IntroductionThis essay will discuss obesity in America and the statistical data found on the subject. It's an interesting and personal topic and something very interesting to learn about. The essay will cover different perspectives on obesity, including the relationship between obesity and poverty in the United States, parents' fight for more physical activity in schools to combat childhood obesity, statistical data on the American obese population and even a false correlation between obesity and sleep duration in children. The relationship between obesity and health has been a major factor in drawing national attention to the increasing prevalence of obesity. As the second leading cause of preventable death in the United States, obesity claims approximately 300,000 lives each year (Salinsky & Scott, 2003). Obesity is strongly associated with multiple chronic diseases, such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes, as well as some forms of cancer, such as that of the uterus, gallbladder, breast, colon and kidney. Other conditions, such as sleep apnea, asthma, arthritis, reproductive complications, and psychological disorders such as depression, can also be attributed to obesity. Obese people have a 50 to 100 percent increased risk of death from all causes compared to people of normal weight. Most of the increased risk is due to cardiovascular problems. According to Salinsky & Scott, nearly 80 percent of obese adults have diabetes, high blood pressure, coronary heart disease, high blood cholesterol or osteoarthritis. High blood pressure is one of the most common obesity-related health problems in both men and women. Obese men and women are twice as likely to...... middle of paper...... have an appreciable effect in reversing this deadly trend. Given that the obesity epidemic is associated with deep-rooted societal structures, policy development on this issue is unlikely to be limited to a single piece of legislation or a single program. Instead, it will involve multiple congressional committees and federal agencies dealing with various policy areas, including health care, education, transportation, taxation, agriculture and welfare. The final document will highlight a serious problem in the United States. It will present statistical data that will help prove the seriousness of the matter. Obesity is not just a matter of being fat, overweight or having a BMI above a certain point; it can also cause other life-threatening comorbidities such as diabetes, heart failure, and other diseases. Raising awareness of the problem is the first step to creating a solution to the problem..