Investigation and critical review of obesity
Introduction.
Obesity is defined as a condition in which an individual accumulates body fats which might render some negative impact on the health of that individual. To measure obesity, the weight difference between what an individual should be weighing as their weight compared to the actual mass that an individual has. If a person’s weight difference is observed to be 20 percent more than the mass that the person should be having, then he or she is said to obese. The calculations on determining whether a person is obese are derived from Body Mass Index. These calculations utilize the height of an individual, compared to the relative weight that the person has. In calculating the Body Mass Index, the weight of a person, expressed regarding kilograms, is usually divided by the square of the height of the person. A Body Mass Index of 25 of a person deems him or her as overweight while that of 30 and above renders a person as obese. The number of people who are overweight, for once in the history of mankind has exceeded the number of people who are starving (Odelia, 2008). The increase in the number of people who are overweight indicates that obesity is a growing concern across all the countries in the globe.
Obesity was at first thought to prevail in the developed countries, but in the current situation, the developing countries have cases of obesity as well. In the developing countries, these cases are mostly witnessed in urban areas, among the middle-aged persons (Andrew, 2005). Obesity was considered as a crucial condition in 1997 when the World Health Organization signaled that the situation might prevail among the population and pose a significant threat to the persons with the epidemic (W.H.O, 1998). There are various studies which major in this topic. These studies mainly focus on the causes of obesity, the groups who are at the risk of becoming obese as well as the measures that need to be taken to curb obesity.
Development of ideas and quality arguments.
Causes of obesity.
Obesity emerges when the calorie that an individual consumes exceeds the calories that are actually being utilized by the body (Odelia, 2008). The change in the lifestyles and consumption of diets that have high fat content as well as the diets that consists of high energy content contribute to an individual’s risk of becoming obese (W.H.O, 1998).
Dietary and obesity
Food consumption is an essential undertaking in our daily lives. We need food in order to live as it is through food intake that we get the necessary nutrients in our bodies. These nutrients serve several purposes in our bodies and through these nutrients the body can function normally. It has however been a concern since people have been consuming more than what the body requires. It brings about the issue of obesity (Cawley & Danziger, 2005). The excess food intake makes the body to reserve that food in the form of fat which in return increases the weight of an individual. Since the body does not use the stored fats, these fats end up bringing health issues. Taking diets with high-fat content and foods with high energy levels also renders one as obese.
Lifestyle changes.
Lifestyle changes have also contributed to the rising number in obesity cases. Most people have engaged in various lifestyles that have ended up making them obese (Gore, Dilillo, Kirk & West, 2003). These lifestyles include people consuming food from fast food centers instead of making an initiative to cook their food (Pereira et al., 2005). These foods obtained from fast food outlets have high-fat content which in return is deposited to the body of a person causing an increase in the fat content, rendering one as obese. People have also embarked on having television sets at their houses, and they spend a lot of time watching the television. These make televisions a medium through which the producers of foods use to reach out potential clients (Nestle, 2006). People will develop the interest in buying such commodities as they admire them being advertised on the television. Most people can afford cars, and this has made many people spend a lot of their time driving (Dixon & Hinde, 2005). There is a growing interest in the urbanization as well. People are shifting to the urban centers where there is less physical activity involved and a change in the diet (Loureiro & Nayga, 2004).
Physical activities substitution with mechanical work.
Physical activities are an important part of our lives, but most people do not engage in these activities due to technological advancement. The manual work that was used to be done by human beings has been substituted with the mechanical work. People no longer struggle in performing their tasks. The consequences of such technological advances are that people can sit and work at their comfort. The outcome is that the calories required in such a task will not be used and the imbalance occurs between the consumed calories and the utilized energy (Philipson & Posner, 1999).
Generic composition.
The generic composition of a person can also constitute obesity (Stunkard et al., 1990). Children born from parents who have the potential generating more fats from a given intake of calories may as well have the same genes as their parents. These children may not be necessarily taking a lot of calories, but from the consumption of the small amount of energy-giving food, they may be at risk of becoming obese (Anderson & Butcher, 2006).
Health issues associated with obesity.
Cardiovascular disease.
