OBESITY
A Collaborative Presentation
THE ISSUE:
The problem of obesity is a major dilemma that the
United States and the World must confront.
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What is obesity and how does it relate to standards of health?
What are the economic costs and implications associated with obesity?
How does obesity affect us on the local level, especially in the Christian
context of Bluffton?
What are the broader implications of obesity, particularly on the global
level?
What are solutions to the problem of obesity in relation to each of these
four areas?
• "a condition characterized by the excessive
accumulation and storage of fat in the body” – Webster’s
Dictionary
• Obesity in Children: At or above the 95% percentile
when it comes to BMI (Body Mass Index)
– BMI is calculated by taking a person’s weight (kg.) and dividing
by their height squared (m.), however the measurements must
be metric.
• In Adults: Overweight is defined as a BMI of 25-29, or
being 30% above recommended weight for size
• Obesity has been linked to: Hypertension,
Coronary Heart Disease, Adult Onset Diabetes,
Stroke, Gall Bladder Disease, Osteoarthritis,
Sleep Apnea, Respiratory Problems,
Endometrial, Breast, Prostate and Colon
Cancers, Dyslipidemia, steatohepatitis, insulin
resistance, breathlessness, Asthma,
Hyperuricaemia, reproductive hormone
abnormalities, polycystic ovarian syndrome,
impaired fertility and lower back pain
•Assessing Your Behavior and
Environment
•Adopting Healthy Habits
• Knowing the amount and type of food you
eat
• Knowing your physical activity habits
• If you live in a environment dominated by
speed and convenience you will need to
set time aside for exercise
• Avoid high calorie foods if possible
Assessing Your Behavior and
Environment examples
• Keep a daily food diary and activity diary
– This allows you to see how much food you
intake and how much physical activity you
endure throughout the day.
• Shopping Guide
– Knowing healthy food before going to the
store can save time and improve eating habits
Adopting Healthy Habits
• Physical Activity
– An increase in physical activity is an important part of
weight management
– Exercise can reduce risks of cardiovascular disease
and diabetes which can be caused by obesity
– All adults should have at least 30 minutes of physical
activity a day
• Healthy Diet
– Most weight loss occurs because of decreased caloric
intake
– Fat Free does not mean calorie free check to see
calorie per serving
Behaviors that will help
you prevent obesity.
• Set the Right Goals
– Effective goals are 1)specific 2)attainable and
3)forgiving
• Example: Walk 30 minutes five days each week.
• Balance your food
– Make sure to include all food groups during your day
– Keep track of the caloric intake
• Knowing when your full
– It takes 15 minutes for your body to know its full
– Slowing the rate of eating allows fullness to set in
– Eating a lot of vegetables can make you feel fuller
• National standards currently do exist for Physical
Education, however they are severely limited (7
standards, 1 benchmark apiece)
– These standards come from the National Association
for Sport and Physical Education
• The national standards for Health Education are
a little more in-depth (8 standards, 1 benchmark
apiece, 2-10 indicators apiece)
– These standards come from the American Cancer
Society
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Adult Obesity exceeds 20% in 41 states
Alabama ranked as heaviest state (28.4%)
Colorado ranked least heaviest (16%)
Only 4 states regulate type of food sold in
schools (California, Hawaii, Texas, West
Virginia)
“Senator John Cornyn (R-TX)
introduced legislation to amend the
No Child Left Behind education law to
require content and performance
standards for physical education
beginning in school year 2006-2007
as part of a state plan for compliance
under the law. By the 2008-2009
school year, states would also have
to assess student progress in
physical education.”
(http://www.ohahperd.org/ )
• Ranks 10th in the country in Obesity
(24.9%)
• The state spent an estimated $289 per
person in 2003 on medical-costs related to
obesity
• Academic Content Standards in Phys.
Ed.? There currently aren’t any…
• SB44 – Physical Education Standards
– Adopt Phys. Ed. Content standards
• HB105 – Physical Education
– Adopt Phys. Ed. Content standards
• HB173 – Physical Fitness
– Create Physical Fitness and Wellness Advisory
Board
• HB435 – Athletic Trainers
– Require licensed Athletic Trainer on staff
• More Gym class time/recess time
• More regular health check-ups to monitor
students weight/health (state/school provided)
• More “Fast Food ordinances” (city of Waterville,
OH does not allow any Fast food restaurant to
be built within city limits)
• The Nintendo Wii: video games meets exercise
(motion sensor video game system), although
not a substitute for exercise
THE ECONOMICS
OF OBESITY
¥ $ ¤ € £
The Cost of Food
• 9.8% of income in 1989 to around 13% in
2004 in the US.
