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7.5: Obesity Epidemic - Causes and Solutions

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• Page ID 39986

• Alice Callahan, Heather Leonard, & Tamberly Powell
• Lane Community College via OpenOregon

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Since the 1980s, the prevalence of obesity in the United States has increased dramatically. Data collected by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention show rising obesity across the nation, state-by-state. 1

The methods used by the CDC to collect the data changed in 2011, so we can’t make direct comparisons between the periods before and after that change, but the trend has continued. Every year, more and more people in the U.S. are obese.

These trends are unmistakable, and they’re not just occurring in adults. Childhood obesity has seen similar increases over the last few decades—perhaps an even greater concern as the metabolic and health effects of carrying too much weight can be compounded over a person’s entire lifetime.

While obesity is a problem across the United States, it affects some groups of people more than others. Based on 2015-2016 data, obesity rates are higher among Hispanic (47 percent) and Black adults (47 percent) compared with white adults (38 percent). Non-Hispanic Asians have the lowest obesity rate (13 percent). And overall, people who are college-educated and have a higher income are less likely to be obese. 2  These health disparities point to the importance of looking at social context when examining causes and solutions. Not everyone has the same opportunity for good health, or an equal ability to make changes to their circumstances, because of factors like poverty and longstanding inequities in how resources are invested in communities. These factors are called “ social determinants of health. ” 3

The obesity epidemic is also not unique to the United States. Obesity is rising around the globe, and in 2015, it was estimated to affect 2 billion people worldwide, making it one of the largest factors affecting poor health in most countries . 4 Globally, among children aged 5 to 19 years old, the rate of overweight increased from 10.3 percent in 2000 to 18.4 percent in 2018. Previously, overweight and obesity mainly affected high-income countries, but some of the most dramatic increases in childhood overweight over the last decade have been in low income countries, such as those in Africa and South Asia, corresponding to a greater availability of inexpensive, processed foods. 5

Despite the gravity of the problem, no country has yet been able to implement policies that have reversed the trend and brought about a decrease in obesity. This represents “one of the biggest population health failures of our time,” wrote an international group of researchers in the journal The Lancet in 2019. 6  The World Health Organization has set a target of stopping the rise of obesity by 2025. Doing so requires understanding what is causing the obesity epidemic; it is only when these causes are addressed that change can start to occur.

Causes of the Obesity Epidemic

If obesity was an infectious disease sweeping the globe, affecting billions of people’s health, longevity, and productivity, we surely would have addressed it by now. Researchers and pharmaceutical companies would have worked furiously to develop vaccines and medicines to prevent and cure this disease. But the causes of obesity are much more complex than a single bacteria or virus, and solving this problem means recognizing and addressing a multitude of factors that lead to weight gain in a population.

At its core, rising obesity is caused by a chronic shift towards positive energy balance—consuming more energy or calories than one expends each day, leading to an often gradual but persistent increase in body weight. People often assume that this is an individual problem, that those who weigh more simply need to change their behavior to eat less and exercise more, and if this doesn’t work, it must be because of a personal failing, such as a lack of self-control or motivation. While behavior patterns such as diet and exercise can certainly impact a person’s risk of developing obesity (as we’ll cover later in this chapter), the environments where we live also have a big impact on our behavior and can make it much harder to maintain energy balance.

Environment

Many of us live in what researchers and public health experts call “ obesogenic environments. ” That is, the ways in which our neighborhoods are built and our lives are structured influence our physical activity and food intake to encourage weight gain. 7 Human physiology and metabolism evolved in a world where obtaining enough food for survival required significant energy investment in hunting or gathering—very different from today’s world where more people earn their living in sedentary occupations. From household chores, to workplace productivity, to daily transportation, getting things done requires fewer calories than it did in past generations.

Our jobs have become more and more sedentary, with fewer opportunities for non-exercise thermogenesis (NEAT) throughout the day. There’s less time in the school day for recess and physical activity, and fears about neighborhood safety limit kids’ ability to get out and play after the school day is over. Our towns and cities are built more for cars than for walking or biking. We can’t turn back the clock on human progress, and finding a way to stay healthy in obesogenic environments is a significant challenge.

Our environments can also impact our food choices. We’re surrounded by vending machines, fast food restaurants, coffeeshops, and convenience stores that offer quick and inexpensive access to calories. These foods are also heavily advertised, and especially when people are stretched thin by working long hours or multiple jobs, they can be a welcome convenience. However, they tend to be calorie-dense (and less nutrient-dense) and more heavily processed, with amounts of sugar, fat, and salt optimized to make us want to eat more, compared with home-cooked food. In addition, portion sizes at restaurants, especially fast food chains, have increased over the decades, and people are eating at restaurants more and cooking at home less.

Poverty and Food Insecurity

Living in poverty usually means living in a more obesogenic environment. Consider the fact that some of the poorest neighborhoods in the United States—with some of the highest rates of obesity—are often not safe or pleasant places to walk, play, or exercise. They may have busy traffic and polluted air, and they may lack sidewalks, green spaces, and playgrounds. A person living in this type of neighborhood will find it much more challenging to get adequate physical activity compared with someone living in a neighborhood where it’s safe to walk to school or work, play at a park, ride a bike, or go for a run.

