Obesity: An epidemic that is changing the overall health of the world - Essay Example

? Obesity: An epidemic that is changing the overall health of the world Andrew V. Pritchett Embry Riddle Aeronautical The epidemic of obesity has become a global problem that is decreasing the lifespan and increasing the incidents of a number of diseases that are causing daily pain and harm to those who suffer from them. In looking for a solution, it becomes difficult to assess how to prioritize the causes as they come from physical, social, and cultural levels of influence. The epidemic of obesity has caused enough problems, however, that it is time to find a radical solution to the problem. Through studying the issue more thoroughly, solutions will emerge in which the epidemic can be stopped and the world returned to healthier eating habits. Obesity: An epidemic that is changing the overall health of the world Introduction Modern scientific studies identify the alarming fact that the average life span of man compared with past centuries has considerably reduced due to lifestyle and food habits. It is often said that modern man cannot find sufficient time to satisfy his hunger and thirst as he is pursuing a fast paced life. Human life has created a situation in which eating habits have become dependent on fast food restaurants and hotels and addicted to fast-food culture (Moreno, Pigeot, & Ahrens, 2011). Kiess, Marcus and Wabitsch (2004) define obesity as “the abnormal or excessive accumulation of fat in adipose tissue to the extent that health may be impaired” ( p. 1). Physical health is connected to mental health and the diseases that are beginning to emerge from a nation of people who are increasingly obese are from the effects of this epidemic. The problem is not just centered in one region of the world, but in a globalized economy the way in which fast and inappropriate foods are entering the market is spreading this problem throughout the world. People very often forget the simple lesson that a sound mind is a sound body. It is essential that the study of obesity be made a priority so that the effects of this state of health can be avoided in future generations. The study of obesity, in order to combat its influence on modern life in the next millennia, will be essential in preventing a nation from falling under excess and gluttony which is creating generations of adults who are not living up to their potential. Physical Effects of Obesity Obesity causes a variety of health problems that must be addressed by the medical community in an increasing amount of time and expense that could be avoided through the simple application of proper eating habits and exercise into modern life. Obesity often causes problems that include respiratory problems, diabetes, trouble sleeping through sleep apnea, and depression. Women, in particular, suffer from osteoarthritis as a result of obesity, often coming at the onset of menopause. Gout has also increased across the world as a disease that is causing pain and discomfort through the ingestion of high levels of acids associated with a rich diet (World Health Organization, 2000). In addition to physical problems that can be associated with obesity, mental issues can arise that can influence the abilities of an individual to have success in their life. Depression is often associated with obesity, stemming from a variety of causes not all of which are understood by the medical community. The first problem that arises is the stigma that is attached to having excess body weight. This stigma disassociates the individual from the greater social group and isolates them from participating in much of modern life. Obesity is also associated with eating disorders, problems that are developed within the mind associated with food and consumption (Yehuda & Mostofsky, 2006). Therefore, it must be understood that obesity has the potential to not only cause physical problems through the development of associated diseases; it can also cause mental issues that will prevent the individual from reaching their full potential. A Global Problem According to the Branca, Nikogosian, and Lobstein (2007), “excess body weight poses one of the most serious public health challenges of the 21st century for the WHO European Region, where the prevalence of obesity has tripled in the last two decades and has now reached epidemic proportions” (p. 1). The development of obesity is a global problem, crawling over all parts of the world as fast food and improper uses of sugar, fats, and starches are emerging in the eating habits across cultures. As the demise of local harvest and food production is being replaced with processed foods that are lower in nutritional value and higher in transfats and sugar. The reduction in quality food is creating a world of starving obesity. The body, starved for healthy food, is replacing it within