RUNNING HEAD: LITERATURE REVIEW-FINAL DRAFT 1

Literature Review Final Draft

Xochitl Villalobos
University of Texas at El Paso











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Abstract
This paper will be discussing the affects that obesity may have on the body; it will also
cover the different factors that may contribute to becoming obese. It will explain how doctor feel
that emotions may have a big impact on the way that people perceive things and may hurt them
when it comes to having a normal and healthy life. I will also be giving facts to try and support
this point without becoming bias.
This paper will not be a persuasive paper but will merely be giving insight to the ways
that obesity is seen and the way that obesity is being discussed among the doctors.
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Obesity
Obesity has started to become a norm in the United States. We see overweight people and
I feel like the right thought that we should be having are not popping into peoples heads.
Obesity has been a kind of controversial topic for some people in the community. I know of
people who say that obesity depends completely on the person and that they have no self-control
and many other harsh things like this.
I have done some research and found that many of the doctors believe that obesity is a
serious issue, in the article AMA Recognizes Obesity as a Disease by The New York Times
writes about the changes happening in the American Medical Association. It also explains that
although the AMA has declared obesity as a disease it has no legal influence. They are hoping
that having this change will have more physicians taking obesity more seriously and that it will
help to fund things like: surgery, counseling and medication to help lower the risks of obesity.
This article also says that there are two kinds of people who can have obesity they explain that
the first type may be a person who is healthy and only has some levels of body fat. The other
type would be the person with the extra fat and the health and metabolism issues.
Since there was all the debate about the different kinds of people who can be obese there
was a lot of controversy as to classify obesity as a disease. In the beginning stages they were
thinking of classifying it as a disorder or a condition. They have also made comments to those
who say that being obese is much more that eating too much or exercising too little. Doctors
have expressed that there are some people who have no control over their body weight. Another
reason that there was so much debate on whether or not to have obesity classified as a disease,
because they were afraid of overtreatment of a person if that person really did not need it.
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Another study that has been done, is one by the UK. In the article Adult Obesity Linked
to Childhood Emotional Problems. They have established that children who had difficulties with
emotional problems are at a higher risk to become obese when in their adult life. They showed
that things such as: Low self-esteem, being overly worried, or feeling less in control of ones
life in childhood actually causes obesity in adulthood.
They have proven that some people who had these emotional problems at the age of 10
and were assessed for low self-esteem and other factors. Were assessed again at the age of 30
and those who had any of the factors that were listed previously were most likely to put on extra
weight as adults rather than those who did not have any of the other factors and had a more care
free childhood.
In this article they go on to say that many of the children needed help by those people
who were closes to them. They said that it is not only the responsibility of the doctors but for
everyone who comes into the childs life. This includes the parents especially, family, and
teachers. Teachers can have a big impact on the things that they say to children. This is because
they are the people that the child sees more than family. In the eyes of the children they are the
second most influential group. They feel like teachers have things that they can say and will
come off differently than if the parents or another family member were to.
This article really emphasizes the point made in the New York Times article, stating that
obesity is much more that the eating habits and the amount of exercise. This shows that the roots
of obesity can begin so easily in their life rather than just the future of how they will eat and how
their activity will be later on in their life.
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I have also found an article from USA Today. Childhood Obesity: A Lifetime of Danger.
This article really emphasizes that risks that a child has if they become over weight at such an
early age. There are such cases as a child having diabetes and other emotional problems from
becoming overweight. In this article is describes how the extra weight can cause health problems
later in their adult lives. They are also saying that the people should be more cautious with the
things that they eat and the way that they spend their time.
In this article they give tips to the parents that should help to lower the risk of having
overweight children and in doing this they are able to help themselves become healthier than if
they were to live just free and not worry about the things that might happen in the future.
In the middle of the article a doctor Daniel Jones states that the rate of childhood obesity
is an epidemic. If something is not done about this then later on in the lives of the children will
have a greater risk of dying middle aged because of a heart disease and stroke. Because of this
Jones is trying to help make sure that children are getting enough Physical Education and that
they are served healthy food in school cafeterias. As you know a change cannot be made entirely
by one person this is why Jones says to parents to teach their children make wise choices about
their health so that they live long, healthy and productive lives.
This really helps to emphasize the point made in the study by the UK. This shows that
everywhere children need to be taught and told things by all kinds of people. They need to be
shown that they are not alone in the journey to a healthy life. They have people who work in the
school systems, those who live with and around them, and those who are teaching them about
their school subjects and about life. If everyone were to emphasize the way that children should
live active and healthy then the children will have a huge support system around them and it will
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help to really solidify the points into their head and make them realize that this is a very serious
thing.
I have also included a video link, this video is from a popular show on TLC called My
600 Pound Life. Here they show the life of a person who has trouble and it is usually early in
their lives meaning they might have had some of the issues that were listed before. These issues
may have a direct impact on the way that the people featured in the show may have continued to
live their lives. This may be the reason that they have allowed themselves to get to the point that
they are now, and needing surgery to try and get their weight under control to try and now live a
healthy life. Many of the people who are featured in this show have a difficulty maintaining their
diets given to them after they get their surgeries.
Another reason they might have a hard time trying to stay on track and keep a healthy life
is because they have been living this way for so long, and now that it is time to change for the
better they do not know how to handle it and this proves to be a very challenging time. Some of
them when going into this journey they feel that simply getting the surgery is going to be a quick
fix, when the Doctor feels that this is the case, then he is sure to put a stop to it as soon as he can.
He is very strict when it comes to having them lose a certain amount of weight before he can do
anything to their bodies.
I came across a study that Stanford and Clinics did. In this article they explain the
different things that can happen to the body and cause permanent damage that can last
throughout the remainder of their lives. In this study they are explaining how obesity can lead to
heart disease, high blood pressure, and diabetes. It explains how having the extra weight can
cause early death. These things have an affect not only on the people who are obese but the
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people around them as well. These eating habits are passed down and all the distress that comes
with dealing with a person who is over weight. Having to deal with the medical bills and all the
stressors that comes with having someone who is overweight, and being a sort of caregiver can
cause a lot of pain to those put in that situation.
Another article found by CBS News shows that obesity is a growing issue in America. It
is estimated that obesity is going to affect 42% of Americans by the year 2030. This shows how
rapid and so widely spread obesity is in America. Obesity has easily become one of the most
talked about issues in the United States.
Obesity is growing more and more rapidly with the growing food industry and the fact
that being healthy is becoming more and more expensive to do. It shows that in many fast food
restaurants are selling burgers for less than they sell salads. This kind of pricing is not helping
the people who are trying their hardest to be healthy and they are on a tight budget. Especially
for the households that have many children they are not able to always live the healthy life that
they want because they need to get their children things that they may need for school or some
kinds of clothing and buying food that is double the budget is going to be out of the question
they are going to go with the less expensive options and get the necessary things that are more
important.
Another article I came across was a kind of nutrition blog, this blog explains the different
ways that people can eat healthy and still have very tasty foods. This blog shows people the right
foods and the proper amounts that are going to help them become healthier and healthier through
out their lifes.
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One thing that parents and children do not understand is that they are creating habits that
are going to be very hard to break when they get older and they might want to change their
lifestyles. It will be so much harder to change their eating habits for the good and have a
healthier life. This then causes people to binge diet or can cause people to have eating disorders.
These things can become life threatening and have horrible effects on peoples lives. This is one
of many nutrition pages available on the web, it is easy for someone to go one and learn to be
healthy the right way.
There are also many groups that are trying to make the world a more healthy place. There
are more fitness places available for working out. There are places where there are free classes to
show you how to work out and be more active all around. These kinds of things that make
someone healthy are ways that prove that being healthy is possible and it is an achievable goal.
But these are the things that people normally want to avoid. If it affects their schedule in anyway
I can bet that many of the people who are talking about how hard it is to be healthy are going to
find some way out of it. Because they want something fast and easy, and the truth that most
americans do not like to face is that this change is not temporary it needs to be a lifestyle change.
They also are hesitant to realize that a process like this is going to take some time. It is going to
take a lot of effort and time to get to the point that they want to reach.
Like I said before this nutrition blog is one of the many out there, there are different
styles of diets, and workouts. You just need to find out what works for you, because in the end
you are the person that is going to have to do it and you are the person who needs to stay
motivated and happy.

