Global Health Issue with Aids and Obesity - Coursework Example

GLOBAL HEALTH ISSUE: AIDS AND OBESITY ISSUE (WHAT IS THE GLOBAL DISTRIBUTION OF THESE HEALTH ISSUES? WHAT FACTORS HAVE CONTRIBUTED TO THE DIFFERENT HEALTH ISSUES? WHAT OTHER COUNTRIES AND ORGANIZATIONS ARE DOING TO HELP WITH THE PROBLEM AND HOW ARE THEY PREVENTING THE HEALTH ISSUES? ) By Author’s Name Name of the Class Name of the Professor Name of the School City, State 18 February 2014 Literature Reviews HIV/AIDS has existed in the society for almost four decades to date. AIDS is one of the leading killer diseases around the globe and is caused by the HIV virus. More than a million people in the world lose their lives due to AIDS related diseases each year, and as nations place measures to prevent and treat the HIV infections and associated illnesses, some countries have managed to flatten or lower the rate of spread and deaths. However, some regions of the world have continued to be affected heavily by the disease, which pulls down their economic development and performance. Recent research on AIDS revealed that in 2012 alone, approximately 1.6 million people worldwide died from the disease, least to mention that close to 40 million are already infected by the causing HIV virus, inclusive of children and adults (amfAR, 2014). The AIDS disease has hit Africa the most compared to other regions, since the epidemic began. There have been global and individual country initiatives to fight the AIDS in the population. Most countries have introduced antiretroviral therapies treatment for infected HIV/AIDS patients and made efforts to enhance awareness and education for the killer diseases in the communities. The governments are making efforts to work with communities and other organizations to facilitate such knowledge in schools, homes and community gatherings, inclusive of religious gatherings. Other prevention strategies focus on curbing the HIV infection rates by focusing on intravenous drugs, sex work and protection to improve people’s health (Northridge, 2002). Though a cure for AIDS has never been established, people can prevent themselves from HIV/AIDs infections. Obesity has on the other hand hit a level that the medical and government agencies cannot ignore anymore. It is an increasing health crisis, with many countries recording increasing rates of obese people, especially in the western world. However, developing countries are facing the same problem and seem likely to overtake the hunger and malnutrition issue, especially in Africa and Asia. Overweight and Obesity have become both a personal and public health issue and therefore a challenge facing nations, considering that the prevalence rate has almost doubled since the last 3 decades. WHO describes, “overweight and obesity as abnormal or excessive fat accumulation that may impair health”; as of 2008, approximately 1.4 billion adults were overweight, 700 million of them obese, while in 2011, about 40 million children below age five were already overweight (2013). Obesity places the lives of people at risk of other serious health diseases or even unexpected deaths. Obesity can be prevented, but requires individuals’ effort to control various habits where possible. Past research reveals that current adopted consumption habits and lifestyles among other factors have an effect on obesity and people’s heath. Behavioural changes have been referred as immediate causes of obesity, which are in turn caused by the environmental and not biological factors (Medeiros-Neto et al, 2003). Due to the association of obesity to various chronic diseases, most governments have developed approaches to address the issue, which involves enforcing physical exercises in learning institutions, encouraging people to adopt better healthy consumption behaviour, placing measures for food production industries and in crops farming. The next section provides a detailed discussion of AIDs and Obesity as health issues and what countries are doing to help the situation. Worldwide Distribution of AIDS The AIDS epidemic is not just a global concern, but more of a social, political and economic challenge in developing countries. HIV infections and deaths from AIDS have escalated more in Africa, specifically the sub-Saharan region followed by South and South East Asia regions. The prevalence of the disease acts the in opposite of Obesity, where regions of America and Europe have low prevalence rates. Basically, HIV infections and death rates from AIDS have reduced over time, although they are still high in the developing world than in industrialized nations. In the sub-Saharan region, the AIDs epidemic is almost exceeding the hunger problem. Hence though obesity is very low in this region, hunger and HIV/AIDS problems are big challenges to the economies. According to UNAIDS, in 2011, there were 1.7 million AIDS related deaths, 23.5 in sub-Saharan Africa, 4.8 in Asia, 2.3 in North America, 1.4 in Latin America, 1.4 in Eastern Europe, and millions of people already living with HIV (2012). Besides Africans, based on races, the black community and in places like America are at the higher risk of infections from the disease. Overall, women have the highest incidences of HIV/AIDS related infections and deaths compared to men around the globe. The poorest regions of the continents record the highest rates of HIV/AIDs prevalence. Factors that have contributed to the Distribution of Obesity in the World Diet and nutritional practices: Food consumption is basically one of the fundamental reasons why people are getting more overweight and eventually obese. There is great difference in the type and content of foods that modern people consume compared to the older generation. It is more likely to find more people, who are less than 30 years of age more obese than the people in their 30s and 40s. Science and technology has improved food preparation and food crop growth with the help of chemicals that either make food tastier or enable plants to grow faster for consumption. In