Obesity in Ethnic Minorities: An Analysis of its Prevalence - Essay Example

Foresight Obesity project forecast obesity prevalence among the general population in the UK, by 2050, 60% of men and 50% of women will be obese. The theories on ethnicity or ethnic minority groups are multi-dimensional, and literally encompasses amongst other things national identity, country of birth, citizenship, culture, religion and language. According to the 2001 Census Report for England and Wales, in England, minority ethnic groups are classified according to the UK Census method whereby people are asked to specify to which of sixteen ethnic groups they belong.

The author notes that obesity is a major public health issue with serious consequences on the health of the people and the sustainability of healthcare systems globally. In England, the adult prevalence is said to have risen significantly over the last two decades, with two-thirds of the population being overweight or obese. It is however, important to note that obesity prevalence amongst ethnics groups seem to be higher when compared to the general population.There are also notably differences in terms of reference and measurements applied for these ethnic groups.

The measures often used to assess obesity prevalence are waist to hip ratio, Body Mass Index (BMI) and waist circumference. In this light, a determination of obesity may not be consistent. Black African women depict the highest obesity prevalence whereas when using the waist to hip ratio, Bangladeshi women record the highest obesity prevalence.