexual dysfunction
• Physical disability
• Lower work achievement
• Social isolation

What are the financial costs of obesity in the U.S.?

Researchers from the University of Cincinnati in 2008 estimated the cost of medical care to diagnose and treat obesity and its associated health issues to be about $147 billion annually.

The CDC estimates the indirect costs of obesity-related health issues – including absenteeism, premature disability, declines in productiving and earlier mortality – to range from $3 billion and $6.4 billion annually.

Are certain races more likely to become obese than others?

At 25.8%, Hispanic children and adolescents between the ages of 2 and 19 had the highest prevalence of obesity between 2015 and 2016, according to the National Center for Health Statistics . Meanwhile, obesity prevalence was about 22% among black youths; 14.1% among non-Hispanic whites; and 11% among non-Hispanic Asians. While the report notes that there were no significant differences in the prevalence of obesity between boys and girls by race and Hispanic origin, Hispanic boys in particular had a higher prevalence of obesity than non-Hispanic black boys.

Similarly, non-hispanic black (46.8%) and Hispanic (47%) adults in the U.S. have higher obesity rates than non-Hispanic white (37.9%) and non-Hispanic Asian (12.7%) adults, according to the NCHS. Rates of obesity were especially high among black and Hispanic women, according to the report, surpassing 50%.

How is obesity treated?

Treatment of obesity primarily involves changing a patient's behavior, but surgery to reduce the size of a patient's stomach or alter the digestive tract and medication may also be options for those who have trouble losing weight on their own.

The National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases says common treatments include eating more healthy foods, incorporating more physical activity and changing other habits , such as taking the stairs instead of the elevator. Developing a healthy eating plan with fewer calories, setting realistic and measurable goals, participating in formal weight-management programs and seeking help from family, friends, health professionals and support groups can make it easier to develop healthier habits, though the federal agency warns that setbacks occur and people should be prepared.

Experts say obese patients who lose 5% to 10% of their body weight – about 10 to 20 pounds for a 200-lb person with a BMI indicating obesity, for example – can reduce his or her risk of obesity-related health problems like type 2 diabetes as well as lower blood pressure and cholesterol levels.

Can obesity be prevented?

When it comes to suggestions about how to prevent obesity, common principles stand out across local, state and federal guidelines :

• increase physical activity
• improve nutrition through increased consumption of fruits and vegetables
• encourage breastfeeding
• encourage mobility between work, school and communities.

Some researchers also say that the food industry has a role to play in solving the obesity crisis: Making highly processed and fast food much more expensive could curb consumption and lower the obesity rate in the U.S. over time.

"My former brethren in the soft drink business really fought the issue of obesity early on rather than stepping up and saying, 'OK, we don't wish to be blamed totally for this issue but we still can do something,'" Hank Cardello, a former food company executive who now works as a food policy analyst at the Hudson Institute, a Washington, D.C. think tank, said during the U.S. News Combating Childhood Obesity summit in May. "Larger portions, the whole supersize phenomenon – it's actually proven that that made more money for them" while helping trigger the national obesity epidemic, he explained.

What are the most-obese states in America?

According to the CDC, as of 2017 (the most-recent data available) the most-obese states in America are:

• West Virginia (38.1% of adults)
• Mississippi (37.3%)
• Oklahoma (36.5%)
• Iowa (36.4%)
• Alabama (36.2%)
• Louisiana (36.2%)
• Arkansas (35%)
• Kentucky (34.3%)
• Alaska (34.2%)
• South Carolina (34.1%)

What are the least-obese states in America?

These states have the lowest obesity rates in the U.S., according to the CDC:

• Colorado (22.6% of adults)
• Hawaii (23.8%)
• California (25.1%)
• Utah (25.25%)
• Montana (25.27%)
• New York (25.7%)
• Massachuestts (25.9%)
• Nevada (26.7%)
• Connecticut (26.9%)
• New Jersey (27.3%)

Is obesity a problem in other countries?

The World Health Organization estimates 39% of women and 39% of men ages 18 and older are overweight, with the highest prevalence of obesity on the island of Nauru, at 61%. (The U.S. ranked 12th worldwide, at 36.2%).

Among the 20 most-populous countries worldwide, the United States had the highest level of age-standardized childhood obesity, at 12.7%, while China and India had the highest numbers of obese children in 2015, according to a 2017 University of Washington study . Further, the United States and China had the highest number of obese adults, the study found. That same year, the researchers determined excess body weight to be associated with about 4 million deaths and 120 million disability-adjusted life-years lost.

Rates of adult obesity among the 36 countries in the Organization for Economic Cooperation were highest in the U.S., Mexico, New Zealand and Hungary. They were lowest in Japan and South Korea in 2017, according to an OECD "Obesity Update" report .

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The obesity era

As the american people got fatter, so did marmosets, vervet monkeys and mice. the problem may be bigger than any of us.

by David Berreby   + BIO

Years ago, after a plane trip spent reading Fyodor Dostoyevsky’s Notes from the Underground and Weight Watchers magazine, Woody Allen melded the two experiences into a single essay. ‘I am fat,’ it began. ‘I am disgustingly fat. I am the fattest human I know. I have nothing but excess poundage all over my body. My fingers are fat. My wrists are fat. My eyes are fat. (Can you imagine fat eyes?).’ It was 1968, when most of the world’s people were more or less ‘height-weight proportional’ and millions of the rest were starving. Weight Watchers was a new organisation for an exotic new problem. The notion that being fat could spur Russian-novel anguish was good for a laugh.

That, as we used to say during my Californian adolescence, was then. Now, 1968’s joke has become 2013’s truism. For the first time in human history, overweight people outnumber the underfed, and obesity is widespread in wealthy and poor nations alike. The diseases that obesity makes more likely — diabetes, heart ailments, strokes, kidney failure — are rising fast across the world, and the World Health Organisation predicts that they will be the leading causes of death in all countries, even the poorest, within a couple of years. What’s more, the long-term illnesses of the overweight are far more expensive to treat than the infections and accidents for which modern health systems were designed. Obesity threatens individuals with long twilight years of sickness, and health-care systems with bankruptcy.

And so the authorities tell us, ever more loudly, that we are fat — disgustingly, world-threateningly fat. We must take ourselves in hand and address our weakness. After all, it’s obvious who is to blame for this frightening global blanket of lipids: it’s us, choosing over and over again, billions of times a day, to eat too much and exercise too little. What else could it be? If you’re overweight, it must be because you are not saying no to sweets and fast food and fried potatoes. It’s because you take elevators and cars and golf carts where your forebears nobly strained their thighs and calves. How could you do this to yourself, and to society?

Moral panic about the depravity of the heavy has seeped into many aspects of life, confusing even the erudite. Earlier this month, for example, the American evolutionary psychologist Geoffrey Miller expressed the zeitgeist in this tweet: ‘Dear obese PhD applicants: if you don’t have the willpower to stop eating carbs, you won’t have the willpower to do a dissertation. #truth.’ Businesses are moving to profit on the supposed weaknesses of their customers. Meanwhile, governments no longer presume that their citizens know what they are doing when they take up a menu or a shopping cart. Yesterday’s fringe notions are becoming today’s rules for living — such as New York City’s recent attempt to ban large-size cups for sugary soft drinks, or Denmark’s short-lived tax surcharge on foods that contain more than 2.3 per cent saturated fat, or Samoa Air’s 2013 ticket policy, in which a passenger’s fare is based on his weight because: ‘You are the master of your air ‘fair’, you decide how much (or how little) your ticket will cost.’

Several governments now sponsor jauntily named pro-exercise programmes such as Let’s Move! (US), Change4Life (UK) and actionsanté (Switzerland). Less chummy approaches are spreading, too. Since 2008, Japanese law requires companies to measure and report the waist circumference of all employees between the ages of 40 and 74 so that, among other things, anyone over the recommended girth can receive an email of admonition and advice.

Hand-in-glove with the authorities that promote self-scrutiny are the businesses that sell it, in the form of weight-loss foods, medicines, services, surgeries and new technologies. A Hong Kong company named Hapilabs offers an electronic fork that tracks how many bites you take per minute in order to prevent hasty eating: shovel food in too fast and it vibrates to alert you. A report by the consulting firm McKinsey & Co predicted in May 2012 that ‘health and wellness’ would soon become a trillion-dollar global industry. ‘Obesity is expensive in terms of health-care costs,’ it said before adding, with a consultantly chuckle, ‘dealing with it is also a big, fat market.’

And so we appear to have a public consensus that excess body weight (defined as a Body Mass Index of 25 or above) and obesity (BMI of 30 or above) are consequences of individual choice. It is undoubtedly true that societies are spending vast amounts of time and money on this idea. It is also true that the masters of the universe in business and government seem attracted to it, perhaps because stern self-discipline is how many of them attained their status. What we don’t know is whether the theory is actually correct.

Higher levels of female obesity correlated with higher levels of gender inequality in each nation

Of course, that’s not the impression you will get from the admonishments of public-health agencies and wellness businesses. They are quick to assure us that ‘science says’ obesity is caused by individual choices about food and exercise. As the Mayor of New York, Michael Bloomberg, recently put it, defending his proposed ban on large cups for sugary drinks: ‘If you want to lose weight, don’t eat. This is not medicine, it’s thermodynamics. If you take in more than you use, you store it.’ (Got that? It’s not complicated medicine , it’s simple physics , the most sciencey science of all.)

Yet the scientists who study the biochemistry of fat and the epidemiologists who track weight trends are not nearly as unanimous as Bloomberg makes out. In fact, many researchers believe that personal gluttony and laziness cannot be the entire explanation for humanity’s global weight gain. Which means, of course, that they think at least some of the official focus on personal conduct is a waste of time and money. As Richard L Atkinson, Emeritus Professor of Medicine and Nutritional Sciences at the University of Wisconsin and editor of the International Journal of Obesity , put it in 2005: ‘The previous belief of many lay people and health professionals that obesity is simply the result of a lack of willpower and an inability to discipline eating habits is no longer defensible.’

