Places such as childcare centers, schools, or communities affect eating patterns and activity through the foods and drinks they offer and the physical activity opportunities they provide.

Other community factors that influence obesity include the affordability of healthy food options, peer and social supports, marketing and promotion, and policies that determine community design.

Genetic changes in human populations occur too slowly to be responsible for the obesity epidemic. Yet variants in several genes may contribute to obesity by increasing hunger and food intake. Rarely, a specific variant of a single gene monogenic obesity causes a clear pattern of inherited obesity within a family.

Drugs such as steroids and some antidepressants may also cause weight gain. Research continues on the role of other factors such as chemical exposures and the role of the microbiome. Skip directly to site content Skip directly to page options Skip directly to A-Z link.

Section Navigation. Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Syndicate. Causes of Obesity. Minus Related Pages. On This Page. Food, Activity, and Sleep Social Determinants of Health SDOH Genetics Illnesses and Medications What Can Be Done? adults aged 20 to 74 years. The most recent data estimate that 13 percent of children aged 6 to 11 years and 14 percent of adolescents aged 12 to 19 years are overweight.

Figure 5: Prevalence of overweight among U. children and adolescents. For example, overweight and obesity are particularly common among minority groups and those with a lower family income. In general, the prevalence of overweight and obesity is higher in women who are members of racial and ethnic minority populations than in non-Hispanic white women.

Among men, Mexican Americans have a higher prevalence of overweight and obesity than non-Hispanic whites or non-Hispanic blacks. For non-Hispanic men, the prevalence of overweight and obesity among whites is slightly greater than among blacks.

Within racial groups, gender disparities exist, although not always in the same direction. Figure 6: Age adjusted prevalence of overweight or obesity in selected groups from National Health and Nutritional Examination Survey 3 from to Racial and ethnic disparities in overweight may also occur in children and adolescents.

Data for youth from NHANES III showed a similar pattern to that seen among adults. Mexican American boys tended to have a higher prevalence of overweight than non- Hispanic black and non-Hispanic white boys. Non-Hispanic black girls tended to have a higher prevalence of overweight compared to non-Hispanic white and Mexican American girls.

In addition to racial and ethnic and gender disparities, the prevalence of overweight and obesity also varies by age. Among both men and women, the prevalence of overweight and obesity increases with advancing age until the sixth decade, after which it starts to decline.

Disparities in the prevalence of overweight and obesity also exist based on socioeconomic status. Men are about equally likely to be obese whether they are in a low or high socioeconomic group.

Among children, the relationship between socioeconomic status and overweight in girls is weaker than it is in women; that is, girls from lower income families have not consistently been found to be overweight compared to girls from higher income families. Among Mexican American and non-Hispanic black children and adolescents, family income does not reliably predict overweight prevalence.

However, non-Hispanic white adolescents from lower income families experience a greater prevalence of overweight than those from higher income families. The recommendations to treat overweight and obesity are based on two rationales.

First, overweight and obesity are associated with an increased risk of disease and death, as previously discussed. Weight loss results in lower blood pressure, lower blood sugar, and improved lipid levels.

Studies have shown that reducing risk factors for heart disease, such as blood pressure and blood cholesterol levels, lowers death rates from heart disease and stroke.

Therefore, it is highly probable that weight loss that reduces these risk factors will reduce the number of deaths from heart disease and strokes. Trials examining the direct effects of weight loss on disease and death are currently under way. Turn recording back on. National Library of Medicine Rockville Pike Bethesda, MD Web Policies FOIA HHS Vulnerability Disclosure.

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Search term. Section 1: Overweight and Obesity as Public Health Problems in America. Measuring Overweight and Obesity The first challenge in addressing overweight and obesity lies in adopting a common public health measure of these conditions.

Figure Figure 1: Adult Body Mass Index. The creation of programs that provide or manage the provision of healthy food in school systems. The creation of programs that improve access to healthy and affordable foods to all. The creation of programs that increase physical activity for all children and adults.

Elected officials at all government levels. Private and public schools. Health care professionals and the medical community with outreach programs. Faith-based and community-based organizations. Private sector companies supporting community efforts.

Why is Obesity a Problem? These increased health risks impact a number of bodily functions, organs, and systems like — Heart disease Hypertension Diabetes, Pre-Diabetes Fatty Liver Disease Infertility Metabolic Syndrome Gall Bladder Issues Cancer, among a host of other often preventable health disorders.

Causes of Obesity Many causes contribute to significant weight gain. Some people struggle with weight issues due to poor eating and diet choices. Some people struggle with weight issues due to sedentary lifestyles or choosing to never exercise. Why is Obesity a Public Health Issue? Statistics on Obesity The obesity statistics in America are staggering.

Obesity in the U. This increase in obesity statistics in U. has clearly led to direct increases in obesity health costs. When adjusted for age, women were more likely to be severely obese than men.

Obesity statistics in America, with regard to men and their respective income levels, reveal that the incidence of obesity was most prevalent for men who earned what is considered a salary that fell in a defined middle-income range. statistics for women, with respect to income levels, reveals that the incidence of obesity was lowest for those women who were categorized as having the highest income among all groups.

These statistics about obesity and women confirm that there was little difference in the prevalence of obesity in non-Hispanic black women despite their income levels. Health Problems and Obesity What are the health problems associated with obesity?

Heart Disease One of the most significant health issues that is considered an obesity-related disease is that of heart disease. Stroke Stroke is another health problem associated with obesity.

The health risks with being overweight include these side effects of obesity — High blood pressure. Low HDL the good blood cholesterol. An abundance of waist fat.

Type 2 Diabetes Adult-onset diabetes, Type 2 Diabetes, is another of the health risks of being overweight or obese. Diabetes causes high blood glucose levels which can lead to serious health risks from being overweight — Stroke. Heart Disease. Eye Issues. Nerve Damage.

Kidney Disease, among others. Cancer There are many types of cancers and diseases caused by weight gain.