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The Obesity in the New Generation

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Obesity in New Generation
Introduction
In simple terms, obesity is defined as a state or a condition of being excessively overweight due to more than the average accumulation of body fats. However, according to this definition, some questions arise as to what value is a body fat considered to be average and how fat is excessive for one to be obese. For example, an obese child may weigh relatively less than a normal adult. Therefore, weight alone does not give enough classificatory parameter. Thus other factors like age, gender, and height should as well be included (Branca 32). This paper explains the assessment, causes, challenges and economic consequences of obesity in the new generation.
Assessment of overweight and obesity
The criterion for classifying an individual nutritional status is based on the calculated value of body mass index (BMI). There needs to be a proper balance between a person’s body weight and height. People have varying levels of BMI depending on their weight and height. The standard international unit of BMI is Kg/m2 and is known to give values whose range provides a good parameter for classification of nutritional status. The BMI can be thought as an estimation of how much an individual should weigh based on their height. According to Wang, a person is said to be obese if their BMI lies in 30.0-39.9 range (28). Obesity is a term that people use all the time, and in most cases, it is used wrongly.

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For example, girls who are nowhere near that spectrum may call themselves obese because they just dislike their fat bodies. Overweight, on the other hand, is a BMI value ranging from 25.0-29.9. Ogden et al. used BMI values to differentiate between obesity and overweight using percentile for gender and age (812). According to them, obesity occurs in individuals with above 95th percentile, while overweight occurs in individuals whose BMI is above the 85th percentile.
Causes of Obesity
Obesity is mainly caused by the energy imbalance between calories taken in and calories burned for body energy requirements (Oliver 1). For example, young people are more active and consume more calories because of this. However, in the new generation where there is rising cases of child trafficking, parents prefer to have their children be driven to and fro school and ones in the back in the house, these children spend most of their time watching television or in social media platforms. Consequently, the calories excessively consumed for exercise ends up compiling in the body and over time result in overweight which finally develops obesity. Similarly, most parents take their children to private schools where academic work is overrated to the expense of physical activities. As a result, students spend most, if not all of their time doing academic work and missing greatly the exercise activity meant to burn out their excessive calories.
The Health Challenge of Obesity
Obese individuals are susceptible to a series of health problems than their counterparts. Wang et al. reported that obese individuals have a 60% increased risk for contraction of asthma, especially in children and youths (28). Overweight and obese are also reported to be at higher risk of liver problems, psychological problems, and type-2 diabetes in both youths and adults. Childhood obesity can easily lead to adult obesity with time if corrective measures are not taken care of. In adults, obesity leads to cardiovascular disease, high cholesterol level and blood pressure, premature mortality, greater social rejection, abnormal glucose tolerance, pregnancy complications and increased birth abnormality risks in case of obese women.
Economic Consequences of Obesity
Obesity is known to affect the economy in two main different ways; the cost of obesity-related health expenses and reduced or completely forgone work output from obese individuals. A study by Wang et al. reported that the cost of annual direct health expenses covered in childhood obesity alone is estimated to be about $14 billion in the United States. With better body care management, the number of obese individuals will reduce, and this amount can be diverted into other economic sectors for a better and a common growth of the nation. Similarly, a nation loses out most of the working force due to obesity. The majority of obese individuals are not involved in any job. In some instances, the obese persons are too heavy even to take good care of themselves. In as much as the care provider makes a living from such job opportunity, the nation, on the other hand, loses their workforce in other sectors.
Conclusion
Obesity can originate from different ways, including eating habits, a lifestyle, stress, and genetics, all of which are related to energy imbalance between calorie input and output. The criterion for classifying an individual nutritional status is based on the calculated value of body mass index (BMI). Obese individuals are susceptible to a series of health problems than their counterparts averagely weighted individuals. As a result, an extra health expense is required to maintain obese persons and the long-term effect is reduced national economic status.
Work Cited
Branca, Francesco, Haik Nikogosian, and Tim Lobstein. The challenge of obesity in the WHO European Region and the strategies for response: summary. World Health Organization, 2007.
Ogden, Cynthia L., et al. “Prevalence of childhood and adult obesity in the United States, 2011-2012.” Jama 311.8 (2014): 806-814.
Oliver, J. Eric. Fat Politics : The Real Story behind America’s Obesity Epidemic. Cary, US: Oxford University Press, 2005. ProQuest ebrary. Web. 8 November 2016.
Wang, Youfa, et al. “Will all Americans become overweight or obese? Estimating the progression and cost of the US obesity epidemic.” Obesity 16.10 (2008): 2323-2330.

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