Suitable Solutions to Obesity

Suitable Solutions to Obesity

Introduction

Body fat is integral to a sustainable life as it acts as an energy reserve for use in case of a food deficiency or shortage. This fat is stored under the skin and around internal organs like the heart and kidneys. Excessive body fat is threatening to proper health; a state termed as obesity. A medical indexing scale; the Body Mass Index (BMI) sets the standards for reference. A range of 25-30 kg/m² calculated by dividing a person’s weight by the square of their height determines an individual as obese. Apart from being an individual constraint, obesity affects the entire society’s workforce (Lou).

The body stores this excessive fat as energy values called calories. One thousand calories are equivalent to the energy required to raise one gram of water through 1° C. These units range the total energy, which is constant depending on the food substrate to the total consumable food. Under this guideline, one can determine the exact amount of food (per energy output) a population consumes. Studies show that Americans consumed 20% more calories in 2000 than they did in 1980. This upward trend shows rapidly increasing exposure to obesity-risk factors. The alarm is raised by the statistics that one out of three people is obese. Thirty-four percent of adults and twenty percent of children and young adults in America are obese (Ogden).

Obesity acts as a gateway illness to other complicated conditions like heart diseases, diabetes, high blood pressure, high blood cholesterol, osteoarthritis, and, asthma. The devastating effects of obesity and other diet-related illnesses are undisputable. If these are to be combated, however, education on the causes of obesity has to be dispatched to the public. In this regard, this article looks to dissect the causes of obesity in a bid to propose possible solutions to the endemic.

Causes of Obesity

An excessive consumption of food energy per meal, genetic factors, and minimal physical activity primarily causes obesity. Excessive food energy consumption is attributed to the diet availed to an individual. Overconsumption of carbohydrates contributes to obesity since they are broken down into simple sugars with high numbers of calories. Increased carbohydrates consumption in America can be pointed to the proportional increase in consumption of sweetened beer and fast foods like potato chips. An increased fat and sugar concentration in the diet over time has also contributed to obesity throughout the population. Acceptable dietary behavior these current days is energy-packed and enormous portions attributable to society’s permissiveness (Blackburn).

The availability of processed food is also a concern as a consequent dietary cause for obesity. Carbohydrate farm supplies such as maize, wheat, and rice are under subsidy meaning very cheap prices thus economical. These foods increase carbohydrate intake beyond the minimum daily requirements. Fruits and vegetables are alternatively expensive to purchase leaving citizens with little choice. The availability of processed food has increased to cover the inadequate supply of unprocessed agricultural produce. Studies are also showing continued relations between processed food intake and obesity making this a risk factor (Sugarman).

Minimal physical activity has been adopted as a new way of life in current changing societal trends. People tend to adopt less physically demanding jobs and technological improvements further ease the human workload. Insufficient exercise due to human and environmental factors is steadily on the rise. Mechanization of transport and the preference of lesser physically demanding leisure activities further encourage a sedentary life. The increased permissiveness of the television in today’s society also natures this lifestyle into children and young adults: who are increasingly adopting and getting affected by the reduced physical activity (Ogden).

Genetics and environmental factors also cause obesity but in reduced rates compared to the other discussed causes. Genetics affects appetite and metabolism, while DNA mutations have been studied to increase the risk of obesity in children with obese parents. Inheritance studies reveal up to eighty percent of obese parents bear obese children in relative comparison to ten percent in normal weight parents. Social stratification has also been viewed as a probable cause of obesity. Upper-class citizens show greater potential for obesity than lower-class folk.

Environmental factors also show causative signs of obesity, although strategies to attend to these methods only apply at a macro-environmental level. Polluting agents in the atmosphere have been studied to cause changes in the metabolism of lipids, substantially increasing obesity risk. Some gut bacteria in humans affect metabolism thus relating to obesity, although, these factors are minute for consideration in developing strategies.

Possible Solutions

Obesity is a societal constraint deserves societal measures in its eradication efforts. Basic social principles like public information and public awareness influence behavioral change both directly and indirectly. The increased awareness of the causes and effects of obesity to a wider audience spreads the information on transformational behavior. Learning the causes for obesity alone could motivate an individual on the consideration for rectifying these influences on their personal life. Mass information could be done through banners, advertisements, social media, radios and billboards in a bid to create national awareness (Sugarman).

