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Obesity is defined as an excess proportion of total body fat. A person is considered obese when his or her weight is 20 percent or more above normal weight, which for most people is about an additional 30 pounds.[1] People who are between 50 and 100 percent (or more than 100 pounds) above their normal weight are considered morbidly obese.[2] Obesity has many causes and outcomes, both personal and societal, but from a food justice perspective, the most important consideration is the causal relationship between obesity and socioeconomic factors, especially a lack of access to healthy foods.
U.S. Obesity Statistics
The overall U.S. obesity rate has steadily increased since 1980, more than doubling over the last three decades. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than two-thirds of adults over 20 years of age (more than 72 million people) are either overweight or obese.[3] In addition, about one-fifth of all children are overweight or obese.[4] The problem has become so endemic that more people in the U.S. are now obese than are overweight (34 percent compared to 32.7 percent).[5]
Obesity is now the second most common cause of preventable death (after smoking), [6] and many experts consider it the most serious public health threat of the 21st century [7] However, while obesity is a society-wide problem, it is more common in communities that lack access to healthy food options. These food deserts are located in urban, suburban and rural environments, but are most prevalent and problematic among communities of color and low-income populations. For instance, more than 68 percent of African-Americans and 63 percent of Latinos are obese or overweight, compared to about 60 percent of the white population.[8] The country's highest obesity rates are found in poor rural areas (such as parts of the Southeast U.S., Appalachia, and certain Native American communities in the Western U.S. and Northern Plains).[9] Similarly, in Manhattan, New York, there are three times as many obese adults living in Spanish Harlem than in the mostly white and affluent Upper East Side.[10]
Causes of Obesity
Obesity is caused by eating more calories than the body uses.[11] High-fat foods [12] and sugary soft drinks [13] are major drivers of obesity, especially in places where people purchase more fast food and processed food from corner convenience and liquor stores because there are few or no supermarkets or other stores with healthier options nearby. The 2010 dietary guidelines issued by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Department of Health and Human Services recommend that U.S. consumers eat less salt, sugar and saturated fats, and instead eat more fruits, vegetables and whole grains. [14] However, the U.S. government financially subsidizes the corn industry (corn is used widely as farmed animal feed) with millions of taxpayer dollars every year, so high-fructose corn syrup is an ingredient in many more foods than it otherwise would be. [15] If the government subsidized healthy foods like fresh fruits and vegetables more heavily, the food supply would provide more nutrition per calorie than it now does.
High-fat diets contain excessive amounts of calories, but are often lacking in the essential vitamins, minerals and other nutrients necessary for good health and weight maintenance. Many who cannot afford healthier foods (which are generally more expensive than fast and processed foods) therefore struggle with “food insecurity” issues. They lack either the money for a good diet or access to healthier foods like fresh produce and whole grains. Food insecurity has risen with the downturn in the U.S. economy, hovering between about 18 and 19.5 percent nationwide from 2008 to 2009.[16]
Sedentary lifestyles (defined by a lack of physical activity) also contribute greatly to obesity.[17] Yet poor people often have less Time to exercise than wealthier individuals because many must work longer hours and even second or third jobs just to make ends meet, so they are more likely to eat cheap meals out rather than cook at home.[18] Economically-disadvantaged areas also tend to have fewer recreation areas such as parks where people can exercise, [19] and many do not even have sidewalks.[20]
Psychological factors also influence eating habits and obesity. For instance, overweight and obese people often face social stigma, which can cause depression and low self-esteem, and this cycle feeds on itself when people overeat as an emotional coping mechanism. About one-third of those who seek treatment for obesity have reported chronically struggling with binge eating episodes during which they feel unable to stop themselves from consuming large amounts of food.[21]
Health Impacts of Obesity