C onsider, for example, this troublesome fact, reported in 2010 by the biostatistician David B Allison and his co-authors at the University of Alabama in Birmingham: over the past 20 years or more, as the American people were getting fatter, so were America’s marmosets. As were laboratory macaques, chimpanzees, vervet monkeys and mice, as well as domestic dogs, domestic cats, and domestic and feral rats from both rural and urban areas. In fact, the researchers examined records on those eight species and found that average weight for every one had increased. The marmosets gained an average of nine per cent per decade. Lab mice gained about 11 per cent per decade. Chimps, for some reason, are doing especially badly: their average body weight had risen 35 per cent per decade. Allison, who had been hearing about an unexplained rise in the average weight of lab animals, was nonetheless surprised by the consistency across so many species. ‘Virtually in every population of animals we looked at, that met our criteria, there was the same upward trend,’ he told me.

It isn’t hard to imagine that people who are eating more themselves are giving more to their spoiled pets, or leaving sweeter, fattier garbage for street cats and rodents. But such results don’t explain why the weight gain is also occurring in species that human beings don’t pamper, such as animals in labs, whose diets are strictly controlled. In fact, lab animals’ lives are so precisely watched and measured that the researchers can rule out accidental human influence: records show those creatures gained weight over decades without any significant change in their diet or activities. Obviously, if animals are getting heavier along with us, it can’t just be that they’re eating more Snickers bars and driving to work most days. On the contrary, the trend suggests some widely shared cause, beyond the control of individuals, which is contributing to obesity across many species.

Such a global hidden factor (or factors) might help to explain why most people gain weight gradually, over decades, in seeming contradiction of Bloomberg’s thermodynamics. This slow increase in fat stores would suggest that they are eating only a tiny bit more each month than they use in fuel. But if that were so, as Jonathan C K Wells, professor of child nutrition at University College London, has pointed out, it would be easy to lose weight. One recent model estimated that eating a mere 30 calories a day more than you use is enough to lead to serious weight gain. Given what each person consumes in a day (1,500 to 2,000 calories in poorer nations; 2,500 to 4,000 in wealthy ones), 30 calories is a trivial amount: by my calculations, that’s just two or three peanut M&Ms. If eliminating that little from the daily diet were enough to prevent weight gain, then people should have no trouble losing a few pounds. Instead, as we know, they find it extremely hard.

Many other aspects of the worldwide weight gain are also difficult to square with the ‘it’s-just-thermodynamics’ model. In rich nations, obesity is more prevalent in people with less money, education and status. Even in some poor countries, according to a survey published last year in the International Journal of Obesity, increases in weight over time have been concentrated among the least well-off. And the extra weight is unevenly distributed among the sexes, too. In a study published in the Social Science and Medicine journal last year, Wells and his co-authors found that, in a sample that spanned 68 nations, for every two obese men there were three obese women. Moreover, the researchers found that higher levels of female obesity correlated with higher levels of gender inequality in each nation. Why, if body weight is a matter of individual decisions about what to eat, should it be affected by differences in wealth or by relations between the sexes?

Chemicals ingested on Tuesday might promote more fat retention on Wednesday

To make sense of all this, the purely thermodynamic model must appeal to complicated indirect effects. The story might go like this: being poor is stressful, and stress makes you eat, and the cheapest food available is the stuff with a lot of ‘empty calories’, therefore poorer people are fatter than the better-off. These wheels-within-wheels are required because the mantra of the thermodynamic model is that ‘a calorie is a calorie is a calorie’: who you are and what you eat are irrelevant to whether you will add fat to your frame. The badness of a ‘bad’ food such as a Cheeto is that it makes calorie intake easier than it would be with broccoli or an apple.

Yet a number of researchers have come to believe, as Wells himself wrote earlier this year in the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition , that ‘all calories are not equal’. The problem with diets that are heavy in meat, fat or sugar is not solely that they pack a lot of calories into food; it is that they alter the biochemistry of fat storage and fat expenditure, tilting the body’s system in favour of fat storage. Wells notes, for example, that sugar, trans-fats and alcohol have all been linked to changes in ‘insulin signalling’, which affects how the body processes carbohydrates. This might sound like a merely technical distinction. In fact, it’s a paradigm shift: if the problem isn’t the number of calories but rather biochemical influences on the body’s fat-making and fat-storage processes, then sheer quantity of food or drink are not the all-controlling determinants of weight gain. If candy’s chemistry tilts you toward fat, then the fact that you eat it at all may be as important as the amount of it you consume.

More importantly, ‘things that alter the body’s fat metabolism’ is a much wider category than food. Sleeplessness and stress, for instance, have been linked to disturbances in the effects of leptin, the hormone that tells the brain that the body has had enough to eat. What other factors might be at work? Viruses, bacteria and industrial chemicals have all entered the sights of obesity research. So have such aspects of modern life as electric light, heat and air conditioning. All of these have been proposed, with some evidence, as direct causes of weight gain: the line of reasoning is not that stress causes you to eat more, but rather that it causes you to gain weight by directly altering the activities of your cells. If some or all of these factors are indeed contributing to the worldwide fattening trend, then the thermodynamic model is wrong.

We are, of course, surrounded by industrial chemicals. According to Frederick vom Saal, professor of biological sciences at the University of Missouri, an organic compound called bisphenol-A (or BPA) that is used in many household plastics has the property of altering fat regulation in lab animals. And a recent study by Leonardo Trasande and colleagues at the New York University School of Medicine with a sample size of 2,838 American children and teens found that, for the majority, those with the highest levels of BPA in their urine were five times more likely to be obese than were those with the lowest levels.

BPA has been used so widely — in everything from children’s sippy cups to the aluminium in fizzy drink cans — that almost all residents of developed nations have traces of it in their pee. This is not to say that BPA is unique. In any developed or developing nation there are many compounds in the food chain that seem, at the very least, to be worth studying as possible ‘obesogens’ helping to tip the body’s metabolism towards obesity. For example, a study by the Environmental Working Group of the umbilical cords of 10 babies born in US hospitals in 2004 found 287 different industrial chemicals in their blood. Beatrice Golomb, professor of medicine at the University of California, San Diego, has proposed a long list of candidates — all chemicals that, she has written, disrupt the normal process of energy storage and use in cells. Her suspects include heavy metals in the food supply, chemicals in sunscreens, cleaning products, detergents, cosmetics and the fire retardants that infuse bedclothes and pyjamas.

Chemicals and metals might promote obesity in the short term by altering the way that energy is made and stored within cells, or by changing the signals in the fat-storage process so that the body makes more fat cells, or larger fat cells. They could also affect the hormones that spur or tamp down the appetite. In other words, chemicals ingested on Tuesday might promote more fat retention on Wednesday.

It’s also possible that chemical disrupters could affect people’s body chemistry on longer timescales — starting, for instance, before their birth. Contrary to its popular image of serene imperturbability, a developing foetus is in fact acutely sensitive to the environment into which it will be born, and a key source of information about that environment is the nutrition it gets via the umbilical cord. As David J P Barker, professor of clinical epidemiology of the University of Southampton, noted some 20 years ago, where mothers have gone hungry, their offspring are at a greater risk of obesity. The prenatal environment, Barker argued, tunes the children’s metabolism for a life of scarcity, preparing them to store fat whenever they can, to get them through periods of want. If those spells of scarcity never materialise, the child’s proneness to fat storage ceases to be an advantage. The 40,000 babies gestated during Holland’s ‘Hunger Winter’ of 1944-1945 grew up to have more obesity, more diabetes and more heart trouble than their compatriots who developed without the influence of war-induced starvation.

It’s possible that widespread electrification is promoting obesity by making humans eat at night, when our ancestors were asleep

Just to double down on the complexity of the question, a number of researchers also think that industrial compounds might be affecting these signals. For example, Bruce Blumberg, professor of developmental and cell biology at the University of California, Irvine, has found that pregnant mice exposed to organotins (tin-based chemical compounds that are used in a wide variety of industries) will have heavier offspring than mice in the same lab who were not so exposed. In other words, the chemicals might be changing the signal that the developing foetus uses to set its metabolism. More disturbingly, there is evidence that this ‘foetal programming’ could last more than one generation. A good predictor of your birth weight, for instance, is your mother’s weight at her birth.

L urking behind these prime suspects, there are the fugitive possibilities — what David Allison and another band of co-authors recently called the ‘roads less travelled’ of obesity research. For example, consider the increased control civilisation gives people over the temperature of their surroundings. There is a ‘thermoneutral zone’ in which a human body can maintain its normal internal temperature without expending energy. Outside this zone, when it’s hot enough to make you sweat or cold enough to make you shiver, the body has to expend energy to maintain homeostasis. Temperatures above and below the neutral zone have been shown to cause both humans and animals to burn fat, and hotter conditions also have an indirect effect: they make people eat less. A restaurant on a warm day whose air conditioning breaks down will see a sharp decline in sales (yes, someone did a study). Perhaps we are getting fatter in part because our heaters and air conditioners are keeping us in the thermoneutral zone.

And what about light? A study by Laura Fonken and colleagues at the Ohio State University in Columbus, published in 2010 in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences , reported that mice exposed to extra light (experiencing either no dark at all or a sort of semidarkness instead of total night) put on nearly 50 per cent more weight than mice fed the same diet who lived on a normal night-day cycle of alternating light and dark. This effect might be due to the constant light robbing the rodents of their natural cues about when to eat. Wild mice eat at night, but night-deprived mice might have been eating during the day, at the ‘wrong’ time physiologically. It’s possible that widespread electrification is promoting obesity by making humans eat at night, when our ancestors were asleep.

There is also the possibility that obesity could quite literally be contagious. A virus called Ad-36, known for causing eye and respiratory infections in people, also has the curious property of causing weight gain in chickens, rats, mice and monkeys. Of course, it would be unethical to test for this effect on humans, but it is now known that antibodies to the virus are found in a much higher percentage of obese people than in people of normal weight. A research review by Tomohide Yamada and colleagues at the University of Tokyo in Japan, published last year in the journal PLoS One , found that people who had been infected with Ad-36 had significantly higher BMI than those who hadn’t.