In addition, poor neighborhoods often lack a grocery store where people can purchase fresh fruits and vegetables and basic ingredients necessary for cooking at home. Such areas are called “ food deserts ”—where healthy foods simply aren’t available or easily accessible.

Another concept useful in discussions of obesity risk is “food insecurity.”  Food security  means “access by all people at all times to enough food for an active, healthy life.” 8  Food insecurity  means an inability to consistently obtain adequate food. It may seem counter-intuitive, but in the United States, food insecurity is linked to obesity. That is, people who have difficulty obtaining enough food are more likely to become obese and to suffer from diabetes and hypertension. This is likely related to the fact that inexpensive foods tend to be high in calories but low in nutrients, and when these foods form the foundation of a person’s diet, they can cause both obesity and nutrient deficiencies. It’s estimated that 12 percent of U.S. households are food insecure, and food insecurity is higher among Black (22 percent) and Latino (18 percent) households. 3

What about genetics? While it’s true that our genes can influence our susceptibility to becoming obese, researchers say they can’t be a cause of the obesity epidemic. Genes take many generations to evolve, and the obesity epidemic has occurred over just the last 40 to 50 years—only a few generations. When our grandparents were children, they were much less likely to become obese than our own children. That’s not because their genes were different, but rather because they grew up in a different environment. However, it is true that a person’s genes can influence their susceptibility to becoming obese in this obesogenic environment, and obesity is more prevalent in some families. A person’s genetic make-up can make it more difficult to maintain energy balance in an obesogenic environment, because certain genes may make you feel more hungry or slow your energy expenditure. 2

Solutions to the Obesity Epidemic

Given the multiple causes of obesity, solving this problem will also require many solutions at different levels. Because obesity affects people over the lifespan and is difficult to reverse, the focus of many of these efforts is prevention, starting as early as the first years of life. We’ll discuss individual weight management strategies later in this chapter. Here, we’ll review some strategies happening in schools, communities, and at the state and federal levels.

Support Healthy Dietary Patterns

Interventions that support healthy dietary patterns, especially among people more vulnerable because of food insecurity or poverty, may reduce obesity. In some cases, studies have shown that they have an impact, and in other cases, it’s too soon to know. Here are some examples:

• Implement and support better nutrition standards for childcare, schools, hospitals, and worksites. 9
• Limit marketing of processed foods, especially ads targeted towards children.
• Provide incentives for supermarkets or farmers markets to establish businesses in underserved areas. 9

Figure 9.21. Farmers markets can expand healthy food options for neighborhoods and build connections between consumers and local farmers.

• Place nutrition and calorie content on restaurant and fast food menus to raise awareness of food choices. 9 Beginning in 2018, as part of the Affordable Care Act, chain restaurants with more than 20 locations were required to add calorie information to their menus, and some had already done so voluntarily. There isn’t yet enough research to say whether having this information improves customers’ choices; some studies show an effect and others don’t. 10 Many factors influence people’s decisions, and the type of restaurant, customer needs, and menu presentation all likely matter. For example, some studies show that health-conscious consumers choose lower calorie menu items when presented with nutrition information, but people with food insecurity may understandably choose higher calorie items to get more “bang for their buck”. 11 Research has also shown that adding interpretative images—like a stoplight image labeling menu choices as green or red as shorthand for high or low nutrient density—can help. And a 2018 study found that when calorie counts are on the left side of English-language menus, people order lower-calorie menu items. Putting calorie counts on the right side of the menu (as is more common) doesn’t have this effect, likely because the English language is read from left to right. 12 Some studies have also found that restaurants that implement menu labeling offer lower-calorie and more nutrient-dense options, indicating that menu labeling may push restaurants to look more closely at the food they serve. 10,13

• Increase access to food assistance programs and align them with nutrition recommendations. For example, in 2009, the U.S. Department of Agriculture revised the food packages for the Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) program to better align with the Dietary Guidelines for Americans. The new packages emphasized more fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and low-fat dairy and decreased the availability of juice. After this change, there was a decrease in the obesity rate of children in the WIC program. Similar progress may be made by increasing access to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) in order to reduce food insecurity. Many farmers’ markets now accept SNAP benefits for the purchase of fresh fruit and vegetables. 3
• Tax sugary drinks, such as soda and sports drinks, which contribute significant empty calories to the U.S. diet and are associated with childhood obesity. Local taxes on soda and other sugary drinks are often controversial, and soda companies lobby to prevent them from passing. However, early research in U.S. cities with soda taxes show that they do work to decrease soda consumption. 3 In the U.S., soda has only been taxed at the local level, and the tax has been paid by consumers. The United Kingdom has taken a different approach: They started taxing soft drink manufacturers for the sugar content of the products they sell. Between 2015 and 2018, the average sugar content of soda sold in the U.K. dropped by 29 percent. 14

Support Greater Physical Activity

Increasing physical activity increases the energy expended during the day. This can help maintain energy balance, thus preventing weight gain. It may also help to shift a person into negative energy balance and facilitate weight loss if needed. But simply adding an exercise session—a run or a trip to the gym, say—often doesn’t shift energy balance (though it’s certainly good for health). Why? Exercise can increase hunger, and there’s only so many calories a person can burn in 30 or 60 minutes. That’s why it’s also important to look for opportunities for non-exercise activity thermogenesis (NEAT); that is, find ways to increase movement throughout the day.

