Facts on Obese People in America

Obesity is an important issue in American health care. Many people are at risk of dying of obesity-related causes, yet prevention is possible.

Significance

BBC.com statistics show that the United States of America has the fifth highest rate of obesity in the world; 32.2 percent of the country is classified as obese.

Geography

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention states that, in 2008, six American states (Alabama, Mississippi, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee and West Virginia) had a rate of obesity equal to or greater than 30 percent. Only Colorado had an obesity rate lower than 20 percent.

Effects

The World Health Organization warns that obesity increases the risk of diseases such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and some cancers.
A study by the Journal of the American Medical Association published in 2005 estimated that obesity kills 112,000 Americans per year.

Theories/Speculation

Whilst obesity is a global problem, it is, as the BBC statistics show, particularly prevalent in America. Time magazine speculates that environmental factors contribute to the problem: Technology, in the form of cars and electronics, has reduced the need for everyday physical activity; and food in America is abundant, mass produced and cheap.

Financial Costs

The effect of obesity on America's health-care system was highlighted in a 2009 study conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The study showed that in 2006, obese people spent $1,429 more for medical care than people of normal weight and that the cost of obesity in America was $147 billion per year. This is double the $74 billion cost of 1998, signaling that the problem is increasing.

References

• World Health Organization
• Centers of Disease Control and Prevention
• BBC