Obesity in America by Kate Elson

kateelson1234 — 2024-12-03 17:39:26 UTC

The prevalence of obesity in America has grown significantly over the past few years. Of Americans, 81% consider obesity to be the most serious health problem in the nation, coming before diabetes, heart disease, mental illness, and HIV/AIDS. While there is increased awareness about the impacts and consequences of obesity, there is still a lack of understanding and resources for treatment. While this paper highlights the seriousness of obesity, many Americans are false in that obesity kills more than heart disease. However, obesity is linked to heart disease, certain types of cancer, and diabetes, which are some other leading causes of death in America. This source seems credible. It does not appear to be advertising any products, there are multiple authors, and the paper uses quality metrics and evidence. The list of sources used for this paper is also very long, showing a range of credible sources. There is also nothing significantly shocking about this paper, just information.

kateelson1234 — 2024-12-03 17:44:55 UTC

Many people think that obesity is caused by gluttonous or lazy behaviors, resulting in prejudiced treatment towards obese individuals. Environmental factors strongly influence obesity. Americans tend to eat foods with higher fat contents and put taste and convenience before nutrition. The CDC makes a claim that while genes do contribute to obesity, genes related to obesity cannot be fully responsible for the sudden uptick in obesity because the US gene pool did not change significantly between 1991 and 1999, when obesity rates blew up. Lack of physical activity, lack of portion control are also common among Americans and contribute to obesity. The American daily caloric intake has gone from an average of 1854 kcal to 2002 kcal in the last 20 years. Americans also tend to subscribe to the belief that the type of food they eat is more important than the portion of the food they eat, but both of those elements are equally important. This paper seems credible for a few reasons. It has a list of credible sources, the publisher (Wiley Online Library) is historically reliable, there are multiple collaborating authors (with multiple accreditations and educational degrees), and the paper does not attempt to shock, only to inform.

kateelson1234 — 2024-12-03 17:50:51 UTC

According to the NIH NIDDK, early 1/3 of all American adults are overweight. More than 2 out of 5 adults are obese (including severe obesity). About 1/11 adults are severely obese. Overweight and obesity increase risk of other health conditions such as diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, stroke, joint problems, gallstones, some cancers, liver disease, and sleeping/breathing problems. obesity rates among adults by race and sex shows interesting rates. Non-Hispanic white, Non-Hispanic black, and Hispanic Americans show obesity at comparable rates (between 40-50 percent, with 56.9% in non-Hispanic black American women), but non-Hispanic Asian Americans show much lower obesity rates than other races in all sex categories. Asian-Americans show an average of 17.4% obesity, compared with non-Hispanic white Americans of 42.2%, non-Hispanic black Americans of 49.6%, and Hispanic Americans 44.8%. 16.1% of American youth (2-19 years old) are overweight, and 19.3% are obese. 6.1% of American youth are severely obese. This paper seems reliable as the website itself is measured as a reliable source for information. The goal of the paper is to inform, not to shock readers or sell a product. Multiple credible sources are cited, such as the National Center for Health Statistics and National Health Examination Surveys. This website is also an official website of the United States Government, which does not prove it credible, but contributes to its reliability.

kateelson1234 — 2024-12-03 17:57:18 UTC

The CDC states that obesity accounted for nearly $173 billion in medical expenditures in 2019. The prevalence of obesity has increased from 30.5% in 2000 to 41.9% in 2020. The prevalence of severe obesity also increased from 4.7% to 9.2% over that time period. Obesity is defined by the CDC as having a body mass index of 30.0 or higher. Sever obesity is defined as having a body mass index of 40.0 or higher. While BMI values are indicative of obesity when at values above 40, BMI has also been claimed to be an unreliable measure of health as it does not take muscle mass into account. Obesity appears to affect non-Hispanic black adults the most (49.9%), then Hispanic (45.6%), then non-Hispanic white (41.4%) and then non-Hispanic Asian adults (16.1%). Obesity is also highest among American adults with a high school diploma/some college education (46.4%), lower among those with less than a high school diploma (40.1%), and lowest among those with a college degree or above (34.2%). Differences in obesity among age groups are not statistically significant. The reliability of this website is in question because of the site address. The CDC has long been a trusted source of health information, but levels of trust between the American public and the CDC has decreased in recent years for a few reasons. However, this website is not attempting to shock readers or sell anything, cites multiple, credible sources, and seems generally credible.

kateelson1234 — 2024-12-03 18:01:09 UTC

Obesity is a highly prevalent chronic disease defined by excessive fat accumulation that contributes to other health conditions and requires lifelong care. Almost every system in the body is affected by obesity. BMI (body mass index) is used to screen for obesity but BMI is not a measure of body fat, only weight. In 2022, leading US organizations with a primary focus of obesity came together to address barriers in treating obesity, in efforts to improve obesity treatment availability and reducing stigma and bias surrounding this disease. The credibility of obesity.org is questionable. On one hand, the website does a good job of providing information and publishes reliable, credible papers from external sources. However, the website is described as a "scientific membership organization." Whether or not membership costs money is in question. However, the website provides information about upcoming events hosted by credible individuals with multiple educational degrees. While this site seems relatively trustworthy, I am skeptical of any website that requires payment and a membership.

