Good research paper on epidemiology of obesity

Introduction and operational definition

Obesity occurs as one of the primary factors that have generated contentious debates across various settings all over the globe. This can be accredited to the fact that there has been a sudden increase in the incidence and prevalence of this condition. In fact, obesity has evolved into a condition worth being termed as a pandemic condition. While much has been hypothesized regarding obesity, it is of the essence to note that it meanly refers to a lifestyle condition that manifest in cases whereby an individual has accumulated significantly higher amount of body fat to an extend that such fat jeopardizes his or her health (Carolynn, 2006). The main anthropometric indices used to assess whether someone has obesity is the weight for height score, which is often referred to as Body Mass Index. As such, a person with a weight for height ratio of more than 30 kilograms per metres squared is obese.

Incidence of obesity

As previously mentioned herein, obesity has evolved into a global pandemic. While little has research has been done to determine the incidences of obesity in the United States, there are certain researches that have utilized a wider array of epidemiological research designs in determining the same. According to a research done by Ogden et al., 2012 on the incidences of obesity in the United States, close to 4% of the total population have obesity. On a similar note, the same research found that those with extreme obesity were close to 7%. Speaking of extreme obesity, this refers to cases where an individual has a significantly higher Body Mass Index of more than 40 kilograms per height in metres squared.
An analysis of these incidences shows that there is the need to implement effective policy issues that would offer a viable platform that will enhance a reduction on cases of obesity. In addition, the statistics on the incidences of obesity call for the availability of adequate strategies that would compact the constantly rising incidences of obesity. In a nutshell, there is the need for more research aimed at providing the requisite policy guidelines that would help combat the rising incidences of obesity. It is also essential to note that the statics on the incidences of obesity and extreme obesity found that there are certain discrepancies regarding the distribution of obesity within the populations (Ashleigh et al., 2013). As such, there were notable variation in the distribution of obesity whereby young adults, the elderly and women exhibited higher incidences of obesity. This shows that public health interventions aimed at combating obesity should target these subgroups.

Prevalence of obesity

Incidence differs from the prevalence because incidence measures the new cases of a disease whereas prevalence measures both new and old cases of a disease. Due to the health risks posed by obesity, there is the need to track its prevalence in order to ascertain the population sat risk of certain conditions whose predisposing factor is obesity. According to a survey carried out by the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey in the year 2009-2010, the prevalence of obesity was 35. 7% amongst adults in the United States. On another note, the same survey found that the prevalence of obesity in children stood at 16. 9%. The same survey noted that there were certain differences in the prevalence of obesity amongst boys and girls. Notably, 18. 6% of the boy were obese, whereas 15. 0% of the girls were obese. An interpretation of these statistics shows that 78 million adults and 12. 5 million children in the United States are obese.
Further interpretation of the results on the prevalence of obesity shows that the number of obese adult women and adult men in the United States are 41 million and 37 million respectively. With regards to children, 7 million boys and 5 million girls are obese. This data gives a true picture of the prevalence of obesity amongst adults and children. Compared to previous data on the prevalence of obesity, the current data shows that the prevalence of obesity has increased in an alarming rate. In fact, the prevalence rates of obesity have doubled. This is perhaps the primary reason as to why part of the objectives of Healthy People 2010 is to reduce rates of obesity amongst adults (Ashleigh et al., 2013).

Interesting facts regarding the epidemiology of obesity

One of the interesting facts regarding the scope of obesity is the persistent increases in the prevalence of obesity on developing countries. This is controversial based on the fact that an increase in obesity cases in developing countries, characterized by food insecurity is an unexpected occurrence. Nevertheless, this can be explained by the fact that the gap between the poor and the rich in developing countries has increased. Therefore, most of the obesity cases are notable amongst the rich who live sedentary lifestyles, which predispose them to obesity. Another interesting fact regarding obesity is the fact that non-Hispanic blacks often exhibit high rates if obesity (Carolynn, 2006). This shows the notable discrepancy in the realm of obesity, which call for more research aimed at ascertaining the reasons precipitating such discrepancies.
Conclusion

References

Ashleigh L., Pan L., Bettylou S., Heidi M., Deborah G., Karen, D., Barbara, P., Laura, K., Laurence, G. (2013). Vital Signs: Obesity among Low-Income, Preschool-Aged Children- United States, 2008-2011. Morbidity & Mortality Weekly Report, 62(31), 629-634.
Carolynn, C. (2006). Alarming Trends in Our Nation’s Health. American Fitness, 24(6), 58-62.
Ogden, C., Carroll, M., Kit, B., & Flegal, K. (2012). Prevalence of Obesity in the United States, 2009-2010. NCHS Data Brief, 82, 1-7.