• $193.60 per week on groceries or $839.00
per month or $10,068 per year
• Canada is spending 11.3% of there income
on food where as the people in Cyprus were
spending 30.1%, people in Honduras were
spending 41.3%, people in Sri Lanka spent
49.9%, and the country that spent the most of
their income on food were the people of the
Philippines at 52.8%
Food Waste
• United States wastes 189.8 pounds per person a
year or nationally 27.6 million tons.
• United Kingdom the average household wastes
200 kilograms of food per year.
• Japanese approximately 800 grams per year.
• Korea and Norway waste about 4 million tons
per year.
• cruise ships, throwing away approximately 3.5
kilograms per passenger per day.
The Cost of Obesity
•Americans $12.8 billion out of pocket
•$28.1 billion through private insurance
•$14.1 billion through Medicaid
•$23.5 billion through Medicare
•for a total cost of $78.5 billion for the year of 1998
•Ohio accounts for just over $5 billion of that money
Solutions
• Stop publicly funding illnesses associated
with obesity
• More physical activity in the schools
• Warning labels for food, like those found
on cigarettes
Economics
• stop funding illnesses caused directly from over
eating. If people had to pay the medical bills
associated with their overeating, they might
reconsider their excessive habits.
• Eat locally vs. exporting and importing goods
(commercially prepared vs. fresh foods)
• Reduce waste (the waste from the excess foods
we eat in one day would be enough to feed a
person from a third world country for a week)
Obesity and Bluffton University
“The Freshmen 15”
• All entering students fear, or have at least heard of the
“freshmen 15,” which researchers suggest is the result of “the
same phenomenon that is contributing to the epidemic of
obesity among all Americans -- that a relatively small
increase in calories each day or week has the profound
cumulative effect of adding a significant amount of weight
over the years” (Lang 1).
• It is not gaining an extra ten or fifteen pounds during their
first year at college that will cause most students to become
obese; it can be more closely tied to the decision-making
patterns they are developing.
• According to a study by David A.
Levitsky, PhD, professor of nutritional
sciences and psychology at Cornell
University, of the students studied, the
average weight gain during their
freshman year at college was on
average 20 times more than the
average American adult (Davis 1).
The dining halls, Levitsky found, were
a major contributor to this problem
As quoted by Jeanie
Davis, Levitsky
concluded, “Although
the use of all-you-caneat dining halls may
be effective as a
recruiting technique
for colleges, these food
bars may be
responsible for much of
the weight gain we see
in freshmen. (Davis 2)”
While it is true that such dining hall
“food bars” are available, it is
ultimately the students themselves
who are choosing what they eat
and how much they eat .
Why the weight gain
and what does it mean?
Possible explanations include
drinking (alcohol contains lots of
empty calories), more socializing
that involves eating, high-fat foods
in dorms and cafeterias and less
physical activity. (Center for Weight
and Eating Disorders at the
University of Pennsylvania School of
Medicine)
College students are also
often stressed, low on cash
and pressed for time
meaning several things…
• Along with stress comes a certain tendency to focus
entirely on oneself and one’s own desire for success,
whatever that may mean for each individual.
• While it is important to care for oneself, such a
narrow view can be seen as self-centeredness which
surprisingly enough has self-destructive qualities –
obesity is a serious health risk as has been explained.
How is this problem unique for Bluffton?
• “Generation XL” as we have been called by
some researchers and nutritionists, describes
many aspects of our over-consumption but
mainly refers to over-indulgence in food and
related resources. This reflects a certain selfserving mindset inseparable from moral and
ethical implications and is especially true as part
of an institution so deeply rooted in Christian
principles.
Over-Consumption and the Sin of Gluttony
Wait…is “gluttony” really a “sin”?
• Purdue sociology professor Kenneth Ferraro,
when he released a study on the relationship
between weight and religious denominations,
said that while the religious lifestyle had "long
been considered a healthy one, with its
constraints on sexual promiscuity, alcohol and
tobacco use, overeating may be one sin that
pastors and priests regularly overlook."
