The Problems of Obesity - Article Example

Obesity Obesity, and the problems it causes, are a frequent for the media. There are hundreds of websites, books etc proclaiming that they can cure the problem. But can they? There is also an opposing movement which proclaims that fat is happy. There are some people who are satisfied with their shape and intend to do nothing about it, and there is of course the counter problem of being so concerned with weight gain that people make themselves ill with bulimia and anorexia. Definition of Obesity According to Medicine Net.com obesity is defined as being more than 20% over their ideal weight taking into account their age, sex and height. Morbid obesity is defined as having a BMI of 35 or over.Body Mass Index is calculated by dividing your height in inches squared by your weight in pounds. The answer obtained is multiplied by 703. An alternative method is to take your weight in kilograms and divide by your height in meters squared. A B.M.I of 18.5 to 30 is considered normal. Slightly more than this is considered overweight. Obesity is defined as having a B.M.I of over 30 and anything above 35 as being morbidly obese. The problems of obesity According to the American Obesity Association obesity is becoming a rapidly increasing problem world wide. They continue by saying that in developed countries exercise levels are falling. In poorer countries people don’t have the money to pay for excess food and are likely to be engaged in physical labor. There is also the fact that public transport is less efficient, cars are expensive and so people tend to walk or cycle. There is a problem for some of obesity being linked to extreme poverty in third world countries where food supplies may not offer much choice. In the more developed areas of such countries such as the capital cities obesity levels are often greater. BMI’s rise when people make the transition from a laborious rural life to a more sedentary existence. Some ethnic groups have a naturally tendency to obesity that has been kept in check by their lifestyles - the Australian aborigines for instance gain weight quickly and have a propensity to develop obesity and diabetes if they give up their traditional hunter gatherer life style with its low fat, low calorie, high fibre diet. The human body is designed to carry a particular amount of weight in a balanced way. Joints and organs can become damaged by carrying excessive weight. And of course that weight is often carried in the form of fat. The problem is exacerbated by the fact that obesity makes surgical intervention more dangerous. Also organs such as the liver become overburdened and eventually fail. Other problems are the onset of type 2 diabetes with all the problems that that involves such as eyesight deterioration or a deterioration in the circulation, which could lead to the necessity for amputation. This is only one a list of conditions that are related to the body’s inability to cope. Excess adipose tissue acts as an endocrine organ and this can lead to feminisation in men and the reverse in women and so to loss of fertility. Also, according to Dr Arun Prasad, sleep apnoea is up to 30 times more likely to occur in the morbidly obese than in the general population. He also describes various types of cancer as being more likely on the angelfire web page listed below. In 50 % of cases, early death results as the blood vessels become blocked and the heart fails to cope There are problems too with society’s perception of a very overweight person. They are less likely to be accepted for a post for instance than someone of normal weight. People stare at the very large and this can lead to psychological problems, and together with the difficulties of walking or fitting into seats on public transport this can lead to social isolation. Causes of Obesity There are times in our lives when we have little control over our diet. An important one of these is early childhood. It is at this stage in our lives when patterns are set. If we are constantly exposed to a diet that is high in fats, carbohydrates and sugars these are the foods we are most likely to turn to later in life. Poverty can be another factor. Fatty, high calorie foods that are high in sugar tend to be cheaper and more easily obtainable than more valuable protein foods. In the Indian sub-continent however being overweight is associated with wealth. The very poor are rarely overweight there, unless there are problems such as internal growths or kidney difficulties that lead to water retention. They simply don’t get enough food to do so. Depression can lead to overeating. We tend to want comfort when we are depressed and if it comes from no where else we turn to food. Society has altered of course. The American Obesity Association links obesity with such factors as increased car ownership, the use of elevators in buildings, decrease in manual labor and more activities that require very low levels of energy such as watching television and playing computer games. Childhood obesity According to the American Heart Foundation on their web page Healthier Generation over 17% of children in the U.S.A. are overweight, and just as many are in danger of becoming overweight later. Those are awful statistics. It is hard for children to resist the high calories food and drinks that they see everywhere and which their peers are often consuming. It is also a mother’s great instinct to feed her young, even when she can see that this is causing problems. There is hope. Small changes can make a difference to the outcome. For instance what kind of example are the parents setting. A father who pushes away his vegetables cannot really expect his child to eat them with relish. Eating together also encourages family bonds and makes for happier and stronger families. If parents make healthy choices then their children are much more likely to do so. Also a family that exercises together has fun while at the same time setting a pattern for future behaviour. Non-surgical methods of controlling obesity The main method that people use when they want to lose weight is of course calorie control. For the majority this has no long term positive results. The people who can continue for long enough on a diet that is restrictive are few and as soon as the diet stops the weight begins to go back on. Another problem with diets is that although there is an initial large loss this soon slows down as the body adjusts to the lower calorific income. Exercise regimes may result in some weight loss, but unless accompanied by other changes this loss will not be maintained. Various drugs have been tried such as those that suppress appetite or those that reduce the absorption of fats. Again these have little effect in the long term for the majority. So what can be done? The problem is one for the individual but also for society as a whole. We need to treat the situation right from birth. Parents need education and support as they try to bring up their children to appreciate healthier foods. Schemes such as vegetable box deliveries in poor areas for instance will mean that people become exposed to foods that they haven’t tried before. Schools and colleges are where many young people get their main meal of the day. While budgets are always a concern school cafeterias should feel some responsibility to provide healthy choices. Over sweet desserts can be replaced with fresh fruit for instance and deep fried foods served as an occasional treat rather than being available every day. Another problem in schools are the slot machines. These are a major source of income in many cases, but that doesn’t necessarily mean that they have to carry high calorie foods. Another change might be ensuring that all children get opportunities for exercise within the school day. We have more leisure time than any previous generation. For too many this becomes just extra time for eating. People, however few hours they work,perceive cooking as taking huge amounts of time and skill. Young people need to be educated early how to cook in an enjoyable atmosphere – not just cup cakes, but proper balanced meals. A child who cooks a meal will almost certainly eat that meal. Home made pizzas are a good option as the child can add their own favourite toppings and this is then served with a salad. The large stores and manufacturers are waking up to the problem. Various labelling systems are now coming into operation so that we become more aware of what we are eating. Eating out can present problems, especially in fast food places which tend to be less expensive than other restaurants. – sauces can be very rich in calories and many of the dishes are fried. Te choice is for grilled rather than fried dishes . Nowadays there is usually a salad choice too. Another way of dealing with this is to make eating out more of a treat – and then opt for a slightly more expensive restaurant that has more healthy choices. Choose water, juice, smoothies or low fat milk rather than higher fat milk shakes. If you want frozen desserts choose frozen yoghurt rather than ice cream Conclusion We see from the above evidence that obesity is a world wide problem that needs to be addressed by society as a whole in the form of government action and the actions of groups such as the superstores. But finally it is up to the individual to make the right choices. There is plenty of information out there, but we must act upon it. Sources http://www.angelfire.com/ar/laparoscopy/obesity.html#EFFECTS%20OF%20MORBID%20OBESITY retrieved 6th March 2007 http://www.healthiergeneration.org/default.aspx Medicine Net.com at http://www.medterms.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey =4607 retrieved 6th March 2007 http://www.obesity.org/ Read More