The Rising Prevalence of Obesity Among Working Americans
Periodontal Disease and Diabetes MellitusPeriodontal disease is an inflammatory disease initiated by the host’s immune reaction to oral microbial biofilm (Boyd, Giblin, & Chadbourne, 2012). The inflammatory response is responsible for alterations in bone and connective tissue homeostasis (Boyd et al., 2012). Inflammation related to periodontal disease has been linked to several systemic diseases, with links to atherosclerosis and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), having very strong evidence (Boyd et al., 2012). Periodontal disease, including reversible gingivitis, affects up to 90% of the world’s population with an estimated prevalence for chronic periodontitis worldwide of 10.8%. Diabetes mellitus has reached epidemic proportions with approximately 346 million adults affected worldwide and an increase expected by 2030 to over 439 million people with diabetes (Borgnakke, Ylostalo, Taylor, & Genco, 2013; Boyd et al., 2012). India, China, and the United States consistently top the list of countries with the highest prevalence of diabetes (Boyd et al., 2011). The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) determined that 18.8 million Americans were diagnosed with diabetes in 2010 with an estimated 7 million remaining undiagnosed (Boyd et al., 2011). The CDC further estimated a diabetes prevalence of 11.3% of the population in the United States (Borgnakke et al., 2013). The links between periodontal disease and non-oral systemic disease is the topic of much current research (Borgnakee et al., 2013). Studies have consistently demonstrated that T2DM is a risk factor for periodontitis (Boyd et al., 2012). Individuals with diabetes demonstrate an increased prevalence of periodontal disease and increased severity of periodontal destruction associated with periodontal disease (Boyd et al, 2012; Chauhan & Haslam, 2012). Those with diabetes are twice more likely to develop periodontal disease (Chauhan & Haslam, 2012). Current research seeks to determine the extent of a bidirectional relationship between the two LEADER BOARD PAPER WEEK 8 3diseases. A better understanding of this relationship would improve care of patients with either or both diseases and could improve patient outcomes.Boyd et al. (2012) conducted a review of literature of randomized controlled trials, meta analyses, and systematic reviews, which were related to diabetes mellitus and periodontal disease. This epidemiological review explored the bidirectional relationship between the two diseases and examined the effect of non-surgical periodontal therapy on hemoglobin A1C (HbA1c; Boyd et al., 2012). Their research found that individuals with T2DM have a 2.6 to four times greater risk of developing more severe periodontal disease with more loss of clinical attachment than those without diabetes mellitus (Boyd et al., 2012). Borgnakke et al. (2013) also use non-experimental, epidemiologic evidence to examine the effects of periodontal disease on glycemic control, diabetes complications, and the development of T2DM in order to determine the extent of any bidirectional relationship between periodontal disease and diabetes mellitus. Their study also found that periodontal disease does have adverse effects on glycemic control, diabetes complications, and the development of T2DM. Although Boyd et al. (2012) and Borgnakke et al. (2013) have both indicated a bidirectional relationship between periodontal disease and diabetes mellitus, more research is needed to determine the complete relationship between the two. These findings demonstrate the need to control and manage periodontal disease as a standard of care for diabetes, initiating a shift in paradigm for the management and prevention of diabetes and its complications (Borgnakke et al., 2013). A bidirectional relationship also emphasizes the need for collaboration between medical and dental professionals to ensure overall health of every patient (Boyd et al., 2012). LEADER BOARD PAPER WEEK 8 4ReferencesBorgnakke, W. S., Ylostalo, P. V., Taylor, G. W., & Genco, R. J. (2013). Effect of periodontaldisease on diabetes: Systematic review of epidemiologic observational evidence. Journal of Clinical Periodontology, 40 (Supplement 14), S135-S152. doi:10.1111/jcpe.12080. Boyd, L. D., Giblin, L., & Chadbourne, D. (2012). Bidirectional relationship between diabetesmellitus and periodontal disease: State of the evidence. Canadian Journal of Dental Hygiene, 46(2), 93-102. Chauhan, R., & Haslam, D. (2012). Managing diabetes and periodontal disease. Diabetes & The individual paper submitted to the group must Primary Care, 14(4), 213-222.
◦ identify an epidemiological health topic,
◦ be at least 5 paragraphs,
◦ provide epidemiological questions for each Alpha/Beta participant group,
◦ provide three additional questions,
◦ written in APA style,
◦ include a title page, and reference page,
◦ and have a minimum of 5 peer-review references
The Rising Prevalence of Obesity Among Working Americans
Obesity is a chronic, non-communicable disease characterized by excess body fat and negative health effects. The main cause of obesity is a long-term energy imbalance between the number of calories consumed and that expended. Raised body mass index (BMI) is regarded as a public health concern among working Americans, given the high-risk factor for other chronic disorders like cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, and musculoskeletal disorders, all of which markedly lower both expectancy and life quality (Hruby & Hu, 2015; Campbell, 2015).
While obesity has been associated with poor self-control or a lack of willingness to govern body weight, recent study findings indicate that the non-communicable disease is multifactorial and has numerous socio-environmental origins (Brehm & D’Alessio, 2019; Flores-Dorantes et al., 2020). The rising prevalence of obesity among working Americans has been linked to social and environmental factors, including social identity, social trust, social networks, and certain environmental characteristics like the availability of healthy foods and safe exercise areas (Harrison et al., 2016). Socioeconomic status variables like education, income, and occupation have been shown to influence those individual level factors that contribute to obesity.
For instance, not having sufficient education on healthy foods or how to manage one’s weight heightens the individual’s chances of becoming obese. Social status is also represented by inequality between individuals or even groups in terms of food security or even calorie consumption. Individuals from low-income groups are likely to have less food security than those from high-income populations (Hruby & Hu, 2015). Food insecure households are likely to have more obese members than food secure households: reduced food availability has been theorized to result in compensatory biological workings that increase caloric intake and storage of adipose tissue as an adaptation mechanism, over and above, lowered resting metabolic rate.
Low-income group members also exhibit lower levels of physical activity along with higher levels of anxiety, which have been proven to result in increased calorie consumption. The built environment is another critical factor in obesity among working Americans. The ability to participate in vigorous physical activity is indirectly tied to the neighborhood environment. People living in neighborhoods with high levels of deprivation, crime, and disorder are likely to achieve lower levels ...