As with viruses, so with bacteria. Experiments by Lee Kaplan and colleagues at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston earlier this year found that bacteria from mice that have lost weight will, when placed in other mice, apparently cause those mice to lose weight, too. And a study in humans by Ruchi Mathur and colleagues at the Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, published in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism earlier this year, found that those who were overweight were more likely than others to have elevated populations of a gut microorganisms called Methanobrevibacter smithii. The researchers speculated that these organisms might in fact be especially good at digesting food, yielding up more nutrients and thus contributing to weight gain.

The researcher who first posited a viral connection in 1992 — he had noticed that the chickens in India that were dead of an adenovirus infection were plump instead of gaunt — was Nikhil Dhurandhar, now a professor at the Pennington Biomedical Research Centre in Louisiana. He has proposed a catchy term for the spread of excess weight via bugs and viruses: ‘infectobesity’.

N o one has claimed, or should claim, that any of these ‘roads less taken’ is the one true cause of obesity, to drive out the false idol of individual choice. Neither should we imagine that the existence of alternative theories means that governments can stop trying to forestall a major public-health menace. These theories are important for a different reason. Their very existence — the fact that they are plausible, with some supporting evidence and suggestions for further research — gives the lie to the notion that obesity is a closed question, on which science has pronounced its final word. It might be that every one of the ‘roads less travelled’ contributes to global obesity; it might be that some do in some places and not in others. The openness of the issue makes it clear that obesity isn’t a simple school physics experiment.

We are increasingly understanding that attributing obesity to personal responsibility is very simplistic

This is the theme of perhaps the most epic of the alternative theories of obesity, put forward by Jonathan C K Wells. As I understand his view, obesity is like poverty, or financial booms and busts, or war — a large-scale development that no one deliberately intends, but which emerges out of the millions of separate acts that together make human history. His model suggests that the best Russian novelist to invoke when thinking about obesity isn’t Dostoyevsky, with his self-punishing anguish, but Leo Tolstoy, with his vast perspective on the forces of history.

In Wells’s theory, the claim that individual choice drives worldwide weight gain is an illusion — like the illusion that individuals can captain their fates independent of history. In reality, Tolstoy wrote at the end of War and Peace (1869) , we are moved by social forces we do not perceive, just as the Earth moves through space, driven by physical forces we do not feel. Such is the tenor of Wells’s explanation for modern obesity. Its root cause, he proposed last year in the American Journal of Human Biology, is nothing less than the history of capitalism.

I will paraphrase Wells’s intricate argument (the only one I’ve ever read that references both receptor pathways for leptin and data on the size of the Indian economy in the 18th century). It is a saga spanning many generations. Let’s start with a poor farmer growing food crops in a poor country in Africa or Asia. In a capitalistic quest for new markets and cheap materials and labour, Europeans take control of the economy in the late 18th or early 19th century. With taxes, fees and sometimes violent repression, their new system strongly ‘encourages’ the farmer and his neighbours to stop growing their own food and start cultivating some more marketable commodity instead – coffee for export, perhaps. Now that they aren’t growing food, the farmers must buy it. But since everyone is out to maximise profit, those who purchase the coffee crop strive to pay as little as possible, and so the farmers go hungry. Years later, when the farmer’s children go to work in factories, they confront the same logic: they too are paid as little as possible for their labour. By changing the farming system, capitalism first removes traditional protections against starvation, and then pushes many previously self-sufficient people into an economic niche where they aren’t paid enough to eat well.

Eighty years later, the farmer’s descendants have risen out of the ranks of the poor and joined the fast-growing ranks of the world’s 21st-century middle-class consumers, thanks to globalisation and outsourcing. Capitalism welcomes them: these descendants are now prime targets to live the obesogenic life (the chemicals, the stress, the air conditioning, the elevators-instead-of-stairs) and to buy the kinds of foods and beverages that are ‘metabolic disturbers’.

But that’s not the worst of it. As I’ve mentioned, the human body’s response to its nutrition can last a lifetime, and even be passed on to the next generation. If you or your parents – or their parents – were undernourished, you’re more likely to become obese in a food-rich environment. Moreover, obese people, when they have children, pass on changes in metabolism that can predispose the next generation to obesity as well. Like the children of underfed people, the children of the over fed have their metabolism set in ways that tend to promote obesity. This means that a past of under nutrition, combined with a present of over nutrition, is an obesity trap.

Wells memorably calls this double-bind the ‘metabolic ghetto’, and you can’t escape it just by turning poor people into middle-class consumers: that turn to prosperity is precisely what triggers the trap. ‘Obesity,’ he writes, ‘like undernutrition, is thus fundamentally a state of malnutrition, in each case promoted by powerful profit-led manipulations of the global supply and quality of food.’

The trap is deeper than that, however. The ‘unifying logic of capitalism’, Wells continues, requires that food companies seek immediate profit and long-term success, and their optimal strategy for that involves encouraging people to choose foods that are most profitable to produce and sell — ‘both at the behavioural level, through advertising, price manipulations and restriction of choice, and at the physiological level through the enhancement of addictive properties of foods’ (by which he means those sugars and fats that make ‘metabolic disturber’ foods so habit-forming). In short, Wells told me via email, ‘We need to understand that we have not yet grasped how to address this situation, but we are increasingly understanding that attributing obesity to personal responsibility is very simplistic.’ Rather than harping on personal responsibility so much, Wells believes, we should be looking at the global economic system, seeking to reform it so that it promotes access to nutritious food for everyone. That is, admittedly, a tall order. But the argument is worth considering, if only as a bracing critique of our individual-responsibility ideology of fatness.

W hat are we onlookers — non-activists, non-scientists — to make of these scientific debates? One possible response, of course, is to decide that no obesity policy is possible, because ‘science is undecided’. But this is a moron’s answer: science is never completely decided; it is always in a state of change and self-questioning, and it offers no final answers. There is never a moment in science when all doubts are gone and all questions settled, which is why ‘wait for settled science’ is an argument advanced by industries that want no interference with their status quo.

Making policy, as the British politician Wayland Young once said, is ‘the art of taking good decisions on insufficient evidence’. Faced with signs of a massive public-health crisis in the making, governments are right to seek to do something , using the best information that science can render, in the full knowledge that science will have different information to offer in 10 or 20 years.

The issue, rather, is whether the government policies and corporate business plans are in fact doing their best with the evidence they already have. Does the science justify assuming that obesity is a simple matter of individuals letting themselves eat too much? To the extent that it is, policies such as Japan’s mandatory waist-measuring and products like the Hapifork will be effective. If, on the other hand, there is more to obesity than simple thermodynamics, some of the billions spent on individual-centred policies and products may be being wasted. Time, in that case, to try some alternative policies based on alternative theories, and see how they fare.

Today’s priests of obesity prevention proclaim with confidence and authority that they have the answer. So did Bruno Bettelheim in the 1950s, when he blamed autism on mothers with cold personalities. So, for that matter, did the clerics of 18th-century Lisbon, who blamed earthquakes on people’s sinful ways. History is not kind to authorities whose mistaken dogmas cause unnecessary suffering and pointless effort, while ignoring the real causes of trouble. And the history of the obesity era has yet to be written.

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26 Conclusion: Obesity and its prevention in the 21st century

• Published: September 2010
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The case for a preventative approach to the obesity epidemic is compelling. Obesity poses what is arguably one of the most significant threats to population health that is currently faced. The data presented in this book highlight just how common obesity has become in children and in adults across the globe, and how it impacts disproportionately on the poor. This chapter presents a summary of the discussions in the preceding chapters.

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Feingold KR, Anawalt B, Blackman MR, et al., editors. Endotext [Internet]. South Dartmouth (MA): MDText.com, Inc.; 2000-.

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Social and Environmental Factors Influencing Obesity

Alexandra Lee , BS, Michelle Cardel , PhD, MS, RD, and William T Donahoo , MD.

Last Update: October 12, 2019 .

The evidence for social and environmental factors that contribute to obesity are often underappreciated. Obesity prevalence is significantly associated with sex, racial ethnic identity, and socioeconomic status, which creates complex relationships between each of these characteristics. Food availability remains an important factor associated with obesity that relates to differences in prevalence seen across geographical areas and higher rates of obesity within low socioeconomic status individuals. Proliferation of high calorie, energy dense food options that are or perceived as more affordable combined with reductions in occupational and transportation related physical activity can contribute to a sustained positive energy balance. Additionally, environments experiencing deprivation, disorder, or high crime have been shown to be associated with higher odds of obesity, which may appear more frequently in low social status individuals. Both objective and subjective measures of social status and inequality are associated with increased energy intake and decreased energy expenditure, which could place individuals of low social status at greater risk for obesity development. Given the complexity of this multifactorial disease, effective obesity care requires knowledge of these complex relationships and an integration between the health systems and surrounding community. Resources for practicing clinicians regarding methods of screening for social and environmental factors in clinical care are provided in addition to information on a program that has been widely dispersed and made accessible to those who may be the most at risk. For complete coverage of all related areas of Endocrinology, please visit our on-line FREE web-text, WWW.ENDOTEXT.ORG .

• INTRODUCTION

Many medical providers appreciate the significant social and environmental determinants of obesity but are unsure how to address them. Others consider these factors outside of their control and scope of practice, and are thus hesitant to even broach the topic with their patients. Finally, many medical providers still attribute obesity to causes within a person’s control, such as dietary choices, amount of exercise, or willpower, ( 1 , 2 ) which perpetuates a stigma that accompanies this disease. Specifically, the prevailing stigma is that those who suffer from obesity represent a population who lack the willingness to change their poor lifestyle habits or harbor a character flaw that, at its extreme, infers immoral behaviors (e.g., gluttony). In reality, obesity is a multifactorial disease ( 3 ) that is caused by a combination of biological, genetic, social, environmental, and behavioral determinants. In order to address this gap in the understanding of the social and environmental determinants of obesity and improve the care of patients with obesity, this chapter will review the evidence for the social and environmental determinants of obesity development. The specific areas to be covered include social identity, social status, societal trends, and influences of the built, industrial, and social environments, all factors that are closely associated with the prevalence or incidence of obesity or that impact efforts to prevent and treat this disease. Resources for the busy clinician that will support implemental changes in one’s practice to improve the care and management of patients with obesity, as well as evidenced-based opportunities for advocacy in the community, will be included in the final section.