• P rioritize physical education and recess time in schools. In addition to helping kids stay healthy, movement also helps them learn.  
• Make neighborhoods safer and more accessible for walking, cycling, and playing.
• When safe, encourage kids to walk or bike to school.
• Build family and community activities around physical activity, such as trips to the park, walks together, and community walking and exercise groups.
• Facilitate more movement in the workday by encouraging walking meetings, movement breaks, and treadmill desks.
• Find ways to move that are enjoyable to you and fit your life. Yard work, walking your dog, playing tag with your kids, and going out dancing all count!

VIDEO: “ James Levine: ‘I Came Alive as a Person’ “ by NOVA’s Secret Life of Scientists and Engineers, YouTube (April 24, 2014), 3:04 minutes. This short video explains some of the research on NEAT and efforts to increase it in our lives

VIDEO: “ The Weight of the Nation: Poverty and Obesity” by HBO Docs, YouTube (May 14, 2012), 24:05 minutes.

VIDEO: “ The Weight of the Nation: Healthy Foods and Obesity Prevention” by HBO Docs, YouTube (May 14, 2012), 31:11 minutes. These segments from the HBO documentary series, “The Weight of the Nation,” explore some of the causes and potential solutions for obesity.

References:

• 1 CDC. (2019, September 12). New Adult Obesity Maps. Retrieved October 30, 2019, from Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website: https://www.cdc.gov/obesity/data/prevalence-maps.html
• 2 CDC. (2019, January 31). Adult Obesity Facts | Overweight & Obesity | CDC. Retrieved October 30, 2019, from https://www.cdc.gov/obesity/data/adult.html
• 3 Trust for America’s Health. (2019). The State of Obesity: Better Policies for a Healthier America . Retrieved from https://www.tfah.org/report-details/stateofobesity2019/
• 4 Swinburn, B. A., Kraak, V. I., Allender, S., Atkins, V. J., Baker, P. I., Bogard, J. R., … Dietz, W. H. (2019). The Global Syndemic of Obesity, Undernutrition, and Climate Change: The Lancet Commission report. The Lancet , 393 (10173), 791–846. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(18)32822-8
• 5 UNICEF. (2019). The State of the World’s Children 2019. Children, Food and Nutrition: Growing well in a changing world . New York.
• 6 Jaacks, L. M., Vandevijvere, S., Pan, A., McGowan, C. J., Wallace, C., Imamura, F., … Ezzati, M. (2019). The obesity transition: Stages of the global epidemic. The Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology , 7 (3), 231–240. https://doi.org/10.1016/S2213-8587(19)30026-9
• 7 Townshend, T., & Lake, A. (2017). Obesogenic environments: Current evidence of the built and food environments. Perspectives in Public Health , 137 (1), 38–44. https://doi.org/10.1177/1757913916679860
• 8 Pan, L., Sherry, B., Njai, R., & Blanck, H. M. (2012). Food Insecurity Is Associated with Obesity among US Adults in 12 States. Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics , 112 (9), 1403–1409. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jand.2012.06.011
• 9 CDC. (2019, June 18). Community Efforts | Overweight & Obesity | CDC. Retrieved October 30, 2019, from https://www.cdc.gov/obesity/strategies/community.html
• 10 Bleich, S. N., Economos, C. D., Spiker, M. L., Vercammen, K. A., VanEpps, E. M., Block, J. P., … Roberto, C. A. (2017). A Systematic Review of Calorie Labeling and Modified Calorie Labeling Interventions: Impact on Consumer and Restaurant Behavior. Obesity (Silver Spring, Md.) , 25 (12), 2018–2044. https://doi.org/10.1002/oby.21940
• 11 Berry, C., Burton, S., Howlett, E., & Newman, C. L. (2019). Understanding the Calorie Labeling Paradox in Chain Restaurants: Why Menu Calorie Labeling Alone May Not Affect Average Calories Ordered. Journal of Public Policy & Marketing , 38 (2), 192–213. https://doi.org/10.1177/0743915619827013
• 12 Dallas, S. K., Liu, P. J., & Ubel, P. A. (2019). Don’t Count Calorie Labeling Out: Calorie Counts on the Left Side of Menu Items Lead to Lower Calorie Food Choices. Journal of Consumer Psychology, 29(1), 60–69. https://doi.org/10.1002/jcpy.1053
• 13 Theis, D. R. Z., & Adams, J. (2019). Differences in energy and nutritional content of menu items served by popular UK chain restaurants with versus without voluntary menu labelling: A cross-sectional study. PLOS ONE , 14 (10), e0222773. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0222773
• 14 Public Health England. (2019). Sugar reduction: Report on progress between 2015 and 2018 . Retrieved from https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/832182/Sugar_reduction__Yr2_progress_report.pdf

