Introduction
Obesity is defined as having too much fat in your body than expected medically. The human body is made up water, carbohydrates, proteins, vitamins and fats and therefore excess accumulation of these fats, especially around the waist, welcomes health complications. Obesity is associated with overconsumption of fatty foods. However, it is different from overweight which occurs as a result of a lot of weight from muscles, fat or body water but both terms converge in that in all conditions; the weight of a person is greater than what is considered healthy (Brewis, 2011).
Obesity is a healthy condition that explains a person above his ideal healthy weight. It is measured by body weight index (BMI) that compares the height and weight of a person to find out if a person is obese. A healthy person has a BMI of around 20kg/
...m2 while obese people have a BMI above 30kg/m2. Almost 70% of American adults are obese or overweight. According to obesity statistics in the US, about 13 million of children between 9 and 19 years are obese; approximately 35% of U.S adult citizens are overweight (Dawes, 2014). It is important to maintain a healthy body weight since it eases circulation of blood in the body, facilitates management of body fluids and lowers the chances of developing diabetes.
Literature review
There have been complications on gene related researches on obesity since families share eating habits and lifestyle habits. A study was done on adults who were adopted as children and found that their weight was closer to their biological parents than to adopted ones meaning that the obesity was more influenced by genetic make –up than by environment, the
children were subjected to (Crammond, 2010). A different study showed that normal weight children with obese parents have low metabolic rates than normal -weight children of normal parents suggesting that obesity can be inherited.
Has childhood obesity increased, if yes what factors have led to this?
New research has suggested that childhood obesity is increasing and the risks for obese children looks greater than expected. Rigby et al. (2004) argue that the rate has increased more than three times since 1980’s a clear interpretation of an increase in the last 30 years. The cause of childhood obesity has been differing from one research to the other, and they range from lack of education, poor cooking skills, little money to purchase healthy food and mass advertising of junk foods targeted on children. It is widely evident that parents take a significant role in influencing how children view physical activities while Rigby et al.(2004) state that parents worsen obesity situation in children by their inability to observe their weight progress.
Causes of obesity
Genetics
Obesity can run down in generations, and it can be inherited from one family member to the other. In situations where one of the parents suffers from obesity, then the children have higher chances of becoming obese especially if the genes are dominant in the parents (Reilly & Wilson, 2006). Genetics are essential in the regulation of body fats. The body has a hormone called Leptin that is found in the placenta and can promote obesity.
Overconsumption of food
Eating too much leads to a lot of weight gain that leads to the development of obesity especially in children. However not every food is sensitive to obesity only fat concentrated
diet causes obesity (Townsend & Scriven, 2014). Sugary and fatty foods, as well as fast food and junk food, increases disposition of fat in the body which later lead to obesity. Parents should control the eating habits of kids since they like junk foods which are dangerous to the body.
Slow metabolism and inactivity
People with body muscles have high metabolism rate and therefore are at lower chances of developing obesity. Women have low metabolism rate since they do not have many muscles and therefore are always at a higher risk of the suffering from the condition as compared to men. Leading a dormant life is very much risky since it leads to weight gain which if excess result to obese (Causes of Obesity, 2008). Those people working in offices and those children are always driven even to nearest places like a 30 mile away school is vulnerable to the condition than casual workers and children who walk long distances to their school.
Lack of education and awareness increases the rate of obesity circumstances in the society. People not aware of the risks of eating too much, living dormant lives and eating fatty foods are more vulnerable to the condition.
Reviews done in the year 2006 identified other potential factors that increase the obesity condition to life. They pointed out; less sleep, frequent use of medications such as typical antipsychotics, pregnancies at old age and reduced variability of ambient temperature (McKeown, 2006).
Effects of obesity
Obesity has adverse impacts on the health of an individual. Some of the severe effects of obesity include:
Diabetes
Obesity causes diabetes in many individuals who gain more weight than their bodies can hold. It does not only
affect the old people as many people believe since currently, but many children under the age of nine also develop the condition (Robker, 2011). Diabetes develops as a result of low insulin in the body that control amount of sugar in the body. Obesity disrupts the work of this hormone in the body.
High blood pressure
Obesity stresses the heart so as to draw enough oxygen for the tissues and cells present in the body. This pressure causes an increase in blood pressure causing the individual develop blood pressure complications. In an attempt to supply enough oxygen, blood flows through additional blood vessels threatening the life of an individual. This disease is common in pregnant women (Linne, 2004).
Low self-esteem
Obesity causes low self-esteem to most of the individuals especially the middle aged since they are trying to look good and presentable while their body sizes do not give them that allowance. Most adult obesity people find it hard in the job market as most employers does not favor fat people as they are always considered lazy and unable to produce compared to non- obese people (Colmers, 2006). Obese students also find it hard in school since teachers and other students always look down on them as they cannot control their shapes.
Management of obesity
Obesity is not at all a deadly disease as many people may think and developing the condition is not usually induced by an individual since sometimes it can be generic something we can’t afford to prevent but rather we can control. Unfortunately, there is no medicine or treatment for obesity as drugs that are recommended are not efficient and most of the times lead to developing
gastrointestinal system complications (Truswell, 1985). However, there exist some measures that aim at reducing the conditions that are implied in the cause of the condition. The two main approaches include engaging in an active exercising life and dieting. The only problem with these measures is that their impact only lasts as long as they are practiced. Therefore, they give a short run solution to the problem. An extreme case of obesity, however, can be treated by bariatric surgery but the process is costly and therefore not accessible to many people.
Conclusion
Obesity can be managed and also can be prevented by avoiding fatty foods. If the case of obesity were to reduce from the current 70% rate, in America then the government has to intervene and create awareness on risks of getting obesity and ways to live with the condition for those already affected. The government should motivate nutritionists to create awareness through workshops and seminars. Society should review their attitude for food to avoid over consumption
References
- Brewis, A. (2011). Defining Obesity. In Obesity: Cultural and Bicultural Perspectives, Rutgers University Press.
- Causes of Obesity. (2008). Obesity and Weight Management in Primary Care, 11-19.
- Colmers, W. F. (2006). What Makes People Fat? View from the Chair. Obesity, 14, 190S-191S.
- Crammond, B. (2010). Regulatory change and obesity – What we could really do. Obesity Research & Clinical Practice, 4, S27.
- Dawes, L. (2014). Feeling Fat: Emotions and Family as Factors in Childhood Obesity. In Childhood Obesity in America. Havard University Press.
- Linne, Y. (2004). Effects of obesity on women's reproduction and complications during pregnancy. Obesity Reviews, 5(3), 137-143.
- McKeown-Eyssen, G. (2006). Methodologic Issues for the Study of Obesity. Epidemiology,
17(2), 134-135