This chapter is divided into three primary sections based on the progression of thought and evidence surrounding the social and environmental determinants of obesity: individual characteristics, environmental characteristics, and social hierarchy influences. Individual characteristics are those that are attributed to the individual with obesity such as their sex, age, race, ethnicity, and socioeconomic status (SES). Environmental characteristics surround the individual, including the physical spaces where people live, work, and play, as well as sociocultural norms. The social hierarchy refers to social status or social rank of individuals within larger society or a local community.

• INDIVIDUAL CHARACTERISTICS

The prevalence of obesity varies according to key individual characteristics such as age, sex, race and ethnicity, and SES. The prevalence of obesity increases cross-sectionally across the lifespan: from 13.9%, in early childhood (2-5 years old) to 18.4% in childhood (6-11 years old), 20.6% in adolescence (12-19 years old), 35.7%, in young adulthood (20-39 years old), 42.8% in adulthood (40-59 years old), and 41.0% in older adulthood (≥60 years old) ( 4 ). As of 2016, the prevalence of adult obesity in women in the United States was 41.1% and in men was 37.9% ( 4 ). In the decade between 2007-2008 and 2015-2016, obesity significantly increased only in women ( 4 ), suggesting a sex-specific vulnerability to expression of this disease. Additionally, when race and ethnicity are considered, significant interactions between race and sex emerge. Non-Hispanic black, non-Hispanic Asian, and Hispanic women all have significantly higher prevalence of obesity than men with the same racial ethnic identity ( 5 ). In men and women, non-Hispanic Asians have significantly lower prevalence of obesity compared to all other major races and ethnicities in the United States (Note: not adjusted for ethnic specific cut points for Asians), and Non-Hispanic blacks and Hispanics have significantly higher prevalence of obesity compared to Non-Hispanic whites ( 5 ). It is not fully clear why differences in obesity prevalence by race and ethnicity are present, but some evidence points to differences in genetic backgrounds that affect body composition and fat distribution ( 6 , 7 ), and to differences in cultural body image standards ( 8 ). Additionally, in the United States, race and ethnicity are confounded with SES, which is one of the most potent indicators of overall health in the United States ( 9 ).

A significantly greater proportion of underrepresented racial ethnic minorities are considered low SES compared to non-Hispanic Asians and non-Hispanic whites in the United States. Socioeconomic status is a composite measure that can be represented by measures of income, educational attainment, or occupational status. In the 2017 Census, 21.2% of non-Hispanic blacks and 18.3% of Hispanics lived below the poverty level compared to 8.7% of non-Hispanic whites and 10% of non-Hispanic Asians ( 10 ). Non-Hispanic Asians (53.9%) and non-Hispanic whites (36.2%) are more likely to earn a bachelor’s degree than non-Hispanic blacks (22.5%) and Hispanics (15.5%) ( 11 ). In terms of health, low SES in childhood is associated with adult development of cardiovascular risk factors and a 20% increase in the odds of having central obesity (as defined by a waist circumference >102 cm for men or > 88 cm for women) ( 12 ). In adult women, obesity prevalence increases with decreasing income and educational attainment; however, in non-Hispanic black women, obesity prevalence differs by education gradients but not by income gradients ( 13 ). Conversely, non-Hispanic black men have a higher prevalence of obesity in the highest income group, but all the men’s racial ethnic groups showed similar relationships between obesity rates and education gradients as women ( 13 ). Higher SES is also associated with healthy lifestyle behaviors that are often the first line of prevention or treatment for obesity. On the other hand, low SES is associated with less leisure time physical activity ( 14 ) and consumption of energy-dense diets that are nutrient poor ( 15 ); however, SES is not the only factor that influences these behaviors. Further exploration of how SES affects resources and the ability to practice healthy behaviors is expounded upon in the next section.

• ENVIRONMENTAL CHARACTERISTICS

Obesity prevalence differs by geographical region in the United States with the South and the Midwest having the highest level of obesity among adults ( 16 ). The Midwest and South also have high rates of diabetes and metabolic syndrome, which frequently accompany obesity ( 16 ). Approximately 55% of global increases in BMI can be attributed to rising BMI in rural areas, and this may be as high as 80% in low- and middle-income countries ( 17 ). Rural areas are associated with 1.36 higher odds of obesity compared to urban areas; however, mediation analysis shows that individual educational attainment, neighborhood median household income, and neighborhood-built environment features reduce these odds by 94% and render the relationship statistically insignificant ( 18 ). Rural areas tend to have farther distances between residences and supermarkets, clinical settings, and recreational opportunities, which may be impacting the ability to practice healthy behaviors that prevent obesity. This is one example of the “built environment”, which alludes to the infrastructure of a geographic area that influences proximity to and types of resources, transportation methods, and neighborhood quality.

Food Availability

The frequency and type of food vendors in a neighborhood determines the types of foods that residents can purchase. Historically, evidence has suggested that fast food restaurant density is associated with obesity prevalence. A state-level analysis of fast food restaurant density and the number of residents per restaurant accounted for 6% of the variance in state obesity prevalence ( 19 ). Individual-level factors can interact with built environmental factors (like fast food restaurant density) to increase the odds of obesity. For example, one study in older adults showed that residents who ate 1-2 times per week at a fast food restaurant (odds ratio [OR]: 1.878), did not meet current physical activity guidelines (OR: 1.792), had low self-efficacy for eating healthy food (OR: 1.212), or identified as non-Hispanic black (OR: 8.057) and lived in a high density fast food neighborhood were more likely to have obesity than older adults who lived in a low density fast food neighborhood ( 20 ). On the other hand, recent research suggests that fast food restaurant density is not associated with obesity prevalence and the food consumed in these establishments’ accounts for less than 20% of the total energy intake ( 21 ). This could reflect the widespread availability of fast food nationally, which weakens the ability to dissect links between its presence and increased consumption specific to obesity.

The term “food desert” is often used to describe areas with limited access to affordable and nutritious food (e.g. supermarkets) and these vary significantly according to neighborhood socioeconomic and racial/ethnic composition ( 22 , 23 ). Food desert designation has been positively linked to obesity in the United States and simply switching from a non-food desert census tract to a food desert census tract can increase the odds of obesity by 30%, when all other relevant factors are held constant ( 24 ). Conversely, access to supermarkets does not automatically result in healthier eating behavior and weight status. A systematic review showed that five out of six studies looking at supermarket access did not find increased fruit and vegetable consumption with greater accessibility; however, four out of five studies looking at changes in weight status found lower BMI and prevalence of obesity in areas with high access to supermarkets compared to low access areas ( 25 ). A large natural experiment found that the opening of a new supermarket improved overall diet quality in the neighborhood, but did not affect fruit and vegetable intake or BMI ( 26 ). Interestingly, the only positive outcome directly associated with regular use of the new supermarket was higher perceived access to healthy food ( 26 ). Although these findings are mixed, it is important to acknowledge that changes in food choices at a neighborhood level might occur too slowly to be captured in these studies.

In addition to food availability and quality, the shift in food type, amount, and pricing is also relevant to the obesity epidemic. For example, available evidence strongly supports a greater risk of weight gain and type 2 diabetes with increased consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages ( 27 ). North America still has the highest per capita sales of calorie sugar-sweetened beverages, but is slowly starting to shift to low-calorie sugar sweetened beverages, though sports and energy drink consumption continue to increase ( 28 ). Portion sizes in the most popular fast-food, take-out, and family style restaurants exceed current USDA and FDA standard-recommended portion amounts as well as what had been historically served in past decades ( 29 ). Increased portion sizes have been robustly linked to increases in energy intake in both adults and children; however, evidence is limited that decreasing portion size results in decreased energy intake ( 30 ). In addition, fast foods, snack foods, and foods available through convenience stores are typically ultra-processed (high in processed grains and added sugars; low in fiber and unsaturated fats). A recent study found that keeping macronutrient content the same, meals that were ultra-processed resulted in greater food intake and weight gain over a two-week follow-up compared to consumption of non-processed foods ( 31 ). Contributing to increased intake of fast-foods and ultra-processed foods is the marketing techniques implemented by food industries across multiple mediums. Though adults have shown to be less susceptible to the effects of food advertising, experimental studies with children produce a moderate effect size for increased food consumption after food advertising exposure ( 32 ). Food advertising targeted at children is focused on brand building and emotive messages may not be discerned as such by this vulnerable population ( 33 ). Another common misconception confronting consumers is that healthy foods are more expensive, but research suggests this perception is based on misleading price metrics as well as changes in fruit and vegetable convenience and level of preparedness ( 34 ). Price per calorie metrics show fruits and vegetables to be more expensive than less healthy foods; however, price per average portion and price per edible 100 grams actually shows that fruits and vegetables are less expensive ( 34 ). In times of financial constraint, socioeconomically disadvantaged groups maximize energy value for money resulting in energy-dense, nutrient poor diets that contribute to obesity ( 35 ).

Transportation

Infrastructure can dictate means of transportation and neighborhood walkability, which is associated with weight status. High neighborhood walkability has been found to be associated with decreased prevalence of overweight and obesity ( 36 ), which can link back to structural differences discussed earlier between urban and rural areas (urban areas having higher walkability). Transport-related physical activity decreased by 17.8% between 1965 and 2009 in the United States, which could be due to growing ubiquity of car ownership and supportive infrastructure for automotive transport in the United States ( 37 ). Proximity to recreational facilities, recreational facility density, access to sidewalks and paths that remove pedestrians from traffic hazards, and access to parks, have all been reported to be facilitators of physical activity in qualitative and quantitative research ( 38 , 39 ).

The quality of infrastructure in a neighborhood and the perceived aesthetics of homes, shops, and recreational facilities can impact the use of these facilities. A study in a high-income neighborhood and a low-income neighborhood showed that even though the number of recreational facilities was equitable in the neighborhoods, the residents of the low-income neighborhood perceived that they had less access to recreational facilities ( 40 ).

