Obesity Epidemic Its Link with Physical Inactivity and Lack of Exercise - Research Paper Example

Obesity Epidemic – Its Link with Physical Inactivity and Lack of Exercise Schools Number and of Name Date of Submission (e.g., December 6, 2014) Obesity Epidemic – Its Link with Physical Inactivity and Lack of Exercise Introduction Obesity is one of the leading causes of premature death because it increases the risk of diabetes, high blood pressure, cardiovascular diseases and even cancer (CDC, 2014). Officials from the American Society of Clinical Oncology estimate that obesity will surpass tobacco as the leading cause of cancer in several years from now (Collins, 2014). Obesity is now a public health concern in the US and many studies have investigated its causes. This paper explores how physical inactivity and lack of exercise have contributed to the obesity epidemic in USA. Obesity Trends The rates of obesity have more than doubled in the USA since the 1970s (Collins, 2014). In fact, surveys have shown that more than 1 in 3 Americans have excess body fat (Collins). Not only are the rates of obesity high but also are the amounts of physical inactivity and sedentary behavior. Data from CDC (2014) shows that in 2013, only 29% of children from high school had participated in physical activity for a minimum of 60 minutes per day on each of the seven days before the survey was conducted. The data also showed that about 15.2% students from high school had not participated in any kind of phsycial activity for 60 or more minutes on any day during the seven days prior to the survey. The CDC (2014) states that with age, the participation of young people in physical activity declines. Furthermore, its survey has shown that less than half of the students from high school attended physical education classes in an average week. Studies have shown that leisure activity and sports levels have remained stable worldwide but these leisure activities represent only a minor portion of the total levels of daily physical activity (Harvard School of Public Health, 2014). The physical activity associated with transportation, home and work has reduced due to social changes, technological advancements and economic development (Harvard School of Public Health). While in 1950 in the USA, 30% Americans worked in occupations involving high activity, the percentage dropped to 22% in 2000 (Harvard School of Public Health, 2014). Furthermore, as the data from Harvard School of Public Health suggests, the percentage of Americans working in occupations that involve low levels of physical activity has risen from 23% to 41%. The data also points out that 67% of all trips to work in the 1960s was through car driving, which increased to 88% in the year 2000, with a decrease in walking and public transmit as the means of commute (Harvard school of public health, 2014). Further statistics such as those from the Gallup poll have shown that 3 out of 4 individuals in the USA consume high-sodium, high-calorie fast food at least once a month while only less than 5% adults participate in 30 minutes of physical activity daily (Collins, 2014). Furthermore, only six states in the USA have made physical education mandatory for school children (Collins). The Physical Inactivity, Lack of Exercise – Obesity Link The terms physical activity and exercise are often used interchangeably but their definitions are different. As per the definition cited by the Harvard School of Public Health (2014), physical activity is defined as “any body movement that burns calories, whether it’s for work or play, daily chores, or the daily commute”. On the other hand, exercise is the “subcategory of physical activity which refers to planned, structured, and repetitive activities aimed at improving physical fitness and health”. Research has suggested that lack of physical activity is a strong predictor of obesity (Pietiläine et al., 2008). It begins to decline as young children reach adolescence and persists into adulthood. Pietiläine et al. in their research showed that physical inactivity in adolescence is strongly linked to overall obesity risk and abdominal obesity in young adulthood. They state that physical inactivity favors the “development of a self-perpetuating vicious circle of obesity and physical inactivity” (p. 409). In their review exploring the role of physical inactivity in obesity and other diseases such as diabetes, cardiac disease and metabolic syndrome, Hamilton, Hamilton and Zderic (2007) contend that usually, people spend at least half of their waking day with relatively idle muscles while the remaining half of the day is spent in non-exercise physical activity. They state through evidence from observational epidemiological studies that low levels of non-exercise activity and increase in daily sitting time has a significant direct relationship with obesity and other medical conditions. Theoretically, this could be partly because non-exercise activity thermogenesis, i.e. energy spent in non-exercise activities forms a greater component of the total expenditure of energy (Hamilton, Hamilton and Zderic, 2007). Reviewing other studies, Hamilton, Hamilton and Zderic argue that unique cellular processes are initiated by inactivity which are qualitatively different from the responses that are initiated by exercise. Enough studies have suggested the link between physical