Cultural Preferences as Causes for Obesity

Table of contents

A. Introduction

B. Main part: Cultural preferences of obesity
I. The United States (U.S.)
1. What is obesity?
a, BMI
b, Waist circumference c, Body fat measurements
2. Facts and figures
3. Causes for obesity
4. Effects on health and body
5. Therapies
II. Germany
III. Cultural aspects

C. End: Summary

Notes

Bibliography

A. Introduction

Almost anybody today knows the troubles people have with their weight or figure. Articles in magazines and newspapers about diets and weight can be found everywhere, and one country where the problem of being overweight or obese is always on the top is the U.S.A. North America was the first nation to make people realize that it was not only the precursor of technologies and new industries, but also the ‘motherland’ of weight problems. Though, what are the reasons for this development? How is the situation like today? And what can be done against this disease?

In my following essay I will try to work out these points more explicitly.

B. Main part: Cultural preferences of obesity

I. The United States (U.S.)

1. What is obesity?

“Obese: very fat, in a way that is not healthy^[1].” The definition of the ‘Oxford Dictionary’ points out that this amount of body fat is not normal but dangerous, and that this person’s weight exceeds a normal level. But where does overweight begin?

a) BMI

The first – and probably best – method to classify weight is the Body Mass Index (BMI). “BMI is a number based on both your height and weight. It can help you determine the degree to which you may be overweight and gives a reasonable assessment of total body fat for the general population^[2].” To calculate the BMI, this check can be useful:

[weight (in kg)] / [height (in meters)] ² = BMI.

The following table will help to rank the results:

- BMI < 18.5 -> underweight

- BMI 18.5 – 24.9 -> normal weight

- BMI 25.0 – 29.9 -> overweight

- BMI 30.0 – 39.9 -> obese

- BMI 40.0 or higher -> severely (or morbidly) obese^[3]

[...]

^[1] Oxford Dictionary

^[2] AOA: “What is Obesity“

^[3] Wikipedia