Additional neighborhood descriptors that are associated with obesity include neighborhood deprivation, disorder, and crime. Neighborhood deprivation, a composite score of socioeconomic position of individuals in a neighborhood that is used to assign a rank to that neighborhood, shows that high levels of deprivation are associated with a 20% increased odds of overweight ( 41 ). Neighborhood physical disorder refers to the presence of vandalism, abandoned lots or vehicles, garbage, and quality of building conditions. Women in an urban area with high neighborhood physical disorder have a 1.43 greater odds of obesity ( 42 ). Persons living in areas of high crime have a 28% reduced odds of achieving higher levels of physical activity and, conversely, perceived safety increases the odds of achieving higher levels of physical activity by 27% ( 43 ). Living in a neighborhood with high crime has been found to be associated with increased weekly snack consumption in women ( 42 ). The relevance of the neighborhood environment to obesity is further exemplified in the Moving to Opportunities Study ( 44 ). The Department of Housing and Urban Development randomly assigned just under 5000 families in Chicago, Baltimore, Boston, Los Angeles, and New York public housing to 3 possible conditions: receive a housing voucher to move to a low-poverty census track with moving counseling, receive a standard unrestricted housing voucher and no moving counseling, or receive nothing. Despite the fact that this study was not focused on weight or diabetes outcomes, participants that received the voucher to move to a low-poverty census track had 4.61 percentage points lower prevalence of BMI > 35, BMI > 40, and glycated hemoglobin ≥ 6.5% than participants who received nothing ( 44 ), showing that a mere change in environment from high- to low-poverty rates was enough to have a significant impact.

Work Environment and Advances in Communication Technology

As the built environment and food environment have changed in the United States, so has the work environment. From 1960 to 2010, jobs in the U.S. private industry shifted from 50% requiring at least moderate to vigorous physical activity to less than 20% requiring this level of activity intensity ( 45 ). National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey data has documented an association between decreases in work-related energy expenditure and weight gain over the same time period ( 45 ). These changes in occupation related physical activity could be due to improvements in labor-saving technology. Technology advances are not confined to the work environment and have spread into many facets of daily life, such as improvements in smart personal communication devices, internet media platforms, marketing techniques, and enhanced audio-visual media. Studies show that marketing for unhealthy foods is often targeted at more vulnerable populations such as Non-Hispanic blacks ( 46 ) and Hispanics ( 47 ). Additionally, the availability of information about healthy weight-loss behaviors on the internet is poor when searched for in Spanish ( 48 ). “Screen time” or the time spent using technology that utilizes a screen interface has been found to be associated with increased risk for obesity ( 49 - 51 ); however, many app companies and academic researchers are now using that same technology to help with obesity prevention and treatment ( 52 - 54 ).

• SOCIAL HIERARCHY

Animal research consistently shows that animals of subordinate status experience adverse physiological and behavioral changes compared to their high status counterparts: higher levels of cortisol (primates) ( 55 ), elevated blood pressure (rats, rabbits, baboons, macaques) ( 56 ), elevated heart rate (primates) ( 56 ), accumulation of visceral fat (rats) ( 57 ), increased ad-libitum energy-dense food consumption (macaques, rats) ( 57 , 58 ), cardiovascular disease (mice) ( 59 ), and shortened lifespan (mice) ( 59 ). This implies that social standing, regardless of species, has physiological implications and could be contributing to obesity development and poor health. The findings from animal models thus serve as the basis for parallel outcomes reported in humans of low social status.

Social status can be measured objectively or subjectively. Objective measures typically include socioeconomic status (SES) variables, such as income, education, or occupation, which were discussed as individual level factors at the beginning of this chapter. Social status can also be represented by manifestations of status differentials, including inequality between groups or measurable differences in the ability for someone to obtain basic life necessities, such as food security. High levels of absolute income/wealth may be related to health not only through better material conditions, but also through social position. However, in an analysis of two nationally representative British panel studies, ranked position of income/wealth, not absolute income/wealth, predicted adverse health outcomes such as obesity, presence of chronic disease, and poor ratings of physical functioning and pain ( 60 ). In a worldwide study of physical activity, countries with large activity inequality predicted obesity better than the total volume of physical activity within the country ( 61 ). Activity inequality is identified by calculating a Gini coefficient for population step count data from each country, 0 = complete equality, 1= complete inequality. Individuals in the top five countries for physical activity inequality (Saudi Arabia, USA, Egypt, Canada, Australia) were 196% more likely to have obesity than individuals from more equal societies that did not have large disparities in step counts across the population. Gender differences account for 43% of the inequality observed, however, this effect was mitigated in societies that rated higher in walkability ( 61 ). Inequality can also drive calorie consumption. Individuals who are experimentally induced to view themselves as poor in reference to others exhibited increased calorie intake ( 62 ). Additionally, individuals who believed they were poorer or wealthier than an interaction partner exhibited higher levels of anxiety in regards to that difference in status that, in turn, led to increased calorie consumption ( 62 ).

Food insecurity affects approximately 11.8 percent of families in the United States and has been linked to obesity and diabetes. Food insecurity occurs when “the intake of one or more members of a household is reduced and eating patterns are disrupted (sometimes resulting in hunger) because of insufficient money and other resources for food” ( 63 ). In women, food insecurity status predicts overweight/obese status differentially across racial ethnic groups. Non-Hispanic white women who are food insecure are 41% more likely to have overweight or obesity whereas Hispanic women who are food insecure are 29% more likely to have overweight and obesity ( 64 ). Among non-Hispanic black women and men, food insecurity did not predict overweight or obesity status ( 64 ). A population-based study in Canada revealed that persons in food insecure households had double the risk of developing type 2 diabetes compared to persons in food secure households, even after controlling for age, gender, income, race, physical activity, smoking status, alcohol consumption, diet quality, and BMI ( 65 ). Reduced food availability is theorized to initiate compensatory biological mechanisms that boost caloric intake, decrease resting metabolic rate, and increase storage of adipose tissue as a protective mechanism for survival ( 66 ). Research in youth has provided evidence for a moderating effect of food insecurity on the relationship between income and subjective social status ( 67 ). This means that low income is more strongly associated with low subjective social status when the household is also food insecure.

Subjective measures of social status (SSS) are typically measured by asking individuals to place themselves on 10-rung ladders based on where they perceive their rank within society and the community. Experimental evidence demonstrates a relationship between feelings of low social status and increased calorie intake. Cornil and Chandon showed that hometowns of National Football League teams consumed more calories after a team loss than hometowns of winning teams or of hometowns where teams didn’t play ( 68 ). Manipulations of social status in an experimental setting show that acute eating behavior post experimental manipulation consists of higher calorie food choices and higher total calorie intake in the low status group ( 69 ). Additionally, individuals randomized to a low social status condition, had increased levels of ghrelin, a hormone that stimulates appetite, as compared to the high social status condition, suggesting a physiological hunger response to low perceived social status ( 70 ). Studies of physical activity and SSS show that low SSS is associated with significantly lower levels of moderate to vigorous physical activity ( 71 , 72 ), which could contribute to a lower overall energy expenditure. Closely related to SSS are other perceptive representations of status differentials, such as perceived discrimination, which is associated with increased weight and BMI in women ( 73 ) and increased abdominal adiposity in non-Hispanic whites ( 74 ).

Researchers have integrated individual and environmental factors into design and development of interventions to improve weight outcomes or weight-related behaviors (healthy eating, physical activity); however, not all of them are successful. For example, a study among low-income women with children in rural Mexico randomly assigned families to cash or in-kind transfers (food baskets) and found that women in the food basket and cash groups actually gained weight compared to women in the control group ( 75 ). This study and others that show weight gain occurring in spite of access to resources or poverty relief imply accounting for individual and environmental factors alone may not paint a complete picture of obesity development. Granted, it is important to consider that systemic environmental changes, such as placement of sidewalks or fruits and vegetables in a corner store, may not be adequately captured in a short time frame typical of academic studies. However, the small or nonexistent changes observed when resources are supplied warrants further investigation into deeper realms of social hierarchical constructs, as well as continued study of individual and environmental factors to improve treatment and prevention of obesity.

• CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS AND CONCLUSIONS

Given the extent of the information on individual, environmental, and social hierarchy constraints on obesity development, it is important to understand how these can merge with clinical care. It is evident that there is no one simple solution and effective care requires knowledge of these complex relationships and an integration between the health system and the surrounding community. For example, based on the knowledge that the social determinants of health can influence diabetes and its comorbidities, the American Diabetes Association recommends in its clinical guidelines that providers “assess the social context… and apply that information to treatment decisions” ( 76 ). In conjunction with recognition of the impact of social and environmental determinants on multiple chronic diseases, some researchers propose that “community vital signs” be integrated into the electronic health record (EHR) ( 77 ) and some community health centers have begun pilot testing a social determinants questionnaire in their HER ( 78 ). Knowledge provided by these “vital signs” and social determinants could help providers make appropriate lifestyle-tailored recommendations for the patient.

Discussing context surrounding food in a patient’s life can provide insight into the realistic expectations for a patient’s diet. Food insecurity can be identified with a short two question screener ( 79 ) and implementation in clinics has shown that screening improves clinician awareness of food insecurity, helping to better understand the lengths to which it affects patient treatment ( 80 ). Positive responses from physicians after pilot testing that incorporates screening into clinical practice mitigates concerns that discussions about food security would be stigmatizing to the patient ( 80 ). Patients who identify as food insecure can be referred to local food banks or community programs that will connect patients with resources at a federal and community level.

Patients that are finding it difficult to follow lifestyle modification recommendations to lose weight to prevent diabetes development may benefit from the Diabetes Prevention Program. The Diabetes Prevention Program is a lifestyle program focused on weight loss through dietary change and increased physical activity. While the overall weight loss was modest (~4% after 4 years), participants lowered their chances of developing diabetes by 58% during long-term follow-up ( 81 ). This program has been adapted for implementation and dissemination purposes and now the CDC’s National Diabetes Prevention (National DPP) program is available at almost 2,000 sites across the United States including many YMCAs, with a mix of online and in-person options. This program is covered for eligible individuals by Medicare and many private insurers and cost for non-covered patients is variable and often income-based or free. Initial evaluation of the real-world evidence for implementation of the National DPP have been promising with 35% achieving 5% weight loss and 42% meeting the activity goal of 150 minutes per week ( 82 ). Locations with the best participant retention and attendance share the following qualities: referrals from healthcare providers or health systems, provision of non-monetary incentives for participation, and use of cultural adaptations to address participant needs ( 83 ). The National DPP provides an affordable, easy and local referral source so that the provider can be assured their patients are receiving evidence-based lifestyle management in an ongoing program.

