Weighing the severity of obesity epidemic

By Colleen Sinsky

Disneyland closed its 40-year-old "It's a Small World" ride for refurbishment in January of this year after countless guests broke the ride's boats due to their weight, proving that we aren't such a small world after all.

It's easy to forget about the obesity epidemic while attending what Men's Health Magazine rated as the No. 16 most fit school in the United States. Yet our waists have been growing at the same pace as our deficit.

The average weight of adult men and women increased by 25 pounds since 1963, when "It's a Small World" was built. And while obesity has become somewhat normal to us, this does not mean that we should overlook its frightening effects. If we give obesity the attention it deserves -- say the amount of attention we give to anorexia and bulimia -- America would be a much healthier and happier place.

According to the National Center for Health Statistics, 66 percent of adults are overweight and 32 percent are obese, defined as having a body mass index over 30.

With the dramatic rise of overweight and obese adults in the last 20 years has come an onslaught of medical issues, such as diabetes, heart disease, high cholesterol, stroke, hypertension, some forms of cancer and psychological disorders.

The National Institute of Health states that individuals who are obese's risk of death is 10 to 50 percent higher than that of individuals with a healthy weight. Most of this increased risk stems from cardiovascular problems.

In addition to the tangible consequences on health, obesity can significantly lower overall happiness and productivity.

At a national level, obesity is an expensive epidemic costing the United States $117 billion annually. A 1994 study showed that overweight people cost employers $12.7 billion in sick time and insurance coverage in that year alone.

Ironically, the $33 billion Americans spend on weight loss products is doing nothing to improve our standing as the ninth fattest country in the world -- and we are the only country in the top ten with a population over 2.5 million.

At the other end of the scale, eating disorders such as anorexia and bulimia pose a serious problem to the victims and their families. These disorders are manifested in a host of physical and psychological problems. Often seen with other disorders, eating disorders are complicated and tragic for those Americans who are affected. Out of those struggling with eating disorders, approximately 56 percent will die annually as a result of anorexia or bulimia.

While these disorders are incredibly damaging and painful, compared to obesity, anorexia and bulimia affect a relatively small percentage of the population, and the average duration of an eating disorder is six to seven years, compared to those who struggle with obesity their whole lives.

Obesity has lost the social stigma it once had, and being overweight in America is almost expected now.

Anorexia and bulimia are easier targets to address. The media is a concrete, tangible bad guy that society can blame for causing poor self-esteem and causing people to starve themselves.

However, by the numbers, the threat anorexia poses is fairly insignificant when compared to the estimated 300,000 Americans who will die this year from obesity-related causes.

The overwhelming prevalence of obesity is a social phenomenon that doesn't have an easy answer. While health agencies and the government regularly stress the importance of maintaining a healthy weight with a balanced diet and moderate exercise, habits are hard to break. For many Americans, this is difficult advice to follow.

Neither of these two extremes should be ignored, but we're deluding ourselves and hiding from the real issue at hand if we focus our efforts on the more glamorous end of the spectrum.

Colleen Sinsky is a junior economics major.