Obesity as a Pathological Condition - Essay Example

 Obesity Introduction: Obesity is a pathological condition which has now become a matter of global concern. It is a disease associated with the excessive accumulation of fats in the body of individual. Obesity is a condition which can be the base for many degenerative diseases affecting major bodily systems and an interesting aspect is that it can also affect the psychological condition of a person (Standford Hospital and Clinics 2010). Obesity has now become a worldwide issue due to its increasing rise and the risks that it poses. It is a very common condition in the Unites States with two third of the population of United States suffering either from obesity or increased weight and approximately one third of the population being obese according to the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (Weight Control and Information Network 2010). In UK, the Health Survey for England in the year 2008 presented that 24.5% people above the age of 15 were suffering from obesity. The same survey showed that the rate of obesity between the ages of 2 and 10 years was 13.9% (Department of Health 2009). Another research shows that in 1993, obesity rates in the UK were 13.2% among men whereas, 16.4% among women. But it is observed that by 2005 obesity rates had soared to 22.1% of males and 21.9% of females (Information Center, 2006). Obesity is a condition which has been associated with biological and physical reasons but psychological issues also play a role in the high incidence of this disease. Causes: Obesity is a disease state which was initially considered to have no genetic role in its causation. But recent research has put forward the fact that obesity is a disease state which has both genetic component and environmental factors involved in causing it. It is caused by the deletion or damage in a gene known as Ob gene putting the subjects with these deletions at high risks of developing obesity. This Ob gene is responsible for the production of leptin that acts as regulator of the body fat and sends signals to the brain according to the requirements of the body. Thus alterations in this gene result in obesity. The disease is thus considered to be hereditary as well (NCBI 1998). The disease can also occur because of an energy imbalance that is excessive intake of energy with lesser utilization by means of physical activity. Thus the increases energy is stored in the body in the form of fat leading to obesity. A diet rich in fat can also lead to obesity because a high fat diet stimulates a person to eat more. Another important reason for obesity is psychological disorders which include depression, eating disorders like binge eating and increased diet in times of stress. Obesity itself can also serve as a reason because it might lead for a person to lose his self confidence and hence the person loses the will to exercise and adopt weight loss plans (Biddle et al 2009). Effects: Obesity carries with it potential risk for the development of other disease states. It can lead to cardiovascular diseases which include hypertension, coronary heart diseases and stroke. This is because the lipid content can get deposited in the walls of the vessels leading to narrowing of the lumen and hence atherosclerosis and other cardiovascular conditions. Also hypertension results due to the increased demand of energy of the body due to raised stored lipids which require a greater blood flow. This leads to development of higher pressure in the arterial walls and resultant raised blood pressure. It increases the risk of certain cancers which include breast, colon and prostate cancers. It can lead to insulin resistance within the cells hence leading to diabetes mellitus. And it also affects the musculoskeletal system of a person by increasing the risk of osteoarthritis due to the increased weight burden on the joints. The respiratory system can also be affected with a person having difficulty in breathing while sleeping. This is because the increased amount of fat exerts pressure on the lungs and results in breathing problems. An obese individual is also prone to develop metabolic syndrome. Metabolic syndrome is characterized by increased fat deposition in abdomen, development of resistance to insulin, hypertension and presence of inflammatory products and clotting factors in the blood. Obesity can also result in affecting the psychological condition of a person. This is because in the present society the image of being good looking is associated with being slim and smart. This leads to loss of self esteem in these individuals. Also these people face difficulties in getting into relationships and the physical presentation also leads to problems in the workplace (Stanford Hospital and Clinics. 