Obesity in Australia and Role of Emotion and Motivation - Essay Example

Obesity in Australia and role of Emotion and Motivation There is an intricate relationship between the incidence of obesity, emotions and motivation of individuals. An examination of the various theories regarding emotion and motivation will enable a better comprehension of the occurrence of obesity. Emotion refers to a mental state which is connected to thoughts and various psychological alteration which can have an external expression in the form of a behavior. According to the James-Lange theory of emotion, a particular experience, incident or event stimulates a physiological change and then this physiological arousal is interpreted. Emotion comes into existence only after such an interpretation has occurred. Thus this theory envisages that an event causes an arousal, which is interpreted and results in giving rise top a particular emotion. According to Cannon-Bard theory the experience of physiological stimulation and emotional arousal occurs simultaneously. But his theory doesn’t give credence to the view that, behavior can be triggered by emotions or to the externalization of emotion in the form of certain behavior. Schachter-Singer theory envisages that a particular event may cause certain physiological alterations to occur. This is followed by the application of reasoning regarding the cause of the physiological changes. It is after this reasoning that an emotional is aroused. Lczarus theory in turn elaborates that an event is succeeded by a particular thought, which in turn is followed by simultaneous physiological arousal and experience of emotion. Thus Lazarus’s theory gives precedence to thought in the experience of an emotion. The facial feed back theory in turn believes that the experience of emotion is determined by the changes or modification in our facial muscle.( All Psych Online. 1999-2003. Emotion. Psychology 101) The motivation theory of emotion envisages that various internal and external stimulus or cues trigger certain emotional states causing an individual to behave in a particular manner. The interrelation between emotion and motivation is of special significance in the study of obesity. There are various theories of motivation some of them are out lined below.  According to the instinct theory of motivation everything can be traced back to the basic biological nature or make –up. For example every individual has certain innate propensities, including the propensity to become addicted to food. The addiction to food enables individuals to repeat their behaviour and consume food and thus survive. However obsessive addiction, especially to the wrong kind of food, can manifest itself in a host of problems including obesity. Calrk Hull’s Drive Reduction theory is some what similar to instinct theory. It states that certain innate biological needs motivates and stimulates humans to behave in a particular manner. Similarly the arousal theory views that innate propensities resulting in producing a particular behaviour gives rise to feelings of comfort, pleasure or positive emotions. According to the Psychoanalytical theory all the emotions in an individual have two essential goals, namely to preserve life and to prevent destruction. According to the humanistic theory of motivation all individuals are innately motivated to acquire their maximum potentialities when allowed to proceed unhindered. These impediments can be biological needs like hunger, thirst, safety or other psychological threats that may pose a problem in the path of achieving the highest possible psychological growth. This theory can be elaborated with the help of Maslow’s (1970) pyramid, Hierarchy of Needs.  According to Maslow certain basic needs are at the base of the pyramid and have to be satisfied first, in order to rise higher in the hierarchy of needs. When the baser needs like food, sleep, and thirst are not satisfied it’s not possible to reach the ultimate goal of self-actualization. .( All Psych Online. 1999-2003. Emotion. Psychology 101) These theories of motivation and emotion can allow a better understanding of the problem of obesity and allow for a evolution of a psychological perspective and analysis to combat the problems. Factors like Metabolic X syndrome (MXS), heredity lack of physical activity, along with eating disorder causes obesity. When obesity is due to hereditary or biological factors like (MXS) it may be a result of generation of bad eating habit, unhealthy life style, lack of physical activity and eating disorder. Anorexia nervosa is an eating disorder where individuals have a distorted body image, and engage in binge eating and then purging. At times obesity can also lead an individual to manifest behaviours similar to that in anorexia nervosa. An examination of the various studies, on obesity and eating disorders like anorexia, as well as on treatment and management of obesity and eating disorder is done to gain a better insight about the problem and its solution. Obesity is on the rise among children and adults in Australia, A study results show that twenty to twenty five percent of children and adults are either obese or overweight. The prevalence of obesity among girls (5.4%) is slightly more than that in boys (4.9). Since 1985 to the 1995 obesity rates have risen alarmingly. Recommendation are made to measure Body mass index in relation to age and sex, so as to keep a watch over the progression of obesity as far as the clinical practice is concerned. Childhood and adolescent obesity can give rise to a host of chronic and severe medical and psychological problems and complications. Obesity among children and adolescent places them at increasing risk to various adult ailments like hypertension, Type 2 diabetes, non-alcoholic steatohepatitis and dyslipidaemia. An intervention for obesity management encapsulates family support programs, in conglomeration with an approach suited to the specific developmental age. Various programs to alter the long term unhealthy behaviors, unhealthy and sedentary life style as well as eating habits. Various strategic approaches have to be devised at the Marco level, like transportation system, food marketing, and urban development and planning; and at the micro level of family, neighbor, peer level and the recreational avenues. Only through an integrated and comprehensive approach can obesity among children and adolescent as well as adults be successfully countered.( Batch JA, et. al. (2005 Feb 7).Management and prevention of obesity and its complications in children and adolescents) One of the common behavior patterns among individuals with obesity and anorexia is dieting behavior. Dieting and periods of starvation among obese individuals can further aggravate the problem by causing a compulsive binge behavior resulting from deprivation. Further yo yo dieting can not only slower the metabolism further amplifying the problem but also give rise to various permanent physical ailments and conditions. Hulls drive reduction behavior is of particular significance to this context. A ten session program spanning over six months, was devised to discourage the behavior of dieting among eighty seven female participants in the average age of forty and with a body mass index of 31.9. These women attended 3 distinct agencies at Adelaide. The respondents were selected on one criterion, namely preoccupation with eating. Weight was not a criterion for selection. Various psychological factors as well as body weight were taken into consideration at the initiation and completion of the programmed, at six months time period and at one and two years. 