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Quesada Maria
Mrs. ODowd
Anatomy/ Physiology
2/21/16
Disease
Today it seems as if disease is all around us; it in the news and commonly associated with
older people. It is also shown in great multitudes with citizens in third world countries. Very
rarely do people ever say that America is sick. We look to America as a nation of prosperity and
wellness, but it is all a faade. Our nation is riddled with disease and it is visible. CHealth states
that, Obesity is a leading cause of preventable illness and death in North America. Disease can
be defined as a disorder of structure or function in a human especially one that produces specific
signs or symptoms or that affects a specific location and is not simply a direct result of physical
injury. Simplified: it is a condition that arises after the body streams away from homeostasis for a
period of time. Homeostasis is when the body performs how the body is supposed to. An
example of this would be how the cardiovascular system pumps blood throughout the body to
deliver key nutrients, and also to get rid of waste. If this system where to be disrupted in any way
and if it were not to be fixed, the body would be in a diseased state.
Obesity is the main disease that most Americans develop. Obesity itself has numerous
risks, and complications but the true killer of obesity is all of the other diseases it helps
jumpstart. Obesity is when an individual has an extremely excessive amount of body fat
especially located in their midsection. Obesity can lead to hypertension (high blood pressure),
and Diabetes (high blood sugar). Each disease has different sets of complications. Through the

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film documentary The Weight of the Nation it is mentioned that Hispanics, African Americans,
and people in poverty have the highest Obesity rates in the nation. This is due to the fact that
cheap fast food is loaded with saturated fat and high amounts of sugar and carbohydrate levels.
These types of foods are cheap and plentiful, parents are desperate to give their children
something to eat so they provide them with fast food. With this America has seen a raise in
overweight and obese children. The Weight of the Nation documents that 39% of obese children
have two or more cardiovascular risk factors .In fact in the town of Bogalusa 77% of obese
children were also obese later on as adults. Obesity not only shortens the life, but it also costs a
lot of money to manage. Institute for Americans Health (IAH) estimates in a study that obesity
adds $190billion dollars a year to health costs, with overweight and obsess women having a
higher cost per year than men.
As previously mentioned Obesity is only one disease that most overweight Americans
develop. The other surreal complication is Cardiovascular Disease and Hypertension.
Cardiovascular Disease is also nicknamed Heart disease. This disease consist of Heart conditions
that include diseased vessels, structural problems, and blood clots. These conditions greatly
reduces that hearts ability to efficiently pump blood throughout the body. Blood is so vital to the
homeostasis of the body that if the cardiovascular system had any problems pumping blood; it
would prove to be extremely fatal. The individual is in danger when major blood vessels have
plaque buildup in them so server that blood stops flowing to the heart causing a heart attack. The
Weight of the Nation through its study discovered that plaque buildup starts in childhood.
Hypertension is the leading cause to cardiovascular disease and heart attacks. Hypertension is
high blood pressure due to plaque buildup. Hypertension can also cause strokes If there is too
muck plaque buildup in a blood vessel near the brain it could cause the stoppage of blood flow to

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the brain causing a stroke with server disabilities. Spalding Rehabilitation Hospital lists potential
long-term complications with strokes as,

Paralysis or problems controlling movement

Sensory disturbances including pain
Problems using or understanding language
Problems with thinking and memory
Emotional disturbances.

A sad/ hopeful realization is that Obesity, Hypertension, and Heart disease are always mostly
preventable. All it takes is a healthy lifestyle with plenty of nutritious food and exercise.
If having a healthy lifestyle is all that is needed to prevent Obesity, stroke, and
cardiovascular disease; then why are there so many Americans that face these detrimental
diseases? Most psychologists and physicians argue that it has to do not only with economic
factors, but also social factors. The Weight of the Nation states that obesity is, no longer a class
issue, but it does help if a family where to have a relatively high income. There was an example
in the Bronx a low income area- with about 26.8-31.8 % of the residents having Obesity vs
Manhattan that is a wealthier area having only about 8.8- 18.3% of residents with Obesity.
Dietary choices play a huge role in weight loss/ gain but exercise is also needed. In the
documentary film Super Size Me most Americans claimed that they didnt exercise simply
because there was not enough time throughout the day to. Most of the people wanted to, but they
in a sense could not afford the time. This was most prevalent with single mothers who had young
children. They had to feed and care for their children while going to work for money to provide
their children with the necessities. At the end of the day the women felt as if there was not
enough time nor energy to provide for themselves. Today, even children are not exercising. Sue
Palmer Author of Why the iPad is a far bigger threat to our children than anyone realizes reveals

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that, on average, children spend five to six hours a day staring at screens. And they're often on
two or more screens at once - for example, watching TV while playing on an iPad. When
children are sitting down watching T.V. or when they are on their iPads and phones they are not
playing a being active. This could lead to weight gain and obesity.
Genetics and cultures may also play a role in contracting these diseases. Genetics may
be a factor but it is not the underlying cause. My family history on both sides have had all three
of these diseases, so I have to work extra hard to make sure that I dont end up developing and
potentially dying from them.
Obesity, Heart disease, and Strokes are all diseases that have the chance to be prevented.
If they do happen though, it could lead to a life of complications and health care costs. They are
the number one killers in America, and will continue to do so unless we as a nation come
together and do something about it. The number one step should be education. We need to teach
the public about certain food and the affects it has on the body long term. Eating healthier and
exercising means being a healthier person, which then correlates to living a longer happier life
with our family and loved ones.

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Works Cited
"Disabilities Related To Stroke." - Spalding Rehabilitation Hospital. N.p., n.d. Web.
<http://spaldingrehab.com/service/disabilities-related-to-stroke>.
Mer, Sue. "Why the IPad Is a Far Bigger Threat to Our Children than Anyone Realises." Daily
Mail. N.p., 27 Jan. 2016. Web.
"Obesity." - Causes, Symptoms, Treatment, Diagnosis. N.p., n.d. Web.
<http://chealth.canoe.com/channel_condition_info_details.asp?
disease_id=95&channel_id=2172&relation_id=113049>.
"Study: Obesity Adds $190 Billion in Health Costs." Institute for American's Health. N.p., 1
May 2012. Web.
Super Size Me. Dir. Morgan Spurlock. Perf. Morgan Spurlock. 2004. DVD.
"The Weight of the Nation." HBO DOCS, 5 May 2012. Web