"Is Obesity a Disease?." . ProCon.org, 20 Sept 2013. Web. 8 Oct 2013. <http://obesity.procon.org/>.

This document is an overview about obesity in general. It talks about what obesity is and how a person is considered to be obese. There are also statistics for the condition. As well as the overview, it discusses about the pros and cons in labeling obesity as a disease. It also talks about the arguments between the proponents and opponents for the situation. This will be the most important source for my essay. It talks about the debate of labeling obesity as a disease which is basically what my entire essay is about. I can also use this for an introductory paragraph. I will be giving background information on obesity in the paragraph and this document has all the information I need. This is a credible source because it is nonprofit public charity website. All this website presents are facts, studies, and pros and cons on any statements. Since all this information in just facts, there is nothing biased about it.

Neighmond, Patti. Two New Drugs May Help In Fight Against Ob. NPR.org. MD Anderson Cancer Center, 24 Sept 2012. Web. 8 Oct. 2013. <http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2012/09/25/161583063/two-new-drugs-may-help-infight-against-obesity>.

In 2012, two new medications were approved by the FDA to help obese people lose weight. They are Belviq and Qsymia. Both drugs are used to stimulate the starvation response. Although both drugs help lose weight, it is a persons responsibility to try and commit to a diet because the drugs do not increase the metabolism. Like all drugs, they come with side effects. Qysmia can increase the heart rate and cause birth defects. Belviq may interfere with treatments for migraine headaches and depression. It is best to consult with a doctor to make sure a person is right for the drug. I probably wont use this source in my essay. I am just using this as a reference to show that medical treatments for obesity has its risks. It is important for a person to decide if he or she is willing to gamble on drugs to help with weight loss knowing that there are possible side effects. This will help support the argument of those who oppose labeling obesity as a disease. This blog is on NPR site and sponsored by the MD Anderson Cancer Center, which I see as a credible source. Within the blog, specialists in obesity were cited, so this information was from experts. As far as being biased, this blog is a fair reading. It not only talks about benefits of the drug, but also the side effects of it.

 Obesity: Medical Treatment. NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital, 30 Nov 2008. Web. 8 Oct 2013. <http://nyp.org/health/diabetes-obmeditr.html>.

This section of the website is about the various medical treatments for obesity. Specific treatments are determined for a person based on certain factors such as age, overall health, and medical history. The treatments are branched out, but not limited, to four sections: prescription medications, supplements, behavioral strategies, and psychotherapy. Prescription and supplements are used when dieting and lifestyle changes are not resulting in acceptable weight loss. Behavioral strategies and psychotherapy are used to mentally help those who are struggling to lose or maintain weight. This will be a good source for my essay because it will help support the argument of obesity being labeled as a disease. Since I need to include about medical treatments, this will be a good start. It is not a very strong source because it is very limited on information, but it is something I can work off of to get more in depth with medical treatments as I research for more sources. I feel that this is a credible source because it is published by a Presbyterian hospital which means that expert physicians are writing the information. The information that is given is not bias; it is just facts. The website is also sponsored by two colleges: Columbia University and Weill Cornell Medical College.

Ungar, Rick. "Obesity Now Costs Americans More In HealthCare Spending Than Smoking." Forbes, 30 Apr 2012. Web. 8 Oct 2013. <http://www.forbes.com/sites/rickungar/2012/04/30/obesity-now-costs-americans-morein-healthcare-costs-than-smoking/>.

Obesity is now the highest healthcare cost in the United States. It is reported that the chronic condition has added $190 billion to the annual national healthcare price tag. Obese men are accountable for an additional $1152 per year in medical spending compared to an average person while an obese women account for an additional $3613. This is a real big issue because obesity has risen by 34 percent since the 1960s. Since obese people can live as long as an average person, the amount of money for healthcare is going to keep increasing. This is a great source for my essay because it is explaining about the healthcare cost. One of my concerns in the essay is who is actually benefitting from labeling obesity as a disease. From the information that was found, I can safely assume that pharmaceutical companies are the ones getting the better end of the deal. I will still need to find more monetary information like living and working expenses for obese people, but this will be a start. This article was written by Rick Ungar, a Democratic strategist with Mercury Public Affairs, so I feel that this is a credible source. Since he is also works for Fox News Network, this article might be bias. He is basically saying that obesity is the reason for why healthcare cost has skyrocketed. It wont really be a problem for my essay, but it might be in general.

Verduin, Patricia, Sanjiv Agarwal, and Susan Waltman. "Solutions to Obesity: Perspectives From the Food Industry1,2,3,4." American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 82.1 (2005): n. page. Web. 8 Oct. 2013. <http://ajcn.nutrition.org/content/82/1/259S.full>.

It is time for the food industry to make a change for people who are struggling with weight loss. The industry is well aware of the food choices that people make and in doing so, ConAgra has developed new food products and improved old ones to meet healthy standards. Not only do the industry have to make a change, but the consumers as well. It is up to them to make the right choices. This can be rather difficult because people usually pick food by taste, quality, convenience, and price. This source shows the hard decision making that both the industry and consumers are up against. Those who oppose labeling obesity as a disease should understand that challenge. I dont see this as a source I would use in my essay, but I see this as a learning tool. It is up to me to decide whether a source I am using in my essay is reliable or not. I can say that this is a credible source because it explains the information in great detail. Yes this source is bias, but in a positive way. It is explaining how everyone should contribute in helping people with weight loss. I think that in this kind of context, it is more important to be biased than neutral.