Our Bodies as Temples
• According to Jesuit theologian Thomas Rausch,
rather than lecturing people to cut down on food,
the better approach is St. Paul's - "the temple of the
Holy Spirit image for the body. Paul had a good
theology of the body, that because the body is
destined for the Resurrection, it should be treated
with reverence and respect.”
• Rausch also asserts, "when Paul says in Corinthians, 'I
don't want to be enslaved by anything,' it is that
certain moderation … should be exercised over food,
drink and over bodily appetite."
no man – or woman – is an island
• As Bluffton students, we are part of a long
Christian tradition which is based on certain
principles. While we may not be obese, the
freshmen 15 and over-eating may be
symptoms of a deeper problem. We need to
be always aware of the decisions we make –
whether it’s who to vote for or how much to
take in the food line – because we are all
connected and we have a responsibility to
that connection.
• Over-consumption is not only abusing
our bodies, but it is hogging resources
that could – and should – be shared.
OBESITY:
Broader Implications
U.S. Over-consumption
• U.S. over-consumption affects other
countries.
• Over-consumption results in buying many
exports of food from poorer countries.
• Over-consumption of beef results in less
grain for the world (Source 1: 162)
• Packaging and waste from overconsumption pollute the environment.
• Food has become a commodity.
• Countries with poor people who need food
will export cash food crops to the U.S.
because the U.S. will pay money for these
products then the countries would make
growing staple foods (Source 1: 161).
• The needs of the poor in the country are
not met (Source 2).
• Americans are eating large amounts of
meat.
• Grain that is fed to livestock cannot be
used to feed those who are hungry in the
world.
• Livestock production also negatively
impacts the environment.
• U.S. over-consumption affects not only
other people in the world but also the
environment.
• Many products involve packaging, which
result in waste.
• Over-consumption results in an excess
waste of products and energy to produce
those products.
Sources
1. Ronald J. Sider, Rich Christians in an
Age of Hunger (Nashville, Tennessee: W
Publishing Group, 1997), 161-162.
2.John Isbister, Promises Not Kept:
Poverty and the Betrayal of Third World
Development (Bloomfield, CT: Kumarian
Press, Inc., 2003), 167.
Obesity
A Global Phenomenon
The Facts
• Obesity is a complex disease in which having too much body fat
increases a person's risk for developing other health problems.
Obesity generally is measured by body mass index (BMI), a
calculation that shows weight in relation to height. The higher the
BMI level the higher the chance of health complications and risk, an
adult person that has a BMI index of 30 or higher is considered to be
obese. Where fat gathers in a person is important to the type of
health risks that are pertinent to their obesity. For example, If fat
accumulates mostly around the abdomen (central obesity,
sometimes called apple-shaped), a person is at greater risk for type
2 diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and CAD.
• Obesity is calculated by taking a persons weight and dividing it by
the height squared. For example, say a person weighs 120 pounds
and is 5 feet tall. It would be 120 divided by 5(2), and the result
would have a BMI index of 23.4, they would not be considered
obese.
The Facts (cont.)
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Types of health risks concerned with being obese are diabetes Type 2,
Ischemic heart disease, stroke, hypertensive disease, osteoarthritis, and
certain types of cancers. There are approximately 350 million obese people
(BMI ≥30.0) and over 1 billion overweight people (BMI ≥25) in the world.
Over all about 2.5 millions deaths are attributed to overweight/obesity
worldwide. Obesity is not just present in America, it’s present all over the
world.
To break that down a bit more, the percentage of obese men in Finland is
19, obese women is also 19. In France, men are 9.6 and women are 10.5.
In Australia, the percentage of men is 18 and the women are also 18. In a
study of 30 different countries the highest percentage of obesity was in
Nauru, while the smallest percentage was in India. America came in at the
seventh highest. In the United States though, the highest amount of people
that are obese generally inhabit the lower portions of America, places like
Louisiana, Mississippi, and West Virginia.
Obesity is a worldwide problem, it is prevalent in many countries, America
may have a large problem when it comes to obesity, it is not the only
country nor is it the most prevalent here. It is important for people to eat
right and to remain active, that is the only way to combat obesity.
