The 21st Century Lifestyle in G20 Countries is Bad for Your Health - Essay Example

The 21st Century Lifestyle in G20 Countries is Bad for Your Health Introduction The G20 countries include the growing and developing economies of the world and are represented by talented officials of central government banks and ministers of the finance department. G-20 is a highly structured organization, which holds meetings and conferences of the heads of the different nations along with their financial representatives. In response to the Millennium Development Goals of the United Nations the G-20 countries have become increasingly aware of the growing health needs of its populations (Garret & Alavian, 2010). These goals mainly stress upon maternal health and also include eradication of severe poverty and hunger, universal primary education (helps in creating awareness through the basis lessons regarding health), Combat HIV, Malaria and other ailments, ensure a sustainable ambience and building global alliances or partnerships for overall development. Emerging economies of the world like China, India, Brazil and South Africa still depend on assistance from foreign developed nations in order to meet the health needs of its people. The major health concern for the G-20 countries in meeting the Millennium Development Goals is to combat infectious diseases like AIDS and malaria (Robertson, 2010). Leaving aside Brazil, all other G-20 countries have significantly failed in curbing the spread of AIDS. Moreover apart from the spread of AIDS, chronic diseases like diabetes, and fatal diseases like cardiac ailments and cancer are also increasingly affecting the people in the emerging economies (Garrett & Alavian, 2010). G20 countries and obesity Obesity is spreading fast as a symptom of health crisis. It is a significant problem for mostly the developed nations but the developing countries are also catching up. Three of the G20 nations have an obesity rate above 30 percent. These are United States with 46.5 percent of its population suffering form obesity, Argentina with 37.6 percent and Mexico with 35.5 percent. Across the world above one billion adult population are overweight and the obesity rates have risen three fold or beyond in regions of North America, East Europe and the Middle East mainly due to lack of proper nutrients and reduced level of physical activities. Seven amongst the G20 nations have obesity rates above 25 percent. These include Saudi Arabia (29.7 %), “Australia (28.8 %), Canada (25.6%) and the United Kingdom (25%)” (The Globalist, 2010) Obesity poses great risk for chronic diseases like type two diabetes, cardiovascular disease, strokes, hypertension and sometimes, even cancer. Countries like Germany, South Africa and Turkey have obesity rates above 20 percent and in the developed nations obesity accounts for 2-6 percent of the total cost of healthcare. Medical care budget for obesity in US has risen to $150 billion annually. Countries like Brazil, Russia, Italy and South Korea lie above 10 percent in terms of obesity rates. Yet, in comparison with this the obesity rates in the world’ s most populous nations like China and India are low at 3.8 percent and 1.9 percent respectively. Over the past 30 years, the occurrence of plump children is identified as those having a body mass index (BMI) more than the 85th percentile for age and gender have tripled. Above 30 per cent of toddlers in the United States are plump or obese (BMI > 95th percentile). Childhood plumpness results from a malfunction of the body’s self-dictatorial system to adapt to environmental controls characteristic of the person’s genetic backdrop. Various aspects in the process of the multifaceted genetic-environment communications that cause plumpness will support long-term positive energy equilibrium. Consequences from longitudinal studies propose that a modest constant energy disparity, which is hard to detect by current techniques of measuring energy ingestion and expenditure, is probably the eventual cause of obesity (Chaput and Tremblay, 2006, p.1). Obese toddlers are exposed to weight stigma and may be susceptible to psychological consequences, such as dejection, and social consequences, such as remoteness. Consequences of bias, such as separation or social removal, could donate to the exacerbation of plumpness through psychosomatic vulnerabilities that augment the likelihood of over-consumption and inactive activity. It is clear that prejudice, unfairness and discrimination are element of everyday life for these plump children (Chaput and Tremblay, 2006, p.1). The adult plumpness is the long term effect of childhood plumpness. There appears little doubt that there are plumper and obese toddlers and adults today than there were in the 1970s and the 1980s. Present data from the annual Health Survey for England 2003, issued by the Department of Health on December 14, 2004, propose that it is time for an equivalent re-think in this nation. While it is routinely demanded that there has been a ‘quick acceleration’ of plumpness in children since the 1990s, official survey data do not bear this out (Chaput and Tremblay, 2006, p. 2). Increase in the level of diabetes, lower resistance of insulin, high blood pressure, cardiovascular diseases and high chances of heart attack are some of the most