Epidemiology of Obesity in Teenagers

Abstract

Epidemiology may be understood as the study of health issues, health states and diseases in order to come up with preventive measures to control or manage the disease or health issue. Some of the major areas of study under epidemiology include the etiology of diseases, the screening of disease and its surveillance, investigation on the outbreak of disease and biomonitoring. The paper discusses the epidemiology of obesity among one of the most vulnerable population, that is, the teenagers.

Table of Contents

Definition and description of epidemiology1

Steps and methods of epidemiology1

Epidemiological triangle3

Type of epidemiology used4

Selected population and diseases of interest5

Overview of population and disease5

Cultural considerations5

Ethical and legal considerations6

Relationship of the disease to various levels of prevention7

References8

Epidemiology of Obesity in Teenagers

Definition and description of epidemiology

According to World Health Organization, epidemiology may be understood as the study of health issues, health states and diseases in order to come up with preventive measures to control or manage the disease or health issue. This study involves distribution of the issue under study as well as the determinant factors. Evidence based healthcare, policy framework and public health are incomplete without it (Currie, 1992). The epidemiology can be a peer review and it can be systematic review. The study of diseases and health condition in this way has contributed a great deal in the fields of health provision, clinical research and biological science (Cornette, 2008).

Some of the major areas of study under epidemiology include the etiology of diseases, the screening of disease and its surveillance, investigation on the outbreak of disease and biomonitoring. The basic working on the investigation of the disease takes the help of science while statistics are used to reach a certain conclusion. Since, these diseases are also understood and studied from the point of view of population; social science also has a small role to play here (Asimov, 2000). The paper discusses the epidemiology of obesity among one of the most vulnerable population, that is, the teenagers.

Steps and methods of epidemiology

There are three key steps involved in epidemiology. These are review of routine data such as demographic, census, birth, death, and surveillance records and the review of medical and health records of the population under study and the review of prior epidemiological data available for perusal (Kotchen, 2010). Routine data is the data that already exists while epidemiological data can be understood as the data which is collected specifically for the study in question. Inclusion of both epidemiological and routine data helps to keep bias out of the research in that the results obtained from one are often reinforced by the other. It also makes the research more valid in that it is not possible to cover all the aspects of the topic through epidemiological data. Hence, routine data may be used as a tool to complete information (Zaccai, 2004).

The prevalence of obesity in the US has increased to a considerably larger extent in the past couple of years. This increase can be seen in all age groups ...