Is Obesity A Disease?

Definition of Obesity

Is Obesity a disease?

Anwar Mostafawy

Elizabeth Smith

English 101

30, March, 2015

 “The United States is the second most obese industrialized country in the world” (ProCon). Obesity is common nowadays for children and young people all around the world. I would like to talk more about it. My target audience in this paper is the children and their parents. I would like to focus on the obesity of children. My thesis are definition of obesity, facts about obesity, Pro is obesity a disease, Con of obesity is a disease, Childhood obesity, and personal experience.

Many people are affected by obesity and not aware of it (OAC). Obesity is a condition that is associated with having an excess of body fat, defined by genetic environmental factors that are difficult to control when dieting (OAC). Obesity is having body mass index (BMI) of 30 or greater (OAC). BMI is a tool used to measure obesity (OAC). Obesity increases the risk of having disease such as diabetes, insomnia, and hypertension (OAC). There are two ways to measure the obesity, which is the BMI, and waist circumference. BMI is measured by dividing person’s weight in kilogram by the height in meter squared (OAC). Waist circumference is less common method used for calculation (OAC). To find the waist circumference, one must wrap a tape measure around the area above the hip bone and below the rib cage (OAC).

There are many causes of obesity such as behaviour, environment, and genetics (OAC). Behaviour is habit related to choose food and be unhealthy (OAC). Environment can impact the lifestyle and health decision (OAC). People now focus on taking more care rather than walking (OAC). Genetics can cause certain disorders which result in obesity (OAC).

I’m agreeing with this issue that obesity is a disease, and there are many reasons. First, Obesity meets with definition of diseases which was laid in 2013 by the American Medical Association. It identified three criteria to define disease: firstly, “an impairment of the normal functioning of some aspect of the body;” second “characteristic signs and symptoms;” and third “harm or morbidity” (ProCo). The obesity causes impairment and increases the harm, so it matches the definition of American Medical Associative. Scott Kahan, MD, MPH, Director of the National Centre for Weight and Wellness and Preventative Medicine Physician at Johns Hopkins University, stated “obesity satisfies all the definitions and criteria of what a disease and medical condition is… The one difference is that people who have obesity have to wear their disease on the outside” (ProCon). On June 18, 2013, the American Medical Association recognized obesity as “a disease requiring a range of medical interventions to advance obesity treatment and prevention” (ProCon).

Facts about Obesity

The second reason is obesity is like other disease since it impairs the normal functioning of the body. For example people who are obese, have fat that causes the overproduction of leptin (ProCon). Obesity can impair normal mobility and range of motion in knees and hips, and obese patients make up 33% of all joint replacement operations (ProCon). Obesity is also linked to reproductive impairment, contributing to sexual dysfunction in sexes, infertility and risk of miscarriage in women, and lower sperm counts in men (ProCon).

The third reason is that the obesity decreases a person’s life expectancy and can cause death, like other diseases (ProCon). It can decrease 3 years from adult life, and 10 years for others (ProCon). There are 300,000 deaths per year from obesity (ProCon). People who are obese have a 50-100% increased risk of death from all causes (ProCon).

There are many people will not agree me, because they think the disease is a preventable risk factor for other diseases and conditions, and is not a disease itself (ProCon). Also, The Obesity is a side effect not disease (ProCon). The obesity is result of eating too much (ProCon). Obese people live long and Obesity is the result of sedentary lifestyles (ProCon).

The Children are the most important part to talk about. They are getting a lot of overweight from fast food or from their parent’s habits. The parents now don’t seek to have healthy food in their house because of different reasons such as the time or maybe healthy food is expensive to be bought. So the children have also changed their food habits. They buy fast food rather than waiting for her/ his mother to cook for them after she finishes her job. Fast food has made the children change their habit of eating. They like fast food more than vegetables or fruits. The second reason of having obese children is the TV and social media, and Screen time. It is a major factor contributing to childhood obesity (Children, Adolescents, Obesity, and the Media). It makes them sit in front of the screen, rather than having physical activities (Children, Adolescents, Obesity, and the Media). From the TV they can see the advertising of unhealthy food and it impacts the children’s ability to make healthy food choices. Also, it increases snacking behaviour while watching TV (Children, Adolescents, Obesity, and the Media).

There are myths and truths about weight problem and obesity in children (Weight Problems and Obesity in Children). First Myth is the Childhood obesity is genetic, so there’s nothing you can do about it, but the truth is that -while a person’s genes do influence weight, they are only one small part of the equation. Although some children are more prone to gaining weight than others, that doesn’t mean they’re destined for weight problems. Most kids can maintain a healthy weight if they eat right and exercise (Weight Problems and Obesity in Children). The second myth is Children who are obese or overweight should be put on a diet, but the truth is – Unless directed by your child’s doctor otherwise, the treatment for childhood obesity is not weight loss. The goal should be to slow or stop weight gain, allowing your child to grow into his or her ideal weight (Weight Problems and Obesity in Children). The third myth is its just baby fat. Children will outgrow the weight, but the truth is Childhood obesity doesn’t always lead to obesity in adulthood, but it does raise the risks dramatically. The majority of children who are overweight at any time during the preschool or elementary school are still overweight as they enter their teens. Most kids do not outgrow the problem (Weight Problems and Obesity in Children).