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References
Hellmich N (2008) Childhood obesity: A lifetime of danger. Retrieved from
http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/news/health/weightloss/2008-01-13-childhood-
obesity_N.htm
Zoller-Ciatto. D Film. 26 (2014).'My 600-Lb. Life' revisits Supersized: Zsalynns Story on
TLC. Retrieved from http://www.examiner.com/article/my-600-lb-life-revisits-
supersized-zsalynn-s-story-on-tlc
Stanford Hospital & Clinics (2014). Health affects of Obesity. Retrieved from
http://stanfordhospital.org/clinicsmedServices/COE/surgicalServices/generalSurgery/bari
atricsurgery/obesity/effects.html
Collins J. MA., Bentz J. PH.D (2009) Volume 4 No.4. A Record of Medical Progress. Retrieved
from http://www.jlgh.org/Past-Issues/Volume-4---Issue-4/Behavioral-and-Psychological-
Factors-in-Obesity.aspx
Paddock C PH.D (2009) Adult Obesity Linked to Childhood Emotional Problems. Retrieved
From http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/163650.php
Pollack A. (2013). A.M.A. Recognizes Obesity as a Disease. Retrieved from
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/06/19/business/ama-recognizes-obesity-as-a-
disease.html?_r=0
Nelson J. Zertasky K. (2010). Nutrition- wise Blog Obesity: Doctors slow to address the
problem. Retrieved From http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-living/nutrition-and-
healthy-eating/expert-blog/obesity/bgp-20056233


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References cont.
Jaslow R. (2012). Obesity to affect 42% of Americans by 2030 with $550 billion in costs, say
researchers. Retrieved from http://www.cbsnews.com/news/obesity-to-affect-42-of-
americans-by-2030-with-550-billion-in-costs-say-researchers/