English
Introduction
For this paper, the topic that was chosen is about obesity. The term obesity refers to the accumulation of excess body fat which can be associated to the physical demonstration of chronic energy surplus (Chaput, Doucet & Tremblay 681). In our present environment, obesity has become one of the most challenging problems that the world has to face. This situation has been dubbed as the obesogenic environment, referring to the consumption of energy and is detrimental to the expenditure of energy. Obesity is not just a problem of the adult population since the number of obese children continues to increase. Some of the factors which have been identified to cause obesity include sleep deprivation, computer-dependency, lack of physically activities, and the fact that most people live chronically stressed in a community where there is food abundance (Chaput, et al. 681).
The research question to be answered for this study is whether or not obesity is a condition that is perceived as a normal biological adaptation, rather than a disorder or disease.
Thesis Statement: Obesity is a condition that is perceived as a normal biological adaptation by the physiologists rather than a disorder or disease.
Methodology
For this study, recent surveys shall be used in order to determine whether obesity is a disease or a normal biological adaptation of the human body. In the recent study of Apovian & Gordon, they used a chart and followed the newly guidelines in the assessment and management of obesity among adults released by the American Heart Association (AHA), American College of Cardiology (ACC), and The Obesity Society (TOS) (Apovian & Gordon 47). In order to determine whether a person is obesity, the patients were measured based on their height and weight to be able to calculate the Body Mass Index (BMI), to be done on a yearly basis. Body mass index (BMI) is the most common population-level measure that is used to determine if a person is overweight or obese (Karnani, McFerran & Mukhopadhyay 6). BMI is defined as the weight in kilograms of a person, which is divided by the square of his or her height in meters. The World Health Organization (WHO) has made a categorical statement that a person is said to be overweight if the BMI is between 25 and 30, while an obese person has a BMI that is greater than 30 (Karnani, et al. 6).
For this study, the results for the participants in the survey were noted in the chart. Thereafter, the current cutoff points for overweight people was BMI>25.9 kg/m2-29.9 kg/m2, and those who are obesity have a BMI >30 kg/m2. Such reference point shall be used to identify adults who may be at elevated risk for cardiovascular disease (CVD) (Apovian & Gordon 48). Using these current cutoff points for obesity shall determine the adults who are at increased risk of all-cause mortality. At the same time, those who shall fall within the cutoff have been identified as overweight and obese adults. Thus, the greater their BMI, there is a greater their risk of CVD, type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and all-cause mortality (Apovian & Gordon 48).
For this study, the relationship of obesity to the socioeconomic strata that has resulted to environmental influence will also be analyzed as a factor in obesity or weight gain among older and younger adolescents. Poverty is used as a strategic measure of socioeconomic status caused by poor diet and lack of physical activities (Miech, Kumanyika, Stettler, Link, Phelan & Chang 2385). As the children skips breakfast and due to lack of physical activities, there is an increased body mass index (BMI) over a period of time (Miech 2386). The study was made using participants aged 15 to 17, who come from poor families. The relevant data that was gathered show that the assumed factors of obesity in children shall include age, gender, economic strata, and lack of physical activities. The status surveys were conducted by the United States National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys (“NHANES”) covering the years 1971 to 2004 in order to examine the trends in BMI increases among adolescents (Miech, et al. 2387). The results show that the upward trend of obesity was caused by poverty. The duration of the study was conducted for a period of three months to one year in order to gather sufficient data and information to formulate the conclusion (Miech et al. 2385).
Result
The result show that there is high and steadily increasing prevalence of overweight and obesity that carry the substantial morbidity and mortality associated with the condition. The result will also show that age, economic strata, and lack of physical activities are common factors that contribute to weight gain.
Furthermore, it was shown based on the healthcare providers have significant potential to influence patient lifestyle choices and to encourage them to lose weight. Recent studies revealed that clinician involvement in obesity management will enhance the probability that patients will make lifestyle changes for weight loss and maintenance (Apovian & Gordon 49). Therefore, a patient who is overweight will have increased motivation to lose weight if he or she has consulted a clinician. However, in most instances, clinicians have consistently under diagnosed obesity.