inactivity and obesity. Obesity is the result of an imbalance in energy, where too few calories are burned in proportion to too many calories consumed (Harvard School of Public Health, 2014). While many factors such as body size, age and genes, influence the number of calories a person burns each day, the most variable and easily modifiable factor is the amount of physical activity done every day. People can maintain a healthy weight by staying active. The levels of physical activity are declining in developed as well as developing countries and this is thus a contributor to the obesity epidemic and rise in rates of chronic diseases (Harvard School of Public Health, 2014). Describing the long-term harmful consequences of obesity and overweight, which are linked with poor diet and physical inactivity, the CDC (2014) states that obese individuals have a higher risk of high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, arthritis and even asthma. Moreover, obese individuals are at a higher risk of dying prematurely. The more active a person is, the more likely he is to keep his weight steady and the more sedentary a person is, the more likely he is to gain weight with time (Harvard School of Public Health, 2014). It is thus clear from statistical data that a link exists between physical inactivity and obesity and that both are presently on a rise. Discussion Sedentary lifestyle is more common in present times, in case of both adults and children. When one looks around, he can see that most adults have occupations that require low levels of physical activity. Most of the work is dealt with using computers. Moreover, internet based calling services such as Skype have reduced the amount of traveling one needs to do because now, official meetings with distant clients can be done online. It is easy to see that an average adult spends more than half his day at work doing activities that require less energy expenditure, and by the time he reaches home, he is too exhausted to indulge in exercise or any kind of physical activity. In the case of children, there is lesser access to playgrounds because there are very few available. One can observe that large scale construction activities have reduced the number of playgrounds and open spaces. Moreover, children spend most of their time at school, sitting in classes, involving in very low levels of physical activity. In addition, at home they spend time on TV, video games and computers rather than being involved in play activities. It is thus clear why obesity is on a rise in the US and all other countries. However, exercising too little and eating too much is not the only reason why people have become more prone to obesity. Kotecki (2013) states that obesity is a “complex disorder” that has many contributing factors. Therefore, it would be inaccurate to say that physical inactivity and lack of exercise are the only causes of obesity. Until recently, it was believed that the only major causes of obesity are behavioral in nature. Current research has however showed that obesity is caused by a combination of psychological, behavioral, genetic, metabolic, hormonal, physiological, socio-cultural and environmental factors that act together to contribute to obesity (Kotecki, 2013). Therefore, one cannot specifically say that the obesity epidemic in US is only caused by physical inactivity. Thus, there is a need to consider the other factors as well and to understand how they interact with each other in contributing to obesity. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the World Health Organization have recommended that adults should participate in the equivalent of 2 and a half hours of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity every week in order to remain healthy (Harvard School of Public Health, 2014). They further recommend that children should get at least one hour of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity every day. However, the Harvard School of Public Health agrees that there is still no consensus on how much physical activity is required daily to maintain healthy weight and that 2 and a half hours of exercise are not enough. Overall, it can however be concluded that low levels of physical activity and lack of exercise are contributing to an obesity epidemic. References CDC. (2014). Physical Activity Facts. CDC.gov. Retrieved from http://www.cdc.gov/HealthyYouth/physicalactivity/facts.htm. Collins, S. P. K. (2014). Obesity Is About To Surpass Tobacco As The Leading Cause Of Cancer. Thinkprogress.org. Retrieved from http://thinkprogress.org/health/2014/11/06/3589905/obesity-tobacco-cancer/. Hamilton, M. T., Hamilton, D. G., & Zderic, T. W. (2007). Role of Low Energy Expenditure and Sitting in Obesity, Metabolic Syndrome, Type 2 Diabetes, and Cardiovascular Disease. Diabetes, 56(11), pp. 2655-2667. Harvard School of Public Health. (2014). Physical Activity. Harvard.edu. Retrieved from http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/obesity-prevention-source/obesity-causes/physical-activity-and-obesity/. Kotecki, J. E. (2013). Physical Activity and Health. New York: Jones & Bartlett Publishers. Pietiläinen, K. H., Kaprio, J., Borg, P., Plasqui, G., Yki-Järvinen, H., Kujala, U. M., Rose, R. J., Westerterp, K. R., & Rissanen, A. (2008). Physical inactivity and obesity: a vicious circle. Obesity, 16(2), pp. 409-14. Read More