Obesity is a progressive disease characterized as a weight file (BMI), a proportion of stature to weight, 30 kg/m or more. The condition is associated with more than 30 diseases common in adults, such as coronary illness, type 2 diabetes, hypertension, stroke, rest apnea, and osteoarthritis. The incidence of obesity has doubled in the United States since 1960, with one-third of the adult population currently obese or overweight.
Background of the epidemic
Recent statistics from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than 39 % of the United States adult population is obese, and 32 % is overweight. As a growing epidemic, obesity is common to old peoples age 65 years and above. Approximately 39 % of U.S. adults aged 65 and above are obese, the most elevated frequency the country has ever recorded ( Sbraccia et al., 2016) .
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Causes for Obesity
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, obesity is associated with lifestyle and environmental and genetic factors. The balance between calorie intake and the amount of energy used by the body determines a person's weight and, ultimately, the chances of becoming obese. Obesity occurs when a person consumes more calories than the amount the body requires ( Sbraccia et al., 2016) . The excess calories or energy are stored in the body as fat. The following are the leading causes of obesity:
Physical inactivity: People who do not engage in physical activities burn fewer calories than active people, hence developing obesity. Overeating is another cause of obesity. It leads to weight gain, especially for those who consume high-fat content foods. Genetics is also considered one of the leading causes of obesity. A person who is obese is likely to develop obesity.
Economic Effects of Obesity
The National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) showed that obesity treatment has a significant impact on the United States economy. Brunette (2017) reveals that the clinical costs of treating obesity in the U.S. are approximated to $147 billion. The rising cases of obesity in the United States and other parts of the world increase adversely affect the economic status of many countries. NHANES notes that between 2001 and 2005, the costs of treating obesity and related illness rose by 29%. ( Milano et al., 2020). Obesity costs the global economy about $2 trillion yearly, equivalents to 2.8% of the worldwide GDP. Obese people spend approximately 42% on medication higher than people with average body weight.
Diagnosis and Treatment of Obesity
The diagnosis process of obesity involves a physical examination of a person and recommending a series of tests. Taking health history is one of the methods used by a doctor to diagnose obese patients. The process involves weight history, such as the rate of weight gain or loss and a person's physical activities.
Calculating BMI is another method that is used to diagnose. Doctors usually check the body mass index (BMI) to know if a person is obese. A BMI of 30 and above is considered obesity. A high BMI increases the health risk of being obese ( Wolfenden et al., 2019) .
The first step in treating obesity involves a modest weight loss of about 5% to 10 % of an obese person. A weight loss program is a common way of treating obesity since it improves a person's health condition. Changing eating habits and diet is another way of treating obesity ( Wolfenden et al., 2019) . Doctors always recommend that obese people should take foods with low calories to reduce fat content in their bodies. The treatment method for obesity depends on the severity and the overall health condition of a person.
Reference
Milano, W., De Biasio, V., Di Munzio, W., Foggia, G., & Capasso, A. (2020). Obesity: The New Global Epidemic Pharmacological Treatment, Opportunities, and Limits for Personalized Therapy. Endocrine, Metabolic & Immune Disorders-Drug Targets (Formerly Current Drug Targets-Immune, Endocrine & Metabolic Disorders) , 20 (8), 1232-1243.
Sbraccia, P., Nisoli, E., & Vettor, R. (2016). Clinical management of overweight and obesity. Springer. https://www. sprin ger. com/gp/book/97833 , 19245 , 300.
Wolfenden, L., Ezzati, M., Larijani, B., & Dietz, W. (2019). The challenge for global health systems in preventing and managing obesity. Obesity Reviews , 20 , 185-193.
