Obesity or being overweight is having a lot of body fat that is excessive or abnormal and usually has a risk on an individual’s health. It has numerous negative effects on an individual’s health and life in general. Health effects of obesity that affects individuals include illnesses such as high blood pressure, diabetes, joint problems, heart diseases, cancer, metabolic syndrome, psychosocial effects, respiratory problems and sleep apnea (Bray, 2004).
In relation to high blood pressure, extra weight that results from obesity raises the individual’s heart rate, which returns, reduces the ability of the body to carry blood through the blood vessels (Bray, 2004). This is because the fat tissue that is added because of the extra weight has to get nutrients to live making blood vessels transport blood to fat tissues hence increasing the work of the heart as it pumps blood to all the blood vessels. Diabetes type two is majorly caused by obesity too as it results to resistance to insulin which normally regulates blood sugar. Heart disease is also related to obesity because it has been seen to affect people who are obese ten times more as compared to those who are not.
Joint problems are also seen in people who are obese as it mostly affects hips and knees as the extra weight affects joints. Sleep apnea makes people unable to breathe for a short time at night, interrupting sleep and making individuals suffering from the condition more sleepy, during the day. Restricted breathing is due to weight added on chest walls squeezing the lungs making breathing difficult. Obesity also increases chances of getting cancer as obesity increases the risk factor (Bray 2004). Metabolic syndrome is also a complex factor increasing the risk of cardiovascular disease. Many obese people are seen to exhibit this syndrome.
Psychosocial effects are seen mostly in cultures where physical attractiveness is ideally rated by, and individual being overly thin hence making people who are obese disadvantaged (Runge, 2007). Obese individuals and overweight usually get the blame for their weight issues and are usually viewed as weak-willed or lazy.
Obesity is a large public issue. This is because of its effects on general life and health as it has become one of the major issues currently. Currently, obesity has become doubled in children and adults and tripled in adolescents in the past two decades. An example of this epidemic is in America where two thirds of the population is obese or overweight (Smith, 2009). So many deaths and billions in costs such as healthcare and other related costs can be said to be from obesity.
With this issue on obesity, the question is not how someone gets to be obese, as it is known to be because of eating calories at a higher rate than one can expend. A major question that has come up is how a large number of the total population has quickly become obese at an alarming rate. Contributors to this have been seen to be things such as large portion sizes, sedentary lifestyles, excessive viewing of the television and foods with many calories.
When dealing with obesity, issues arise on whom to blame. Physical activity could be blamed to the rise in obesity at this alarming rate. Slogans like “eat more” have been advertised by the food industry on health and nutrition, which could be blamed too for the increased obesity rates. Interventions have been among the things, which have been recommended to deal with obesity though on its own, it cannot be successful (Dixon, 2007). Comprehensive multilevel interventions should be practiced for it to be effective, which is an expensive cost on its own.
Another angle of looking at obesity would be increasing physical activities for individuals and giving individuals a good nutritional plan. This would mean individuals would have to exercise more and eat better (Runge, 2007). Environmental changes can be blamed for obesity and things like availability of produce that is fresh or parks and bike paths for exercising would be a good idea.
Healthcare providers, public health officials, and diet industry have tried to help people lose weight, but they have become unsuccessful. This is because the success stories are very few compared to stories on weight that is regained. The Tom and Cherry cartoon series premiers a scenario where most people promote obesity without knowing hence making obesity a social problem (Dixon, 2007). This is seen when individual’s people eat food that is affordable to them like fast foods without taking into consideration of how healthy these foods are. This is also seen in smoking and drinking habits, which promote unhealthy lifestyle leading to obesity. People should, therefore, watch what they consume so that obesity can be controlled.
As a society, there should be continued support to individuals so that they can make changes that are healthy in their exercise habits as well as in their diets. Basic changes should be made in the environment and policies so that communities can be encouraged to enjoy exercise regularly and eat healthy food (Bray, 2004). Policies can be formulated to control food pricing in communities who get low income so that they can also get healthy food options at prices that are affordable (Ali, 2012). Things like park safety being improved should be checked and dealing with the traffic flow so that there is ease for people who are exercising should be implemented.
Obesity can also be linked to social classes as it is linked to lower socioeconomic classes, though this varies depending on socioeconomic status in countries in their different stages of development or the status of obesity in other countries. In Western countries, gradients in the socioeconomic status, in relation to obesity, are in transition (Cawley, 2014). People who are obese mostly experience stigmatization. It can be said to be related to disturbances with an individual’s moods too as some people tend to eat a lot when stressed or bored even though there is no evidence that supports this statement. Psychological aspects of obesity are usually seen therefore but not the cause of obesity.
Currently, the epidemic on obesity is mostly controlled by environmental factors such as changes in nutrition with people transitioning to fatty and refined foods, increased production of foods that are energy dense and found at lower costs as compared to the healthier options, increase in access to motor vehicles reducing physical exercises for most individuals, sedentary lifestyles and mechanization of work leading to less activity for individuals. In the modern society, these influences are modified by characteristics of individuals. Taking in more calories than individual is burning down is the ultimate cause of obesity though why it does not affect all individuals is not understood. The sociological approach is better as compared to the approach from an individual view as it is not only personal issues that cause obesity.
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