increased amounts of unhealthy foods that fill the stomach without fully feeding the body (Wilk, 2006). On a global level, this type of nutritional starvation is spreading at an alarming rate. \ The World Health Organziation (2002) determined in a study conducted in the United States that “over half (53%) of all deaths in women with a BMI of >29 kg/m2 could be directly attributed to their obesity”. While the United States is at the forefront of both research and the problem, the WHO has determined that obesity is now a worldwide epidemic. In the year 2000, it was reported that 65% of all adults were obese in the United States. Between 1980 and the year 2000 the United Kingdom saw the obesity rate rise by three times. Worldwide, there is an average percentage of 35% of all people who are obese, concentrated with the highest levels in the more highly developed countries (Berger, 2004, p. 505). Studying the Problem The problem with obesity is that it is highly individual as no two people will have the same result from eating the same foods (Brannon & Feist, 2010). According to the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (2008), “causes of obesity are complex and include genetic, biological, behavioral, and cultural factors”. Therefore, obesity can be caused through the genetics passed from parents, from the proliferation of improper foods that are imbalanced and nutritionally questionable such as much of what is found in the fast food industry, and through cultural habits of eating large quantities of food (Clayson, 2009). A solution for such a multifaceted problem is not easy to find. Prevention is the most significant form of protection against the effects of obesity (Ling, 2005). Pharmeceutical measures, diet and exercise programs, and social humiliation all have been a part of the different types of remedies that have been used or studied in the last century to prevent or control obesity (Berger, 2004). The problem is not easily addressed, nor is it easily fixed through any one remedy. Finding a solution for a problem that is associated with individual habits and body responses to food is not easy and may not be discovered. The overall best solution is to increase the quality and nature of food that is eaten and create a culture of individuals who eat according to what they need rather than what they want. Conclusion Obesity is a problem that has spread to a global epidemic, bringing with it diseases that affect both the mind and body. The problem is such that it causes difficulties in achieving one’s full potential because of issues that can arise in mental difficulties, primarily through depression. Finding a solution to the problem is not easy as it is based upon individual habits as well as individual responses that the body has to food. Culturally, food is enjoyed in such quantities that it becomes difficult to combat the problem. It is through cultural changes, however, that a solution might be found as globally fast food becomes out of fashion and food used for health rather than pleasure becomes the norm. Cultural change, in the end, may be the best solution. This multifaceted problem may be solved only through worldwide cultural change. References American Academy. (2008). Obesity in Children and Teens. The American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. Retrieved from http://www.aacap.org/galleries/Facts ForFamilies/79_obesity_in_children_and_teens.pdf Berger, K. (2004). The developing person through the life span. New York, NY: Worth Branca, F Nikogosian, H Lobstein, T. (2007), The challenge of obesity in the WHO European region and the strategies for response: summary World Health Organization. Retrieved from http://www.euro.who.int/__data/assets/pdf_file/0008/98243/E89858.pdf Top of Form Brannon, L., & Feist, J. (2010). Health psychology: An introduction to behavior and health. Belmont, Calif: Wadsworth Cengage Learning. Clayson, Mark. (2009). Who Is Responsible For Child Obesity? EzineArticles. Retrieved from http://ezinearticles.com/?Who-Is-Responsible-For-Child-Obesity?&id=479186 Ling, P. R. (2005). Trends in obesity research. New York: Nova Biomedical Books.Bottom of Form Moreno, A. L., Pigeot, I., & Ahrens, W. (2011). Epidemiology of obesity in children and adolescents: Prevalence and etiology. New York: Springer. Wilk, R. R. (2006). Fast food/slow food: The cultural economy of the global food system. Lanham, MD: Altamira Press. World Health Organization. (2000). Obesity: Preventing and managing the global epidemic : report of a WHO consultation. Geneva: World Health Organization. World Health Organziation (2002), Diet, nutrition and the prevention of chronic diseases, World Health Organization. Retrieved from http://whqlibdoc.who.int/trs/who_trs_916.pdf. Yehuda, S., & Mostofsky, D. I. (2006). Nutrients, stress, and medical disorders. Totowa, N.J: Humana Press. Read More