Image Credits

• Figure 9.17. “Obesity Trends Among U.S. Adults, BRFSS, 1990-2010” by Division of Nutrition, Physical Activity, and Obesity, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion , Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is in the Public Domain
• Figure 9.18. “Prevalence of self-reported obesity among U.S. adults in 2011 and 2018” by Division of Nutrition, Physical Activity, and Obesity, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion , Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is in the Public Domain
• Figure 9.19. “Trends in obesity prevalence” by National Center for Health Statistics is in the Public Domain
• Figure 9.20. Elements of obesogenic environment: “wocintech” by WOCinTech Cha is licensed under CC BY 2.0 ; “Perfect timing” by Tamara Menzi , Unsplash is in the Public Domain, CC0 ; “Vending machines” by Purchase College Library is licensed under CC BY-NC 2.0
• Figure 9.21. Farmers markets. “group of people standing near vegetables” by Megan Markham is in the Public Domain, CC0 ; “Veggies at Corvallis Farmers Market” by Friends of Family Farmers is licensed under CC BY-ND 2.0
• Figure 9.22. Menu labeling. “Ballpark Calorie Counting” by Kevin Harber is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0
• Figure 9.23. Increasing physical activity. “Early bird” by Jorge Vasconez is in the Public Domain, CC0 ; “boy running to the future” by Rafaela Biazi is in the Public Domain, CC0 ; “people riding bicycles inside bicycle lane beside skyscraper” by Steinar Engeland is in the Public Domain, CC0

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26 Conclusion: Obesity and its prevention in the 21st century

• Published: September 2010
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The case for a preventative approach to the obesity epidemic is compelling. Obesity poses what is arguably one of the most significant threats to population health that is currently faced. The data presented in this book highlight just how common obesity has become in children and in adults across the globe, and how it impacts disproportionately on the poor. This chapter presents a summary of the discussions in the preceding chapters.

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Essay on Obesity

List of essays on obesity, essay on obesity – short essay (essay 1 – 150 words), essay on obesity (essay 2 – 250 words), essay on obesity – written in english (essay 3 – 300 words), essay on obesity – for school students (class 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 and 12 standard) (essay 4 – 400 words), essay on obesity – for college students (essay 5 – 500 words), essay on obesity – with causes and treatment (essay 6 – 600 words), essay on obesity – for science students (essay 7 – 750 words), essay on obesity – long essay for medical students (essay 8 – 1000 words).

Obesity is a chronic health condition in which the body fat reaches abnormal level. Obesity occurs when we consume much more amount of food than our body really needs on a daily basis. In other words, when the intake of calories is greater than the calories we burn out, it gives rise to obesity.

Audience: The below given essays are exclusively written for school students (Class 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 and 12 Standard), college, science and medical students.

Introduction:

Obesity means being excessively fat. A person would be said to be obese if his or her body mass index is beyond 30. Such a person has a body fat rate that is disproportionate to his body mass.

Obesity and the Body Mass Index:

The body mass index is calculated considering the weight and height of a person. Thus, it is a scientific way of determining the appropriate weight of any person. When the body mass index of a person indicates that he or she is obese, it exposes the person to make health risk.

Stopping Obesity:

There are two major ways to get the body mass index of a person to a moderate rate. The first is to maintain a strict diet. The second is to engage in regular physical exercise. These two approaches are aimed at reducing the amount of fat in the body.

Conclusion:

Obesity can lead to sudden death, heart attack, diabetes and may unwanted illnesses. Stop it by making healthy choices.

Obesity has become a big concern for the youth of today’s generation. Obesity is defined as a medical condition in which an individual gains excessive body fat. When the Body Mass Index (BMI) of a person is over 30, he/ she is termed as obese.

Obesity can be a genetic problem or a disorder that is caused due to unhealthy lifestyle habits of a person. Physical inactivity and the environment in which an individual lives, are also the factors that leads to obesity. It is also seen that when some individuals are in stress or depression, they start cultivating unhealthy eating habits which eventually leads to obesity. Medications like steroids is yet another reason for obesity.

Obesity has several serious health issues associated with it. Some of the impacts of obesity are diabetes, increase of cholesterol level, high blood pressure, etc. Social impacts of obesity includes loss of confidence in an individual, lowering of self-esteem, etc.

The risks of obesity needs to be prevented. This can be done by adopting healthy eating habits, doing some physical exercise regularly, avoiding stress, etc. Individuals should work on weight reduction in order to avoid obesity.

Obesity is indeed a health concern and needs to be prioritized. The management of obesity revolves around healthy eating habits and physical activity. Obesity, if not controlled in its initial stage can cause many severe health issues. So it is wiser to exercise daily and maintain a healthy lifestyle rather than being the victim of obesity.

Obesity can be defined as the clinical condition where accumulation of excessive fat takes place in the adipose tissue leading to worsening of health condition. Usually, the fat is deposited around the trunk and also the waist of the body or even around the periphery.

