According to the World Health Organization, approximately 1.9 billion individuals above the age of 18 were overweight in 2016, which amounts to 659 million adults with obesity (WHO, 2020). Of the 1.9 billion individuals, 39 percent were men, while 40 percent were women. In total, 13 percent of the world’s population was obese in 2016. Shockingly, from 1975 to 2016, the prevalence of obesity has tripled globally. Approximately 38.2 million children between the ages of 0-5years in 2019 were obese and overweight. In Africa, the percentage of overweight children has increased to 24 percent (WHO, 2020). Before, the disease was termed as a high-income problem; however, overweight and obesity levels are elevating in middle and low-income countries, especially in the urban areas.
The prevalence of obesity among the American population is approximately 16.2 percent among adolescents and 34 percent among adults. Mainly for adults, obesity has significant importance because most of the associated diseases occur between the age bracket of 25 – 59 years. Changes in lifestyle, lack of or inefficient physical activity and poor nutritional behaviors have been evidenced by different sources to be the factors for obesity among the American population. Obesity is associated with conditions such as diabetes, heart disease, stroke, cancer, high blood pressure, among many other chronic diseases. Such conditions add a significant burden to the American healthcare system because it brings about high financial and social burden. The research paper will helps in determining the dietary intake and physical activity mistakes that bring about obesity.
In this research, the case study design will be used to assess obesity and its associated factors, such as physical activity and nutritional behaviors. The use of the case study design will offer an in-depth analysis of the elements. One of the benefits of using the case study method is that the study will undergo thorough research through the use of both secondary and primary data, extensive inquiry, and statistical survey (Yin, 2016). Though people are engaging in physical activity and proper nutritional activity, the rate of obesity is still increasing will leading to negative associated factors. Through the research, the goal of the study of identifying the physical activity mistakes and nutritional intake mistakes that are associated with obesity will be identified. The information gained will be multi-sided as it will offer insight from both the obese or overweight individuals and the normal-weight individuals.
The use of the case study facilitates flexibility as different methodologies, and different sources can be used in analyzing the research problem. The purpose of the various methodologies and sources brings a sufficient understanding of the issue at hand despite its complexity. The case study method will offer a detailed analysis of the events and the relationships that occur (Yin, 2016). Through the case study method, one can obtain a detailed description.
Though the case study design will be used, the qualitative research method will be put into practice. The research method facilitates effective systematic and careful data collection and analysis. The research methods are two; qualitative and quantitative research methods. The qualitative research method is an effective one for this study as it will facilitate the uncovering of trends that are continuously progressing obesity instead of reducing it (Yin, 2016). The qualitative method mainly investigates and explains. Some of the ways that are used in the qualitative process include interviews, questionnaires, observations, and focus groups. However, in this case, the primary method that will be used is the questionnaires.