the United States and around the globe people are consuming larger portion sizes of food, as they increasingly continue to consume high sugar sweetened beverages and fatty foods that encourage obesity, by striking an energy imbalance of the calories taken in and those used up (Jeffords, n.d.). The standards sizes of required food preparation in reference to the required body nutrition have been disregarded in most countries; this is such that when one purchases a single item, he or she ends up consuming more high energy content from the portion, due to the fats or sugars present. People do not want to prepare their own foods at home and prefer to purchase readymade or packed food, which is quite dangerous for their health due to such contents. In the developing countries, which are making an economic transition, “improved access to food, decreased physical activity and the consumption of western diets have contributed to high rates of obesity” (Hoffman, n.d.). Lack of physical exercise: Most people do not take regular physical exercises to help in their metabolism and energy balance. Therefore, if they continue to over eat or with normal consumption with no or less physical activities, they may remain overweight or slip to obesity. Essentially, the modern forms of transport (vehicles, trains, elevators), forms of work and their environments (office work) and sedentary nature of activities (leisure time spent on TV, Video games and online) adopted in homes decrease the beneficial physical activities (WHO, 2013). Other factors are related to drug intake during medication that can cause weight gain side effects and other genetic disorders. Though these are rare cases, secondary causes of obesity like genetic syndromes, leptin mutations that affect energy control, and Cushing syndrome in some cases cannot be ignored. What and How Countries and Global Organizations are doing to Prevent Obesity International organizations, governments and communities are working together via various programs to minimize obesity. Most governments can no longer ignore the role food industries are playing in contributing to people’s consumption of poor diets and nutrition in foodstuffs. By implementing nutritional and agricultural policies, most countries like Brazil, the United States and Canada demand labelled listing of nutritional elements and quantities (especially the trans fats) used in preparing the industrial foods, while majority of the countries in Europe have made tremendous efforts to make high taxation policies on selected high fat food contents and sweetened beverages (Malik, 2012). This will promote healthy food choices among buyers. Governments through the media, medical and sports organizations continue to raise awareness on obesity and encourage physical activities on regular basis to control weight. Families are on the frontline with more responsibilities to encourage active beneficial habits in eating and spending leisure time; that is, rather than taking a bus to school or work, which are just in the neighbourhood, or sit and watch TV, walking, jogging or sports are encouraged. Instead of high intake of chemically produced food and beverages, natural sources like direct fruit juices and alternative fats and carbohydrates in cereals and vegetables are preferred. Some governments have also made several favourable terms with food industries by providing tax subsidies for low fats and sugary snack to promote good health. Governments have invested heavily in the community and school based programs to enforce the various initiatives. Some have gone as far as setting standards for food industries and funding hospitals and recreational centres for the sake of their citizens’ health. Worldwide Distribution of Obesity The prevalence of obesity and overweight among children and adults has increased at a higher rate between the 90s and 2010 around the globe (De Onis, 2010). Childhood obesity is currently a public health challenge, which risks their progress into adulthood. Research on childhood obesity indicated that that the prevalence of overweight and obesity in 2010 was estimated to be 6.1 and 11.7 per cent in developing and developed countries, with a general increased rate from 4.2 to 6.7 per cent, which was much lower in Africa and Asia than the rest of the world (De Onis, Blossner and Borghi, 2010). For the adults, obesity has almost doubled over the time, with women taking the lead. However, regions of America and Europe recorded high obesity cases than in Africa, Middle East and Asia. With the changing socioeconomic statuses, low, lower, middle, and especially upper middle income earning countries have become more obese than before. See figure 1 at the appendix. Factors that have contributed to the Spread of AIDS Availability of medical care: Industrialized nations have a comparative advantage to the third world countries in places like Asia and Africa, because of the increased access and affordable medical care well distributed across the nations. A good number of people in developing countries are more likely to die earlier after HIV infections due to lack of timely treatments, which causes their fast deteriorated health and subsequent massive deaths as a result of AIDS, once their immunities are significantly reduced. Majority of the infected people are in marginalized areas; this is the situation in most African countries and when treatments are available, they are only beneficial to those in urban areas. Lack of precautionary measures: Sexual intercourse among teenagers, youths and adults has increased tremendously in the modern world just like alcohol intake among these groups. The trend shows that some people prefer sexual intercourse without use of condoms, which is a great risk for HIV infections and unwanted pregnancies. People under the influence of alcohol and drugs are at risk of contracting and spreading HIV infections since their judgement is severely affected by substances. Excluding sub-Saharan Africa, and instead accounting