Obesity is actually a disease that has been spreading far and wide. It is preventable and certain measures are to be taken to curb it to a greater extend. Both in the developing and developed countries, obesity has been growing far and wide affecting the young and the old equally.

The alarming increase in obesity has resulted in stimulated death rate and health issues among the people. There are several methods adopted to lose weight and they include different diet types, physical activity and certain changes in the current lifestyle. Many of the companies are into minting money with the concept of inviting people to fight obesity.

In patients associated with increased risk factor related to obesity, there are certain drug therapies and other procedures adopted to lose weight. There are certain cost effective ways introduced by several companies to enable clinic-based weight loss programs.

Obesity can lead to premature death and even cause Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus. Cardiovascular diseases have also become the part and parcel of obese people. It includes stroke, hypertension, gall bladder disease, coronary heart disease and even cancers like breast cancer, prostate cancer, endometrial cancer and colon cancer. Other less severe arising due to obesity includes osteoarthritis, gastro-esophageal reflux disease and even infertility.

Hence, serious measures are to be taken to fight against this dreadful phenomenon that is spreading its wings far and wide. Giving proper education on benefits of staying fit and mindful eating is as important as curbing this issue. Utmost importance must be given to healthy eating habits right from the small age so that they follow the same until the end of their life.

Obesity is majorly a lifestyle disease attributed to the extra accumulation of fat in the body leading to negative health effects on a person. Ironically, although prevalent at a large scale in many countries, including India, it is one of the most neglect health problems. It is more often ignored even if told by the doctor that the person is obese. Only when people start acquiring other health issues such as heart disease, blood pressure or diabetes, they start taking the problem of obesity seriously.

Obesity Statistics in India:

As per a report, India happens to figure as the third country in the world with the most obese people. This should be a troubling fact for India. However, we are yet to see concrete measures being adopted by the people to remain fit.

Causes of Obesity:

Sedentary lifestyle, alcohol, junk food, medications and some diseases such as hypothyroidism are considered as the factors which lead to obesity. Even children seem to be glued to televisions, laptops and video games which have taken away the urge for physical activities from them. Adding to this, the consumption of junk food has further aggravated the growing problem of obesity in children.

In the case of adults, most of the professions of today make use of computers which again makes people sit for long hours in one place. Also, the hectic lifestyle of today makes it difficult for people to spare time for physical activities and people usually remain stressed most of the times. All this has contributed significantly to the rise of obesity in India.

Obesity and BMI:

Body Mass Index (BMI) is the measure which allows a person to calculate how to fit he or she is. In other words, the BMI tells you if you are obese or not. BMI is calculated by dividing the weight of a person in kg with the square of his / her height in metres. The number thus obtained is called the BMI. A BMI of less than 25 is considered optimal. However, if a person has a BMI over 30 he/she is termed as obese.

What is a matter of concern is that with growing urbanisation there has been a rapid increase of obese people in India? It is of utmost importance to consider this health issue a serious threat to the future of our country as a healthy body is important for a healthy soul. We should all be mindful of what we eat and what effect it has on our body. It is our utmost duty to educate not just ourselves but others as well about this serious health hazard.

Obesity can be defined as a condition (medical) that is the accumulation of body fat to an extent that the excess fat begins to have a lot of negative effects on the health of the individual. Obesity is determined by examining the body mass index (BMI) of the person. The BMI is gotten by dividing the weight of the person in kilogram by the height of the person squared.

When the BMI of a person is more than 30, the person is classified as being obese, when the BMI falls between 25 and 30, the person is said to be overweight. In a few countries in East Asia, lower values for the BMI are used. Obesity has been proven to influence the likelihood and risk of many conditions and disease, most especially diabetes of type 2, cardiovascular diseases, sleeplessness that is obstructive, depression, osteoarthritis and some cancer types.

In most cases, obesity is caused through a combination of genetic susceptibility, a lack of or inadequate physical activity, excessive intake of food. Some cases of obesity are primarily caused by mental disorder, medications, endocrine disorders or genes. There is no medical data to support the fact that people suffering from obesity eat very little but gain a lot of weight because of slower metabolism. It has been discovered that an obese person usually expends much more energy than other people as a result of the required energy that is needed to maintain a body mass that is increased.

It is very possible to prevent obesity with a combination of personal choices and social changes. The major treatments are exercising and a change in diet. We can improve the quality of our diet by reducing our consumption of foods that are energy-dense like those that are high in sugars or fat and by trying to increase our dietary fibre intake.

We can also accompany the appropriate diet with the use of medications to help in reducing appetite and decreasing the absorption of fat. If medication, exercise and diet are not yielding any positive results, surgery or gastric balloon can also be carried out to decrease the volume of the stomach and also reduce the intestines’ length which leads to the feel of the person get full early or a reduction in the ability to get and absorb different nutrients from a food.

Obesity is the leading cause of ill-health and death all over the world that is preventable. The rate of obesity in children and adults has drastically increased. In 2015, a whopping 12 percent of adults which is about 600 million and about 100 million children all around the world were found to be obese.