Obesity is linked to many of the most debilitating medical disorders, including cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, various types of cancer, arthritis, glaucoma, and reproductive complications in women. Seriously obese individuals are more likely to die prematurely than those who maintain a normal weight, and morbid obesity shortens people's lives by three to twelve years.[22]
Childhood obesity also poses an especially serious long-term health problem because kids who are overweight or obese are more likely to remain overweight or obese as adults.[23] For example, about half of teen girls and a third of adolescent boys who are obese become morbidly obese by their early thirties, and adolescents who struggle with weight issues have a 70 percent chance of being overweight or obese in adulthood.[24] Researchers assert that children who grow up to be obese adults may live two to five years less than their parents.[25]
Childhood obesity rates have basically tripled since 1980, with the greatest increases seen among minority youth. Nearly 35 percent of African-American and 38 percent of Mexican-American children are now overweight or obese (compared with about 30 percent of white children) [26] Obesity targets children by income as well as race: the obesity rate of kids between 10 and 17 years old living below the poverty line is more than double that of children in the same age range from wealthier families.[27] The problem is exacerbated in school cafeterias, which often serve lots of dairy as well as deep-fried “meat.” Unfortunately, very few fruits and vegetables are served and the fruit that is served may be coated with syrup. According to the Office of Minority Health, black and Latino students are about three times as likely as whites to participate in the National School Lunch Program (which provides students from low-income families with reduced-cost or free meals at school) because of their socioeconomic status.[28]
Economic Impacts of Obesity
Obesity has economic impacts on both the personal and societal levels. Studies show that women who are overweight or obese earn lower salaries compared to females of average weight, and the medical costs for an obese person are considerably higher per year than non-overweight individuals ($4,879 more per annum for an obese woman and $2,646 more for an obese man).[29] Nationally, obesity accounts for nearly 17 percent of the total medical costs in the U.S.–around $168 billion a year, [30] which is more than five times the amount of a decade ago.[31]
If U.S. citizens’ weight continues to grow at its current rate, obesity will cost about $344 billion in medical-related expenses by 2018, consuming more than one-fifth of the country's overall health care expenses.[32]
Food for Thought
There are plenty of guides out there to help people lose weight, and of course recommending one that is vegan and includes fresh organic produce and plenty of exercise would be our choice. The Food Empowerment Project's goal is not to tell people how to lose weight, however, and what we want to do is inform everyone that there is not only one cause of obesity. Unfortunately there tends to be a stigma attached to people who are overweight, and we know it is important to understand that there are issues, such as limited access to healthy foods, that can contribute to an unhealthy lifestyle.
References:
[1] Hellmich, Nanci. “Rising obesity will cost U.S. health care $344 billion a year.”
USA TODAY. November 17, 2009. http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/weightloss/2009-11-17-future-obesity-costs_N.htm (4/04/11)
[2] “Obesity.” PubMed Health. 2010. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0004552/ (4/04/11)
[3] Ogden, Cynthia L., Carroll, Margaret D., et al. "Obesity Among Adults in the United States." Centers for Disease Control, Division of Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys. 2007. www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/databriefs/db01.pdf (4/04/11)
[4] "Childhood Obesity." Centers For Disease Control and Prevention. 2008.
http://www.cdc.gov/healthyyouth/obesity/ (4/04/11)
[5] Elsworth, Catherine. “More Americans are now obese than merely overweight.” Telegraph UK. January 13, 2009. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news../overweight.html (4/04/11)
[6] “Obesity Second Leading Cause of Preventable U.S. Deaths, CDC Study Finds.” California Health Online. March 10, 2004. http://www.californiahealthline.org/articles/.../1IaM90XtF (4/04/11)
[7] Hellmich, Nanci. “Panel: Obesity is century's greatest public health threat.” USA TODAY. June 15, 2010.
http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/weightloss/2010-06-15-dietaryguidelines16_ST_N.htm (4/04/11)
[8] "United States: Overweight and Obesity Rates for Adults by Race/Ethnicity, 2009."
