The+Obese

The Obese
Kelsey Cowgill [] [] [] Nick Wright [] [] [] Jordan Derham [] [|http://www.cdc.gov/obesity/data/trends.html#State] [] Chase Little [] [] []
 * Group One:**

Questions to be answered:
 * 1) What is our group's perspective on the obesity issue?
 * 2) Who is our targeted audience?
 * 3) What is the message that our group seeks to convey?
 * 4) Where does our group get it's information and funding? How powerful/wealthy is our group?
 * 5) Who are our group's allies and who are our enemies?
 * 6) In the interest of averting a national obesity catastrophe, what steps do we need to take to fix this problem?

What is America's perspective on the obesity issue?
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Nick Wright-


 * Amy Anu-Birge has had problems with her weight since she was young, and she's never been allowed to forget it. When she goes on walks, strangers have insulted her, even mooing like a cow at her as she passed. "It's hard, it's hard to be fat in America. It's very difficult," she said. After trying diet after diet, she figures she's lost and gained 350 pounds over the years. "That's probably the worst part of it, feeling like you have no right to exist as you are, feeling as though this body is an outlaw body." She is also part of a weekly counseling group along with a dozen other overweight men and women. "You always feel judged when you're overweight," said Mary Jean Bohager, a 57-year-old grandmother. She began putting on weight in her 20s, after her second pregnancy. She joined the weight-loss program in January. When she did, she stepped on a scale for the first time in years and was shocked. This is an ongoing problem with many Americans. [] || [[image:http://t0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTHtNoq2i8LFXrd44OkkinnMP_X2iTVksBBhnYeOzqYg5wWaz59vw width="214" height="161"]] ||

Stomach contractions are generally obvious hunger signals to the stomach's owner. They are, that is, if the owner is a healthy man or woman in the normal weight range. Nature's built-in control mechanisms, built up by habit, are so strong that most people regularly feel hungry three or four times a day, and when they do, they automatically eat the necessary amount of food. The trouble with most overweight men and women, say two Philadelphiaresearchers, is that their signaling system has somehow changed or broken down. They feel hunger pangs, but they fail to get the message to take in food. As a paradoxical result, they eat more, and they eat more often. University of Pennsylvania Psychiatrists Dr. Albert Stunkard and Dr. Charles Koch made their experiments on test subjects who were grossly overweight. The rusults were that the obese people didn’t know their body signals. Read more: [|http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,939038,00.html#ixzz1Y2y7hKqj]

A study tracked thousands of American Indian children through adulthood found the heaviest of them were more than twice as likely as the thinnest to die prematurely, before age 55, of illness or a self-inflicted injury. The study analyzed data gathered about 4,857 children born between ‘45 and ‘84, when the children were 11, and assessed the extent to which body mass index, glucose tolerance, blood pressure, and total cholesterol levels predicted premature death. By 2003, 559 participants had died, including 166 who died of causes other than accidents and homicides, like cardiovascular disease, infections, cancer, or drug overdose and a large number who died of alcoholic liver disease, which the study suggested might be linked to being overweight. Adults who had the highest body mass index scores as children were 2.3 times as likely to have died early as those with the lower scores, and those with the highest levels were 73 percent as likely to have died prematurely. []

Jordan Derham-

Obesity: A National Problem In the article "Obesity in America" the author says that the United States is home to some of the most obese people in the world. This problem is only getting worse, because in the last twenty years obesity has increased 60% in adults. Obese related deaths have risen to 300,000 people a year, and they have become second place to tobacco related deaths. This is an ongoing problem, and fast food restraunts are a large culprit. In the last 30 years fast food restraunts have become mainstream. As convienent as they may be, they have no nutrients and are made mostly of saturated fats and loaded with sodium and sugar. It is now a necessity that obese people diet because they have diseases or other complications. To find out more go to: []

As a country, the obesity rates have dramatically increased in the last 20 years, and rates are still the same. Almost one-third of U.S adults are obese, and 12.5 million children ages 2-19 are obese. In thirty-six states the average BMI, body mass index, is 25% or higher. The states of Alabama, Texas, Mississippi, Georgia, Arkansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Missouri, Tennessee, Oklahoma, South Carolina, and West Virginia all have a BMI of 30% percent or more. Our entire nation average does not have a BMI lower than 20%. To find out more go to: [|http://www.cdc.gov/obesity/data/trends.html#State] || ||
 * Obesity Statistics

Solutions to Obesity The problem of obesity can be seen anywhere you look, obviously it is a big problem here in the United States. According to a page on the website Obesity in America, way of solving obesity is dieting, surgery, and drugs. When it comes to dieting the most recommended diets are low-calorie ones. These diets and be distinguished in three separate areas: personalized and moderately restricted diets, low-calorie diets, and very low-calorie diets. Surgical measures can be divided into two categories: malabsorptive and restrictive. Malabsorptive surgery’s decrease intestinal absorption by the patient and restrictive surgery’s decrease the amount to solid food ingested by a patient. To find out more visit: []

