- Background
Obesity is a condition whereby an individual’s body mass index also known as the BMI exceeds 30kg/m2. This condition is usually characterized by a higher than normal occurrence of body fats which usually lead to an increased overall body weight. In recent years the problem of obesity which can also be termed as excessive body fats has tremendously increased among individuals of all ages, sex and races. Indeed since the 1980’s the occurrence of obesity has doubled in adults and practically tripled in children. According to most governments’ resources and reputable health sources this epidemic affects 1 in three adults and 1 in five children. These figures are actually increasing at an alarming rate despite the increased focus and awareness that has been directed towards this condition in recent years.(1)
Although the causes of obesity usually vary slightly from one individual to the next they can actually be narrowed down to cultural, environmental and lifestyle changes that most members of the society have eagerly adopted in recent years. Diet has particularly increasingly shifted to high-calorie, cheap and readily available foods which are also heavily advertised in the mass media. Additionally with the advancement in technology especially as far as entertainment is concerned the amount of time children and even adults spend on physical activities and hobbies have considerably been reduced. In addition the increased usage of motorized transport as opposed to walking and cycling translates to less physical activity for most people. Other factors that have been linked to an increase and susceptibility to obesity include stress, mental health conditions race and gender.
According to most health professional’s obesity can be linked to a wide range of potentially fatal health problems which have tremendously increased with the increasing occurrence of obesity. According to reputable health and government sources in the United States if America; obesity causes about 200,000 preventable deaths second only to smoking. This is mainly due to the fact that obesity usually puts individual at an increased risk of suffering from severe health situations such as high blood pressure, hypercholesterolemia, type 2 DM & its complications such as coronary heart disease, stroke, gallbladder disease, osteoarthritis, sleep apnea, and respiratory problems. Other conditions that have been linked to obesity include a wide range of cancers such as breast, prostate, and colon cancers. However although health is the biggest casualty in obese individuals they also suffer from other serious difficulties such as social stigma and isolation which can each to serious physiological problems. (2)
- The impacts of obesity on cost, quality and access to health care
Although obesity affects various areas of an individual’s life; its impact can more clearly be seen in the wellbeing of an individual. Indeed since scientists established a clear and strong link between many lifestyle illnesses and obesity, a lot has been learnt about the effects of this epidemic not just on the individuals lives but also on the overall wellbeing of the society. To this end, most experts have sought to broadly categorize the effects of this epidemic in terms of costs, access to health care and their general effect on the quality of health care services offered especially in public health facilities. (5)
The effect of the obesity epidemic on the overall cost of health care has been meticulously documented by numerous health and finance experts. In one account experts estimate that the cost incurred due to obesity in both children and adults in the United States has risen to over $25 billion dollars which accounts for at least 10% of the overall health budget. This situation is actually predicted to worsen over time according to most financial experts who concur that if the occurrence of obesity is not curtailed within the general population especially amongst kids, these costs are likely to hit more than $100 billion dollars by the year 2020. (4) To grasp the overall cost impact of obesity though one can view it in terms of direct and indirect costs. Direct costs mainly account for the many outpatient and inpatient health services such as surgery, laboratory and radiological tests, and drug therapy that usually result from the numerous health conditions linked to obesity. On the other hand indirect costs usually account for less tangible effects of obesity related costs incurred either at the work place or at home. These costs include insurance payments to employees, absenteeism due to poor health and a general lack of productivity which has been linked to lower wages and a lower social economic status.
Closely related to the cost impacts of obesity is the overall impact of this epidemic on the access and general quality of the health care services offered in most health facilities. As the government, companies and individuals continue spending more to correct the effects of this epidemic less money and resources are generally being spent in the improvement of health facilities and the training of health experts. The unavailability of funds coupled with the increasing cases of individuals seeking medical attention in these facilities has actually led to massive congestion and a marked decrease in the value of the services offered in most facilities. Apart from the degradation of the quality of health care services due to obesity the accessibility of such facilities to most people especially within the low income brackets have considerably been jeopardized. These impacts have further compounded the already grave state causing in an increase in the occurrence of obesity which can only be counteracted by intensive and widespread prevention measures and public awareness campaigns.
- The impacts of obesity on health care professionals
With the rise in the obesity epidemic the nature of healthcare and its entire administration has changed drastically. In recent years the workload of an average health professional has more than doubled mainly due to the increase in the occurrence of previously rare or even unheard off complications. Today doctors are likely to deal with an increased number of lifestyle illnesses such as heart conditions, respiratory complications and diabetes amongst others thus requiring them to largely adapt their practice to these conditions. Since these conditions are generally very taxing on a professionals’ time and money investment most health experts have been doing their best in educating their patients on effective obesity prevention measures that can see them reduce visits to the doctor’s office almost by half.(3)
- Important obesity prevention steps
4.1 Diet
Most health experts agree that poor diet is the single most important cause of obesity. In this light a health professional should ensure that they furnish all their patients with important diet tips that have been known to considerably reduce the occurrence of obesity. Reduced calories intake combined with increased vegetables and fruits intake and a reduction in the food portions taken are some of the most effective diet tips.
4.2 Exercises
Living a sedentary life is a great contributor to poor health which is usually signified by an alarming increase in body weight and body fats. A consistent and effective exercise regime can largely cut down on any excess body fats due to the increased metabolism.
4.3 Reduce stress
Stress is another factor that can lead one to eat more food more frequently which can in turn lead to an increase in body fats. A health professional should caution patients against excessively stressful situations for better health.
- Summary
Although the obesity epidemic has literally taken over most people lives and negatively impacted on the general population in terms of increased costs and lost productivity it can actually be very easy to prevent and even eliminate. Given its dire consequences more people should make a commitment to eliminate these conditions once and for all for the sake of increased and more robust growth, productivity and wellbeing.
References
- Flegal KM, Carroll MD, Ogden CL, etal. Prevalence and trends in US obesity among adults, 1999–2008. JAMA. 2010; 303(3):235–241.
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. National Diabetes Fact Sheet: General Information and National Estimates on Diabetes in the United States, 2000. Atlanta, Ga: US Dept of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; 2002.
- Europe PubMed central. The impact of obesity on health status: some implications for health care costs. Available at http://europepmc.org/abstract/MED/8581114/reload=0;jsessionid=oAwWrP8etHHSdtdsCy6U.2
- Finkelstein EA, Trogdon JG, Cohen JW, Dietz W. Annual medical spending attributable to obesity: payer- and service-specific estimates. Health Aff (Millwood). 2009; 28:w822–31
- Colditz GW, Wang, YC. Economic costs of obesity. In: Hu F, Obesity Epidemiology. New York: Oxford University Press, Inc., 2008.