Public information on the impending risks from obesity exposure could create a stir in transformational behavior. Most obese people in America do not understand the full medical implications of obesity and therefore ignore it. Other individuals are, however, arrogant and do not mind the implications of obesity. Mass information on the effects could influence many individuals to change their lifestyles. Seminars, conferences, hikes, camping activities, communal gatherings and sponsorship programs for obesity counseling and activity builds strategy morale (Ogden).

Another societal approach to a possible solution to diabetes would involve the collaborative efforts of the public and public food vendors. Fast food forms at least 15 percent of the total consumable diet in America. Food sold in public eating-places and junk food contains excessive food energy whose continued consumption leads to body fat saturation. Convincing American businesses to adapt to a healthier menu with lesser food energy, calorie, sugar, saturated fat, and, sodium alleviates diabetes-risk exposure. This is a long-time and mass solution approach whose results become visible after several generations.

This solution, however, poses certain business risks. Changing the societal and cultural business practice of vending high fat and sugar foods might also take a toll on businesses like fried chicken and candy enterprises. Reducing the sugar concentrations by 10 percent and fat concentrations by 25 percent instead could create a win-win situation.  The businesses keep operation and the cultural dietary habits improve. This strategy is, however, advantageous since it does not rely on consumer choice to affect change (Blackburn).

Joint efforts are necessary between the American government and farming unions in assisting to combat this epidemic. Legislations to the United States Farm Bill could prove useful in the long-term prospect of combating obesity. Giving preference to vegetables and fruits over whole-grain in market positioning and consumer distribution is relevant in reshaping dietary perspectives. Making healthy foods more accessible than processed and high carbohydrates food could change a majority of the peoples’ eating habits. This strategy looks to conceptualize vegetables as a healthy alternative that is more readily available. This behavioral change will be dependent on availability and not a choice (Sugarman).

The private sector and non-governmental organizations also have a strategic role to play. Being a social and communal call to eradicate obesity in America, Everyone’s involvement is in negligible. Private organizations such as gyms, yoga facilities, and sporting facilities could adopt programs specifically for obese individuals. Their participation together with other community members builds the morale for involvement and abandoning sedentary life. Family and outdoor socializing efforts are also encouraged such as walks in the park to encourage regular exercise.

Conclusion

The social determinants to increased chances of obesity are few and therefore strategies are required to be direct and targeting mass efficiency. Understanding the causes of obesity excluding factors beyond human control like genetics; reveals probable strategies to combat the issue. Obesity is a constraint with diverse variants and the strategies toward bringing it under control requires clear understanding of these variants. Since being overweight is an individual choice, so are the strategies to combat obesity. Individual effort, however, is not sufficient to fight obesity, even at an individual level. Support from friends, family, the private sector and the government form the framework for complete societal rehabilitation.

Works Cited

Sugarman, Stephen D. “Enticing Business to Create a Healthier American Diet: Performance-Based Regulation of Food and Beverage Retailers.” Law & Policy, vol. 36, no. 1, Jan. 2014, pp. 91-112. EBSCOhost, doi:10.1111/lapo.12012.

Ogden, Jane, and Zakk Flanagan. “Beliefs about the causes and solutions to obesity: a comparison of GPs and lay people.” Patient education and counseling 71.1 (2008): 72-78.

Blackburn, George L., and W. Allan Walker. “Science-based solutions to obesity: what are the roles of academia, government, industry, and health care?.” The American journal of clinical nutrition 82.1 (2005): 207S-210S.

Schuler, Lou . “The Real Reason Americans Are So Fat.” Men’s Health, 13 Jan. 2017, www.menshealth.com/weight-loss/reasons-americans-are-fat.

“Why are Americans Obese?” PublicHealth.org, 14 Dec. 2016, www.publichealth.org/public-awareness/obesity/.

“Food fight: the inside story of the food industry, America’s obesity crisis, and what can be done about it.” Apr. 2004. ResearchGate .