People who are obese have Atherosclerosis, which is a condition that hardens the arteries. The hardening is ten times as compared to individuals who are not obese. There is also a risk that those who are obese have coronary heart disease as a result of the deposit of fats that are within their bodies. Angina which is as a result of the narrowing of the arteries causing a reduction in the flow of blood and pain that is experienced in the chest (Ann, 2012). Obesity is associated with the lifestyle changes which and also there is a relationship between obesity and Cardiovascular Disease (CVD). Where there is a high prevalence of obesity, there are high cases of cardiovascular disease, mostly areas where the obesity cases are more than 30 percent (Ogden et al., 2006). The effects are evident in both the male and the female gender. People who have less weight are not at risk of getting cardiovascular disease as it is the case with the people who are obese.
High blood pressure.
The fat tissues added to the body require that the oxygen is supplied to them as well as the nutrients. There will be an increase for the need by the blood vessels to circulate more blood to these fat tissues. The heart will, therefore, be assigned the task of ensuring that there is sufficient blood pumped to these tissues. The heart will have an increased workload. The walls of the arteries will experience a rise in the pressure of the blood pumped by the heart and this causes an increase in the level of the blood pressure. It is also known that an increase in the body weight results to a rise in the rate at which the heart beats. The transportation of the blood throughout the body is then affected (Kopelman, 2000).
Diabetes.
Obesity is associated with type II diabetes. Although this condition was common among the adults, nowadays it affects the children as well. Obesity is associated with the interference of the hormone insulin, which is responsible for the regulation of the blood sugar in an individual’s body. The increase in the level of blood sugar in the body generally causes diabetes. Obesity, therefore, will expose an individual to type 2 diabetes (Pereira et al., 2005).
Joints problems
The weight that is exerted to both the hips as well as the hips makes them causes some pain, a condition is known as osteoarthritis. When people who are not obese can be subjected to a surgery that will see the joints replaced, an obese person may not undergo the same as the introduced joints, normally artificial, may become loose and cause more serious damage to the patient (Raebel et al., 2004).
Respiratory difficulties.
These problems will be manifested when the chest weight which is higher in the obese people, presses the lungs, causing difficulties in breathing. The condition may cause an individual who is obese, have some periods that he or she does not breath, causing him to lack a comfortable sleep. Sleep apnea is the condition one experiences due to obesity (Kopelman, 2000). The victims to this condition experience heavy snoring when asleep, and the persons are sleepy during the daytime.
Cancer
Obesity causes a variety of cancers in female including the cancer of the uterus, cancer of the breast, gallbladder cancer and cancer of the colon. In males, it can cause cancer of the colon and prostate cancer (Littlewood, 2004).
Psychological and social outcomes of obesity
A society that admires thin people will make the obese people feel as if they are not part of the community. In respect to this perception, the overweight persons are blamed for their increased weight. The obese individuals are viewed as generally lazy. The society at times views those who are obese to be associated with a certain social class, and this may lead to discrimination of some of the obese persons (Holdsworth, 2004).
Practical implications and suggestions
Obesity is a topic of concern in current times. People have been subjected to an environment where most people want to adapt to the current lifestyles. I relation to the new lifestyles, there is a change regarding the diets that people are consuming. People are embracing foods that are fetched at the fast food outlets. The commitment to one’s duties for example in a working setup where an individual has a limited time to take their meals makes people turn to these fast food establishments (Smith, 2004). Lack of awareness among the population is a problem that requires some intervention. If people are made aware of the problems that might face them if they become the victim of obesity, they will try to look for means through which they can burn calories, in an attempt to be free from obesity.
Lack of information about the content of the food that people are consuming is still an alarming issue that requires the authorities to chip in to make the public informed of the food they are consuming (Variyam, Shim & Blaylock, 2001). The latter will make the consumers to make an informed decision as to whether should purchase a given food item. Regular exercise does not cost much, but instead, it has some quantifiable benefits (World Health Organization, 2003). People should make it a habit that they frequently engage in some exercises as this will help them remain healthy.
Conclusion.
Obesity is a condition that emerges as a result of the accumulation of fats. There is an increase in weight which brings about health complications. It is possible for a person to manage this condition. One should be aware of the content of the diet that he or she consumes. If individuals can take foods that have little fat content as well as the energy content, then, he or she reduces the chances of becoming obese.
Exercises should be made a routine practice to curb this condition. Engaging in such practices will ensure that there are calories used by the body hence maintenance of a balance between the consumed calories and the used up calories by the body.
Public awareness can help to mobilize people and change their lifestyle. A culture that encourages people to eat healthily and live healthy will motivate the members of the society to avoid lifestyle associated health conditions.
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