Despite the widespread awareness concerning obesity, very little progress has been made in the fight against obesity across the globe. The number of people suffering from obesity has doubled in the recent years. According to analysis published in the Lancet, an estimate of on third of the world’s population, 2.1 billion, is suffering are either obese or overweight. As compared to the statistics of other developing and under developed countries, the United States has the highest number of obese and overweight people (Fleming et al., 2014). It is estimated that 70.9 percent and 61.9 percent of American men and women respectively are obese or overweight. These numbers are high as compared to 36.9 percent of women and 38 percent of men across the globe.
While the United States exhibit the largest numbers in terms of obese and overweight citizens, other developing nations demonstrate higher rates of obesity, such as Qatar, Egypt, China and Samoa. It is imperative to note that an estimate of 66 percent of all the obese population stay in developing countries. According to the statistics, the rate of obesity and overweight has doubled since the 80’s in Mexico and China. Furthermore, the rate has risen by a third in South Africa (Fleming et al., 2014). The study attributes the rising cases of obesity and overweight across the globe to decreased exercise, increased calories consumption and possible alterations in the gut’s microbiome. In the developing countries, the increasing rates have been attributed to urbanization culture and rising income, which has led to diets rich in fat, animal produce, salt and sugar.
The rising rats of obesity and overweight across the globe can be mitigated through several obesity health promotion and prevention strategies (Lazarou & Kouta, 2010). Health promotions can be attained through creating awareness about obesity and its associated health risks, its causes and preventive measures. Additionally, nurses can employ the use of appropriate dietary recommendations with respect to the different cultures across the globe (Lazarou & Kouta, 2010). Countries which consume increased fat, salt and animal produce can be encouraged to consume more healthy food alternatives.
References
Fleming, T., Robinson, M., Thomson, B., Graetz, N., Margono, C., & Abraham, J. P. (2014).
Global, regional, and national prevalence of overweight and obesity in children and
adults during 1980–2013: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study
2013. The Lancet, 384(9945), 766-781.
Lazarou, C., & Kouta, C. (2010). The role of nurses in the prevention and management of
obesity. British Journal of Nursing, 19(10), 641.
