My topic about overweight and obesity - Essay Example

As compared to 1980s, the rate of obesity has doubled in Australia and now Australians are equal to Americans in the case of overweight and obesity. Long time television watching is said to be the major cause of the increased obesity rate in Australia. Many researchers describe obesity as an epidemic in Australia. According to an Amen Clinic research report “as one’s weight goes up the function of one’s prefrontal goes down” (GATS Program, 2011). In 2007, WHO surveys on overweight and obesity have found that Australia possesses 21st rank in the world.

Indigenous populations are the most affected groups by obesity in Australia. It is alarming that obesity rates among Australian children have rapidly risen during the last two decades. Medical science has proved that obesity and related health features may lead to ranges of severe diseases. Therefore, as Gard (2011, p. 64) opines, this uncontrollable increase of obese persons in Australian badly affects Australian healthcare as well as the entire economy. Statistics It is necessary to analyse the both Australian and international statistical data regarding obesity so as to explore the level of difference and thereby potential reasons.

Australian as well as international obesity statistics are described below. Australian statistics This diagram indicates the prevalence of overweight in Anglosphere and is based on the data published by World Health Organization in 2007. From the graph, it is obvious that overweight prevalence of Australia ranks 3rd in Anglosphere. We know that United Kingdom is approximately three times bigger than Australia; however, the overweight rate of UK is 63.8% whereas it is 67.4% in the case of Australia.

The obesity rate of Australia is much more than that of international obesity rate and this condition reflects the dreadfulness of overweight and obesity in Australia. A study conducted by Janus, Laatikainen, Dunbar, Kilkkinen, Bunker, Philpot, Tideman, Trimacco, and Heistaro (2007) reflects that “the overall prevalence of overweight and obesity combined was 74.1% in men and 64.1% in women” (Janus et al, 2007,p. 147). Although, obesity is comparatively less prevalent in Australian young women, it is observed that they show a rapid rise in their body mass index.

At the same time, According to Gard (2011, p. 64), a higher rate of obesity is observed among women of 35 -44 age group; and Australia spends an average of $13 billion per year in order to tackle the severe issues of obesity and related diseases. WHO also adds that nearly a million Australian people now have type 2 diabetes and a major portion of which can be surely attributed to the aftereffects of obesity. International statistics According to world health organization, ‘there are more than 1 billion overweight adults’ globally including 300 million obese (WHO).

Since this disorder is not caused by a specific reason, it is very difficult to control this disease by medical treatment. Jones’ (n.d) report on obesity reflects that 1.5 billion adults under the ages 20 and above were overweight in 2008; among these certified overweight figures, 200 million men and nearly 300 million women were obese. This international statistical data indicate that women are the most affected group of obesity while the Australian obesity statistics