It has also been discovered that women are more obese than men. A lot of government and private institutions and bodies have stated that obesity is top of the list of the most difficult and serious problems of public health that we have in the world today. In the world we live today, there is a lot of stigmatisation of obese people.

We all know how troubling the problem of obesity truly is. It is mainly a form of a medical condition wherein the body tends to accumulate excessive fat which in turn has negative repercussions on the health of an individual.

Given the current lifestyle and dietary style, it has become more common than ever. More and more people are being diagnosed with obesity. Such is its prevalence that it has been termed as an epidemic in the USA. Those who suffer from obesity are at a much higher risk of diabetes, heart diseases and even cancer.

In order to gain a deeper understanding of obesity, it is important to learn what the key causes of obesity are. In a layman term, if your calorie consumption exceeds what you burn because of daily activities and exercises, it is likely to lead to obesity. It is caused over a prolonged period of time when your calorie intake keeps exceeding the calories burned.

Here are some of the key causes which are known to be the driving factors for obesity.

If your diet tends to be rich in fat and contains massive calorie intake, you are all set to suffer from obesity.

Sedentary Lifestyle:

With most people sticking to their desk jobs and living a sedentary lifestyle, the body tends to get obese easily.

Of course, the genetic framework has a lot to do with obesity. If your parents are obese, the chance of you being obese is quite high.

The weight which women gain during their pregnancy can be very hard to shed and this is often one of the top causes of obesity.

Sleep Cycle:

If you are not getting an adequate amount of sleep, it can have an impact on the hormones which might trigger hunger signals. Overall, these linked events tend to make you obese.

Hormonal Disorder:

There are several hormonal changes which are known to be direct causes of obesity. The imbalance of the thyroid stimulating hormone, for instance, is one of the key factors when it comes to obesity.

Now that we know the key causes, let us look at the possible ways by which you can handle it.

Treatment for Obesity:

As strange as it may sound, the treatment for obesity is really simple. All you need to do is follow the right diet and back it with an adequate amount of exercise. If you can succeed in doing so, it will give you the perfect head-start into your journey of getting in shape and bidding goodbye to obesity.

There are a lot of different kinds and styles of diet plans for obesity which are available. You can choose the one which you deem fit. We recommend not opting for crash dieting as it is known to have several repercussions and can make your body terribly weak.

The key here is to stick to a balanced diet which can help you retain the essential nutrients, minerals, and, vitamins and shed the unwanted fat and carbs.

Just like the diet, there are several workout plans for obesity which are available. It is upon you to find out which of the workout plan seems to be apt for you. Choose cardio exercises and dance routines like Zumba to shed the unwanted body weight. Yoga is yet another method to get rid of obesity.

So, follow a blend of these and you will be able to deal with the trouble of obesity in no time. We believe that following these tips will help you get rid of obesity and stay in shape.

Obesity and overweight is a top health concern in the world due to the impact it has on the lives of individuals. Obesity is defined as a condition in which an individual has excessive body fat and is measured using the body mass index (BMI) such that, when an individual’s BMI is above 30, he or she is termed obese. The BMI is calculated using body weight and height and it is different for all individuals.

Obesity has been determined as a risk factor for many diseases. It results from dietary habits, genetics, and lifestyle habits including physical inactivity. Obesity can be prevented so that individuals do not end up having serious complications and health problems. Chronic illnesses like diabetes, heart diseases and relate to obesity in terms of causes and complications.

Factors Influencing Obesity:

Obesity is not only as a result of lifestyle habits as most people put it. There are other important factors that influence obesity. Genetics is one of those factors. A person could be born with genes that predispose them to obesity and they will also have difficulty in losing weight because it is an inborn factor.

The environment also influences obesity because the diet is similar in certain environs. In certain environments, like school, the food available is fast foods and the chances of getting healthy foods is very low, leading to obesity. Also, physical inactivity is an environmental factor for obesity because some places have no fields or tracks where people can jog or maybe the place is very unsafe and people rarely go out to exercise.

Mental health affects the eating habits of individuals. There is a habit of stress eating when a person is depressed and it could result in overweight or obesity if the person remains unhealthy for long period of time.

The overall health of individuals also matter. If a person is unwell and is prescribed with steroids, they may end up being obese. Steroidal medications enable weight gain as a side effect.

Complications of Obesity:

Obesity is a health concern because its complications are severe. Significant social and health problems are experienced by obese people. Socially, they will be bullied and their self-esteem will be low as they will perceive themselves as unworthy.

Chronic illnesses like diabetes results from obesity. Diabetes type 2 has been directly linked to obesity. This condition involves the increased blood sugars in the body and body cells are not responding to insulin as they should. The insulin in the body could also be inadequate due to decreased production. High blood sugar concentrations result in symptoms like frequent hunger, thirst and urination. The symptoms of complicated stages of diabetes type 2 include loss of vision, renal failure and heart failure and eventually death. The importance of having a normal BMI is the ability of the body to control blood sugars.

Another complication is the heightened blood pressures. Obesity has been defined as excessive body fat. The body fat accumulates in blood vessels making them narrow. Narrow blood vessels cause the blood pressures to rise. Increased blood pressure causes the heart to start failing in its physiological functions. Heart failure is the end result in this condition of increased blood pressures.

