The Health Risks Associated with Obesity
Discuss about the Commissions for Social Determinants of Health.
Obesity has now been categorized as a global health epidemic. Health professionals associate this disease with extreme health risks in addition to that it comes with other diseases such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease (2), and various kinds of cancers. An understanding of the key determinants and causes of obesity can be a crucial step towards eliminating it. Government, health organization, as well as individuals, should develop plans that efficiently deal with this menace. Among other this, this paper will be taking an in-depth look at how the society can deal with the obesity epidemic.
The health definitions for obesity define it as an abnormal or excess accumulation of fat to the extent of impairing the normal functioning of the body. According to (Nuttall, 2015), health professionals commonly use body mass index (BMI) for classifying obesity and overweight in patients. The calculation of BMI involves the division of the patient’s weight(Kg) by the height which should be meters squared. According to (World Health Organization [WHO], 2016), the report states that an individual would be classified as overweight if that person’s BMI has a value that is equal to or greater than 25. For an obese, the report further states that a person would be obese if his/her BMI totals the same or goes higher than 30. For the sake of children under five years, WHO states that they would be termed as overweight by finding whether their weight for height goes past the two standard deviations stated above. Similarly, a child would be obese if the weight for height goes higher than three for the standard deviations stated above.
The obesity epidemic has been puzzling the global health from 1975 to the current. For instance, the report of (WHO, 2016) demonstrates that more than 1.9 billion adults from the age of 18 years are overweight. Among these, 650 million were obese. To restate, about 39% people aged 18 years above were overweight while 13% were obese. This study also estimates that 41 million children below 5 years old could be overweight while 340 million between 5 to 19 years-old could either be overweight or obese. The report also enlightened that the issue of obesity and overweight in the population aged between 5 and 19 years old has heightened from 4% to 18% between 1975 and 2016.
Worldwide, both obesity and overweight are categorized as epidemics due to their high rates of fatality. According to (Jelassi, Miled, Saoud, & Demongeot, 2015), obesity was once regarded as a health problem in developed countries. This study reports that states that the number of adults reported being obese in 2007/2008 in the US were more than 75%. Besides, the who 2016 report of has warned that now rising in the poor and the developing countries, particularly in urban areas. Obesity poses a huge dilemma for Australian citizens and the global as well. According to (Australian Institute of Health and Welfare [AIHW], 2017)obesity ranks second after tobacco when analyzing the factors that are contributing to huge burden of diseases in Australia apart from tobacco smoking.
The Global Obesity Epidemic: Statistics and Trends
In Australia, the study reports have termed obesity as a significant public health concern. For example, (AIHW, 2018) recent report has shown obesity as ranking second from tobacco smoking as the most endangering factors to the lives of Australian citizens. According to (Moodie, et al., 2008), Australia had more than 63% adults who were overweight and obese. The report also stated that 27% of children between 5-17-year-old were overweight and obese. In Australia, the obesity distribution has been mostly inequitable across the country. The prevalence of both issues has escalated in the last 30 years. However, government and health sector operations against it has been slow.
Like as mentioned above, obesity comes when the body is unable to deal with the excess fat that deters the normal body function. In a general sense, excess fats arise from consumption of foods with high calories and the failure of the body to expend the extra calories creating an energy imbalance (WHO, 2016). In increase in calorie intake with less physical activities to burn the calories would lead to accumulation of fats. Similarly, lack of public awareness and policies for health, transport, agriculture, urban planning, food processing, environment, distribution, education, and marketing also contribute to the populations’, and education has been one of the two main reasons for the dietary and physical activity approaches (Black, Moon, & Baird, 2014) Thus, factors and determinants for obesity can be individual, behavioral, psychosocial, or even environmental. Furthermore, these determinants can vary due to factors like age or sex. One point of contradiction is that the past studies have been solely emphasizing on individual risk factors as the key determinants for obesity. However, recent studies on obesity have greatly divulged from this view, and they have now focused on other determinant seeing them as heightened than individual factors. These are the environmental factors and social factors.
Studies that look at individual factors focus mainly on genetic make up and gene interaction. The studies behind this hypothesis offer their explanations that the genes that cause resemblances and adoptees could also cause variation in weights (Huang & Hu, 2015). Other studies have also compared obese people and non-obese people and have found genetic variation. These studies have demonstrated that variance in these genes can also cause variation in metabolism of fats. With this, it has been found that some forms of obesity demonstrate strong hereditary components (Qi & Cho, 2008).
Current studies are focusing on behavioral and social factors as the main determinants of obesity. The behavioral factors include a lot of habits that sometimes are predetermined by social factors. Some of these habits are like caloric intake, physical activities, eating styles, meal frequencies, sedentary behaviors, sleep duration, alcoholism, and smoking among others (Affenito, Franko, Striegel-Moore, & Thompson, 2012). According to (Moodie, et al., 2008), individuals have the responsibilities of maintaining their health and a healthy society. This report means that it is people who make choices about the life they would want to live through their behaviors.