A State-by-State Comparison of Rates of Obesity
Percent of Population Classified as Obese
Obesity Rates in Other Nations
Country
Percentage of Obese Men
Percentage of Obese Women
Finland
19
19
Russia
10.8
27.9
England
17
20
Germany
17.2
19.3
Czech
16.3
20.2
Scotland
15.9
17.3
Belgium
12.1
18.4
Spain
11.5
15.2
Sweden
10
11.9
France
9.6
10.5
Denmark
10
9
Holland
8.4
8.3
Italy
6.5
6.3
Australia
18
18
40
United States
35
Russia
England
30
Germany
25
France
20
Spain
15
Scotland
Australia
10
Italy
5
Saudia Arabia
0
Japan
Obesity Rate in %
Cuba
Obesity and Poverty:
Is There a Link?
Research has revealed a number of correlations
between obesity and poverty. In a survey of more
than 100 separate studies, Canadian
researchers found that the socioeconomic
situations in which people live “are the major
factors determining whether they develop
cardiovascular disease.” (Source 1)
The impoverished are more likely to become
obese because their access to healthy food is
limited and they are forced to purchase and
consume unhealthy food. Thus, the poor are at a
greater risk of developing heart disease because
their poverty limits their access to heart healthy
food. (Sources 1 & 2)
• Poor people living in urban areas are also
at a disadvantage because they do not
have close access to grocery stores and
retailers that sell healthy food. (Source 2)
• Thus, the urban poor are often doomed to
eat innutritious food which is less
expensive than healthy food and is much
more widely available for purchase.
(Sources 3 & 4)
• The generally lower level of education
among impoverished people leads to
higher rates of obesity. (Source 5)
• When people are not educated as to the
relationship between balanced eating and
maintaining a healthy weight, they tend to
give little thought to what the implications
of eating unhealthy food might mean for
their health. (Source 6)
The Historical Background of
Limted Access to Healthy Food
Within recent decades, low-income
households have become the victims of the
globalization that has delocalized food
production, increasing the prices of fresh,
healthy foods that now need to be
transported over long distances, leaving
high-fat, processed food as the only
nourishment that the poor can afford
(Source 7).
Another Historical Consideration:
Exercise, Access and Poverty
Childhood obesity rates for the
impoverished have increased over the last
decade because children in low-income
households have less access to safe
venues (such as parks) where they can
participate in physical activities and these
youth also have more limited access to
team sports because of the financial
constraints of their parents (Source 8).
• Thus, as this evidence has testified, there
is a correlation between obesity and
poverty which is rooted in multiple
socioeconomic phenomena.
Works Cited
• 1. Wayne Kondro, “Poverty is the Main Predictor of Heart Disease,
says Canadian Repot,” The Lancet 359, no. 9318 (May 2002): 1679.
• 2. Elizabeth Dowler, “Food and Poverty: Insights from the ‘North,’”
Development Policy Review 21, nos. 5-6 (September 2003): 571.
• 3. “Poverty Linked to Obesity, Says New Research,” Diverse: Issues
in Higher Education 22, no. 15 (September 2005): 16.
• 4. Pat MacDonald, “The Obesity Crisis…It’s not just about Diets,”
Practice Nurse 29, no. 8 (April 2005): 19.
• 5. Amy Winterfield, “Overfed but Undernourished,” State
Legislatures 31, no. 4 (April 2005): 34.
• 6. L. McArthur, M. Peña and D. Holbert, “Effects of Socioeconomic
Status on the Obesity Knowledge of Adolescents from Six Latin
American Cities,” International Journal of Obesity 25, no. 8 (August
2001): 1267.
• 7. Dowler, 571.
• 8. “Poverty Linked to Obesity,” 16.
GLOBAL LEVEL SOLUTIONS
• Reduced consumption of red meat in
economically developed countries, especially
the US. This could be accomplished by
educating the public about the negative health
effects of over-consumption of red meat. In
addition to helping to reduce the obesity
problem, this method would also be ecologically
responsible, as the large amount of energy and
grain resources used to produce red meat would
be drastically reduced.
• Institute educational programs informing
people about the dangers of overconsumption of food. Begin an antiovereating campaign that is similar to the
anti-tobacco campaign.
• Enact a “sin” tax on sales at fast-food
establishments and tax foods with large
amounts of trans-fat and cholesterol.
• Offer low-income persons monetary
subsidies so that they will be more ably
equipped to purchase healthy foods that
often carry higher prices.
• Institute a campaign to inform consumers
about preservatives. Begin placing
warning labels on cans and warnings on
menus at restaurants.
• Encourage people everywhere, particularly
in economically developed countries to
use motorized transportation less and to
start using walking, running and bicycling
as alternative forms of transport.
THE END