important issues that result from obesity. Most of the time, it has been witnessed that common people actually focus more over the ailment they are suffering from but they often ignore the root cause. They, therefore fail to treat it properly. Though administration is keen on solving the problem but it will not be solved unless the issue is addressed properly. In this context, Darling (2009) has observed, “But any move to reform the health care system will fail unless it addresses obesity, a public health problem that — according to a July 27 study published in the journal Health Affairs — costs the nation $147 billion a year.” (Darling, 30th July 2009) Although the most obvious factor responsible for obesity problem is related to wrong food habits, socio economic positions are also considered to be equally responsible. Survey among the black women population in US showed that obesity problem increases in case of lower socioeconomic status (Bennett, Wolin and James 2005). This might be too narrow a topic to generalize but the finding points out that socioeconomic status cannot be eliminated as a factor. It definitely plays a crucial role behind the increasing rate of obesity. Certain associations might be found between the body mass index of women and socioeconomic status. Obesity in older population of USA cause vulnerability of the physical status but treatment does not always yield favorable results. According to Villareal, Apovian, Kushner and Klein (2005, p.923), “the appropriate clinical approach to obesity in older persons is controversial because of the reduction in relative health risks associated with increasing body mass index (BMI) in older adults, the uncertain effectiveness of obesity treatment in this group, and the potential harmful effects of weight loss on muscle and bone mass”. Since obesity always tends to affect the health conditions negatively in all age groups, the complications might be addressed by weight loss therapy. While young and middle aged people are more concerned with reduction in weight, the older people are more concerned about an improved quality of life and physical condition. The approach of the therapy essential for these different age groups may differ according to their respective needs. The different methods or approaches to reduce weight are surgical procedures, pharmacotherapy and restructuring of one’s lifestyle including diet and exercise. In this backdrop, Villareal, Apovian, Kushner and Klein, (2005, p.928) observes, “A low-calorie diet that reduces energy intake by 500–1000 kcal/d results in a weight loss of 0.4–0.9 kg (1–2 lb)/wk and a weight loss of 8–10% by 6 mo. Regular exercise is not essential for achieving initial weight loss, but it can help maintain weight loss and prevent weight regain”. The last option is the safest and such interventions are effective in case of both age groups (younger and older). Though surgery is a sure and effective process, it is not much advisable for older people. Rather, Pharmacotherapy is preferred while curing the aged people from obesity related problems. G-20 Countries and Diabetes Mellitus China and India have become the home ground for the growth of diseases like Diabetes. Estimates made show that China tops the list of diabetes afflicted people with around 92.4 million people affected by diabetes with the Indian subcontinent in the second position with 50 million people affected by the disease. The growth of diabetes among these countries can be observed as the decline of the funding activities countered by the developed nations. However the formation of the International Diabetes Foundation paved the way for making United Nations understand the social, economic and health impacts of the disease. The body is working hard to render all forms of possible financial and social support to help fight the disease in the developing nations (Keeling, 2010). Apart from the reasons like rise in the poverty levels and increase in the events of malnutrition, in countries of South Asia another major factor, which has contributed to the growth of diabetes, is the growth of population in the urban region. Changes in the lifestyles of the people in these regions have also led to the spread of this disease (Davidson, 2000). The urban sections are adopting more Westernized lifestyles like fast food and lack of physical activities. Approximately 90 percent of type 2 diabetes cases are connected to excess weight. Furthermore, around 197 million people worldwide have their glucose tolerance level negatively affected, more generally, owing to obesity and the allied metabolic syndrome. This figure is projected to increase to 420 million by 2025 (Hossain, 2007). In the metropolis of Bangkok there are large numbers of fast food outlets and those which offer high sugar content in food. According to the estimates of World Health Organization (W.H.O), by the year 2025 a gross 300 million worldwide population will be troubled by diabetes. Estimates of American Diabetes Association show a figure of 20.8 million diabetic patients in US at present. This contributes to seven percent of the population. Out of these, around 6.2 million out of them are not aware of the fact that the disease affects them. (Diabetes Information Hub, 2008) Countries such as Saudi Arabia and many regions of India also