Figure 1 below shows the age-adjusted prevalence of obesity in adults by race and ethnicity, and sex from the Centers for Disease Control 2017 National Center for Health Statistics Data Brief ( 5 ).

Prevalence of Obesity by Race/Ethnicity and Sex

Questions to Incorporate into Your EHR About Food Insecurity

“We worried whether (my/our) food would run out before (I/we) got money to buy more” Was that often true, sometimes true, or never true for (you/your household) in the last 12 months?

“The food that (I/we) bought just didn't last and (I/we) didn't have money to get more” Was that often true, sometimes true, or never true for (you/your household) in the last 12 months?

Information on the Diabetes Prevention Program

https://nccd.cdc.gov/DDT_DPRP/Registry.aspx

Opportunities for Advocacy

The Obesity Action Coalition: https://www.obesityaction.org/

The Obesity Society: https://www.obesity.org/

STOP Obesity Alliance: http://stop.publichealth.gwu.edu/

Rudd Center for Food Policy and Obesity: http://www.uconnruddcenter.org/weight-bias-stigma

This electronic version has been made freely available under a Creative Commons (CC-BY-NC-ND) license. A copy of the license can be viewed at http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/2.0/ .

• Cite this Page Lee A, Cardel M, Donahoo WT. Social and Environmental Factors Influencing Obesity. [Updated 2019 Oct 12]. In: Feingold KR, Anawalt B, Blackman MR, et al., editors. Endotext [Internet]. South Dartmouth (MA): MDText.com, Inc.; 2000-.

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Obesity: Causes and Prevalence Essay

Diseases haunt a person from birth: healthy people do not exist, and the risk of developing chronic ailments increases significantly with age. And there are many of them, starting with diabetes and gastritis and ending with AIDS and chronic fatigue syndrome. Once, obesity and overweight were considered an inevitable consequence of the abundance of society. Today, their prevalence is increasing in low- and middle-income countries, and this is happening especially rapidly in urban areas. In recent decades, there has been a significant increase in average body weight among residents of the Persian Gulf States.

The countries of the Persian Gulf have similar cultural, political and geographical characteristics. These are rich states with a high standard of living and a significant GDP. The population is influenced by the Western lifestyle, including the culture of food processing. Semi-finished products and fast food are widespread here, and people do sports little and irregularly. A significant part of the population works in offices, leads a sedentary lifestyle. In these countries, people do not often walk, preferring to travel by car (Alghnam et al., 2021). Studies conducted in Saudi Arabia have shown that to a large extent, the critical indicators of obesity in women in this country are influenced by the fact that they do little sports. Very often, women do not have the opportunity to visit the pool and gym, although many of them would like to do it.

Evidence-based medicine successfully combines the individual clinical experience of doctors and optimal evidence obtained through a systematic analysis of clinical trials. A person lives in a world that is improving every day, and evidence-based medicine is one of the indicators of this improvement (Maresova et al., 2019). Its principles facilitate and increase the effectiveness of the practical work of a doctor, a health organizer, a specialist in the field of public health. If a person wants to get rid of the disease, he cannot rely on the opinions of individual outstanding scientists and public or political figures during treatment. Therapy, prevention, preservation, and strengthening of our health should be based on the principles of evidence-based medicine.

Healthcare professionals can introduce modern research into their clinical practice and environment for the prevention, diagnosis, or treatment of chronic diseases by carefully collecting a patient’s medical history. Medical professionals need to pay attention not only to the patient’s physical ailments and chronic diseases, but to his mental state. The research project helps to solve the problem by covering this topic (Maresova et al., 2019). With the help of this project, one can understand the importance of the issue under consideration. A research project may face certain difficulties and barriers since not all doctors want to study the mental state of patients thoroughly. Moreover, depression during chronic diseases may be confused with banal fatigue caused by the side effects of medications.

In conclusion, a person is considered to be fully responsible for his own physical activity and diet. However, there are other broader social and economic causes of obesity, such as marketing, climate, taxes, and the ability to purchase healthy food. It is important to consider the state as a whole, to investigate how much means of physical activity are available to different social groups and ages. The work should be carried out both with the younger generation and with families who form eating habits and attitudes to health. It is impossible not to take into account cultural traditions that can leave an imprint on the lifestyle and perception of one’s own body. Therefore, it is impossible to limit programs for improving the health of the population to promoting a healthy lifestyle, it is important to create favorable conditions for it and introduce the necessary research into practice.

Alghnam, S., Alessy, S. A., Bosaad, M., Alzahrani, S., Al Alwan, I. I., Alqarni, A.,… & Alfadhel, M. (2021). The association between obesity and chronic conditions: results from a large electronic health records system in Saudi Arabia . International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health , 18 (23), 12361. Web.

Maresova, P., Javanmardi, E., Barakovic, S., Barakovic Husic, J., Tomsone, S., Krejcar, O., & Kuca, K. (2019). Consequences of chronic diseases and other limitations associated with old age–a scoping review . BMC public health , 19 (1), 1-17. Web.

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IvyPanda. (2024, May 28). Obesity: Causes and Prevalence. https://ivypanda.com/essays/obesity-causes-and-prevalence/

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1. IvyPanda . "Obesity: Causes and Prevalence." May 28, 2024. https://ivypanda.com/essays/obesity-causes-and-prevalence/.

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New Analysis Confirms Wegovy Can Sustain Weight Loss for 4 Years and Support Heart Health

Photo Illustration by Amelia Manley for Verywell Health; Getty Images

Key Takeaways

• A new analysis shows that Wegovy is effective for long-term weight loss, with users maintaining weight loss for at least four years.
• The medication shows significant cardiovascular benefits and appears to reduce the risk of heart disease independently of weight loss.
• The findings bolster an understanding of how safe and effective Wegovy is for long-term use, as well as the ways it affects the body beyond weight loss.

A new analysis of the longest study of the obesity medication Wegovy (semaglutide) shows it can help people safely lose weight and sustain it for at least four years.

The SELECT trial, which ended in 2023, showed that Wegovy can reduce the risk of heart disease, opening avenues for insurance coverage of the drug. The new, long-term analysis of the trial confirms that Wegovy is safe and effective after years of use across all sexes, races, body sizes, and geographic groups.

A major takeaway from the study is that heart health seems to improve for people on Wegovy, even if they don’t lose much or any weight, according to Harlan Krumholz, MD, SM , a professor of medicine at Yale School of Medicine and incoming editor-in-chief of the Journal of the American College of Cardiology (JACC) , who wasn’t involved with the study.

“This finding shifts our understanding, emphasizing semaglutide’s potential as a cardiovascular medication beyond its role in weight management. Soon, we might be calling it a heart health drug for people with obesity rather than an anti-obesity drug,” Krumholz said in an email to Verywell.

A second study, posted as a preprint last week by JACC , supported that finding. It showed that Wegovy could benefit people with heart failure and obesity, independently of weight loss. Krumholz said this supports the idea that Wegovy could be used as a heart failure treatment as well as an obesity medication.

About 6% of respondents to a Kaiser Family Foundation poll said they are taking a GLP-1 receptor agonist drug, like Wegovy, Ozempic, or Mounjaro. Novo Nordisk said about 25,000 people are starting Wegovy every week .

Weight Loss From Wegovy Is Sustained for Four Years

The SELECT trial included over 17,600 participants who took Wegovy between 2018 and 2021. The analysis posted last week by  JACC is the first of several sub-papers focusing on different aspects of that trial.

The paper showed that people who took Wegovy for four years lost weight over about 65 weeks and sustained that weight loss for the entire period. The observation period was twice as long as previous studies.

After four years, participants lost an average of about 10% of their body weight. That’s lower than the 15% average in prior studies. This may be because the participants did not receive the maximum dose of Wegovy and were not required to follow lifestyle changes, unlike in the STEP trial that evaluated weight loss, according to Donna Ryan, MD , professor emeritus at the Pennington Biomedical Research Center and senior author of the study.

After two years, 12% of people on Wegovy reached a “healthy” BMI zone (less than 25 kg/m 2 ), compared to about 1% in the placebo group. More than half who took the treatment no longer had obesity based on BMI class.

The researchers broke down the results by demographic subgroups, such as age, sex, starting BMI, race, and ethnicity. They found that all subgroups achieved “robust” weight loss.

Ryan said people with a BMI between 27 and 30 (in the overweight category) lost the least weight compared with people with higher BMI.

“This was unexpected. They should have higher exposure to the medication,” Ryan told Verywell in an email. “We think it is a mathematical issue. No one loses weight forever—they lose to a plateau, and those who were closer to their plateau had proportionally less weight to lose.”

Changes in BMI alone are not enough to judge how well the drug is working, she added. Improvements in blood glucose and A1c levels, blood pressure, lipid levels, mobility, and satisfaction in one’s body are equally important.

Ryan said it’s not possible to estimate whether Wegovy will lead to sustained weight loss over longer periods, but “sustaining weight loss for four years is very reassuring.”

Wegovy Seems to Benefit the Health Regardless of Weight Loss

The SELECT trial showed a 20% reduction in heart health outcomes , including heart attack , stroke, and cardiovascular death.

Both the new analysis and the JACC study bolstered that finding.

In the JACC study, researchers found that people with obesity-related heart failure who took semaglutide saw a reduction in a biomarker that helps diagnose heart failure and predict the disease’s prognosis. For those with the highest levels of this biomarker, semaglutide improved their heart health enough that it rivals other heart medications, the authors wrote.

In an analysis of the SELECT data presented at the European Congress on Obesity last week by John Deanfield, BChir , a professor of cardiology at University College London, semaglutide appeared cardioprotective regardless of the participant’s BMI. Even those who lost less than 5% of their body weight on semaglutide had fewer major cardiovascular events than the placebo group did.

