Adolescent Overweight & Obesity - Essay Example

? Adolescent Overweight and Obesity ADOLESCENT OVERWEIGHT AND OBESITY Introduction Overweight is the possession of body fat that is above a range that can, by any means, be considered optimally unhealthy. It is a condition most prevalent where supplies of food are in plenty with sedentary lifestyles to boot. Globally, this condition is at epidemic level with increases being noted across a majority of age groups especially in adolescents and adults while a normally functioning body requires body fats to function; excess body fat has been shown to derail flexibility and movement (Munsch, 2005). Body mass index, or BMI, is a height for weight index utilized for classification of obesity and overweight. Its definition is the weight of the subject in kilograms divided by his height’s square in meters. A BMI above or equal to 25 is referred to as overweight while a BMI that is above or equal to 30 is referred to as obesity. Once considered a problem for high-income countries, obesity and overweight are on the increase in the middle and low-income countries with clustering in urban areas as well. Obesity and overweight are linked to more deaths globally than underweight. This essay will describe the concept of overweight and obesity, particularly prevalence of the latter in Australia. 2. Health condition Overweight and obesity can be defined as weight ranges greater than that considered healthy at any given height. Body weight ranges above limits of health have been proven to increase the probability of certain health problems like osteoarthritis and cardiovascular disease (Munsch, 2005). These ranges of weight are determined via calculation of the body mass index, or the BMI, calculated by using an individual’s height and weight (Bagchi, 2010). For adolescents, BMI interpretation varies by age due to the increased rates of growth at this age while also varying by sex. Healthy BMI for boys 15.5 to 21.8 for 13 year olds, 17 to 24.2 for 16 year olds and 18.6 to 26.4 for 19 year olds. For girls, they range from 15.3 to 22.5 at 13 years, 16.7-24.6 at 16 years and 17.8-26.1 at 19 years (Burniat, 2002). BMI’s above these given ranges at the specified ages indicate an overweight adolescent. 2.1 Effects of Overweight and Obesity There has been a continuous increase in the percentage of overweight and obesity in adolescents. 15 % of all adolescents, which is around 9 million, are overweight and it is about three times more compared to the early 80s (Sield, 2008). Although adolescents have fewer health problems linked to weight than adults do, there is a risk of moving on to adulthood as overweight. Overweight and obese adolescents run the risk of developing heath problems which include diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, stroke and cancer (Friis, 2005). Obesity has also been identified as a culprit in the weakening of physical health, shortened life expectancy, mental illness and stress. Additionally, most overweight adolescents are more prone to bullying not only as victims, but also as antagonists. Therefore, this condition requires understanding and love from parents, teachers and peers (Freemark, 2010). 2.2 Prevalence of Condition in Australia Standard definitions used to measure obesity and overweight in Australia were passed in December of 2002 (Burniat, 2002). These conditions were found to change notably according to age, rising in infancy, dipping during pre-school years before going up again during adolescence. Approximately 20-25% of Australian adolescents fell under the definition of obese in 1995 which was twice that tabulated in 1986 (Anzar, 2010). There has been a development of SSWAHS obesity and overweight management and prevention plan (Anzar, 2010). SSWAH has a 5-year plan aimed at addressing obesity and overweight in society and forms the foundation for a strategy that would be long term for tackling obesity and overweight. The steering committee put up to guide the plan’s development agreed that this plan encompass 4 key areas, two of which are adolescent obesity and overweight treatment and management, adolescent obesity and overweight prevention (Anzar, 2010). In the development of this plan, those on the committee agreed that the stated strategies needed to be: effective at the level of health service, evidence based; complementary to local and state plans; built on capacity that was already existent; inequity aggressive and compatible to infrastructure already in existence. These strategies are conducted by the SSWAH. Prevention of overweight and obesity in adolescents includes policy implementation on healthier drink and food for adolescents as well as encouragement of physical activity among adolescents via sensitization campaigns (Kopelman et al., 2010). The infrastructure