show the rise in diabetes owing to a rise in the income levels, which changed the lifestyle of the people making them more obsessed. However the incidence of diabetes was found to be low for the rural sectors. In countries of North America also the change in the lifestyles of the people with rise in the factor of obesity has culminated to the spread of the disease. Estimates show that around 9.3 percent of the adult population in America with age groups 20 years and older suffer from Diabetes. The Hispanic population comprised of the Afro-Americans and the Mexican people show a diabetes presence of around 11 and 10.4 percent respectively for the particular age group (Feinglos & Bethel, 2008, p.5). G20 Countries and Cardio Vascular Diseases The G20 Countries are characterized by rising obesity rates (The Globalist, 2010) However in contrast to the threat of Cardio Vascular diseases imposed by the high level of obesity in countries like United States, Mexico and United Kingdom, with respect to countries like India and China these countries reflect a decline in the rate of cardiovascular diseases. Estimates show that the rate of cardiovascular diseases reduced by around 50 percent in G20 countries like United States, Canada and France and for Japan the rate of such diseases was reduced by around 60 percent. In these countries the rate of mortality rates amounting from both stroke and cardio vascular diseases showed a declining trend. The increased impact of the cardio vascular diseases can be observed more for the developing countries than for the developed countries of the world. Estimates made for the 1990 period show that where the developed regions accounted for 5.3 million Cardio Vascular Deaths the same stood for 8 to 9 percent in case of developing countries. The threat factor gains further impetus for large number of deaths is mainly found happening for the younger generation than for the older in the emerging economies. The estimates made during 1990 state that around 26.5 percent of the cardio vascular deaths amounted in developed countries while it is 46.7 percent for the developing countries. (Yusuf & Reddy, 1998) Researchers have also revealed that nothing else affects the cardiovascular functionalities in a human body than smoking. Atherosclerosis that refers to building up of fatty particles in the arteries is a common disorder found in a smoker. Atherosclerosis thickens the wall of the arteries that helps in deposition of fat particles and plaque within the blood vessels. As expected, all these combined hinders the flow of blood and almost chokes the blood vessel. These choking of blood vessels, especially the coronary artery, reduce the supply of oxygen-enriched blood to the heart. This specially happens when a smoker is pursuing an increased level of basic metabolism. This leads to Angina Pectoris (a certain form of chest pain) that often results in heart attack. Smoking also affects the peripheral arteries. The symptoms are cramping of leg muscles while walking, reduced blood circulation in the leg resulting in decreased sensational and finally indirectly increasing the risk of a heart attack. Any one who smokes is exposed to greater amount of risk of a heart attack that a non-smoker (Leone, 2007). Further the rise in the level of cardiovascular diseases also tends to have huge amount of social and economic implications for the developing countries, which creates a vicious circle amounting to more deaths (Yusuf & Reddy, 1998). Heart ailments like Coronary Heart Diseases have contributed to majority of the deaths in US. Around 16.7 million (29.2 percent of total deaths around the world) people died in 2003 from cardio vascular disease. Owing to modernization, several Asians have exchanged their conventional healthy diet with fast food and the innovations in technology have tied them to desk jobs instead of those involving physical activities. Around 80 percent of the cardiovascular ailments occur amongst the middle and low-income nations. In fact south Asians have high cholesterol levels and triglycerides along with a deficiency of HDL cholesterol (which helps in clearing fatty deposits). Factor like low weight at birth, malnutrition have also increased the incidence of this problem (Pande, 2004) Conclusion This incidence of population growth leads to render huge impact on the economic and social resources of the developing nations. With the changing nature of jobs and influx of skilled labour, physical activities have reduced and people need to make life as easy as possible in terms of the food they eat and other habits. Moreover the high rate of urbanization also leads to the rise in taking of drugs, junk foods and increased dependence on tobacco. The lifestyle changes have spread mostly from the western nations to the developing ones. The US companies like McDonald’s has opened branches in the merging economies and the fast rat race of professional life has led people depend more on these food items rather than cooked traditional dishes. The metabolic systems are affected largely and gradually this leads to several chronic disorders. Thus the 21st Century Lifestyle in G20 countries has negatively affected the health dimensions with respect to chronic ailments. References Garrett, L. & E. 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