There are several ways cardiovascular function improves when someone with obesity loses weight. For instance, losing weight can lead to lower blood pressure, meaning the heart doesn’t have to work as hard to pump.

The finding that cardiovascular improvement is independent of weight loss suggests other mechanisms might be at play, though scientists aren’t yet sure what they are, Krumholz said. It may involve semaglutide’s potential ability to reduce inflammation, protect the kidneys, and minimize fat deposits around the heart.

“Regularly monitoring cardiovascular risk factors, such as blood pressure, cholesterol, and glucose levels, is essential while taking semaglutide,” Krumholz said. “What is most important here is for people to stay on the medication.”

More Support for Expanded Use Indications for Wegovy

In March, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) granted Wegovy a new indication to reduce the risk of heart attacks and stroke in people with heart disease who are overweight or obese. Soon after, Medicare announced that it would cover Wegovy for people with a prior heart attack, stroke, or peripheral artery disease .

“The compelling evidence from the SELECT and [ JACC ] studies should encourage broader insurance coverage for semaglutide. Demonstrating significant health benefits strengthens the case for making these medications more accessible,” Krumholz said.

Veronica Johnson, MD, an assistant professor of medicine at the Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, said she expects semaglutide use will lead to even more health benefits beyond direct weight loss.

In the meantime, she said the current studies indicate that some patients may not need to take the highest dose amounts to see meaningful health benefits from taking semaglutide.

“Quite often, insurance may not continue to cover the medication for patients unless they get to the maintenance dose,” Johnson said. “I hope the results from this study allow for the prescribers of the medication to have a little more leeway in their prescribing practices and it not be determined based on insurance.”

What This Means For You

If you are taking Wegovy, talk to your doctor about how to keep track of changes to your health beyond BMI. Even if you do not achieve your goal weight, your heart health may improve.

Ryan DH, Lingvay I, Deanfield J, et al. Long-term weight loss effects of semaglutide in obesity without diabetes in the SELECT trial . Nat Med . Published online May 13, 2024. doi:10.1038/s41591-024-02996-7

Petrie MC, Borlaug BA, Butler J, et al. Semaglutide and NTproBNP in obesity-related HFpEF: insights from STEP-HFpEF program . J Am Coll Cardiol . Published online May 13, 2024. doi:10.1016/j.jacc.2024.04.022

Wilding JPH, Batterham RL, Calanna S, et al. Once-weekly semaglutide in adults with overweight or obesity . N Engl J Med . 2021;384(11):989-1002. doi:10.1056/NEJMoa2032183

By Claire Bugos Bugos is a senior news reporter at Verywell Health. She holds a bachelor's degree in journalism from Northwestern University.

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From fibrosis and cancer to obesity, Alzheimer’s and aging: New paper reveals broad potential of TNIK as a therapeutic target

InSilico Medicine

Research reveals that TNIK has broad potential as a therapeutic target for some of the most pervasive aging-related diseases, including fibrosis, cancer, obesity, and Alzheimer’s. The findings could guide the development of new therapeutics. The lead drug in Insilico’s pipeline, INS018_055, is an AI-designed TNIK inhibitor being advanced as a treatment for the deadly lung disease idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) and is currently in Phase II trials with patients.

Credit: Insilico Medicine

A new paper in Trends in Pharmacological Sciences from researchers at generative artificial intelligence (AI)- and robotics-powered clinical stage drug discovery company Insilico Medicine (“Insilico”) and ETH Zurich reveals the broad potential of TNIK as a therapeutic target for some of the most pervasive aging-related diseases, including fibrosis, cancer, obesity, and Alzheimer’s. The findings could guide the development of new therapeutics. The lead drug in Insilico’s pipeline, INS018_055, is an AI-designed TNIK inhibitor being advanced as a treatment for the deadly lung disease idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) and is currently in Phase II trials with patients. 

TNIK, a member of the germinal center kinase (GCK) family, has been found to play a significant role in biological processes relevant to disease states, including cell migration, cytoskeletal organization, and cell proliferation in malignant and healthy cells. 

TNIK is a reasonably novel but trending therapeutic target with around 150 papers referencing it on PubMed – most of them published since 2020. Few papers refer to it as a therapeutic target.

In cancer, TNIK has been found to drive cancer cell proliferation, treatment resistance, and cell migration across multiple cancer types – including colorectal, ovarian, thyroid, osteosarcoma, and lung squamous cell carcinoma (LSCC) – due to its activation of the Wnt signaling pathway. Aberrant Wnt signaling enhances T-cell factor 4 (TCF4) transcription factor activity and transcription of TCF4 target genes, promoting cancer cell growth and resistance to standard-of-care treatments. Targeting TNIK via an inhibitor has been shown to block these treatment-resistant properties. 

“TNIK amplification is observed in a number of human cancers and has been shown to affect solid tumor progression,” says paper author Frank Pun, PhD, Head of Insilico Hong Kong. “We see great opportunity for exploring TNIK inhibition –  particularly in conjunction with other cancer agents –  to improve therapeutic efficacy.” 

Researchers also looked at TNIK’s role as a metabolic controller – controlling the change of dietary sugars into lipids – which could lead to TNIK inhibitors designed to combat obesity and Type 2 diabetes. The researchers speculate that TNIK could be the previously unknown regulator of DHAP-mTORC1 signaling. The protein complex mTORC1, or mammalian target of rapamycin complex 1, is the “canonical nutrient and energy sensor” the authors write, and its activation by DHAP suggests that TNIK may indirectly regulate its ability to sense glucose and coordinate de novo lipogenesis, or the metabolic formation of fat, making it a promising target for obesity. They note that when TNIK knockout (KO) mice were placed on a high-fat, high-sugar diet, the animals were resistant to diet-induced weight gain. TNIK inhibition may even contribute to increased physical activity, as the TNIK KO mice also exhibited increased activity. 

The paper also considered TNIK’s emerging role in neurodegeneration. While research in this space is still in the early stages, there is a known association between neurotransmission and metabolic homeostasis, and several studies have shown TNIK’s role in regulating neuronal function, including axon guidance and cell migration. There’s also evidence that TNIK interacts with Tau protein, a pathogenic protein that accumulates in the brain of Alzheimer’s patients, which damages neuronal signaling and neuronal repair. 

The TNIK-Aging Association

To understand why TNIK plays a critical role in so many diseases, the researchers point to its association with several major hallmarks of aging – in particular, chronic inflammation, deregulated nutrient sensing, cellular senescence, and altered intercellular communication.

“There is a need for high-quality targeted drugs that may address a very broad spectrum of diseases. And initiatives like the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) provide additional incentives to go after more novel therapeutics working in multiple biological processes that can be tested in and purposed toward a broad range of diseases and have substantial combination potential,” says  Alex Zhavoronkov, PhD, founder and CEO of Insilico Medicine. “There are numerous examples of such therapeutics in history including aspirin and rapamycin that are very inexpensive and the new wave of comparatively safe and commercially-viable drugs targeting GLP-1, a high value therapeutic target discovered almost 40 years ago, where the breadth of therapeutic potential is still being explored. We wanted to find similar-class targets and drugs with broad therapeutic potential by looking at multiple conserved biological processes at the same time and prioritizing the data types that change significantly during aging and are implicated in age-related diseases."

Insilico researchers first identified TNIK as a therapeutic target utilizing a combination of multiple computational target discovery approaches while studying aging and fibrosis. In 2022, the Company published the hallmarks of aging assessment of multiple therapeutic targets ranked by novelty, confidence and druggability, showing that TNIK is implicated in multiple biological processes associated with aging-related diseases. 

“In 2024, we published a very important experimental paper showing several years of preclinical and clinical work on this target. In this latest paper, we are able to draw connections between aging, TNIK, and a number of diseases, including cancer, obesity and Alzheimer’s,” Zhavoronkov says. “This adds to our already extensive understanding of the kinase’s role in fibrosis and opens the possibility for many more treatments focused on this target.” 

Fibrosis, a common aging-related condition, is known to induce cellular senescence, in which cells stop dividing over time. In the case of IPF, an often fatal disease involving progressive scarring of the lungs, TNIK has been identified as a crucial profibrotic and proinflammatory agonist. Insilico’s AI-designed novel inhibitor for IPF, INS018_055, meanwhile, has been shown to dramatically improve pulmonary function in rat and mice models. The drug is now in Phase II clinical trials with patients. As this AI drug progresses, it holds promise not only for IPF patients who have limited treatment options, but also potential in other aging-related disease indications. 

Insilico Medicine is a pioneer in using generative AI for drug discovery and development. The Company first described the concept of using generative AI for the design of novel molecules in a peer-reviewed journal in 2016. Insilico then developed and validated multiple approaches and features for its generative adversarial network (GAN)-based AI platform and integrated those algorithms into the commercially available Pharma.AI platform, which includes generative biology, chemistry, and medicine and has been used to produce a robust pipeline of promising therapeutic assets in multiple disease areas, including fibrosis, cancer, immunology and aging-related disease, a number of which have been licensed. Since 2021, Insilico has nominated 18 preclinical candidates in its comprehensive portfolio of over 30 assets and has advanced seven pipelines to the clinical stage.   

About Insilico Medicine Insilico Medicine, a global clinical-stage biotechnology company powered by generative AI, connects biology, chemistry, and clinical trial analysis using next-generation AI systems. The company has developed AI platforms that utilize deep generative models, reinforcement learning, transformers, and other modern machine learning techniques for novel target discovery and generating novel molecular structures with desired properties. Insilico Medicine is developing breakthrough solutions to discover and develop innovative drugs for cancer, fibrosis, immunity, central nervous system diseases, infectious diseases, autoimmune diseases, and aging-related diseases. www.insilico.com

Trends in Pharmacological Sciences

10.1016/j.tips.2024.04.010

Article Title

TNIK’s emerging role in cancer, metabolism, and age-related diseases

Article Publication Date

21-May-2024

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The Enigmatic Legacy of Pablo Escobar: where is he Now?

