The society we live in today is strange. While there are more than a billion people suffering from chronic hunger, there is another one billion suffering from overweight and obese. Both of these conditions pose major health risks for the individuals. The West in general, including the UK and the US, are affluent and is the region where the epidemic of obesity is at its all-time high. Obesity has been of great concern as the number of people suffering has been consistently increasing. The increase in the number of people suffering from obesity can be largely attributed to the sedimentary lifestyle and poor food choices. The abundance of food supply in the modern world means that people are consuming more than what they can lose on a daily basis leading to obesity. The essay will discuss the explanation of obesity, its epidemiological results, why it is an issue, its causes, treatment and prevention options, the effect of culture on obesity and a personal reflection.
Explanation of obesity
Obesity is a condition that can be described with excess fats in the body. However, it should be in our understanding that obesity is not of cosmetic concern but increases the risk of diseases and other health disorders. They include diseases in association with the heart, diabetes and even high blood pressure. When an individual is obese, he or she is likely to have health issues related to their weight.
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Obesity is a preventable and curable health condition. The key ways of preventing the disease are through making changes in the diet of an individual, increase the physical activities that will make one burn calories and lose excess fate and changes in behavior. An individual is said to be obese if he or she has a body mass index (BMI) of 30 and above. BMI is one of the tools that is used in measuring obesity. Statistics show that many individuals affected by obesity are usually not aware.
Epidemiological results
According to the world health organization (WHO), the number of obesity cases has increased since the year 1975. In the year 2016, individuals summing up to 1.9 billion who are eighteen years an above were found to be overweight. Out of the 1.9 billion individuals, 650 were found to have a body mass index of more than 30 implying that they were obese. In the same years, adults summing up to 39% and eighteen years and above were found to be overweight, and 13% were dealing with obesity issues ("Obesity and Overweight," 2018).
The largest population in the world lives in countries where obesity is the leading cause of death when compared to being underweight. Also, statistics from WHO shows that in the years 2016, children under the age of five years adding up to 41 million were dealing with the health issue of obesity. For the adolescent individuals, a total of 340 million are overweight or obese. When gender is put into consideration, women are affected more with the health issue than men ("Obesity and Overweight," 2018). However, the gap between men and women is small. WHO statistics for the year 2016 on obesity which shows that 39% of the population affected by obesity are men and 40% of the obese people are women.
Why obesity is an issue
Obesity is a health topic that is vital to society due to the increase in the number of obese cases. According to information from the national health and nutrition examination, the number of individuals suffering from obesity as a health condition has increased from 2.3 billion to 2.78 billion (Sassi, 2010). With such an increase, the health topic is an issue as there is need to research on the causes and how it can be prevented and cured.
There has also been an increase in cases of health conditions such as heart diseases, diabetics, stroke, high blood pressure, osteoarthritis and endometrial and colon cancer. Such infections are some of the risks that are in association with obesity. Individuals who are obese are more likely to suffer from any of the mentioned medical condition (Sassi, 2010). Therefore, obesity is a health topic that is an issue that needs to be studied and be in a position to curb such medical conditions and many more.
Causes
One of the main causes of obesity is an unhealthy diet and poor eating habits of an individual. An individual can quickly gain more weight than that which they burn on a daily basis. The act of gaining weight is inevitable if one regularly consumes more calories than he or she burns. Therefore, if one eats lots of junk food that are rich in calories, then, in the long run, the individual will suffer from obesity ("What is Obesity? – Obesity Action Coalition", 2018). Other than high calories foods some beverages are high in calories and can lead to obesity.
The other cause of obesity is inactiveness. If an individual is inactive and does not exercise regularly, then he or she does not bun excess fats in the body. The body fats will accumulate, and one will start gaining weight which will result in obesity in the long-run. With the sedimentary lifestyle of an individual, one consumes more calories than the ones he or she losses through exercising normally on a daily basis. Other than inactiveness and the eating habits of an individual, a combination of some risk factors can cause obesity. Such include age and quitting smoking.
Who it affects and why
Obesity is a health issue that affects nearly all individuals. Obesity can occur at any age, even in young children under the age of five years ("What is Obesity? – Obesity Action Coalition", 2018). However, as one becomes old, there are hormonal changes in the body that makes one less active increasing the chances of being obese. Quitting smoking is in most instances associated with gaining of weight, and for that reason, it can lead to learning to wait until one becomes obese.
Studies have also shown specific populations have a much higher tendency of being concerned with obesity than others. Among the individuals who are at the risk of being affected are those aged 60 years and above (Heinberg and Thompson, 2016). The reason is due to the hormonal changes that come with age making them less active. Being less active is one of the causes of obesity.
