1. Weight Problems in America
Obesity in America – What’s all the fuss about?

2. Obesity – a definition
Overweight & obesity are labels for ranges of weight greater than what is generally considered healthy for a given height.
Expressed by Body Mass Index (BMI) e.g.
Height
WeightRange (lbs)
BMI
(kg/m2)
Considered
133
20.2
Underweight
5'8"
163
24.8
Healthy Wt.
170
25.8
Overweight
198
30.1
Obese
125 or less
Below18.5
5'9"
203+
30+

3. Statistics Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (1999)
61% adults in U.S. overweight
- 35% slightly overweight
- 26% grossly overweight or obese
13% of U.S. children overweight or obese
American Medical Association (2002)
31% of American public obese
Surgeon General
Morbidity & mortality associated with obesity to exceed that associated with cigarette smoking

4. The Insurers’ Dilemma
To insure or exclude coverage for weight loss surgery?
Blue Cross & Blue Shield of North Carolina –accept coverage
Obese members cost 32% more to cover.
Diabetes disappears in 9 of 10 successful surgeries
Pharmaceutical costs reduce by 20% in first year after weight loss surgery.
Blue Cross of Florida – no coverage
Average cost is $25,000 (pressure on premiums)
1% increase in premium, results in 16,000 uninsured.

5. Relationship between sleep & obesity?
Studies by Eastern Virginia Medical School, Mignot, E., (1989) and Prof. Van Culter, E. (2004)
Overweight subjects slept less
The less sleep a subject gets, the greater their BMI
Changes in hunger proportional to changes in hormone levels.
Less sleep>lower leptin level>higher ghrelin
-leptin suppresses food intake & stimulates energy expenditure
-ghrelin stimulates appetite, fat production & body growth

6. Media & Childhood Obesity
Study by Young et al. (1996), advertising only affects brand choice. Preference & choice affected by cultural norms.
The Kaiser Family Foundation (2004)
- media contribution not fully documented or conclusively researched.
- Food advertising definitely affects children’s purchases and those of their families.

7. Conclusion
Obesity causes many fatal yet preventable conditions such as diabetes, heart disease, asthma, hypertension, stroke, cancer, sleep apnea and so on.
Federal government needs to do more to promote healthy eating & more physical exercise.
Media needs to exercise self regulation in content of food ads aimed at children
A healthy nation is a wealthy nation

8. References
ANRED. (June 2005). Obesity. Is it an eating disorder? Retrieved July 18, 2005 from
Desor, J.A., Maller, O. & Turner, R. (1973). Taste in acceptance of sugars by human infants. Journal of Comparative and Physiological Psychology, 84: Retrieved on July 20, 2005 from /35Young.pdf
Gifford, R.A. (2005). New thoughts on sleep, weight loss & diabetes. The Saturday Evening Post: 277, 4. Retrieved July 19, 2005 from ProQuest database.
Girion, L. (June 27, 2005). Insurers weigh surgery risks: companies differ on whether to pay for procedures to help patients slim down. Los Angeles Times. Retrieved July 18, 2005, from the ProQuest database.
Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation (2004).The Role of Media in Childhood Obesity. Retrieved on July 26, 2005 from
Tufts University Health & Nutrition Letter (April 2005). You snooze, you lose? looking for links between sleep, appetite and obesity. 23, 2. Retrieved July 18, 2005 from ProQuest database.
Spiegel, K., Leproult, R., Tasali, E., Penev, P., and Van Cauter, E. (2004). Sleep curtailment in healthy young men is associated with decreased leptin level, elevated ghrelin levels, and increased hunger and appetite. Annals Internal Medicine 141(11): Retrieved August 2, 2005 from the ProQuest database.
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (2001). The Surgeon General’s Call to Action to Prevent and Decrease Overweight and Obesity: At a Glance. Retrieved on August 4, 2005 from
Vorona, R.D., Winn, M.P., Babineau, T.W., & Eng, B.P., F.H.R., W.J.C. (2005). Overweight and obese patients in a primary care population report less sleep than patients with a normal body mass index. Archives of Internal Medicine, 165, Retrieved on August 4, 2005 from the ProQuest database.
Young, B.M., Webley, P., Hetherington, M. & Zeedyk, S. (1996). The role of television advertising in children’s food choice. London: Report to the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (MAFF). Retrieved on July 20, 2005 from