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Obesity is a chronic health situation affecting individuals of various ages and social groups in society. The obesity Epidemic depicts a significant correlation with overweight conditions in children and youth. The Centre for Disease Control and Preventions (CDC) associates obesity with body mass indexes (BMI).

A person becomes obese if the BMI exceeds the 95th percentile of gender and age-specific charts. Similarly, a person with a BMI of this margin portrays obese-like characteristics. Another significant trait connecting to obesity is the accumulation of high body fat. This attribute increases the adverse health impacts of obesity because it exposes individuals to other chronic diseases such as high blood pressure, diabetes, and cardiovascular disorders, among others.

High prevalence and incidence rates for such situations relate to genetics, food consumption rates, individual engagement in physical exercises, and other lifestyle aspects. Another significant issue is the transformation of obesity from childhood to adulthood. Individuals demonstrating any obesity-related conditions in their early life stages are like to suffer from obesity in their adult life.

As such, the analysis of obesity in the US and other industrialised countries, portions sizing, overconsumption, and implication from diverse cultural and social groups enhance the understanding of its causes, incidence rates, and impacts in the society.

The Obesity Epidemic in the US and Other Industrialised Countries

Health statistics reveal low morbidity and mortality rates characterised by insignificant rates of injuries, infectious diseases, dental carriers, and nutrient deficiencies in the past four decades. Such outcomes depict significant improvements in healthcare services for the youth and children in the world (McGinnis, 2006).

However, the emergence of new trends concerning obesity poses the threats of reversing the successful interventions in the US and other world countries.

A study conducted by the National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys (NHANES) on obesity’s prevalence utilised the BMI of individuals to measure body fat in 2000. The outcomes indicate that the numbers had tripled since the 1970s among youth and children (Koplan, 2005). The epidemic affected both girls and boys in diverse ethnic groups, races, and ages in different parts of the US.

NHANES discovered that about 10% of children between two and five years were obese. The researchers also found that approximately 15% of individuals between six and nineteen years showed a BMI that exceeded the 95th percentile (Koplan, 2005).

Similar scenarios and treads on youth and children obesity’s prevalence dominate the European countries. As such, the European Heart Network conducted a study on obesity trends in twenty European countries. The high prevalence and incidence rates of obese individuals necessitated the development of action plans to counter adverse health outcomes for youth and children.

These initiatives’ primary objective includes banning some television advertisements and generating policies of controlled food adverts and sponsoring school programmes related to the purchase and intake of healthy foods and beverages from vending machines (McGinnis, 2006).

Some countries are implementing these initiatives to mitigate the obesity epidemic. They include Norway, Canada, the UK, and Australia, among others.

Portion Sizing

Obesity epidemic regulation procedures connect to healthful dietary conduct selecting a profoundly balanced diet and regular physical exercises. Nevertheless, the establishment of feeding routines that engage the consumption of moderate portion sizes in the diet play a significant function in obesity prevention.

Healthcare professionals may recommend some effective feeding behaviours and patterns for adults, adolescents, and children. However, the intake of certain portions of beverages and food depends on sedentary behavior, physical activities, affordability, and availability of healthful diets (Koplan, 2005).

Although such individuals may thrive in broader political, economic, and social surroundings, their deeds may constrain or promote their health maintenance procedures.

As such, the maintenance of a healthy weight concurs with the attainment of optimum BMI. The necessity of withholding an optimum BMI relates highly to developed countries that barely depict undernutrition cases.

While healthy weights associate with a BMI of about 21kg/m2, obesity victims or patients work tirelessly to exterminate portions that exceed the 30kg/m2 threshold (Koplan, 2005). Therefore, correcting the obese conditions connects to various strategies and measures, including changing behaviours and environments and adopting institutions that promote healthy and acceptable lifestyles and conduct in society.

Mostly, these goals a long-term in nature because the regulative process of abortion may take several years to instil changes. The target groups should adopt several intermediate goals that enhance gradual improvements such as diet programme assessment and setting accurate food and physical activity proportions.

Overconsumption

Health problems relating to obesity emanate from the lowest levels of social associations, including children and the youth. As such, McGinnis (2006) provides insights into eating, diet, and health patterns for youth and children.

The significance of this overview is the observation of several trends, issues, and patterns associated with diet-related behaviours among youth and children in different ethnic groups over the past decades. McGinnis (2006) argues that individuals in these age groups more than the recommended sodium, trans-fatty acids, and saturated fatty acids.

While the populations concentrate on the high intake of the listed dietary elements, they engage in the low intakes of vitamin E, magnesium, fiber, potassium, and calcium intake. Still, little income toddlers and girls at the puberty growth stage expose themselves to significant risks of iron deficiency.

Youth and children thriving in poverty also relate to high nutrition, social, and health disparities compared to others living in high and middle-income families. The current feeding patterns also associate with the disproportionate intake of low nutrient beverages and food, high calorie, dairy products, whole grains, legumes, vegetables, and fruits.

For instance, trends in eating patterns and nutrient intakes from 1970 to 2004 show that the aggregate calorie intake in youth and children measure the energy imbalances increasing significantly. Severe cases increased among youth and children between the ages of six to eleven years.

Still, the studies’ overall outcomes indicate that toddlers and infants consume calories that exceed the estimated and recommended requirements. They also prefer fried potatoes, beverages, and sweetened foods compared to green and leafy vegetables.

On the same note, adolescents consume almost double the required sugars in their diets, which have risen steadily for approximately thirty-five years (McGinnis, 2006). As such, research trends in obesity reveal that adolescents’ and children’s food intake depict substantial changes over time. Their eating habits connect to the overconsumption of obesity-related nutrients.

Therefore, profound nutritional standards recommend a healthful diet programme that elicits the most appropriate food components, propelling individuals’ normal development and growth of individuals.

Health Implications of Obesity in Various Social and Cultural Groups

The obesity epidemic depicts various health implications on different social and cultural groups. Although all the social groups experience the adverse impacts of obesity in the US, some reveal higher health impacts than others.

For instance, individuals residing in the southern regions, families of low economic status, and minorities show high obesity rates compared to other public members. This prevalence and incidence relate to two significant issues. Firstly, the adolescents and children may reveal a high sensitivity or disability when presented to obesity causal factors (Koplan, 2005).

Secondly, the obesity-causing elements may be profoundly pronounced in high-risk communities and populations.

Concerning the cultural groups, obesity cases vary significantly among Mexican Americans, non-Hispanic whites, and non-Hispanic blacks. Obesity is highly prevalent among adolescents and children in the entire US population.

However, Native Americans, non-Hispanic blacks, and Hispanics elicit disproportional distribution while correlated with the US. Other affected groups include the American Indians, where obesity among children of about seven years depicts a prevalence rate of approximately 30% (Koplan, 2005). This infection rate is twice the estimated outcomes for children’s population in the US.

Conclusion

This paper has analysed and discussed obesity in the US and other industrialised countries, portions sizing, overconsumption, and implications from diverse cultural and social groups that enhance the understanding of its causes, incidence rates, and impacts.

As such, obesity is a health pandemic affecting children and adolescents in great numbers. The high prevalence and incidence rates connect to food surplus, unhealthy dieting behavior, environment, and disproportional physical activity.

Still, lifestyles dominating different social and cultural groups propel the obesity prevalence rates. These cases affect minorities, people in the most sensitive groups, and others residing in the southern parts of the US.

Therefore, the control of such situations lures the victims and experts towards the development of healthful diet programmes. These initiatives assist in preventing other chronic infections by regulating overconsumption and low intake of the required nutrients.