A study of obese people and their impact on family members.
The focus of this study is the experience of obesity and weight-loss treatment on the obese individual and his or her partner, regardless of the reasons that they individual became obese. The study attempts to identify the particular problems that arise and how they affect the couple’s relationship, thereby increasing public and professional understanding of this issue. The methodology used is a qualitative study that looks at the issue of obesity and the experiences of obesity and weight-loss from a couples standpoint.
Contents
Background, Theory, and Purpose
Review of the Literature
Methodology
References
Contents
Background, Theory, and Purpose
Review of the Literature
Methodology
References
The term Obesity derives from the Greek expression ob-edere, which means over-eating. For centuries, in was considered a matter of gluttony, or craving for food. However, the modern definition for obesity has evolved to include considerations for height, weight, age, gender, and waist circumference. Generally, the diagnosis of obesity is derived through the use of Body Mass Index (BMI) calculations. According to the BMI, obesity is defined as weight in kilograms divided by the square of height in meters, equal to or greater than 30. A waist circumference greater than 40 inches for men or 35 inches for women also puts a person in the obese category (National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, 2000). Obesity has reached epidemic proportions in the United States. In this country alone, men and women’s body weights have progressively increased between 1960 and 1980, and they continue to rise. According to the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey II (NHANES II), data suggests that 32.6 million American adults are overweight as per the BMI definition. Of these, 11.5 million are severely overweight, and these people are categorized as obese. This is usually defined as having a BMI of 30 or higher, but some research shows a BMI of 31 or higher. It is estimated that in the United States about 300,000 deaths per year are caused directly or indirectly by obesity.