In ancient times, being obese was a sign of health, wealth, and high social status. Being hefty meant that particular person had enough money to buy food, and they were better off than the peasants of a lower class. However, today being obese can be embarrassing and potentially life threatening. Obesity is a condition that affects many people, and it is a major health concern throughout the country. The statistics of obesity cases are startling. Also, obesity is a condition that affects children and can cause many health and financial problems for adults. Combatting the issue is a difficult task, but many ideas have been proposed to help fight against obesity. In June of 2013, obesity was officially declared a disease by the American
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However, men need to be particularly concerned about an increasing waistline because of the harmful effects obesity can have on male hormones and prostate health ("Obesity: Unhealthy And Unmanly"). A study 2007 showed that an increase of one point on the BMI scale led to a two percent drop in testosterone levels in men 40 years of age and older ("Obesity: Unhealthy And Unmanly"). Ten years of aging increases the odds of a man to have low testosterone levels by 36 percent ("Obesity: Unhealthy And Unmanly"), but an additional four inches around the waist increased the odds by 75 percent ("Obesity: Unhealthy And Unmanly"). A man’s risk of developing erectile dysfunction (ED) increases by over 90 percent if that man has a BMI of 28 ("Obesity: Unhealthy And Unmanly"). However, an Italian study has shown that ED is reversible for obese men if they exercise, eat properly, and lose the weight ("Obesity: Unhealthy And …show more content…
The 2010 report of the White House Task Force on Childhood Obesity made it clear that in order to combat the issue of obesity, the country needs to focus on all of the aspects of the extremely complex situation ("Vital Signs"). Such aspects include the needs to focus on both nutrition and physical activity ("Vital Signs"), to work together with medical sites, worksites, communities, industries, and government ("Vital Signs"), and to address individuals and their surroundings and how they interact ("Vital Signs"). Some resources individuals can use to get their weight back on track are the 2005 Dietary Guidelines for Americans and the 2008 Physical Activities Guidelines for Americans ("Vital Signs”). Often times, however, it is much easier to curb the problem before it even begins. Breastfeeding is known to have significant health benefits for newborns (Bell et al.), and children who are breastfed may also be at a reduced risk for obesity (Bell et al.). Additionally, children need to have a reduced energy intake. Some easy ways to do this is for the child to eat fewer energy dense foods and more fruits and vegetables, lessen the consumption of sugary drinks such as soda and sugar-sweetened juices, and decrease time spent in front of a television screen (Bell et al.). A group in Maine called the Maine Youth Overweight
However, men need to be particularly concerned about an increasing waistline because of the harmful effects obesity can have on male hormones and prostate health ("Obesity: Unhealthy And Unmanly"). A study 2007 showed that an increase of one point on the BMI scale led to a two percent drop in testosterone levels in men 40 years of age and older ("Obesity: Unhealthy And Unmanly"). Ten years of aging increases the odds of a man to have low testosterone levels by 36 percent ("Obesity: Unhealthy And Unmanly"), but an additional four inches around the waist increased the odds by 75 percent ("Obesity: Unhealthy And Unmanly"). A man’s risk of developing erectile dysfunction (ED) increases by over 90 percent if that man has a BMI of 28 ("Obesity: Unhealthy And Unmanly"). However, an Italian study has shown that ED is reversible for obese men if they exercise, eat properly, and lose the weight ("Obesity: Unhealthy And …show more content…
The 2010 report of the White House Task Force on Childhood Obesity made it clear that in order to combat the issue of obesity, the country needs to focus on all of the aspects of the extremely complex situation ("Vital Signs"). Such aspects include the needs to focus on both nutrition and physical activity ("Vital Signs"), to work together with medical sites, worksites, communities, industries, and government ("Vital Signs"), and to address individuals and their surroundings and how they interact ("Vital Signs"). Some resources individuals can use to get their weight back on track are the 2005 Dietary Guidelines for Americans and the 2008 Physical Activities Guidelines for Americans ("Vital Signs”). Often times, however, it is much easier to curb the problem before it even begins. Breastfeeding is known to have significant health benefits for newborns (Bell et al.), and children who are breastfed may also be at a reduced risk for obesity (Bell et al.). Additionally, children need to have a reduced energy intake. Some easy ways to do this is for the child to eat fewer energy dense foods and more fruits and vegetables, lessen the consumption of sugary drinks such as soda and sugar-sweetened juices, and decrease time spent in front of a television screen (Bell et al.). A group in Maine called the Maine Youth Overweight