Is It Body over Mind in America?

Is it body over mind in America?

Health Psychology

According to Taylor (2006) obesity is an excessive accumulation of body fat. The World Health Organization estimates that 300 million people worldwide are obese and a further 750 million are overweight, including 25 million children under 5. Although obesity is a worldwide problem, nowhere is it more serious than in United States, Americans are the fattest people in the world. There is no mystery as to why people in the United States have become so heavy. The portion sizes have increased and healthful foods are often not available. Obesity is a risk factor for many disorders, both in its right and because it affects other risk factors, such as blood pressure and high cholesterol. Often ignored among the risks of obesity is the psychological distress that can result. The purpose of this study was to assess how obesity is associated with psychological well-being. To continue support in the fight to help change the obese society.

Obesity is a condition characterized by the storage of excess fat. Although the number of fat cells is fixed by adulthood, these cells can grow in size or shrink as weight is gained or lost (Standard Encyclopedia, 2002). Physicians classify as obese those who are at least 20 percent over the recommended weight. Studies indicate that more than one quarter of the adults in the United States is obese. Obesity places a strain on the body, particularly the heart and lungs. Obese persons are more likely to contract hypertension, diabetes, gallstones, gout, and heart disease than persons of normal weight. Certain types of obesity are hereditary. Sometimes obesity is the result of a condition in which fat cells do not produce enough adipsin, a protein regulating appetite and metabolism. Restricted diets and exercise programs are not always effective means of weight loss for obese persons, particularly those with health problems. More severe measures,...