Obesity: A Growing Problem Among AmericansObesity is a very common health problem in the United States, and the number of people considered obese continues to increase. More than 35.7% of American adults are considered obese (“Adult Overweight”). The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism points out that “obesity is a chronic disease characterized by excess body fat” (Beeson, Hill, Wyatt). It is diagnosed by a number called the 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 greater than 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 avoided through portion control, exercise, and 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. This is the most common obesity syndrome, caused by the loss of imprinted genes. Certain 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. Several genes can increase a person's susceptibility to obesity and require other factors such as large portions of food or little physical activity ("adult overweight"). Obesity can also be caused by common endocrine diseases or hormonal disorders such as hypothyroidism or rarer disorders such as Cushing's syndrome...... middle of article......, nd Web. October 26, 2013. “Healthy Eating Plate and Healthy Eating Pyramid.” » Harvard School of Public Health. Harvard School of Public Health, nd Web. November 16, 2013. Hindle, Linda and Sarah Mills. “Obesity: self-care and disease prevention.” Practical Nursing 23.3 (March 1, 2012): 130-134. CINAHL with full text. Internet. 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, December 1, 2011. Web. November 11, 2013. “Nutritional 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. The web. November 11. 2013.