Obesity means having too much body fat. This is not the same as being overweight, which means weighing too much. A person may be overweight due to excess muscle, bone, or water, as well as from having too much fat. (Definition of Obesity) If you think that growing waistlines are a problem that only affects rich countries, think again. The most recent data reveal that the number of overweight and obese people in developing countries has more than tripled: from around 250 million in 1980 to nearly one billion in 2008. (A Weighty Problem: How to Halt Obesity in the Developing World). Obesity continues to be one of the most mentioned American topics in the media today. Often citing the increased incidence of disease because we Americans are fat. Because we eat out too often, we don't make the right choices in the menu and, most importantly, we are not active enough to compensate for the intake of high-calorie foods consumed every day. You are what you eat. The fact is, many Americans are out to lunch when it comes to making healthy food choices. The obesity epidemic affects every man, woman and child regardless of age, race, religion or geographic location. Obesity occurs in more than one-third of adults aged 20 years or older (BMI ≥ 30) Body Mass Index. Even more notable is the dramatic weight gain of American teenagers. According to 1999-2000 NHANES data, 15% of children ages 6 to 11 are overweight (obesity in America). The result is that there are nearly twice as many overweight and obese people in the developing world as in industrialized countries, which is more commonly associated with piling on the pounds. Yet despite this rapid growth, an estimated 842 million people go to bed hungry, even though there is more food available than ever. People are pro...... middle of paper ... ...runaway countries. In the United States, up to one in five children is overweight or obese, and this number continues to grow. Children have fewer weight-related health and medical problems than adults. However, overweight children are at elevated risk of becoming overweight adolescents and adults, putting them at risk of developing chronic diseases such as heart disease and diabetes later in life. They are also more prone to developing stress, sadness and low self-esteem. The old girl died because she was too overweight, an inquest heard. Shannon Appleton-Gower, who had learning difficulties, was found in bed at home by her stepfather last November not breathing. The inquest heard that Shannon died from acute cardio-respiratory failure, sleep apnea and acute pulmonary hypertension, all caused by weight. (Overweight and childhood obesity)