Weight management with obese and overweight people

Abstract

Epicurus, who lived 300 years prior to the Christian era, philosophized that to be healthy a person should only eat when hungry and to eat only what one craved, no more (Boyer & Cowden, 1934). In this new millennium Epicurean has taken on a whole new meaning. Epicurean, or epicure, now provokes images of sensual pleasure and the attainment of sensuous gratification. As this word has taken a new meaning so has the definition of eating. The definition of eating has gone from eating to live, to living to eat. Two decades ago obesity and being overweight were not considered a medical or health problem, nor were the numbers of humans with this disorder considered excessive. Today, the numbers of people that are defined as overweight or obese has doubled the number found just 20 years ago. Even though the United States seems to perpetuate the ideal of a "healthy eating attitude", 34 percent of adults, aged 20 to 74 years, are overweight and an additional 27 percent are obese (Shell, 2002). Children have not faired any better. Twenty-seven percent of children between the ages of six to 19 are now considered overweight with that number rising significantly as time passes (The Surgeon General's Call to Action to Decrease Overweight and Obesity, 2001). In 1964 that figure was just five percent. As the dilemma of obesity and people who are overweight continually rises, it is evident that American men and woman have become preoccupied with their weight. Forty-five percent of woman and 25 percent of men are attempting to lose weight at any given time (Shell, 2002). These men and woman feel that they need to lose weight, whether they need to or not. This literature research was designed with three objectives in mind. This first objective was to assess the prevalence of people being overweight and/or obese in the United States. The second objective was to assess the epidemiological information relative to those that were overweight or obese. Lastly, the purpose of the literature research was to isolate and identify the therapeutic techniques that were being used to treat people that were obese or overweight. Ultimately, the goal of this research is to ascertain the most effective therapeutic methodology used to treat people who are overweight and/or obese.