Enhancing Appropriate Use of Adaptive/Assistive Technology

Abstract

A. Prevalence Overweight and obesity are both labels for ranges of weight that are greater than what is generally considered healthy for a given height. They also identify ranges of weight that have been shown to increase the likeli-hood of certain diseases and other health prob-lems. Obesity has become a major problem in the United States (USA) over the past two centuries. More than one-third of US adults (35.7 %) and approximately 17 % of children and adolescents are obese. Non-Hispanic blacks have the highest age-adjusted rates of obesity (49.5 %) compared with Mexican Americans (40.4 %), all Hispanics (39.1 %), and non-Hispanic whites (34.3 %) [ 1 ]. B. Risk factors Obesity is common, serious, and costly. The estimated annual medical cost of obesity in the USA was $147 billion, which is twice that of one decade ago [ 2 ]. Obesity in adults with disabilities is 58 % greater than in adults without disabilities and 38 % higher in chil-dren with disabilities compared to children without disabilities. C. Health consequences Obesity and being overweight are indica-tors of potential health risks, such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease, hypertension, liver and gallbladder disease, sleep apnea, osteo-porosis, gynecological problems, and certain cancers. D. Defi nitions of weight " Body mass index " (BMI) defi nes over-weight and obesity for adults. BMI is calcu-lated by using weight and height. For most people, the BMI correlates with the amount of body fat.