Obesity - Essay Example

the last two decades and has now reached epidemic proportions” (Branca, Nikogosian & Lobstein, 2007, p.1). This underlines the former comment that obesity causes for various physical problems. When defining obesity, as many studies define, one can see that it is the excess accumulation of fat in the body. “Obesity is generally defined as the abnormal or excessive accumulation of fat in adipose tissue to the extent that health may be impaired” (Kiess, Marcus & Wabitsch, 2004, p.1). However, one cannot ignore the general truth that two people who eat the same amount may have different weights, but obese people usually eat more than normal weight people (Brannon & Feist 383). Therefore, it proposes the view that overeating endorses obesity. WHO (World Health Organization) has clearly identified this problem in one of their studies conducted in U.S. It is said by WHO that in a study conducted in the USA when it says, “over half (53%) of all deaths in women with a BMI >29 kg/m2 could be directly attributed to their obesity” (WHO technical report series, 2002, p.61-62). This is also supportive to the argument that obesity is a slow poison. Media has a negative impact among the public through the broad advertisements appearing in televisions and internet. They telecast various advertisements supporting the fast-food culture create a bad food habit among the public. The words of Kathleen Keller makes it clear when she commented, “However, widespread media and computer may also represent a new channel for communicating health information to reduce obesity through the development of media products that encourage physical, activity and healthful eating behaviours” (Keller, 2008, p.161). Analyzing the reasons for obesity, one can identify some other reasons also. The American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry in their online article entitled, Obesity in Children and Teens makes a clear assessment about the causes of obesity.