This essay is about the lasting impact of Pablo Escobar, the notorious Colombian drug lord. It discusses Escobar’s death in 1993 and his burial in the Montesacro Cemetery, which has become a tourist attraction. The essay explores his complex legacy in Colombia, where he is seen both as a Robin Hood figure and a villain. It highlights his significant influence on global drug policies and the militarized “war on drugs.” Escobar’s life story, mythologized in popular culture, continues to fascinate people worldwide. The essay underscores the widespread human suffering caused by his cartel and the enduring relevance of his actions in today’s society.

How it works

Pablo Escobar, the notorious Colombian narcotrafficker, remains an enigma years posthumously. As the supreme commander of the Medellín Cartel, Escobar’s reach extended well beyond Colombia’s confines, elevating him to an infamous global symbol of criminality and opulence. Despite his demise in 1993, the query “Where is Pablo Escobar?” lingers in multifaceted forms, from his corporeal remnants to his indelible impact on Colombian society and the worldwide drug trade narrative.

Escobar’s existence was terminated on a Medellín rooftop amidst a barrage of gunfire from the Colombian National Police, abetted by the U.

S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). This event precipitated the disintegration of the Medellín Cartel, which had monopolized the cocaine market throughout the 1980s. Posthumously, Escobar was interred in Montesacro Cemetery in Itagüí, a Medellín suburb. His sepulcher has since morphed into a morbid tourist magnet, enticing inquisitive visitors globally. For those inquisitive about the literal “where” of Pablo Escobar, this marks his ultimate abode.

Nonetheless, the quest to comprehend “Where is Pablo Escobar?” transcends his physical locale. Escobar’s legacy is intricately woven into Colombia’s socio-economic tapestry. In Medellín’s barrios, he is recollected with a paradoxical blend of trepidation and reverence. For numerous impoverished residents, Escobar epitomized a Robin Hood archetype, erecting housing projects, football pitches, and educational institutions. His benevolence garnered him allegiance and sanctuary, rendering him a hero to some and a villain to others. This dichotomy epitomizes the intricate social issues that facilitated Escobar’s ascendancy.

Escobar’s influence on global narcotics policy constitutes another enduring facet of his legacy. At its zenith, his empire was purportedly responsible for 80% of the cocaine smuggled into the United States. The ensuing violence and corruption compelled both Colombian and U.S. authorities to intensify their anti-narcotic campaigns. The “war on drugs” epoch, characterized by its militarized strategy, owes part of its origins to the challenges posed by Escobar’s cartel. His methodologies, from smuggling conduits to money laundering maneuvers, have informed contemporary drug traffickers’ operations, perpetuating his spectral presence in the ongoing narcotic combat.

Moreover, Escobar’s chronicle has been mythologized in the cultural zeitgeist, ensuring his perennial presence in the collective memory, not just in Colombia but globally. Through literature, documentaries, and series like “Narcos,” his existence has been dramatized, often blurring the demarcation between reality and fiction. This media portrayal augments the persistent fascination with Escobar, depicting him as an epic figure whose influence surpasses his mortal confines.

In popular culture, Escobar has morphed into an archetype of the criminal genius, an exploration of power and wealth’s corrupting influence. This narrative, while engrossing, frequently overlooks the vast human suffering engendered by his actions. The myriad lives lost, families shattered, and communities decimated by his cartel’s operations starkly remind us of his reign’s true toll.

In summation, the inquiry “Where is Pablo Escobar?” is multifarious, encompassing his corporeal remains, his socio-economic imprint on Colombia, his sway on global drug policy, and his enduring cultural presence. His death may have curtailed his immediate threat, but the reverberations of his deeds persist. Escobar’s saga is a potent reminder of crime’s intricacies and its profound societal repercussions. Understanding his legacy necessitates a comprehensive view beyond the man, recognizing the broader patterns of inequality, corruption, and violence that nourished his empire.

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Ozempic Cuts Risk of Chronic Kidney Disease Complications, Study Finds

A major clinical trial showed such promising results that the drug’s maker halted it early.

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By Dani Blum

Dani Blum has reported on Ozempic and similar drugs since 2022.

Semaglutide, the compound in the blockbuster drugs Ozempic and Wegovy , dramatically reduced the risk of kidney complications, heart issues and death in people with Type 2 diabetes and chronic kidney disease in a major clinical trial, the results of which were published on Friday. The findings could transform how doctors treat some of the sickest patients with chronic kidney disease, which affects more than one in seven adults in the United States but has no cure.

“Those of us who really care about kidney patients spent our whole careers wanting something better,” said Dr. Katherine Tuttle, a professor of medicine at the University of Washington School of Medicine and an author of the study. “And this is as good as it gets.” The research was presented at a European Renal Association meeting in Stockholm on Friday and simultaneously published in The New England Journal of Medicine .

The trial, funded by Ozempic maker Novo Nordisk, was so successful that the company stopped it early . Dr. Martin Holst Lange, Novo Nordisk’s executive vice president of development, said that the company would ask the Food and Drug Administration to update Ozempic’s label to say it can also be used to reduce the progression of chronic kidney disease or complications in people with Type 2 diabetes.

Diabetes is a leading cause of chronic kidney disease, which occurs when the kidneys don’t function as well as they should. In advanced stages, the kidneys are so damaged that they cannot properly filter blood. This can cause fluid and waste to build up in the blood, which can exacerbate high blood pressure and raise the risk of heart disease and stroke, said Dr. Subramaniam Pennathur, the chief of the nephrology division at Michigan Medicine.

The study included 3,533 people with kidney disease and Type 2 diabetes, about half of whom took a weekly injection of semaglutide, and half of whom took a weekly placebo shot.

Researchers followed up with participants after a median period of around three and a half years and found that those who took semaglutide had a 24 percent lower likelihood of having a major kidney disease event, like losing at least half of their kidney function, or needing dialysis or a kidney transplant. There were 331 such events among the semaglutide group, compared with 410 in the placebo group.

People who received semaglutide were much less likely to die from cardiovascular issues, or from any cause at all, and had slower rates of kidney decline.

Kidney damage often occurs gradually, and people typically do not show symptoms until the disease is in advanced stages. Doctors try to slow the decline of kidney function with existing medications and lifestyle modifications, said Dr. Melanie Hoenig, a nephrologist at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center who was not involved with the study. But even with treatment, the disease can progress to the point that patients need dialysis, a treatment that removes waste and excess fluids from the blood, or kidney transplants.

The participants in the study were extremely sick — the severe complications seen in some study participants are more likely to occur in people the later stages of chronic kidney disease, said Dr. George Bakris, a professor of medicine at the University of Chicago Medicine and an author of the study. Most participants in the trial were already taking medication for chronic kidney disease.

For people with advanced kidney disease, in particular, the findings are promising. “We can help people live longer,” said Dr. Vlado Perkovic, a nephrologist and renal researcher at the University of New South Wales, Sydney, and another author of the study.

While the data shows clear benefits, even the researchers studying drugs like Ozempic aren’t sure how, exactly, they help the kidneys. One leading theory is that semaglutide may reduce inflammation, which exacerbates kidney disease.

And the results come with several caveats: Roughly two-thirds of the participants were men and around two-thirds were white — a limitation of the study, the authors noted, because chronic kidney disease disproportionately affects Black and Indigenous patients. The trial participants taking semaglutide were more likely to stop the drug because of gastrointestinal issues, which are common side effects of Ozempic.

Doctors said they wanted to know whether the drug might benefit patients who have kidney disease but not diabetes, and some also had questions about the potential long-term risks of taking semaglutide.

Still, the results are the latest data to show that semaglutide can do more than treat diabetes or drive weight loss. In March, the F.D.A. authorized Wegovy for reducing the risk of cardiovascular issues in some patients. And scientists are examining semaglutide and tirzepatide, the compound in the rival drugs Mounjaro and Zepbound, for a range of other conditions , including sleep apnea and liver disease.

If the F.D.A. approves the new use, it could drive even more demand for Ozempic, which has faced recurrent shortages .

“I think it’s a game changer,” Dr. Hoenig said, “if I can get it for my patients.”

Dani Blum is a health reporter for The Times. More about Dani Blum

A Close Look at Weight-Loss Drugs

Reduced Disease Complications: Semaglutide, the compound in Ozempic and Wegovy, dramatically reduced the risk of kidney complications , heart issues and death in people with Type 2 diabetes and chronic kidney disease in a major clinical trial.

Supplement Stores: GNC and the Vitamin Shoppe are redesigning displays and taking other steps  to appeal to people who are taking or are interested in drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy.

Senate Investigation: A Senate committee is investigating the prices that Novo Nordisk charges  for Ozempic and Wegovy, which are highly effective at treating diabetes and obesity but carry steep price tags.

A Company Remakes Itself: Novo Nordisk’s factories work nonstop turning out Ozempic and Wegovy , but the Danish company has far bigger ambitions.

Transforming a Small Danish Town: In Kalundborg, population under 17,000, Novo Nordisk is making huge investments to increase production  of Ozempic and Wegovy.

Home — Essay Samples — Nursing & Health — Obesity — Obesity in America

Obesity in America

• Categories: Childhood Obesity Obesity

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Words: 704 |

Published: Jan 30, 2024

Words: 704 | Pages: 2 | 4 min read

Table of contents

Introduction, historical context and causes of obesity, health impacts of obesity, economic and social impacts of obesity, government policies and interventions, role of education and media in addressing obesity.

• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2020, June 29). Adult Obesity Facts. https://www.cdc.gov/obesity/data/adult.html
• Alpert, J. (2018, July 18). The Policy and Politics of Obesity Prevention. Health Affairs. https://www.healthaffairs.org/do/10.1377/hblog20180712.613083/full/
• Swinburn, B. A., Sacks, G., Hall, K. D., McPherson, K., Finegood, D. T., Moodie, M. L., & Gortmaker, S. L. (2011). The global obesity pandemic: shaped by global drivers and local environments. The Lancet, 378(9793), 804-814. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(11)60813-1
• Cohen, D. A., & Babey, S. H. (2012). Contextual influences on eating behaviours: heuristic processing and dietary choices. Obesity Reviews, 13(9), 766-779. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-789X.2012.01001.x

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