Pros of Obesity Being a Disease

The best solution is to educate the children about their health and teaching them what to eat, like telling them the names of vegetables or fruits and to know the value of eating them (Weight Problems and Obesity in Children). Also, The parents should cook healthy food in front of them and tell them why it’s good for them (Weight Problems and Obesity in Children). Involvement in sports that they love as a daily exercise can also help them fight obesity (Weight Problems and Obesity in Children). Kids must avoid the TV and computers in their free time and should be encouraged to make better things rather than sitting in front of screens (Weight Problems and Obesity in Children).

From my experience of my sister, who is 21 years old, I have learnt so many things. She has been overweight from a long time. Due to her obese body she had a lot of health problems in her life. She had problems while breathing when she slept and it had been dangerous for her. Also, when she got married she got too late to carry baby because she had problems with her overweight. All the doctors told her that if she loses her weight she would be able to conceive faster. So from the obesity she couldn’t have a child like any women has normal weight. All her health problem is from her overweight, and the solution is to lose weight, so that’s why I believe the obesity is a disease, because a lot of obese people have health problem from their heavy weight such as hard to move, heart problem, blood pressure, and other problem that they face from their overweight. Even if other people have healthy body and they have disease they have other reason from their disease. 

Eating snacks and lunches in the school atmosphere is an extensive concern in creating improved dietary patterns for children and lessening the rate of youth obesity. A few of my own answers and concerns comprise:

* Having solid nibble rules of what not to carry to class (no pop, flakes and confectionaries).

* Provision of a microwave in the breakout area to empower more mixed bag alongside more generous hot snacks.

* kids who consume excessively little for the duration of the daytime frequently snack unreasonably subsequent to school. This prompts eating a smaller amount or being a critical having at supper. Additional eating later on at night is inexorable. This adds firmly to the expanded level of obesity in youngsters

Cons of Obesity Being a Disease

* Making post-school snacks lighter, for example, soups, vegetable plate and plunges, leafy foods, to fight off appetite until supper is perfect.

* Planning games and exercises more or less near the dinner time, for the majority of families, is hard to dodge and will trade off having supper as a family. Being imaginative in planning suppers ahead of time and attempting to eat prior might be a choice.

In case the family has the capacity to organize having supper collectively as a family, then one can deal with the post-school nibble decisions and support play or outside exercises, the rate of youth obesity would altogether drop (nhs.uk). It begins in our houses, followed by the general stores, followed by the eateries, and into the schools. We should provide our children an awesome begins and as father & mother, attempt to start with the rules you think will give a sound and healthy environment in house (nhs.uk).

Children like chocolate and other sweet food, we don’t have to stop them from eating those, but we need to have weekly limit of eating these (Weight Problems and Obesity in Children). The parents should keep snacks small, and limit the juice and soda (Weight Problems and Obesity in Children). They can put a bowl of fruits as a snack, and have different types of healthy stuff such as having frozen fruits, smoothies, and mix it with yogurt (Weight Problems and Obesity in Children). That is the best way to love healthy food and to help kids change their food habits.

Conclusively, I believe that any of the diseases is not a choice for us, but the obesity is our choice. We should think about our healthy body, and have good food habits for us. I hope the parent’s be more aware and having the control about their children’s food and try as much as they can to have healthy body and food. There are a lot of healthy restaurants they can pick for their children rather than fast food. Because of the time the parent’s don’t have time to cook at home, so they have good and bad choices outside. Ultimately, this is their choice what to eat. I hope to see decrease in number of obese people in next few years, and We should educate the parents who have bad food habits with their children if we encounter them. We need to change children food habits to have a better and healthier nation.

1-“Obesity ProCon.org.” ProCon org Headlines. N.p., n.d. Web. 01 Mar. 2015.

2-“Obesity Action Coalition » What Is Obesity?” Obesity Action Coalition What Is Obesity Comments. N.p., n.d. Web. 12 Mar. 2015.

3-“Weight Problems and Obesity in Children.” Weight Problems & Obesity in Children: Helping Your Child Reach and Maintain a Healthy Weight. N.p., n.d. Web. 26 Mar. 2015.

4-“Children, Adolescents, Obesity, and the Media.” Children, Adolescents, Obesity, and the Media. N.p., n.d. Web. 26 M

5- Obesity, 2015 extracted from www.nhs.uk/conditions/Obesity/Pages/Introduction.aspx assessed on 30th April 2015.