Kelsey Cowgill- __Child Obesity Risks Death at Early Age, Study Shows__ In "Child Obesiity Risks Death at Early Age, Study Shows" by Roni Rabin, it describes the life long effects of child hood obeisty. Children with a condition called pre-diabetes were at almost double the risk of dying before 55. One in three Americans are now considered to be obese or overweight and that number is only growing. So what does this mean for our next generation? If we dont fix the obesity problem soon by 2030 scientists predict 65 million more //obese//adults just in the United States alone. Read more: []

Kelsey Cowgill- __Obese Kids More Vulnerable to Bullies__ In Obese Kids More Vulnerable to Bullies, by Anne Harding, she tells us the link that has been found between bullying and obesity in children. Overall, kids who were obese were 65 percent more likely to be bullied than their peers of normal weight; overweight kids were 13 percent more likely to be bullied. Sylvia Rimm, Ph.D., a professor at the Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, in Cleveland, Ohio, says, “self esteem of overweight children may make them targets for their peers.” How can we help the obese children in this world? Parents as well as schools need to address this problem in order to make changes. Read more: []

Kelsey Cowgill- __Parents Blamed for Childhood Obesity__

In Parents Blamed for Childhood for Childhood Obesity, the articles suggest that a new study finds that parents could be the blame for obesity in children and teenagers. Researchers found children and teenagers are more likely to eat at least five servings of fruits and vegetables a day if their parents do. Children follow their parent’s action and that is why it is so important for parents to share the importance of eating right and exercising. The article tells us that the only way to solve the obesity problem is to start at home with good habits. Read more: [] media type="custom" key="10658258"

Chase Little-

‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍**‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍Obese Individuals Feel Discrimination** Researchers conducted an experiment on 76 obese individuals ranging from 16 to 72 years old. The goal of the study was to learn more about the concern of the obese people to better improve future situations of the increasing obese epidemic. “Obese people frequently feel overwhelmed and disheartened by the publicity about their condition,” said lead author Paul Komesaroff. Explaining that participating in healthy behaviors such as exercising and eating healthier can be doing more harm than good. While doing this the obese feel stressed in meeting weight loss goals and the pressure to “starve” themselves. Komesaroff believes health care providers should make more thorough assessments on the obese populations problems. []

In the article "fighting fat" the author, Diane Suchetka, explains how the obese hurt, worry, and are made fun of each and every day of their lives. They worry about how they look to others, feel pain in their ankles and knees, and are called lazy and a joke by people around them. "When you enter the world of obesity," says Joseph Silvestro, a 325-pound man "you enter into a world of invisibility. You are dismissed. You are rejected. You are definitely not included." Those that struggle with this weight issue want the world to know what the battle is like and what it is like to be them. Sara Stein is a cleveland-area psychiatrist who is overweight and has had to deal with these struggles since she was a teenager, she wanted to get her message out and what she said has opened many peoples eyes. "I want to tell people, 'I don't look the way I look because I want to look this way. I'm sorry if I'm offending your eyes...I live with this. It hurts. It hurts emotionally, it hurts physically, it's painful, and I try to do what all of you out there tell me I ought to be doing, and it's not working. It's not working for me, and it's not working for any of the other millions of obese people in society." to read more go to: []
 * Fighting Fat**

=[|How Do You Know If You Are Obese?]=

A survey of 11,000 people taken by Thompson Medstat, over three quarters of Americas obese population claim to have healthy diets and almost half claim they excersice at least three times a week. When asked about their snacking 28% of obese people said they snack two times a day or more which was much more than the people of normal weight. Out of all the people asked in the survey 7,000 were either morbidly obese or overweight compared to the 4,000 who were normal or underweight. []
 * We Eat Healthily and Excercise a lot, Say America's Obese**

Analysis:
 * Sometimes bodily functions do not work right, and they don't know when to stop eating. They do not know how to control their hunger.
 * Children with obesity die more quickly than children who are not obese.
 * Being obese can hurt physically and mentally.
 * Obese people are constantly being discriminated against.
 * Parents are crucial in helping children create healthy habits to prevent obesity.
 * 2 possible solutions to obesity is dieting, surgery.
 * We may be one of the greatest nations of the world, but we are also home to some of the most obese people in the world.