There is a significant increase in cholesterol in blood of people who are obese. High blood cholesterol levels causes the deposition of fats in various parts of the body and organs. Deposition of fats in the heart and blood vessels result in heart diseases. There are other conditions that result from hypercholesterolemia.

Other chronic illnesses like cancer can also arise from obesity because inflammation of body cells and tissues occurs in order to store fats in obese people. This could result in abnormal growths and alteration of cell morphology. The abnormal growths could be cancerous.

Management of Obesity:

For the people at risk of developing obesity, prevention methods can be implemented. Prevention included a healthy diet and physical activity. The diet and physical activity patterns should be regular and realizable to avoid strains that could result in complications.

Some risk factors for obesity are non-modifiable for example genetics. When a person in genetically predisposed, the lifestyle modifications may be have help.

For the individuals who are already obese, they can work on weight reduction through healthy diets and physical exercises.

In conclusion, obesity is indeed a major health concern because the health complications are very serious. Factors influencing obesity are both modifiable and non-modifiable. The management of obesity revolves around diet and physical activity and so it is important to remain fit.

In olden days, obesity used to affect only adults. However, in the present time, obesity has become a worldwide problem that hits the kids as well. Let’s find out the most prevalent causes of obesity.

Factors Causing Obesity:

Obesity can be due to genetic factors. If a person’s family has a history of obesity, chances are high that he/ she would also be affected by obesity, sooner or later in life.

The second reason is having a poor lifestyle. Now, there are a variety of factors that fall under the category of poor lifestyle. An excessive diet, i.e., eating more than you need is a definite way to attain the stage of obesity. Needless to say, the extra calories are changed into fat and cause obesity.

Junk foods, fried foods, refined foods with high fats and sugar are also responsible for causing obesity in both adults and kids. Lack of physical activity prevents the burning of extra calories, again, leading us all to the path of obesity.

But sometimes, there may also be some indirect causes of obesity. The secondary reasons could be related to our mental and psychological health. Depression, anxiety, stress, and emotional troubles are well-known factors of obesity.

Physical ailments such as hypothyroidism, ovarian cysts, and diabetes often complicate the physical condition and play a massive role in abnormal weight gain.

Moreover, certain medications, such as steroids, antidepressants, and contraceptive pills, have been seen interfering with the metabolic activities of the body. As a result, the long-term use of such drugs can cause obesity. Adding to that, regular consumption of alcohol and smoking are also connected to the condition of obesity.

Harmful Effects of Obesity:

On the surface, obesity may look like a single problem. But, in reality, it is the mother of several major health issues. Obesity simply means excessive fat depositing into our body including the arteries. The drastic consequence of such high cholesterol levels shows up in the form of heart attacks and other life-threatening cardiac troubles.

The fat deposition also hampers the elasticity of the arteries. That means obesity can cause havoc in our body by altering the blood pressure to an abnormal range. And this is just the tip of the iceberg. Obesity is known to create an endless list of problems.

In extreme cases, this disorder gives birth to acute diseases like diabetes and cancer. The weight gain due to obesity puts a lot of pressure on the bones of the body, especially of the legs. This, in turn, makes our bones weak and disturbs their smooth movement. A person suffering from obesity also has higher chances of developing infertility issues and sleep troubles.

Many obese people are seen to be struggling with breathing problems too. In the chronic form, the condition can grow into asthma. The psychological effects of obesity are another serious topic. You can say that obesity and depression form a loop. The more a person is obese, the worse is his/ her depression stage.

How to Control and Treat Obesity:

The simplest and most effective way, to begin with, is changing our diet. There are two factors to consider in the diet plan. First is what and what not to eat. Second is how much to eat.

If you really want to get rid of obesity, include more and more green vegetables in your diet. Spinach, beans, kale, broccoli, cauliflower, asparagus, etc., have enough vitamins and minerals and quite low calories. Other healthier options are mushrooms, pumpkin, beetroots, and sweet potatoes, etc.

Opt for fresh fruits, especially citrus fruits, and berries. Oranges, grapes, pomegranate, pineapple, cherries, strawberries, lime, and cranberries are good for the body. They have low sugar content and are also helpful in strengthening our immune system. Eating the whole fruits is a more preferable way in comparison to gulping the fruit juices. Fruits, when eaten whole, have more fibers and less sugar.

Consuming a big bowl of salad is also great for dealing with the obesity problem. A salad that includes fibrous foods such as carrots, radish, lettuce, tomatoes, works better at satiating the hunger pangs without the risk of weight gain.

A high protein diet of eggs, fish, lean meats, etc., is an excellent choice to get rid of obesity. Take enough of omega fatty acids. Remember to drink plenty of water. Keeping yourself hydrated is a smart way to avoid overeating. Water also helps in removing the toxins and excess fat from the body.

As much as possible, avoid fats, sugars, refined flours, and oily foods to keep the weight in control. Control your portion size. Replace the three heavy meals with small and frequent meals during the day. Snacking on sugarless smoothies, dry fruits, etc., is much recommended.