statehealthfacts.org. http://www.statehealthfacts.org/profileind.jsp?rgn=1&cat=2&ind=91 (3/05/11)
[9] “U.S. Obesity Trends.” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 2011. http://www.cdc.gov/obesity/data/trends.html (3/05/11)
[10] Walsh, Bryan. “It's Not Just Genetics.” Time. June 12, 2008. http://www.Time.com/Time/magazine/article/0,9171,1813984,00.html (3/05/11)
[11] “Obesity.” WebMD. http://www.webmd.com/diet/guide/what-is-obesity (4/04/11)
[12] “Study reinforces link between obesity, high-fat meals and heart disease.” February 17, 2011. http://www.physorg.com/news/2011-02-link-obesity-high-fat-meals-heart.html (4/04/11)
[13] “Study Links Soft Drinks With Obesity.” ConsumerAffairs.com. August 9, 2006. http://www.consumeraffairs.com/news04/2006/08/obesity_soft_drinks.html (4/04/11)
[14] Snowden, Rebecca V. “New Dietary Guidelines Focus on Balance, Better Food Choices.” American Cancer Society. January 31, 2011. http://www.cancer.org/Cancer/news/News/new-dietary-guidelinesfocus-on-balance-better-food-choices (4/04/11)
[15] Pollan, Michael. "Weed It and Reap." The New York Times. November 4, 2007. http://www.nytimes.com/2007/11/04/opinion/04pollan.html (4/04/11)
[16] Dolnick, Sam. “The Obesity-Hunger Paradox.” The New York Times. March 12, 2010. http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/14/nyregion/14hunger.html?hp (4/04/11)
[17] Jebb, Susan A. and Moore, Melanie S. “Contribution of a sedentary lifestyle and inactivity to the etiology of overweight and obesity: current evidence and research issues.” Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise. November 1999, Volume 31, Issue 11. p S534. http://journals.lww.com/acsm-msse/Abstract/1999/11001/Contribution_of_a_sedentary_lifestyle_and.8.aspx (4/04/11)
[18] Dolnick, Sam. “The Obesity-Hunger Paradox.” The New York Times. March 12, 2010. http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/14/nyregion/14hunger.html?hp (4/04/11)
[19] Moore, Latetia V., Diez Roux, Ana V., et al. "Availability of Recreational Resources in Minority and Low Socioeconomic Status Areas." American Journal of Preventive Medicine. January 2008, Volume 34, Issue 1, Pages 16-22. http://www.ajpm-online.net/article/S0749-3797%2807%2900615-0/abstract (4/04/11)
[20] Szabo, Liz. “Chronic illnesses lead to a childhood of limitations.” USA TODA. April 2011. http://yourlife.usatoday.com/health/healthcare/prevention/story/2011/04/Chronic-illnesses-lead-to-a-childhood-of-limitations/46051100/1?csp=usat.me (4/14/11)
[21] “Obesity.” WebMD. http://www.webmd.com/diet/guide/what-is-obesity (4/04/11)
[22] Hellmich, Nanci. “Extreme obesity can shorten people's lives by 12 years.” USA TODA. August 25, 2009. http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/weightloss/2009-08-25-obesity-lifespan_N.htm (4/04/11)
[23] “Overweight and Obesity: Health Consequences.” Office of the Surgeon General. January 11, 2007. http://www.surgeongeneral.gov/topics/obesity/calltoaction/fact_consequences.htm (4/04/11)
[24] Hellmich, Nanci. “Parents must be role models to fight child obesity.” USA TODA. November 9, 2010.
http://www.usatoday.com/yourlife/fitness/2010-11-09-parents-child-obesity_N.htm?csp=usat.me (4/04/11)
[25] Hellmich, Nanci. “Premature death is more likely in obese children.” USA TODA. February 11, 2010.
http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/weightloss/2010-02-11-obesekidsdieearlier11_ST_N.htm (4/04/11)
[26] “Childhood Obesity.” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 2008. http://www.cdc.gov/healthyyouth/obesity/ (3/05/11)
[27] Walsh, Bryan. “It's Not Just Genetics.” Time. June 12, 2008. http://www.Time.com/Time/magazine/article/0,9171,1813984,00.html (3/05/11)
[28] "Minority Health and School Food: What’s the Link?" The Office of Minority Health. 2011. http://www.minorityhealth.hhs.gov/templates/content.aspx?ID=8683 (4/11/11)
[29] “Obesity's yearly costs: $4,879 for a woman, $2,646 for a man.” USA TODA. September 21, 2009.
http://www.usatoday.com/yourlife/fitness/2010-09-21-obesity-costs_N.htm?csp=usat.me (4/04/11)
[30] “Obesity costs U.S. $168 billion, study finds.” USA TODA. October 18, 2010.
http://www.usatoday.com/yourlife/fitness/2010-10-18-obesity-costs_N.htm?csp=usat.me (4/04/11)
[31] Hellmich, Nanci. “Extreme obesity can shorten people's lives by 12 years.” USA TODA. August 25, 2009. http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/weightloss/2009-08-25-obesity-lifespan_N.htm (4/04/11)
[32] Hellmich, Nanci. “Rising obesity will cost U.S. health care $344 billion a year.” USA TODA. November 17, 2009. http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/weightloss/2009-11-17-future-obesity-costs_N.htm (4/04/11)
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