Epidemiology And Public Health Significance - 2485 Words

Kyle Andrade Dr. Perrino June 23, 2015 The Obesity Epidemic 1. Epidemiology and Public Health Significance Obesity is a significant public health problem that has serious worldwide implications for health and disease. The sheer quantity of obese people in the world and specifically America, is testament to the need for this grave public health concern to be curbed. Obesity is classified as individuals with a body mass index (BMI) of 30.0 and above. Since 1980 worldwide obesity has nearly doubled.7 In 2014, approximately over 600 million adults worldwide were obese.7 Of this number 39% of adults aged 18 years and over were overweight (BMI of 25-29.9) in 2014, and 13% were obese.7 Most of the world s population live in countries where†¦show more content†¦The relationship between obesity and socioeconomic status differs by sex, race and ethnic group. Among women, and specifically non-Hispanic white women, obesity prevalence is inversely proportional to income, while among non-Hispanic black and Mexican-American men obesity prevalence d ecreases as income decreases.9 Although the prevalence of obesity among women with income below 130% of the poverty level is higher than among those with higher incomes, the majority of obese women do not have incomes below 130% of the poverty level.9 Among men and women with a college degree, the prevalence of obesity is less than among those with some college education.9 College educated women are less likely to be obese compared with those with less than a high school diploma.9 Obesity is also associated with increased risk for numerous chronic diseases, including diabetes, and heart disease. Obesity is also linked to several digestive diseases.5 Due to the increased risk of death and the increased risk of costly chronic diseases associated with obesity, the