and support systems for this strategy include ensuring equipment for identification of these two conditions like tape measures, weight and height scales. Furthermore, BMI counters are available along with resources for the effective support of clinical care like intervention checklists and flip charts. Educating of staff, practitioners, and other health professionals regarding the management and assessment of obesity and overweight as well as identification and relationship development with other agencies like local councils (Mullen and Shield, 2010). Treatment and management of these conditions in adolescents involve development and distribution of obesity and overweight testing tools. The tools include the NHMRC guidelines, development of obesity and overweight electronic based tools like websites with BMI standards and calculators and the development of group programs that educate parents of adolescents in high school and colleges for adolescents who are obese and overweight (Anzar, 2010). Services that are specialized for adolescents with obesity and overweight issues are limited in many hospitals in Australia (Wilson, 2010). The RPAH metabolism and obesity service, however, provide a broad based and comprehensive weight management, metabolic service, and nutrition multidiscipline program that acts as a center of reference for various disorders in many public health institutions (Kirsten, 2007). MOS runs the only adolescent Prader-Willi service in most of Australia. This disorder often leads to insatiable and voracious appetite, which will normally result in obesity. The metabolic clinic for rehabilitation at Concord General Hospital for repatriation also provides services to patients with 30-45 BMI ranges. Other leading centers that deal with obesity and overweight are Campbelltown hospital, Liverpool hospital, and Camperdown. Most of these centers have waiting lists of patients that are averagely 3-4 months long (Burniat, 2002). The Australian federal government elevated overweight and obesity to the same attention standard as diabetes, heart disease, and cancer. A study carried out by the federal government has also linked obesity to asthma. Its conclusion stated that: “The take-home message of this study for clinicians is that obese people with asthma need to be followed more carefully because it is harder to control their asthma" (Schatz, 2008 pp9). The Australian government seeks to tackle obesity via giving of tax subsidies which would be used for the funding of gymnasium membership for those who are willing to lose weight. The National Preventative Health Taskforce is targeting adolescent obesity reduction via banning advertisements for junk food over the daytime when airing of most children’s programs on television. In August 2008, the New South Wales government said that it would be paying for patients that are morbidly obese in order to receive surgery for weight loss (George, 2010). This is because most Australians wish to undergo this surgery in private hospitals where they have to pay the surgery fee themselves at costs of approximately $10,000. Hence, the government has decided to help them in paying for this procedure. A study that was done in the western region of Australia showed that patients that have had the procedure have gone up by 20 times with most of them choosing to undergo the lap band procedure (Burniat, 2002). Data that was collected in 1995 is indicative of the fact that obese or overweight adolescents were 23% for girls and 21% for boys (Munsch, 2005). There was an increase between 1985-1995 in the proportion of adolescents who were either obese or overweight. Prevalence of overweight and obesity in children and adolescents aged 5-17 years (percent) Sex, year Overweight but not obese (per cent) Obese (per cent) Total overweight and And obese (per cent) Boys, 1985 9.3 1.4 10.7 Boys, 1995 15.3 4.7 20.0 Girls, 1985 10.6 1.2 11.8 Girls, 1985 16.0 5.5 21.5 Source: Magarey, A. M., Daniels, L. A., & Boulton, J. C. (2001). Prevalence of overweight and obesity in Australian children and adolescents: reassessment of 1985 and 1995 data against new International Standard definitions. Medical Journal of Australia 174:561-4. Retrieved from: http://www.aihw.gov.au/risk-factors-overweight-obesity/ Overweight and obesity have various consequences on the health of adolescents. The increase in BMI is a significant causative factor for various diseases that are non-communicable (Munsch, 2005). These include cardiovascular diseases like strokes and heart diseases as the adolescents grow older. Diabetes, disorders of the musculoskeletal system especially osteoarthritis are degenerative diseases that affect the joints. Adolescent obesity is linked to a higher chance of adulthood obesity, as well as disability once in adulthood, and