The Obesity Situation in Australia
In one situation that show how own contribution can lead to obesity was explained by (Traversy & Chaput, 2015). This study explains that recreational or social activities where participants consume alcohol with energy levels (7 kcal/g) are at higher risk of obesity. Further, a study conducted by (Dancause, et al., 2013) has shown that there is increased consumption of animal products which much it is protein. The authors term this as a risky behavioral contributor to obesity. The authors also link this behavior to the economic development which has led to the evolving of a new global culture of higher dependence on processed foods. In countering such behaviors, the work of (Haskell, et al., 2007) recommends minimizing sugar and fatty food an instead substitute them with fruits, vegetables, legumes and whole grains. The work also recommends regular physical exercises for at least one hour per day for children and about one and half hours per week for adults. On the contrary (Moodie, et al., 2008) state that these decisions largely come as inspirations from social, physical outcomes, opportunities in life and the environment, and WHO2016 advises people to find access to health services. Moreover, (Moodie, et al., 2008) advocates for societal guidance from health sectors to help people make the best choices regarding the management of their health.
The study of (Stein, Weinberger-Litman, & Latzer, 2014) raises the issue of socio-economic status (SES). This study found a consistent relationship between obesity and SES. The study states that the there is a clear relationship between low industrialized countries, low SES, and higher rates of obesity. This study also talks about the level of education. Places where there is low level of education are seen to have higher prevalence of obesity.
Another issue regarding social determinants is brought forward by the study of (Duncan, et al., 2011). According to transition in life is also becoming a major cause of obesity. These authors undertook a study to explain how nutrition transition experienced in Brazil has led contributed to the increased cases of obesity. This study noted that Brazilians have left the traditional diets and they are now taking foods with high levels of sodium, saturated fat, and cholesterol. Besides, the study also stated that people are now living in sedentary lifestyles. The results of this study found three highest contributors to children obesity. These modifiable factors were increased use of transportation means to school. That is, children are using buses that drop them to their homes and pick them for school. Another factor found was the increased use of computers to automatize manual tasks, and uptake of heavy breakfast. Also, the report (Butland, et al., 2007) raises the same issue of engineering and mechanization of tasks. This report states that unlike before, vehicles have replaced the normal walking that can help people burn extra calories.
There are unexplained connections between the physical environment and obesity. However, few studies have tried to explain this concept in terms of geographic clustering in various ethnic groups. For example, in the study of (Katzmarzyk, 2008), the author explains that raises the issue of increased cases of obesity in Aboriginal Canadian while comparing them with the rest of the people. However, looking at a different direction, this issue falls more on matters of race and ethnicity hence becoming an issue of SES. One case that can fall in this scenario was the study of (Squalli, 2017) that examined whether there is any relationship between obesity and greenhouse emissions while considering the development in transportation output in relation to crops and animal farming. Indeed, this study was able to establish that there is rise in cases of obesity with the increases emissions of CO2 and N2O.
Causes and Determinants of Obesity
The WHO in (Moodie, et al., 2008) defines prevention as ‘strategies and actions are taken that are aimed at diminishing chances of potential infection, interruptions or slow progression of the disorders or defeating disabilities. In this case, preventing obesity requires appropriate interventions that aim at encouraging people to practice healthy behaviors. According to (WHO & Commissions for Social Determinants of Health, 2009) these interventions should be aimed at enlightening the society on the dangers of the mentioned determinants of obesity and how people can avoid them.
There is a great need for healthcare sectors to emphasize encouraging people to practice a healthy lifestyle. The use of the 5As (ask, assess, advise/agree, assist and arrange) should be implemented as one method of analyzing the actions taken for the prevention of obesity in the populations (Sturgiss & Weel, 2017). People should be encouraged to invest in disease prevention, early detection and taking appropriate measures of maintaining optimum health. Health systems should ensure that there is complete care provided to the patients diagnosed with obesity, and actions are taken for monitoring their behaviors as they proceed through medication.
According to (Swinburn & Wood, 2013), the government has a major role to play in the prevention of obesity. The author mentions roles like prevention of unhealthy foods from public consumption, prevention of marketing of unhealthy food, and control of labeling and packaging of foods among others. In this support, (Brownell, et al., 2010) states that government can also take regulatory actions like nutrition improvements in schools, and revising food taxes placed on healthier food.
Regarding social determinants, healthcare systems are the ones closest to the communities hence offering the best channels for a change. With this, these systems’ should be structured in a way they would serve all people by ensuring equitable, comprehensive coverage with access to satisfactory human resources. These systems must be able to penetrate into social health determinants with established primary care.
People should understand that they are the key determinants of their health. Even though the government has control on trades and practices, it may not be able to intervene with people’s choices as the laws regarding their rights allows the citizens to choose what they want with their lives. Individuals should take care of their behaviors and refrain from those that put their health at risk. Preventing obesity requires a change of behaviors, and personal monitoring of food and life that someone is living.
Conclusion
Obesity has been recognized as one of the chronic diseases. However, unlike most of the chronic diseases, the highest determinant of risks to obesity depends on people’s choices. Individuals should focus on reshaping their behaviors and living in an environment that has nutritional abundance. Foods with lots of fats and alcohol should be avoided or reduced as one approach to healthy living. This paper aimed at discussing the issue of obesity. In this objective, the paper has covered the key determinants of obesity, and the various interventions that people can take to avoid it. Ultimately, this paper has observed that social determinants are the key contributors and their avoidance can minimize the risks to obesity.
Individual, Behavioral, and Societal Factors
References
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