According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) report, at least 70 million American adults are obese. Kopp (2019) indicates that in the US, 19% of young adults between 2 and 19 years old and 49% of adults suffer from obesity, which increases their risk of developing type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and certain cancers. Additionally, obesity costs the healthcare system $147 billion annually in lost work hours and treatment costs.
Non-communicable, lifestyle-related diseases such as cardiovascular diseases, certain types of cancers, chronic respiratory disease, cognitive impairment, diabetes, and obesity are the leading causes of death today. Sompayrac and Linehart (2018) indicate that specific social determinants of health, such as poverty, income inequality, wealth inequality, food insecurity, and the lack of safe, affordable housing, have important implications for health risks and the ability to attain health insurance coverage for African Americans. Quadagno and Lanford (2019) also relate childhood obesity and adult obesity. Children who are obese are also likely to grow into older adults.
How the Current and Previous Presidents Have Handled the Issue
Trump’s administration did not do much to stop the obesity epidemic from growing further (Byrne, 2020). Instead of increasing the efforts towards funding anti-obesity programs, the administration mainly focused on defunding and reversing programs established by Obama’s administration. Consequently, there was a significant increase in obesity from 37.7% in 2018 to 42.4% during his administration. Trump’s administration bowed to the needs of the food companies, increasing the growth of fast-food restaurants, especially in low-income neighborhoods.
n the other hand, the President Biden administration has had to grapple with a worsening rate of childhood obesity, which has risen from 36% to 46% for children between 5 and 11 years during the pandemic. Under the President’s Department of Agriculture (USDA), there has been an increase in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) because Americans need more calories in their diets. With the current overweight and obesity figures, this decision by the USDA makes it challenging to regulate weight gain among children.
What Would I Do Differently?
To diminish the obesity and overweight epidemic, I would increase population education on healthy dietary options and food portion sizes. Sompayrac and Linehart (2018) indicate lower education can lead to higher obesity levels. The positive effect of education on obesity is attributed to greater access to health-related information, improved ability to handle the information by the educated, more precise perception of the risks associated with lifestyle choices, and increased self-control. Individuals with greater access to health-related information are more likely to remain consistent with their dietary choices than individuals with lower education levels.
Further, I would engage nurses and other healthcare providers to take time and educate the communities on the best dietary options based on their income level, height, and food options. Since heart disease is the leading cause of death in America and is exacerbated by the patient’s weight and lifestyle choices, if the communities can eat healthier and maintain the recommended 30 minutes of physical activity daily, hospitals will not be overrun by patients with lifestyle-related health issues (Quadagno & Lanford, 2019).
I would also develop policies that demand a certain number of grocery stores per population to ensure that even low-income neighborhoods access vegetables and fruits. Finally, I would call for tax increases on fast-food restaurants and lower taxes on healthy food options to make vegetables and fruits more affordable to low-income households.
Byrne, P. J. (2020). Trump’s legacy. News Weekly, (3083), 14–15.
Kopp, W. (2019). How Western diet and lifestyle drive the pandemic of obesity and civilization diseases. Diabetes, Metabolic Syndrome And Obesity: Targets And Therapy, 12, 2221.
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