Discussion
The management of a given problem on obesity, whether it be related to health or not, can be prevented provided that there is an adequate understanding of its underlying root cause. The issue on obesity remains to be a controversial issue that scientists and health professionals are far from reaching a consensus on how such condition should be perceived. In 2008, The Obesity Society (TOS) had solicited a group of experts to study the relevance of considering obesity as a disease (Chaput, et al. 681). The main impediment is to find a widely accepted definition of the term “disease” that will integrate all the information about obesity. The issue regarding the word “disease” is complicated in the study of obesity that refers to the excess adiposity seems to be both detrimental and protective for body homeostatic balance (Chaput, et al. 681). Obesity can be prevented by the loss of body fat, which is known to improve metabolic syndrome that will lessen the vulnerability of other components of body homeostasis. The substantial body fat loss will affect the appetite control and shall decrease the energy expenditure to a greater than calculated extent, and disrupt the metabolic complications, which promote weight regain (Chaput, et al. 681).
The conclusion that obesity is not a disease or disorder, but merely a normal biological adaptation as determined by physiologists is based on the present environment that humans are exposed to. The growing rate of obesity all over the world, particularly in children and adults can be attributed to the unhealthy types of food and beverages, super sized food portions, commercial advertising, lack of exercise and misinformation that resulted to weight gain (ten Have, de Beaufort, Teixeria & 11).
Conclusion
The initial step that will aid obese patients to implement lifestyle changes for weight loss will be successful after assessing the person’s lifestyle history and determine other potential factors that may lead to weight gain (Apovian & Gordon 48). The best way to initiate the process of weight loss is by researching about the patient’s history of weight gain and weight loss over a period of time. Other important details that must be gathered include the patient’s past weight loss attempts, dietary habits, physical activity, family history of obesity, and other medical conditions or medications that affect weight gain or loss (Apovian & Gordon 49). Such information will properly guide the clinician to make adjustments appropriate adjustment in the patient’s medical regimen to help them with weight-management and give proper advice on the change in lifestyle and treatment recommendations.
The conclusion of the expert panel in the study of Chaput, et al. was based largely on a utilitarian approach rather than a scientific approach that will conclude that obesity is not a disease or disorder, but merely a normal biological adaptation as determined by physiologists.
Based on the modern physiological standpoint, many experts argued that the excess weight gain of every individual is perceived as an ordinary consequence which was brought about by a change in the environment, rather than a pathological process (Chaput, et al. 681). Therefore, obesity, accumulation of body fat, or weight gain was a result of the contemporary way of living among human being during the modern times. There is little information data or information that will prove that obesity is a disease, illness or disorder, since recent studies show that obesity has become a collateral damage and human struggle as the general public faces modernity. There is lack of a clear, specific, widely accepted and scientifically applicable definition of the term “disease” that will allow a person to be able to objectively and empirically determine what specific criteria should be met, in order for a condition to be labeled as a disease, illness or disorder (Chaput, et al. 681).
The modern environment places the general public in a scenario where there is food abundance, particularly in the United States and other industrialized countries (Hamid 49). As a result, the country has provided their citizens the opportunity to eat and consume food out of pleasure and more than what is actually needed by the body for its daily function. The overconsumption of food is the greatest problem in America due to overflowing supply or abundance of food sources. The accepted theory is that the growing number of obese adults and children in the world is the outcome of the convergence of diverse socioeconomic and technological factors in the 20th century (Hamid 51). The present environment is the primary factor and the root cause of obesity not only in the U.S., but the rest of the world. The U.S. is known as a giant international food supplier in the world, where the profit margins have become the main focus.
When a person increases his or her body weight, an “energy imbalance” is created as the energy intake exceeds the energy expenditure. Furthermore, the unlimited supply of food and sedentary lifestyle increases the chances of weight gain. It is unfortunate that children are not spared by enticing food advertisements as the school boards enter in commercial agreements with food companies in the form of vendor machines, which sell unhealthy snacks to the young children (Korthals 10).
In addition, the food industries also contribute a significant influence on the amount of salt, sugar and fat intake of the consumers. Giant food corporations must be able reduce the hidden sodium content in their products. The hectic schedule of working parents has prevented them to prepare healthy home-cooked meals for their children. Obesity is not an illness, disorder or a disease, but is to be considered as an abnormal psychology which has to be dealt with.
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