Another category of individuals who are at the risk of being affected is pregnant women. During pregnancy, the woman usually increases weight. However, some women face difficulties losing weight after giving birth. Such a weight gain can lead to the development of obesity among women. Statistics show that the low-income earners are at a higher risk of being affected with obesity than the high-income earners. Avoiding obesity is tiresome if one does not have proper and safe places to exercise (Heinberg and Thompson, 2016). Similarly, one may lack the money to buy much healthier foods that have fewer fats or even have the technical know-how on the more robust ways of cooking. Such are problems which the low-income earners as they cannot afford healthier foods or have safer places to exercise vigorously to lose weight.
Solution to the problem
There are some ways in which the health issue of obesity can be solved. One is through exercising regularly. To address the health issue, one needs to apply for exercises between 150 to 300 minutes a week. The exercise should be vigorous and engaging to as to loss and prevent the gain of weight. The activities include walking, running or even swimming ("Obesity – symptoms and causes," 2018).
Another way that the issue can be solved is through checking on one's diet. There is a need for an individual to have a healthy eating plan. One should focus on low-calorie foods, avoid junks, have lots of nutrient dense foods such as fruits, grains, and vegetables. One should avoid saturated fat and limit the consumption of sweets and alcohol.
Setting realistic weight management goals and being consistent is another relevant solution in solving the health issue. One should consider monitoring his or her weight on a regular basis say once a week. Knowing your weight helps an individual know if he or she is making progress and helps to stick to the plan ("Obesity – symptoms and causes," 2018). One should equally consider to know and avoid the food traps that cause them to eat. Obesity is all about lifestyle and genetics of an individual. The genes of an individual affect the amount of fat the body can be able to store and the areas where fat will be distributed.
Obesity and cultural acquisition
For many people, culture has a more influence than genes in determining whether one is going to be overweight. Culture is a strong determinant of one’s eating habits and can affect one’s nutritional practices. It determines one’s food choices, how they are prepared, how much one eats, and the weight one considers acceptable. The current culture and environment have a negative impact on their weight and health. The culture today focuses on excessive consumption and many people eat too much without having the ability to resist. There are thousands of food advertisements available and people are designed to consistently eat too much. There is also an increase in junk food served in restaurants which causes individuals to gain weight.
Additionally, the current society is living in one of the best times fueled by industrialization, economic growth, mechanized transport, an increasingly sedentary lifestyle, and a transition to processed and high-calorie foods. All these factors play a huge role in the increasing number of obese cases all over the world. The nature of job people undertake today is highly inactive giving people less time for outdoor activities and exercising. Individuals that sit and stand throughout the day and do not attend the gym will be highly inactive and face the risk of obesity.
Personal reaction
I find that obesity is an issue that is highly prevalent in our society. I also found that the huge populations of people living with obesity all over the world as alarming. There are many people suffering from the condition and do not know. They do not understand the health risks associated with obesity and being overweight. Some people are simply addicted to sugary, salty, and unhealthy foods and they enjoy feeding on their addictions.
If our society should live longer and healthy lives, then the issue of obesity should be one of the primary concerns. I think that obesity should be treated as an epidemic in our society and drastic measures should be put in place to solve it. Without taking any necessary actions, a huge number of the world population will increasingly suffer from the condition and have their health and lives in danger. We should stop treating obesity is a simple issue. Instead, we should take it seriously as a society and come up with ways to treat and prevent the condition.
The only way to reduce obesity is through exercising and proper food choices. I find that cases of obesity among the young population can be solved through regular physical education classes. The classes should be made compulsory to enable students to stay in shape. Teaching students in their early life how to live healthy will enable them to carry their habits as they grow old. The elderly population should be educated on the importance of healthy living and exercising. They should also be informed about the health risks of obesity to motivate them to combat overweight and unhealthy eating.
In conclusion, obesity is a health condition that involves the gaining of weight to a level higher than 30 BMI. According to statistics, obesity affects women more than men with a close range of 1% between the two in the year 2016. The leading cause of obesity is the lifestyle of an individual. Such entails the eating habits where one eats food rich in calories and does to exercise to lose them. Inactiveness is the other case where one does not apply to burn up the calories. Other than lifestyle, age can be a cause of obesity as when one grows old, he or she goes through hormonal changes that make them less active and engages in less exercising activities ending up to gain weight. The health issue can be solved through regular exercise, changing eating habits through the consumption of foods with fewer calories and being consistent. Based on the research above, obesity is a health condition that is preventable through regular exercise.
References
Heinberg, L. & Thompson, J. (2016). Obesity in Youth: Causes, Consequences, and Cures. Washington, DC, US: American Psychological Association. Retrieved from http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/11868-000
Obesity – Symptoms and Causes. (2018). Retrieved from https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/obesity/symptoms-causes/syc- 20375742
Obesity and Overweight. (2018). Retrieved from http://www.who.int/news-room/fact- sheets/detail/obesity-and-overweight
Sassi, F. (2010). Obesity and the Economics of Prevention. Books, Edward Elgar Publishing, Number 14244, December.
What is Obesity? – Obesity Action Coalition. (2018). Retrieved from http://www.obesityaction.org/get-educated/understanding-your-weight-and- health/what-is-obesity/