premature death (Al-Shamsi, 2008). They also experience increased fracture risks, difficulty in breathing, insulin resistance, hypertension, and psychological effects. Obesity and overweight can be reduced in various ways. In Australia, the government has gone on a significant sensitization campaign led by the Prime Minister Julia Gillard (Munsch, 2005). Supportive communities and environments are vital in the shaping of the choices that people make: making choices of healthier foods and physical activity on a regular basis is the easiest choice. These choices help reduce obesity. Australians can at the level of an individual limit total fat energy intake increase vegetable and fruit consumption as well as whole grains, legumes, and nuts; limit sugar intake, engage in physical activity regularly, and also achieve a healthy weight and energy balance. The society is essential in the management of overweight and obesity (Freemark, 2010). This is via support for individuals through political commitment that is sustained. It is also vital for collaboration between many private and public stakeholders, making healthier patterns of diet and physical activity affordable. Poor citizens should also be capable of accessing these services. Food industries can also play a role in the reduction of overweight and obesity conditions by reducing the content of salt, sugar, fat in processed foods, responsible marketing, and availing nutritious and healthy choices for consumers (Cancer Council, 2011). Some of the facilities in Australia that treat obesity and overweight include the Bowral Bariatic center, the New South Wales hospital which has a department that deals with overweight and obesity, and the morbid obesity center at the western Australian Health services hospital. The healthcare workers that work with these problems include dieticians, who prescribe healthy foods that do not lead to fat accumulation as well as recommending foods that help burn the excess fats. Physicians recommend appropriate fitness regimes, plastic and cosmetic surgeons who perform surgeries that rid the body of excess fat like liposuction. Another category is community health workers, who educate the adolescents on the lifestyles that lead to obesity and overweight and the dangers of the condition. Finally pharmacists prescribe weight loss medications that aid in cutting fat levels in the body (Freemark, 2010). 3. Conclusion In conclusion, overweight and obesity are acute problems of the modern world. Moreover, they lead to several risks for health condition such as high blood pressure, heart disease, stroke, diabetes and cancer. Finally, obesity in Australia increased significantly based on some statistics. It is recommended that this problem can be controlled by involvement of government agencies in collaboration with private enterprise. References Al-Shamsi, R. (2008). The Prevalence and Selected Determinants of Overweight and ObesityAmong Children and Adolescent. Ann Arbor: ProQuest. Anzar, L. (2010). Epidemiology of Obesity in Children and Adolescents: Prevalence and Etiology. New York: Springer. Bagchi, D. (2010). Global Perspectives on Childhood Obesity. Current status consequences and prevention. Boston: Jones and Bartlett Publishers. Burniat, W. (2002). Child and Adolescent Obesity: Causes and Consequences, Prevention and Management. Sydney: Cengage Publishers. Cancer Council. (March 2011). Prevalence of Overweight and Obesity in Australian Secondary Students. Heart Foundation, 1-3. Freemark, M. (2010). Adolescents Obesity: Etiology, Pathogenesis, and Treatment. New York: Sprigner. Friis, R. (2005). Epidemiology 101. Boston: Jones and Bartlett Publishers. George, C., & Patton, M. C. (2010). Overweight and Obesity Between Adolescence and Young Adulthood: A 10-year Prospective Cohort Study. Journal of adolescent Health, 275-280. Kirsten Bibbins-Domingo, P. M. (2007). Adolescent Overweight and Future Adult Coronary Heart Disease. The new England Journal of Medicine, 2371-2379. Kopelman, P. G, Caterson I. D, & Dietz, W. H. (2010). Clinical obesity in adults and children. Hoboken: Wiley-Blackwell. Mullen, M. C., & Shield J. E. (2010). ADA pocket guide to pediatric weight management. Chicago: American Dietetic Association. Munsch, C. (2005). Obesity and binge eating disorder. Bibliothica Psychitrica. New York: Springer. Sield ,W. (2008). Counseling Overweight and Obese Children and Teens: Health CareReference and Client Education Handouts. Chicago: American Dietetic Association. Wilson, T. (2010). Nutrition guide for physicians. Totowa: Humana. Schatz, D. M. (2008). Obese People With Asthma Have Nearly Five Times Greater Risk Of Hospitalization For Asthma. International Society of Food, Agriculture, and Environment , 8-9. Retrieved from: http://www.isfae.org/newsarc7.php Read More