for Eastern Europe, Latin America, Eastern and southern parts of Asia among other regions, approximately 30 per cent of HIV infections that lead to earlier deaths and AIDS are as a result of unsafe (unsterilized objects) injections (UNODC, 2010). It is a worldwide challenge, where the tendency to engage in safe sex and injections is impaired by drugs causing people to be reckless. Traditionally initiated activities: In some marginalized areas, people have limited access to information, medical care, and security, which makes them unable to actively defend their rights. Traditional social behaviours such as some practices in Africa, which include traditional birth attendance and treatments, underage and premarital sex, and wife inheritance all contributed to the high prevalence of HIV transmissions and eventually AIDS and related deaths in the wake of the 21st century (Umunna, 2011). Sick wives/husbands left after their spouses’ deaths due to AIDS or HIV are remarried, ultimately spreading the diseases in the population. The aspect of traditional circumcisions both for girls and boys or the dependence on unknowledgeable midwives risks infections through cuts and sharing of unsterilized cutting objects. Women cannot be able to protect their children from parent to child HIV infections through traditional means, since they are not well informed or equipped to support the health of their new-borns. What and How Countries and Global Organizations are doing to prevent the Spread of AIDS Precautionary measures: For the sake of the public health, organizations and governments have come up with initiatives, which in the public domain remain debatable especially when issues of religion and faith are factored in. For example, some organizations have gone ahead to distribute syringes to drug users rather than just apprehending them, as a way of promoting anti-HIV /AIDS spread among users. Condoms are distributed in the brothels or sold at a cheaper price to the sex workers. In line with this, at the community levels, people are encouraged through HIV and AIDS awareness programs to engage in protected sexual intercourse using condoms. Working with education, hospitals and other industrial sectors, institutions like universities and colleges are supplied with protective condoms and receive regular training over the disease and how to protect themselves. It is not to encourage sexual activities among workers or students, but to enforce precautionary measures and give people the opportunity for good health, if they have to practice sex. In fact, HIV/AIDS is currently a unit in most higher learning organizations to promote public health. Investment in treatment, awareness and antiretroviral therapy: Increased civilization has enabled people to seek alternative and coordinated efforts to fight the AIDS epidemic. Globally, there have been evolutions in politics and governance, allowing people to select quality leaders that think of the current and future problems facing the nation. With the help of private donors and NGOs, most governments have invested heavily, committing their resources to fight AIDS. Antiretroviral treatment has enabled more people to regain their health and reduced deaths from AIDS; between 1995 and 2012, 14 million lives in low (nine million from sub-Saharan ) and middle income countries have been saved with the support of therapies (UNAIDS, 2012). More so, campaigns are well conducted even in the indigenous areas to educate people not only on HIV/AIDS, but also on other STDs. Conclusion Both AIDs and Obesity are current problems that cannot be ignored in the world any more. They both easily cause deaths and other associated illnesses within the population. They are both preventable, but have remained prevalent in the global society, majorly because of poor behavioural lifestyles and activities that can be changed. Young people, especially infants and those below the age of 12 contract these diseases innocently, for they have no idea of what happens around them. With a high number of overweight, obese, HIV and AIDS infected children, parents need to make more efforts and care in bringing up the young generation. Appendix A List of figures Figure 1: Distribution of obesity as of 2008 worldwide based on regions and income for both genders aged 20 years and over. (WHO, n.d, p.23) AFR - Africa region AMR - America region EMR - European Mediterranean region EUR - Europe region SEAR - South East Asia region WPR - West Pacific region Reference List amfAR, 2014. Statistics: Worldwide [online] Available at: [Accessed 18 February 2014]. De Onis, M., Blossner, M. and Borghi, E., 2010. Global Prevalence and Trend of Overweight and Obesity among Pre-school Children. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 92 (5). [online] Available at: [Accessed 18 February 2014]. Hoffman, D.J., n.d. Obesity in Developing Countries: Causes and Implications [online] Available at: [Accessed 18 February 2014]. Jeffords, J.M., n.d. The Causes of obesity [online] Available at: [Accessed 18 February 2014]. Malik, V.S., Willett, W.C. and Hu, F.B., 2012. Global Obesity: Trends, Risk Factors and Policy Implications [online] Available at: [Accessed 19 February 2014]. Medeiros-Neto, G., Halpern, A. and Bouchard C. Eds., 2003. Progress in Obesity Research: 9. Surrey: John Libbey Eurotext. Northridge, M. E., 2002. The Global Spread of HIV. American Journal of Public Health, 92 (3). [online] Available at: [Accessed 18 February 2014]. Umunna, G. E., 2011. Hiv/Aids: Political Will and Hope. Bloomington, Indiana: XLibris Corporation. UNAIDS, 2012. UNAIDS World AIDs Report/2012 [online] Available at: [Accessed 19 February 2014]. UNODC, 2010. Facts about Drug Use and Spread of HIV [online] Available at: [Accessed 19February 2014]. WHO, 2013. Obesity and Overweight [online] Available at: [Accessed 18 February 2014]. WHO, n.d. Burden: Mortality, Morbidity and Risk Factors [online] Available at: [Accessed 19 February 2014]. 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