Notably, obesity has been a social challenge facing our nation in the recent years. The cases of obesity have tripled over the past year and this has raised concern in the health community. Obesity occurs when one takes in more fat than the body can synthesize through the normal activities. The body stores those extra calories in the form of fat and the cumulative process leads to obesity. The NHLBI has conducted showing that due to the recent economic crisis hitting the nation, cases of obesity are expected to rise even more in the next two years (NHLBI Obesity Education Initiative, 2000). This is a very frightening revelation and every citizen should take it as a personal battle to counteract this tragedy.
Risk factors may increase the chances of an individual being obese. Some diseases put the obese individuals at a higher risk of even death while others are not so lethal. Nevertheless, they all need treatment since prevention is better than cure. Obesity has very bad impacts on the lifestyle and general health an individual (Sullivan, 2010). Overweight patients tend to be inactive because they find it difficult to involve themselves in a number of normal daily activities that other normal people partake. Obese individuals cannot move easily, they are always exhausted and they are at a great risk of becoming sick with several kinds of illnesses that range from diabetes, cardiovascular, cancer, and many others. Most people describe obesity as a condition simply caused by a sedentary lifestyle, scientific reasons such as genetics and high intake of calories, forgetting that there several diseases that contribute to this condition to both children and adults. These diseases include; Hypothyroidism disorder, Hyperinsulinemia, Pseudohypoparathyroidism, coronary heart disease, hypertension, and type 2 diabetes (NHLBI Obesity Education Initiative, 2000). Other lifestyle habits that are risk factors are smoking, lack of sleep and social and economic issues.
Not until recently, coronary heart disease had not associated with obesity. However, scientific breakthrough has shown otherwise. Although most of the conditions linking obesity to the heart disease rise as BMI rise, they also relate to fat distribution in the body. However, research indicates that obesity as such not only relates to but also independently predicts coronary atherosclerosis. This relation to occur for both men and women with minimal increases in BMI (NHLBI Obesity Education Initiative, 2000). The general correlation of obesity and heart disease illness and hence death is less distinct in Hispanics and other races (Kelly, 2011).
Research supports the hypothesis that hypertension strongly raises the risk of obesity in adults. The role of liptin is vital in the development of hypertension. It affects the kidneys, which then increases the sodium absorption, which then leads to obesity. Obesity in turn affects the structure of kidneys, which then leads to a more severe version of hypersensitivity. Loss of weight is they only key to preventing the hypertension-obesity complication.
Diabetes and obesity have a very complicated relationship. Undeniably, it is strongly associated with obesity. This is because of the insulin resistance thus putting the patients at a disposition to accumulating fats. This then results to obesity and thus other types of diabetes.
Hypothyroidism disorder also leads to obesity in children. It occurs when the thyroid gland that is located in the neck’s front part is underactive and does not generate enough thyroid hormone. The hormone is fundamental for normal metabolism because it controls our bodies’ metabolism. Therefore, deficiency of this hormone slows down the metabolism and frequently causes weight gain (Kelly, 2011). This can cause an immense weight gain of up to ten pounds because fat that is supposed to be burned to produce energy is stored instead. Children with severe hypothyroidism are at greater risk for gaining weight. This disorder also leads to stuffed appearance in the face and under the eyes because of salt and water withholding in the child’s body.
Hyperinsulinemia also causes obesity in children in America. This condition commonly occurs when the cells of a child do not act in response to the hormone insulin that maintains blood glucose levels in the body. In order to neutralize these increased and sensitive levels of blood glucose the pancreas generates higher amounts of insulin (Sullivan, 2010). At this point, weight gain occurs for the reason that when the body is resistant to the hormone, other hormones that are in charge of energy production and metabolism also do not function well to some degree. Hyperinsulinemia disorder also leads to conditions that are life threatening to children in America.
Pseudohypoparathyroidism is also a cause of obesity to American children. It is condition associated mostly with resistance to the hormone parathyroid, which is an important endocrine regulator of phosphorus and calcium concentration in the extracellular fluid. Abnormal genes that are very rare cause Pseudohypoparathyroidism. Type 1A of this disorder is usually inherited in an autosomal dominant way. This clearly means that only one parent needs to pass the detective gene to the baby in order for the baby to develop the condition. The condition causes weight gain in children. Pseudohypoparathyroidism patients normally have a high phosphate and low serum calcium, but the (PTH) parathyroid hormone level is essentially high because of the hypocalcaemia (Kelly, 2011).
Lack of sleep, smoking, and a stannous economy are but a few social lifestyle factors that predispose individuals to obesity. Lack of sleep lead to synthesis of hormones in the body that make people crave for fatty comfort foods. Smoking is harzadous to many people’s health and therefore people are advised to stop. However, quitting smoking leads to weight gain monthly which then accumulates over the years leading to obesity (Kelly, 2011). it is more beneficial to add weight than keep smoking so patients are advised to eat healthy. Finally, the stannous economy make individuals work for very long hours in search for more income. They have very few hours left for exercise and the little income is not enough for individuals to buy healthier food.
In the preceding pages, we have looked at the problems connected with obesity in both adults and children. Unfortunately, Public policy makers have not taken any action to the present and future consequences of childhood obesity. Furthermore, it is well established that the health care costs of treating patients with obesity are substantially very high. In America, the Department of Health and Human Services has organized an Obesity meeting to discuss the finest means of tackling this vital public health crisis. These are commendable milestones, which we hope will make inroads into putting an end to this the crisis. Healthy diet and a little exercise daily may decrease the chances of obesity despite the predisposing factors.
References
Kelly, J. (2011) The UK Obesity Epidemic: New Steering Instruments for a New Public
Policy Problematic. Research in Public Policy Analysis and Management, 21,
131-144.
NHLBI Obesity Education Initiative. (2000). North American Association for the Study of
Obesity, National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, National Institutes of Health
(U.S.).
Sullivan, D. A. (2010) A social change model of the obesity epidemic. Understanding
Emerging Epidemics: Social and Political Approaches 11, 315-342.