80 women completed the program and data was gathered from fifty six women among them after two years. It was found that at the period of completion of the program and at two years time period these women showed a greater enhancement in self esteem, self image eating attitude and self-assertion as well as pother psychological variables. The average weight loss recorded was 3.1 Kg’s. Thus the data collected revealed that program to alter dieting behavior through accentuation on psychological parameters had positive long-lasting regarding weight as well as the psychological mechanism.( Roughan P, et al. (1990 Feb; 14). Long-term effects of a psychologically based group programme for women preoccupied with body weight and eating behaviour) This leads to the conclusion that diseases like obesity and anorexia nervosa are psychosomatic in nature. The disease is merely a symptomatic manifestation of the psychological problem. Thus providing psychological oriented treatment, and motivating individuals to adopt a healthy life style as well as considering the emotional aspects of obesity and anorexia nervosa can provide a sustained treatment for these problems. The objective of one study was to investigate the benefits of an innovative and more practical model to counter obesity, rather than a weight loss model. The concept of health at all size was formulated giving credence to internal motivational factors involved in eating or intuitive eating and to homeostatic balance or regulation. Intuitive eating is in response to internal stimulants like hunger. In a six month of random clinical un controlled trial, spanning for two years, white females who were chronic dieter as well as obese in the age group of thirty to forty five years participated. They were divided into two groups, one the dieters and the other the all health group. The program offered weekly intervention for six months. This was succeeded by monthly after care intervention for a period of six months. The various factors which were monitored and measured were Anthropometry or measurement of body mass index and weight; measurement of metabolic through the measurement of blood lipid and blood pressure; measurement of eating disorder through analysis ;measurement of psychological variables like depression, and self esteem body image. Attendance and participation were also useful appraisers. Various statistical analyses were made regarding the variation in the participating individuals along the various parameters. It was found at the completion of the program that mindful restraining behavior declined among individuals in all weight. Cognitive restraint decreased in the health at every size group and increased in the diet group, indicating that both groups implemented their programs. It was found that the attrition increased in the dieters group in comparison to the other group. The health at all size groups maintained their weight and showed improvements in all parameters and slowly lost weight. In the dieters group there was evidence of initial enhancement in various parameters and there was initial evidence of weight loss. However this group was not able to sustain the improvements and put back the lost weight as evident in the two year evaluation. This study revealed emphasis on fitness and health irrespective of size can produced sustained and long-term results for those suffering from obesity and anorexia nervosa. This implies that attitude towards body size, acceptance of all size especial by the concerned individual, decrease in dieting behavior and greater awareness and consciousness of the body cues can help those afflicted by eating disorders, as well as obese individuals.( Bacon L, et al. (2005 Jun). Size acceptance and intuitive eating improve health for obese, female chronic dieters) Most individuals in weight management program exhibit a lack of ability to maintain the weight lost on getting out of the program. Thus the individual’s chance of managing their weight by themselves is hindered. Thus the se clients show a reluctance to stop their weight management program putting a pressure on health cost. A study was devised to evaluate and identify the various reasons behind this. The study recommended that various follow up and support strategy can be incorporated in the weight management programs to control the incidence of relapse. (Cioffi J. (Feb 2002). Factors that enable and inhibit transition from a weight management program: a qualitative study) It can be concluded that various dysfunctional motivational and emotional factors can give rise to problems related to obesity, eating disorders like anorexia nervosa and also to the inability to maintain a particular health. Thus the a innovative model of health and fitness at all sizes, taking into account the motivational and emotional factors which can be used to reinforce healthy behavior, as well as a good support strategy both at the micro and Marco level has to be devised. Reference 1. All Psych Online. 1999-2003. Emotion. Psychology 101, AllPsych . online data retrieved on 5th Sept 2006, available at http://allpsych.com/psychology101/emotion.html 2. Bacon L, et al. (2005 Jun). Size acceptance and intuitive eating improve health for obese, female chronic dieters. J Am Diet Assoc et. al. ;105(6):929-36. online data retrieved on 5th Sept 2006, available at http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=pubmed&cmd=Retrieve&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=15942543&query_hl=12&itool=pubmed_docsum 3. Batch JA, et. al. (2005 Feb 7).Management and prevention of obesity and its complications in children and adolescents. Med J Aust. ;182(3):130-5. online data retrieved on 5th Sept 2006, available at http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=pubmed&cmd=Retrieve&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=15698360&query_hl=3&itool=pubmed_docsum 4. Cioffi J. (Feb 2002). Factors that enable and inhibit transition from a weight management program: a qualitative study. Health Educ Res ; 17(1):19-26. online data retrieved on 5th Sept 2006, available at http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=pubmed&cmd=Retrieve&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=11888043&query_hl=9&itool=pubmed_docsum 5. Roughan P, et al. (1990 Feb; 14). Long-term effects of a psychologically based group programme for women preoccupied with body weight and eating behaviour. Int J Obes; (2):135-47. online data retrieved on 5th Sept 2006, available at http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=pubmed&cmd=Retrieve&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=2341222&query_hl=9&itool=pubmed_docsum Read More