The Reasons Behind the Growing Obesity with Special Focus on the UK - Essay Example

EXPLORING THE REASONS BEHIND THE GROWING OBESITY WITH SPECIAL FOCUS ON UK INTRODUCTION Survey reports that half of the UK would be obese in 2030 (1); obese people are at higher risk of diseases such as diabetes, high blood pressure and cancer etc. (2, 4); debates on the consequences and benefits of Government intervention by taxing obese people (3) etc; with these and many more there is constant outcries regarding the growing obesity worldwide and mainly in UK. Persistently rising obesity levels has also started posing serious threats to country along with individuals themselves. For instance, economy would have to bear direct cost of about £6.4 billion a year by 2015 due to obesity, according to oft-quoted Foresight report (4). This cost doesn’t account the high cost of £27 billion due to medical expense increased during same time (4). The alarmingly current situation and it’s accelerated pace of growth has gathered massive attention to cure the menace before it gets beyond the control. There has been increased attention toward finding the reasoning behind constantly rising obesity. Exploring this would help in adjusting life style towards healthy lifestyle habits and saving country from menace before it becomes national curse. It would also be helpful, mainly, for mothers to develop healthy dietary habits in children since early age. This research is therefore, directed to identify the reasons behind the growing level of obesity. The findings of this study would help as guideline for people to their adjust lifestyle accordingly. 2. LITERATURE REVIEW Obesity is a measure of an excessive or abnormal fat buildup in a human body that may perhaps harm health. Obesity, measured through BMI (Body Mass Index) is a weight equal to or greater than 30; it is 5 BMI level higher than excessive weight level defined as overweight; as World Health Organization (WHO) defines (5). Citing reason of obesity, WHO states that it is an energy imbalance of calories consumed and expended by the body. It further states this imbalance is created for the reason of either excessive intake of high calorie food or less physical activity that leads to less calorie consumption (5). This research will maintain focus on first section of reason cited by WHO and would explore the impact of behavioral, socio-environmental and genetic aspects of an individual that lead to less consumed calorie than expended. Among large number of behavioral factors studied to date, this study will focus on behavioral factors that are specifically related to dietary habits. Behavioral Factors that lead to obesity has been broadly categorized into three domains in the study of 6; that are: first, excessive food taking; second, less physical activity that that leads to less calorie consumption in caparison with intake; third being excessive diet control measures or diet plans. Imbalanced dietary habits can include either excessive usage of high calorie food or low intake of food that have less calorie status or calorie burning capacity. Such food intake habits related to fast food (7, 8), food items included in snacks fat (9, 10), beverages (11) etc. It will also explore the dietary habits related to fruit and vegetable (12) etc. Another behavioral factor that leads to obesity specifically in youth is ill planned habits to control diet (14, 15). This refers to putting excessive restrictions on eating habits and other measures that lead to severe weight reduction and are unhealthy (13). To note, these habits presumably are more present in female gender. Another factor that is made part of study is increasing obesity due to genetic factor. 16 refer that genes can have considerable impact on the health imbalances that lead to obesity. Though the impact of genetic factor is sizeable, however, cannot be regarded as factor in all and has impact in collaboration with the behavioral factors (16). The third domain considered to have extensive influence on obesity level is the socio-environmental factors. Socio-environmental factors that have been made part of this study are the pressures from parents as well peers such as parents pressure to control weight (17), peers pressure to induce bad dietary habits (18) etc. It will also account for the environmental impact from home such general eating habits that drive availability of food at home and plays crucial role in defining diet habits leading to obesity (19). 3. SIGNIFICANCE This research carries high level of significance. It will provide UK public in general and obese people in specific, reasons that are increasing their waistline with deteriorating health. Information related to the factor would help them adjust their lifestyle and replace it with healthy lifestyle habits. Hence, without incurring excessive cost and pain of medication people would get opportunity to remains healthy. ON a broader spectrum, this research would have dual benefit for the economy. First, people being self directed to control their waist would save government from indulging in a taxing activity that is constantly being debated for being acceptable or not. Second benefit it would lend to economy is the reduction in cost accruing directly and indirectly from obesity and burdening the economy with massive medical expenses etc. 4. RESEARCH AIM(S) AND/OBJECTIVES The aim of this research is to explore factors that increase the level of obesity among people in UK. These factors include behavioral, genetic and socio-environmental factors that lead to this unhealthy state of health. The purpose of this research is to explore the responses to following objectives: Identification of behavioral and socio-environmental, and genetic factors that result in obesity state of health in UK from obese people’s perspective. Identification of behavioral and socio-environmental, and genetic factors that result in obesity state of health in UK from nutritionist perspective. Point of alignment between two groups that can help in improving factors studied in general. Identification of factors that are needed to be responded immediately to control the situation to worsen. 5. RESEARCH DESIGN/RESEARCH METHODOLOGY/RESEARCH METHODS This is an exploratory qualitative research. It will be conducted with primary as well as secondary data. Secondary data will be based on the survey reports as well the research conducted in this context to date. It will provide more the detailed information regarding the trends of obesity; it’s expected future trends as well as factors that have been made part of this study from other various perspectives. For primary data, the sampling of the focus groups will be conducted. Primary data will be collected by conducting an interview. This technique benefits provision of direct information. Also exploration of factors conducted this way would also provide implied information related to the realization and concern participants actually have about impact of factors discussed in this study. Hence, providing additional important information that be used as support in analysis section. Initial research design has been so decided and can be updated if required as the research progresses. SAMPLING Sample for the secondary data will be collected from the survey reports regarding obese people of UK. Convenience sampling technique will be used to collect information mainly due to budget constraints. It will also help in to conveniently address ethical and availability issue on each session from participants. Sample for the primary data will be based on two focus groups: A- Obese people of age above 14 from both genders and of any qualification B- The other focus group will be based on the nutritionist having practicing experience of at least 2 years, currently on job and must have treated at least 75 people in last one year. This threshold has been maintained to get information from nutritionist that is more informed of the issues pertaining to the obesity with people most recently. DATA COLLECTION The primary data will be collected based on two sessions. First, one-on- on interview from each participant and second; based on single two-hour session of discussion on factors. DATA ANALYSIS The data will be analyzed based on the frequency analysis of the responses. Also it will infer information apparently implied in responses to the best understanding of researcher in order to understand the intensity of realization of the issue among participants. Analysis will give equal weight to responses from two focus groups, consistency or discrepancy between them. Discussion will be provided based on the researcher’s understanding of any discrepancy in the responses and its level of consistency with past researches of the same context. ETHICAL CONSIDERATIONS The research in order to account for the ethical consideration will perform the following things: 1- Permission from the NHS will be taken for conducting this study citing purpose. 2- Focus groups of obese people will be clearly informed of the purpose of this research and assurance that information provided will not be used any third party. 3- The signed consent form will be taken from participants confirming their willful participation in the study. 6. PRACTICAL/CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS This study will explore the behavioral factors that result in the obesity state of health. Being qualitative research the research will explore the phenomenal relationship between factors understudy and resulting state. The results will have practical implication of the controlling behavioral and socio-environmental factors to resultantly control the growing obesity. Since the research does not have any clinical objectives, therefore, results do not have any clinical implications. 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