What are the causes and effects of obesity - Essay Example

CAUSES AND EFFECTS OF OBESITY By Location Causes and Effects of Obesity Introduction Obesity is becoming a leading social problem in many nations. Medical practitioners define obesity as a medical condition characterised by excessive body weight. The excessive body weight results from the accumulation of fat in different regions. In many parts of the globe, the Body Mass Index (BMI) determines whether an individual is obese or healthy. According to the World Health Organization (WHO) statistics, over 1.9 billion adults in 2014 proved to be overweight. 600 million of these adults were obese. It is saddening that 13% of the global population, according to 2014 statistics was obese (World Health Organization 2015, n.p). A comparison of obesity rates in 2014 and the rates in 1980 reveals that the figures have double. Worst still, obesity rates in children have soared immensely in the recent past. Therefore, many countries consider obesity as a leading social problem. This paper will discuss some of the causes of obesity, as well as health effects of obesity. Causes of Obesity Close analyses of global trends reveal that countries are moving from food scarcity and crossing over to increasing obesity rates. It is surprising that many regions that registered high poverty rates in the past are now making headlines with the alarming obesity rates. Evidently, unhealthy eating habits are a leading contributor to the increasing rates of obesity. Notably, many people living in the developed and developing world consume unhealthy foods. There is a remarkable high preference for food products that have high sugar content instead of whole food (Gustafson 2015, n.p). The increased consumption of soft drinks and high-fat content food has also contributed to the development of obesity in many parts of the globe. According to the Word Obesity Federation, unhealthy eating habits have contributed to an energy imbalance in the body. The globe registers a higher level of food consumption. For this reason, the intake of calories is higher than the body requires (Abc.net.au 2015, n.p). People are slowly becoming used to large food portions without considering the recommended calorie intake required for their body and age. The preference for high-energy food serves to increase the energy imbalance in the body. Lack of physical exercise is an additional cause of the increasing rates of obesity. Many people are adopting a sedentary lifestyle with little or no exercise at all. The world has moved into a new technology level, eliminating the value of physical labour. People in urban areas constantly use cars and other labour-saving devices. When they return home, their main activities include television watching, or interacting with different forms of media on the internet (World Obesity Federation 2015, n.p). Many of those people do not recognize the importance of regular exercise. Lack of exercise coupled with unhealthy eating habits results in the accumulation of fat in the body, which eventually may have numerous adverse health effects. The example of Woolworths’ employees who had neglected physical exercise is a clear demonstration of how, lack of exercise contributes to overweight and obesity cases (Davies 2014, p. 1). After the employees had adopted a healthier lifestyle with regular exercise, they began to lose the excessive weight. The WHO has identified the lack of physical activity as a main contributor to the increasing rates of obesity because of societal changes in different sectors. The physical and social environment has also contributed to increasing obesity rates. Notably, in many countries, food advertisement is on the rise, a factor that increases the prevalence of unhealthy eating habits. The increasing food advertisements have specifically affected children because of their psychological appeal. The environment does not provide favourable conditions and locations for exercise. For this reason, many people do not get the opportunity to indulge in regular exercise. Urbanization has also affected people negatively denying them time for exercise. In a highly capitalized society, many people living in the urban areas spend many hours at work (Rose 2010, n.p). The capitalist society does not allow people to have enough time for recreation. These physical and social factors are potential contributors to the increasing obesity rates. Effects of Obesity According to the WHO, being overweight or obese places an individual at a higher risk of developing non-communicable diseases such as cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, different types of cancer, as well as musculoskeletal disorders. According to Danaei and his colleagues (2011, p. 8), obesity is one of the causes of deaths in the United States that is preventable. For this reason, it is evident that the adverse health effects caused by obesity may result in death. According to researchers, many non-communicable diseases do not have a cure and need lifelong management. Therefore, individuals with obesity are at a higher risk of developing such diseases, a factor that reduces their lifespan (Serra-Majem & Bautista-Castaño 2013, p. 38). The increasing obesity rates prove to be a financial burden to many nations. The healthcare required by obese people who develop non-communicable diseases exert pressure on the healthcare sector. Some diseases such as cancer, diabetes, and cardiovascular diseases require expensive strategies of intervention. Therefore, many countries in the developed world have highlighted that obesity contributes to increasing spending on an annual basis. In 2010, an Australian study revealed that obesity led to the spending of over $56 billion. It is unfortunate that the spending rates are likely to increase because more people are likely to become obese in the future (Nicholson 2013, p. 1). Many nations fear that obesity may stretch the funds allocated to the healthcare sector beyond the limit if similar trends continue. Conclusion Without a doubt, the alarming rates of obesity across the globe are cause for concern. In the developed world, a remarkable percentage of the population is either obese or overweight. The developing world has also registered increasing obesity levels. Researchers have highlighted that unhealthy eating habits as well as lack of physical activity are some of the leading contributors to the development of obesity. People are constantly consuming larger food portions and preferring a sedentary lifestyle (Harvard School of Medicine 2012, n.p). With the increasing urbanization, physical labour is out-dated since people can drive to different places and use labour saving devices. The effects of obesity include an increasing susceptibility to developing noncommunicable diseases such as cardiovascular diseases and cancer. Addressing obesity health related issues are costing many nations a fortune. For this reason, there is a salient need for policy changes as well as creating awareness I the society on some of the strategies for preventing obesity. Bibliography Abc.net.au 2015, - Globesity - Fats New Frontier - Foreign Correspondent - ABC. [online] Available at: http://www.abc.net.au/foreign/content/2012/s3547707.htm [Accessed 7 May 2015]. Danaei, G., Ding, E., Mozaffarian, D., Taylor, B., Rehm, J., Murray, C. and Ezzati, M 2011, Correction: The Preventable Causes of Death in the United States: Comparative Risk Assessment of Dietary, Lifestyle, and Metabolic Risk Factors, PLoS Med, 8(1). Davies, A 2014, Woolworths tackles the cost of obesity for employees, The Sydney Morning Herald, [online] p.1. Available at: http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/woolworths-tackles-the-cost-of-obesity-for-employees-20140221-337ka.html [Accessed 7 May 2015]. Gustafson, E 2015, Transcript of "Obesity + hunger = 1 global food issue". [online] Ted.com. Available at: http://www.ted.com/talks/ellen_gustafson_obesity_hunger_1_global_food_issue/transcript?language=en [Accessed 7 May 2015]. Harvard School of Medicine 2012, Obesity Causes. [online] Available at: http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/obesity-prevention-source/obesity-causes/ [Accessed 7 May 2015]. Nicholson, L 2013, Fat chance of beating obesity without strict food labeling, The Sydney Morning Herald, [online] p.1. Available at: http://www.smh.com.au/national/fat-chance-of-beating-obesity-without-strict-food-labelling-20131128-2yehd.html [Accessed 7 May 2015]. Rose, D 2010, Obesity costing $56b a year: study, The Age, [online] p.1. 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