Obesity: A Growing Problem Among Americans Obesity is a very common health problem in the United States, and the number of people considered obese is constantly increasing. Over 35.7% of US adults are considered obese (“Adult Overweight”). The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism points out that “obesity is a chronic medical condition characterized by excess body fat” (Beeson, Hill, Wyatt). It is diagnosed by a number called Body Mass Index or BMI. This number calculates the amount of body fat based on the person's height and weight. The higher the BMI, the more body fat obese people have, which leads to obesity. An adult with a BMI between 25 and 29.9 is considered overweight. An adult with a BMI over 30 is considered obese (“Overweight Adult”). Although obesity is an extremely serious problem in the United States, this condition, except perhaps in cases of genetic and hormonal disorders, can be prevented by controlling portions, exercising, and eating a well-balanced diet. First, there are natural causes of obesity. that we cannot control, such as genetic and hormonal disorders. Among the rare genetic obesity syndromes is Prader-Willi syndrome. It is the most common obesity syndrome due to the loss of imprinted genes. Some diseases can lead to obesity or weight gain, such as Cushing's disease or polycystic ovary syndrome (“adult overweight”). However, these genes do not always predict future health. Multiple genes may increase a person's susceptibility to obesity and require other factors such as large food portions or little physical activity ("Adult Overweight"). Obesity can also be caused by common endocrine diseases or hormonal disorders such as hypothyroidism or rarer ones such as Cushing's syndrome...... middle of paper......, nd Web. 26 October 2013. “Healthy food plate and healthy food pyramid.” Harvard School of Public Health. Harvard School of Public Health, n.d. Web. November 16, 2013. Hindle, Linda and Sarah Mills. "Obesity: self-care and disease prevention." Nursing Practice 23.3 (01 March 2012): 130-134. CINAHL with full text. Network. November 11, 2013."How are overweight and obesity treated?" NIH-National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. NIH-National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, July 13, 2012. Web. November 11, 2013. "How Much Physical Activity Do Adults Need?" Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Dec. 1, 2011. Web. Nov. 11, 2013. “Nutrition and Weight Status.” HealthyPeople.gov. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, November 13, 2013. Web. November 15, 2013.ProCon.org. “Obesity ProCon.org.” ProCon.org. October 15, 2013. Web. November 11. 2013.