Obesity is a Preventable Risk Factor
Kerrie Newman
Kaplan University
CM220-01
Obesity is a Preventable Risk Factor
Obesity is a complex disorder where an excessive amount of body fat accrues on the body. Body mass index or BMI is how most definitions describe obesity. BMI is calculated by an individual’s height and weight. Numerous of individuals consider obesity as a disease but, obesity is a preventable risk factor that increases the risk for diseases and contributes to a considerable number of health concerns, and the condition of having excessive amounts of fat on the body is not a disease.
Individuals regard that obesity meets the definition of a disease because it debilitates the normal function of the body, it can be caused by genetics, and it can reduce an individual’s life expectancy. The American Medical Association’s 2013 “Council on Science and Public Health Report” identified three criteria to define disease: 1. “an impairment of the normal functioning of some aspect of the body,” 2. “characteristic signs and symptoms,” and 3. “harm or morbidity” (“Is Obesity a Disease, n.d.). Obesity meets all these definitions and criteria defined by the American Medical Association, but if obesity was a disease, then millions of individuals have contracted the disease and not because of a pathogen or illness. Obesity is a preventable risk factor for several diseases such as coronary heart disease, high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, and cancer. Having an excessive amount of fat is a preventable risk factor for obesity just like smoking cigarettes or cigars is a preventable risk factor for lung cancer, just like drinking alcohol is a preventable risk factor for alcoholism, and just like having unprotected sex is a preventable risk factor for sexually transmitted diseases or STD’s.
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