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Becki Relph- In “The Obese Feel More Discrimination” by Alice Park describes the everyday struggle that obese people have to deal with. Parks expresses the rapid increase of discrimination towards them in the past decade. Over 1,100 subjects were interviewed, 90% of them said that they felt even things such as: applying for colleges, scholarships, renting or buying a home, applying for a bank loan dealing with police. The Interviewees answered nine additional; question about everyday experiences and the rate of discrimination due to height and weight increased by 19 % of respondents. || || Read more: [|http://www.time.com/time/health/article/0,8599,1730150,00.html#ixzz1Y2NQv0Pv]
 * **Discrimination against Obesity**

Liposuction is a procedure that removes fat from the body using suction. Some people have been turned away from certain plastic surgeons because they don’t offer large volume liposuction which may be required for morbidly obese candidates. M.T fromSan Marcos,Californiasays, “I had so much loose skin hanging. In fact, I thought I looked worse than when I had all the fat!” She says she regretted the surgery, got lazy and gained even 5 lbs before the surgery. She states that her left thigh is now deformed and her Butt is back to being the initial size. In “FAQ: Obesity and Fat cells” by Liposuction.com states that liposuction in never a good treatment, even as a last result. Almost always the patient will regain the weight. More than 35% of obese people regret their surgery, and more than 82% of people gain the weight back.[]
 * Obesity Dealing with Lipo**

In “how does it feel to be obese inAmerica?” by Lisa Stark, she Interviews ms Amy Anu-Birge, she has had problems with her weight since her teenage years. Amy tells all how she will never forget the ways he was treated by even strangers. Anu is one of dozens of people who are attending councleing classes for a weight-loss program. Anu-Birge has been moo’d at and verbally abused, that it is hard for her to ever feel like she belongs. [] || || In “how does it feel to be obese inAmerica?” by Lisa Stark, she Interviews ms Amy Anu-Birge, she has had problems with her weight since her teenage years. Amy tells all how she will never forget the ways he was treated by even strangers. Anu is one of dozens of people who are attending councleing classes for a weight-loss program. Anu-Birge has been moo’d at and verbally abused, that it is hard for her to ever feel like she belongs. []
 * **Obesity in America**
 * Obesity in America**

Aaryne C. Type 2 diabetes is the sixth leading cause of death in america today. Type 2 diabetes is the most common form of diabetes. More then 85% of people with type two diabetes is overweight. Being overweight causes cellular changes that makes the cells more resistant to insulin. This condition is refered to as insulin resistance.The long term conditions of type 2 diabetes can include nerve damage, amputation, eye disease, and high blood pressure. Your risk with heart disease, kidney disease, and blindness increase with type 2 diabetes.
 * Understanding Type 2 Diabetes and Obesity**

Gastric Bypass surgery is used to treat the morbitly obese to help them lose weight so their weight is not harming their organs functions and body. Gastric Bypass surgery makes the stomach smaller and allows food to bypass the small intestine which reduces the amount of food you can eat. Positives of Gastric bypass surgery is that you get full more quickly then you would with a normal sized stomach. Bypassing the part of your intestine also results in less calories absorbed which helps you lose weight. After 3 to 5 weeks people can return fully to their regular activities. Negative effects of the surgery would include you will have to chew your food very slow or you will end up throwing up. || || ‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍ Brianna Edwards [] In the article, "For Obese, Intimate Lives Often Suffer", the rare spoken topic of how obesity can affect couple's sexual health. As the obesity rate increases, more and more obese clients are seeking out therapy to get through this issue. Englehardt, just one out of many women facing this issue, gained 60 pounds after marrying her husband. Daily activities around the house, like gardening, left her winded, she had trouble sleeping, and she claimed, " The thought of making love to my husband felt like a chore." Like Englehardt, many spouses start to feel guilty about their lack of intimacy, they start to feel like their body is seperate from themselves, and close themselves off because they feel like they are not worthy of affection. So many couples do not talk about this while they are going through it, they simply retreat. According to reserach done by therapists on this issue, obese people, especially the ones trying to lose weight are more dissatisfied with their sexual lives. Women seem to suffer more than men as well.
 * **Obese dealing with Gastric Bypass**

[] " The Sad Truth About How Poverty Affects Obesity", conveys the reality of how the poorest people, are some of the most overweight. How you may ask? Many poverty stricken areas in the country do not have grocery stores that stock large quantities of nutricious foods, like fresh fruits and vegetables. Instead, many fast food resteraunts are placed near poor neighborhoods, in turn making people rely on the unhealthy convenience. People living in poverty also get government assistance through food stamps, which only supply them with more of an unhealthy diet, including white bread and canned food items. http://www.slate.com/articles/health_and_science/science/2009/09/give_me_your_tired_your_poor_your_big_fat_asses_.html

Group Two: Becki Relph [|http://www.time.com/time/health/article/0,8599,1730150,00.html#ixzz1Y2NQv0Pv] [] [] Aaryne C. [] []

Questions to be answered: 1. How do the obese feel compared to other people? 2. How do obese people feel about liposuction? targetting specific:life after liposuction,do they regret it? 3. Is Obesity the main cause for Type 2 diabetes? 4. What are some of the negatives and positives with the procedure gastric bypass? 5. How are relationships affected by Obesity? 6. how do people in america feel about being obeses?do they feel targetted? 7. How does Obesity correlate with poverty?