2010). Solutions: The prevention and treatment of obesity needs to cater the requirements of all age groups. For proper results it is essential that all the causative factors of obesity should be understood. This is because only focusing on physical, nutritional and pharmacological treatment cannot decrease the prevalence of the disease. This is because psychology also plays its role in the development and progress of this condition. For preventing the condition physical activity should be encouraged among children so that the habit develops in them. A proper balanced diet should also be recommended for children. For people who are very obese pharmacological treatment includes drugs like orlistat and sibutramine. This should be followed with a proper dietary plan for them as well as a physical activity schedule. Not only this, they should also be given psychological treatment to raise their self confidence and to motivate them to lose the excessive weight (Biddle et al 2009). As the American individuals have come to know about the pathological condition of obesity they have taken several steps to prevent obesity. The government has taken several initiatives in this regard so that they can promote activities which would decrease obesity. Michelle Obama announced a plan known as ‘Let’s Move’ which was targeted at childhood obesity. Through this plan the children of schools were being urged to take part in physical activities and consume a better diet. A specific amount of budget was allocated in this regard so children could learn more about obesity and follow the steps which would prevent obesity. Currently many schools have imposed state programs which help children to increase physical activity and have a balanced diet as per the requirements of their body. The calories that they intake are usually burnt with the help of physical activity and if this is not done then the BMI of that individual would increase resulting in obesity. The American individuals with the help of different programs are now more educated about the causes of obesity and hence have taken different steps to decrease obesity. Schools primarily have been targeted by the government so as to decrease the junk food being eaten in schools (Chappell 2010). Similarly adults have also become aware about obesity as an epidemic and have taken different steps. Several cases regarding the adults have taken place in America in which obese individuals performed healthy practices to decrease their weight. Leslie Sutton can be considered as a successful individual who got over the problem of obesity after changing her diet plans by consulting health practitioners (Success Stories). Studies carried out by CDC showed that the progression of obesity in adults and children had slowed down in the recent years. The experts clearly highlighted that it was because of different awareness programs regarding obesity which have helped adults and children to lower down the progression rate. In simple words awareness programs have helped the obese individuals to move towards a healthy diet consisting of more vegetables and increased physical activity (Jeffrey Kluger 2010) Conclusion: Obesity is hence a condition which is not restricted to one part of the body but can affect the normal functioning of many bodily systems. It can lead to diseases which can result in reducing the life expectancy as well as dependence. This disease is related not only to biological and physical factors but it also has a psychological relation. The disease can be led to by psychological condition and the prevalence can also be associated with it. But though psychological impact has a contribution to it other major factors like nutritional imbalance, genetics and decreased physical activity also play a role. Hence while preparing treatment modalities and ways of preventing this disease, exercise, dietary plans along with a psychological therapy is essential. References: Top of Form BIDDLE S., & DOVEY T. (2009). Obesity - Is physical activity the key? Psychologist. 22, 32-35. http://www.thepsychologist.org.uk/archive/archive_home.cfm/volumeID_22-editionID_171-ArticleID_1456 Chappell, K. (January 01, 2010). Saving Our Children: The Obesity Initiative - Michelle Obama is on a mission to get our children healthy. Here's the skinny on her "Let's Move" plan. Ebony, 65, 7, 78. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH UK.(2009). Obesity General Information. http://www.dh.gov.uk/en/Publichealth/Healthimprovement/Obesity/DH_078098 GREAT BRITAIN. (2006). Statisitcs on obesity, physical activity and diet: England 2006. [London]: Information Centre. http://www.ic.nhs.uk/webfiles/publications/obesity/StatisticsOnObesity201206_PDF.pdf NCBI. (1998) Obesity. Obesity News: Americans Not Getting Fatter. Jeffrey Kluger. 2010. Time. Bottom of Form STANFORD HOSPITAL AND CLINICS. (2010). Health Effects of Obesity. Stanford University. http://stanfordhospital.org/clinicsmedServices/COE/surgicalServices/generalSurgery/bariatricsurgery/obesity/effects.html WEIGHT CONTROL INFORMATION NETWORK. (2010) Statistics Related to Overweight and Obesity. National Institute of Health. http://www.win.niddk.nih.gov/statistics/index.htm Bottom of Form Read More