Obesity makes headlines in America, as reports continue to emerge on the epidemic of overweight adults and children. First Lady Michelle Obama has declared war on childhood obesity, and a host of books rail against the problem. A number of public and private initiatives seek to combat this growing epidemic.
History
In 1960, approximately 13 percent of U.S. adults were considered obese, according to the Weight Control Information Network. Some people point to the prevalence of cigarette smoking in those days. Cigarettes act as an appetite suppressant and boost metabolism, so that adults who smoke generally weigh less than non-smokers. Others note that in 1960, no one had computers in their homes, or cable television. Texas A&M University notes that portion sizes of everything from snack foods to soft drinks to restaurant meals have grown in the past two decades.
Statistics
The Weight Control Information Network reports that as of 2008, approximately 2/3 of adults in the United States were overweight. One-third of those were obese. In his 2004 testimony to Congress, acting Commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration, Dr. Lester M. Crawford, noted that 15.3 percent of children ages 6 to 11 years old were overweight, while 15.5 percent of 12- to 19-year-olds were overweight. He estimated that health care costs associated with obesity and overweight accounted for $117 billion a year, or more than 5 percent of total annual healthcare expenditures in the U.S.
Causes
Everyone from politicians to pediatricians has theorized about the reasons behind the obesity epidemic in the U.S. Alabama Cooperative Extension nutritionist Dr. Bob Keith points to a diet full of salt, sugar and fat, and a sedentary lifestyle. But the answer may lie ever farther afield. Dr. David B. Allison lead author of a 2010 paper published in "Proceedings of the Royal Society B," studied obesity epidemics in animal populations such as marmosets. He found a wide variety of factors contributed to weight gain, including an increase in light pollution, infection with a virus, and genetic modifications in response to stress and other environmental factors. All of these might also contribute to obesity in humans.
Efforts to Turn the Tide
The United States has enacted various legislation and initiated programs to combat the obesity epidemic, particularly among children. The Childhood Obesity Task Force, launched in 2010, aims to educate children and their parents about the importance of healthy eating and exercise. Some schools have enacted rules keeping soft drinks and other junk food out of schools. The Childhood Nutrition Act of 2010 authorizes more funds for healthy food in school, while the USDA, US Department of Health and Human Services and US Treasury have targeted $400 million a year for the next seven years to combat inner city areas with little or no access to fresh food, known as food deserts.
References
- Food and Drug Administration: Combating the Nation's Obesity Epidemic
- Weight Control Information Network: Statistics Related to Overweight and Obesity
- Stanford University: An Initiative to Combat Childhood Obesity
- University of Alabama: Why Are We Getting Fatter? UAB Researchers Seek Mysterious Culprit
- Texas A&M University: Do Increased Portion Sizes Affect How Much We Eat?
- Alabama Cooperative Extension System: Solving Childhood Obesity Won't Be Easy, Expert Says
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