The Causes and Types of Obesity - Research Paper Example

As countries become more developed in terms of economic status, the greater the availability and affordability of innumerable choices of food that an individual can indulge in.

            It is the objective of this essay to determine all relevant factors affecting obesity. Age, lifestyle, culture, religion, and external environmental factors all contribute to one’s vulnerability to obesity.

DEFINITION OF TERMS

            Obesity is defined as a chronic condition of excess fat accumulation in the body. (MedicineNet).  Medically, obesity can be defined as the body mass index (BMI). The body mass index “determines whether a person’s weight is appropriate for height by dividing the weight in kilograms by the height in meters squared”.(Delaune and Ladner 2006) Using this index, obesity is then defined as a BMI of 30 and above. (Medicine.Net)

CAUSES OF OBESITY

            The primary causes of obesity are overeating and lack of physical activity. When a person takes in calories much more than what one burns, that person gains weight. Excess energy is therefore stored as fat. If that person has no initiative at all to engage in any physical activity which would help him or her burn those excess calories, then, obesity sets in.

OTHER FACTORS CONTRIBUTING TO OBESITY

            Aside from overeating and lack of physical activity, there are enormous factors that contribute to an individual’s being vulnerable to obesity. These are genetics, the composition of the diet, frequency of eating, slow metabolism, lack of exercise or physical activity, medications, psychological factors, and even certain diseases.

            With different research undertaken to explore the factors contributing to obesity, it is revealed in MedicineNet that ethnicity, childhood weight, and hormones all affect being obese.

TYPES OF OBESITY

            There are two (2) types of obesity: android and gynoid. Hashmi differentiates the two by the concentration of excess fat in the body. For the android, excess fat appears in the upper portion of the abdomen.  Gynoid, on the other hand, excess fat is located in the lower part of the body. There is a third type where excess fat is accumulated in almost all parts of the body.

HEALTH RISKS ASSOCIATED WITH OBESITY

            As a person gains weight and either consciously or unconsciously neglects any measures to prevent the continuous weight increase, that person increases his or her risk of contracting other chronic illnesses. Among the more prominent diseases associated with obesity are: cardiovascular problems which could lead to heart attack, insulin resistance which could lead to diabetes, hypertension, high cholesterol, stroke, cancer, osteoarthritis, gout, gallstones and even sleep apnea.

TREATMENT

            People who are obese should not view their condition as hopeless. There is no short-term treatment for this illness. Obesity can be addressed using a combination of

measures over a long period.  According to MedicineNet,  “the goal in dealing with obesity is to achieve and maintain a ‘healthier weight’”.

            Having identified the primary causes of obesity, a lifestyle change in eating patterns and physical activity should be the starting point for the treatment. Being more conscious of what one eats and the frequency of eating is important. The secret of avoiding excess weight is decreasing the number of calories taken and increasing physical activity appropriate for one’s age and health condition.

            Other alternative methods such as medication, herbal products, meal substitutes, and over-the-counter weight loss products are not considered effective treatments without prior professional advice.

Surgery is still another alternative method for treating obesity. However, aside from the costs associated with this method, the risks associated with surgery should not be disregarded.  There are a lot of complications resulting from a surgical procedure that might complicate the matter rather than address it.

CONCLUSION

            Being a chronic condition, obesity treatment would involve a long time commitment to change one’s lifestyle in food preference and exercise. There are professionals who could assist an individual in ensuring that effective successful long-term weight loss is achieved. However, despite the number of alternative treatments advertised and made easily available, the truth of the matter is, it is one’s determination to lead a happy, healthy life that is the priority.