Obesity Prevention-Solutions

Obesity Prevention-Solutions

The obesity and overweight epidemic stems from the increase in the number of individuals who are obese and overweight. Obesity is a disorder resulting from the gain and accumulation of excessive fat, which subsequently predisposes individuals to health-related problems (W.H.O. “Obesity,” 2021). The Body Mass Index (B.M.I.) of an individual determines whether an individual has a healthy weight or is overweight or obese. This B.M.I. is determined through the consideration of an individual’s weight in kilograms and height in meters. Accordingly, individuals are considered overweight when their B.M.I. is more than 25kg/m² but less than 30 kg/m², while individuals are considered obese when their B.M.I. is more than 30 kg/m². According to W.H.O. “Obesity”( 2021), as of 2016, 1.9 million people were overweight, while 650 million people were obese. Consequently, these figures were followed by the demise of more than 4 million individuals in 2017 due to overweight conditions and obesity. Therefore, short-term and long-term prevention and control methods must be implemented to control the epidemic by reducing obesity and overweight cases.

Obesity and overweight cases affect individuals of all age groups, from infants to adults. More than 35% of adults in the world are considered obese, while around 17% of children below 19 years of age are considered obese (“Preventing Obesity in Children, Teens, and Adults,” 2021). These figures represent the epidemic at hand, which results in many complications, including chronic illnesses and fatality cases, as discussed above. Other complications include cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, stroke, certain types of cancers, and musculoskeletal disorders (W.H.O. “Obesity,” 2021). These complications vary based on the individual’s condition, thereby illustrating that riskier complications are related to being obese. Thus, the higher the BMI, the more predisposed an individual is to health issues due to the excessive fat accumulated.

Obesity and overweight cases vary worldwide, with some regions and age groups having more cases than others. In addition, obesity and overweight cases are higher in communities with a high intake of starch and high sugars. Consumption of diets with high calories contributes to the gain of excessive fat in the body. According to the American Psychological Association’s “Ethnicity and Health in America Series: Obesity in the Native American Community” (2021), “In addition, almost 33 percent of all American Indians and Alaskan Natives are obese.” These statistics illustrate that Native American communities are more affected by obesity and overweight conditions.

Prevention and control are the best measures to curb this epidemic. Furthermore, various short and long-term prevention methods will solve the obesity epidemic. Short-term solutions for individuals include continuous breastfeeding for infants, reduced food portions for children and adults, and eating only when hungry for both children and adults (“Preventing Obesity in Children, Teens, and Adults,” 2021). Additionally, the first long-term solution for communities is diet change. Diet change involves the reduction in calories obtained from fats and high sugars and increasing the intake of “fruits, vegetables, legumes, whole grains and nuts” daily (W.H.O. “Obesity,” 2021). For children, fruit and vegetable servings are restricted to at least five servings every day, while adults serve between five and nine servings daily. Another long-term solution for communities is an increase in physical activity, including exercising, walking, or running for 1 hour for children and 1 hour and 30 minutes for adults weekly. The third long-term solution for communities is a reduction in high-sugar foods and beverages intake. Reducing sugar intake from sodas, juices, and energized drinks will contribute to weight loss and reduce weight gain (“Preventing Obesity in Children, Teens, and Adults,” 2021).

In conclusion, obesity and overweight conditions are conditions that have led to a global epidemic. Accordingly, prevention and control will reduce the fatalities and chronic diseases stemming from obesity and overweight conditions. Therefore, various solutions such as a change in diet and an increase in physical activity will decrease obesity and overweight conditions cases.

References

Ethnicity and Health in America Series: Obesity in the Native American Community. https://www.apa.org. (2021). Retrieved 12 July 2021, from https://www.apa.org/pi/oema/resources/ethnicity-health/native-american/obesity.

Obesity. Who. int. (2021). Retrieved 12 July 2021, from https://www.who.int/health-topics/obesity#tab=tab_1.

Preventing Obesity in Children, Teens, and Adults. Johns Hopkins Medicine. (2021). Retrieved 12 July 2021, from https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-and-diseases/obesity/preventing-obesity.

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Assignment

Essay assignment (500 words minimum) on the obesity and overweight epidemic, providing two (2) short-term solutions for individuals and three (3) long-term solutions for communities.

Obesity Prevention-Solutions

Description

The learning objectives for this chapter build upon concepts regarding conditions that may arise from imbalances of nutrients, food intake, and energy. One such condition is obesity and overweight. This assignment requires students to provide 2 potential short-term solutions for individuals and 3 potential long-term solutions for communities that face health crises stemming from obesity and its complications.

Students should be able to answer the following five questions:

Physiology of Obesity: what are the impacts and complications that stem from obesity or overweightness?
Obesity on An Individual Scale: define and explain the general concepts of obesity and how individuals may become overweight or obese.
Obesity on A Community Scale: provide real-world examples of communities that may be impacted by obesity and its complications and how obesity can impact a community’s way of life.
Short-Term Solutions: what are 2 short-term solutions for individuals who are facing obesity and its complications?
Long-Term Solutions: what are 3 long-term solutions for communities that are facing obesity and its complications?
Note: the term communities is broad and may include specific age groups, at-risk groups, etc. Students should aim to approach this topic with a holistic mindset and critically understand the social, cultural, and economic influences behind obesity.

Students should also provide an organized list of APA-formatted citations and sources.

Student Resources/Recommended Readings

Distance Learning Systems 2020 Nutrition eBook, Chapter 5
World Health Organization: Obesity (Links to an external site.)
Johns Hopkins Medicine: Preventing Obesity in Children, Teens, and Adults (Links to an external site.)