OPPapers.com

Super Size Me

Super Size Me Summary

Obesity is a major health problem in the United States; over 60% of adult Americans are obese. Obesity can lead to an array of other diseases, an increased risk of illness and premature death. Hypertension is one of the most common side effects of obesity. Obesity can lead to an array of other diseases, an increased risk of illness and premature death. Hypertension is one of the most common side effects of obesity. Hypertension is a constant elevation of blood pressure, typically 140/90mm of mercury or higher. Although it has no physical symptoms, hypertension can lead to further complications if not treated.
Another complication associated with obesity is diabetes. At the moment obesity is the leading cause of diabetes. Fifteen million people in the United States are diabetic; approximately 10% are juvenile onset diabetics. The other 90% of diabetics are type 2 diabetics, commonly know as adult onset. Those who develop adult onset diabetes generally are diagnosed in their middle years, between 30-60 years old. This type of diabetes is almost always associated with obesity. The majority of obese individuals with diabetes can reduce their complications by losing as little as 10% of body weight. Reducing body weight can reduce or eliminate the need for oral medications or insulin injections.
Many people with obesity problems complain of constant fatigue and difficulty sleeping. Such problems with sleep may be the beginning of a severe condition called sleep apnea. For people with this problem, it becomes more difficult to breathe at night as their weight increases. These people typically snore severely and have episodes when they stop breathing completely, sometimes for up to one minute at a time. During these times, heart rhythms may become very irregular, which can lead to heart attacks. Often sufferers of sleep apnea will wake up abruptly when they resume breathing. This may occur frequently throughout the night, causing...