kateelson1234 — 2024-12-03 18:06:06 UTC

The U.S. adult obesity rate currently stands at 42.4%. This is the first time the national rate has surpassed 40%, providing evidence of the country's obesity crisis. The national adult obesity rate has increased by 26% since 2008. Obesity rates vary between states and regions of America. Mississippi has the highest adult obesity rate in the country (40.8%) and Colorado has the lowest (23.8%). Rates of childhood obesity are also increasing, showing that 19.3% of young American people (ages 2-19) are obese. Children who exhibit obesity at young ages are at a higher risk for having obesity and its related health risks as an adult. This website cites a few sources prior to information summary throughout the article. Trust for America's Health is a non-profit, non-partisan organization that "promotes optimal health for every person and community." The fact that it is non-profit increases its credibility. While this website may not be as credible as a scientific paper, it does not seem untrustworthy.

kateelson1234 — 2024-12-03 18:30:19 UTC

As discussed in other sections, BMI (body mass index) is not always a reliable measure of obesity. BMI is biased towards height in children. Between 1985 and 1995, mean height of 12-year-old boys and girls increased 3.9 and 3.2 cm, respectively. The prevalence of combined overweight/obese boys and girls were 13.5% and 13.0% in 1985. The prevalence of combined overweight/obese boys and girls were 24% and 24.5% in 1995, but were adjusted for increased height and were reduced to 21.6% and 22.6%. This means that obesity rates in children are moderately overestimated. This paper seems generally reliable because it is actually reducing the shock factor that comes with some statistics. Multiple credible sources are cited, the paper is not trying to sell anything, and has multiple authors with multiple educational degrees.

kateelson1234 — 2024-12-03 18:35:21 UTC

This report summarizes the results of a study done to understand the roles of sweetness in the diet, see whether the exposure to sweetness affects diet quality and energy intake, and consider whether sweetness affects health. Dietary sweetness (sugar intake) has increased greatly throughout history. There is a need to understand the physiological and metabolic relevance of sweet taste receptors on the tongue, the gut, and elsewhere, as well as potential differences in the effects of long-term consumption of sweeteners. However, there is no consistent evidence for an association of sweetness consumption with obesity or type 2 diabetes. This paper has numerous, reliable cited sources, multiple credible authors, is not selling anything, and is relatively factual, not attempting to shock the reader. I would conclude it is reliable.

kateelson1234 — 2024-12-03 19:11:13 UTC

This Instagram post was posted from the account "venngage." The account biography says it is a design tool that transforms data into infographics. In the post description, the infographic is said to represent obesity rates across the U.S. states as of September 2023. The source for the data is not cited. The account does not appear to have any credible author behind it. The percentage values per state also appear to be slightly inaccurate. I would say this Instagram post is unreliable and not credible.

kateelson1234 — 2024-12-03 19:17:00 UTC

This Instagram post was posted by the account "drjamesdinic." His account biography reveals his full name and title is Dr. James DiNicolantonio, he is a "Doctor of Pharmacy," and a "Cardiovascular Research Scientist," though his specific degrees are not listed. A link in his biography takes you to a page that allows you to buy dietary supplements, books, and numerous other products that he either creates and sells, or is partnered with companies that he receives commission from. This specific post states "15 Cheat codes I know at 38 that I wish I knew at 28." Right off the bat, the phrase "cheat code" never means a reliable piece of information is about to follow. The rest of the post describes several tips for avoiding obesity and increasing quality of life. While the tips are actually helpful (get sunlight in the morning, hydrate in the morning, have a high protein breakfast, and walk 10K steps per day), his account does not seem very scientifically credible, as his actual accreditations are not shown anywhere and he is trying to sell a product to readers.

kateelson1234 — 2024-12-03 19:22:12 UTC

This Youtuber, Jeff Nippard, is a body builder attempting to "explain" whether or not obesity is a choice. However, countless scientific studies have been done, papers published, and there is no one specific answer to this question. This Youtuber partnered with the website SkillShare for the video, and if watchers purchase a month trial of SkillShare, Nippard receives commission. He also sells a training program, a diet app, and a "Guide to Body Recomposition." While he is not an accredited individual by any degrees, and is attempting to sell products to viewers, he also cites multiple reliable sources, and does a good job keeping the information in his video moderated, not overemphasized for the shock value. Overall, I would say this source is somewhat reliable, but significantly less so than a scientific paper.

kateelson1234 — 2024-12-04 00:08:32 UTC

This video, "Top 10: How To Lose Weight Fast, Naturally and Permanently (Ultimate Guide To Burning Fat" was published by Dr. Sten Ekberg. In the description of the video, he advertises an electrolyte product that he sells. While the video itself appears to contain a lot of high quality information, there are some things that I am skeptical about. The video promotes eating extremely low carb, or keto. Whether or not eating keto or low carb will actually help someone lose weight and keep weight off is controversial. Dr. Sten Ekberg claims to be a formal olympic athlete and a holistic doctor. However, he does not say where he got his degree, or what degree he has, just that he is a "Holistic Natural Health Doctor," and he has "Education in Nutrition, Neurology, Physiology, Chiropractic & Functional Medicine." I would say this source is not very reliable because I cannot confirm the education and credibility of this Dr. Sten Ekberg. This video is possibly misinformation targeted towards obese individuals.