Regular exercise plays an indispensable role in tackling the obesity problem. Whenever possible, walk to the market, take stairs instead of a lift. Physical activity can be in any other form. It could be a favorite hobby like swimming, cycling, lawn tennis, or light jogging.

Meditation and yoga are quite powerful practices to drive away the stress, depression and thus, obesity. But in more serious cases, meeting a physician is the most appropriate strategy. Sometimes, the right medicines and surgical procedures are necessary to control the health condition.

Obesity is spreading like an epidemic, haunting both the adults and the kids. Although genetic factors and other physical ailments play a role, the problem is mostly caused by a reckless lifestyle.

By changing our way of living, we can surely take control of our health. In other words, it would be possible to eliminate the condition of obesity from our lives completely by leading a healthy lifestyle.

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Causes of Obesity

Food, activity, and sleep, social determinants of health (sdoh), illnesses and medications, what can be done.

Obesity is a complex disease that occurs when an individual’s weight is higher than what is considered healthy for his or her height. Obesity affects children as well as adults. Many factors can contribute to excess weight gain including eating patterns, physical activity levels, and sleep routines. Social determinants of health , genetics, and taking certain medications also play a role.

Eating and physical activity patterns, insufficient sleep and several other factors influence excess weight gain.

The conditions in which we live, learn, work, and play are called social determinants of health (SDOH). It can be difficult to make healthy food choices and get enough physical activity if these conditions do not support health. Differences in SDOH affect chronic disease outcomes and risks, including obesity, among racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic groups as well as in different geographies and among people with different physical abilities.

Places such as childcare centers, schools, or communities affect eating patterns and activity through the foods and drinks they offer and the physical activity opportunities they provide. Other community factors that influence obesity include the affordability of healthy food options, peer and social supports, marketing and promotion, and policies that determine community design.

Genetic changes in human populations occur too slowly to be responsible for the obesity epidemic. Yet variants in several genes may contribute to obesity by increasing hunger and food intake. Rarely, a specific variant of a single gene (monogenic obesity) causes a clear pattern of inherited obesity within a family. [1] , [2]

Some illnesses, such as Cushing’s disease, may lead to obesity or weight gain. Drugs such as steroids and some antidepressants may also cause weight gain. Research continues on the role of other factors such as chemical exposures and the role of the microbiome.

Eating Patterns

• Healthy eating follows the 2020-2025  Dietary Guidelines for Americans . It emphasizes a variety of vegetables and fruits, whole grains, a variety of lean protein foods, and low-fat and fat-free dairy products. It also limits foods and beverages with added sugars, solid fats, or sodium. See Healthy Eating for Healthy Weight .
• Managers of worksites and public facilities can improve the nutritional quality of food and beverages available in those settings. See Food Service Guidelines Implementation Toolkit .

• Physical Activity
• The  Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans recommends that children aged 3 through 5 years should be physically active throughout the day. Children aged 6 – 17 years need at least 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity every day. Adults need 150 minutes of moderate intensity physical activity a week.  See Physical Activity for Different Groups .
• Communities can create or modify environments to make it easier for people to walk or bike to everyday destinations. See Community Strategies .
• Newborns need 14 to 17 hours of sleep per day. That amount decreases with age; teenagers need 8 to 10 hours of sleep per day, and adults need 7 or more hours of sleep per day. See How Much Sleep Do I Need?

Social Determinants of Health

• State early care and education systems can promote standards that address nutrition, infant feeding, physical activity, and screen time. See Early Care and Education .
• Communities, programs, initiatives, and public health practitioners can work to together to remove barriers to health and achieve health. See what governments, states, communities, health care providers, and everyone can do.
• Bouchard C.  Defining the genetic architecture of the predisposition to obesity: a challenging but not insurmountable task .  Am J Clin Nutr  2010; 91:5-6.
• Choquet H, Meyre D.  Genetics of obesity: what have we learned?   Curr Genomics . 2011;12:169-79.

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470 Obesity Essay Topic Ideas & Examples

Looking for obesity essay topics? Being a serious problem, obesity is definitely worth writing about.

Obesity in America: Cause and Effect Essay Sample

It is clear that the American lifestyle has contributed to the increasing prevalence of obesity. With estimates from the Washington-based Centers for Disease Prevention in the Department of Health and Human Services indicating that one in three American adults is overweight, it is evident that the country is facing an obesity epidemic. To better understand the causes and effects of obesity, research is needed to further explore the issue. For those struggling with obesity, coursework assistance may be available to help them make the necessary lifestyle changes in order to live a healthier life.

Writing a thesis paper on the topic of obesity can be extremely challenging. It requires extensive research and time to adequately cover the subject. However, there are services available that can provide assistance with the writing process. Pay for a thesis allows for the benefit of having an experienced professional provide guidance and support throughout the entire process.

Causes of Obesity

Every phenomenon must have a reason. In order to write a cause and effect essay , you need to analyze the topic carefully to cover all aspects. Obesity is considered to be a complex illness, with a number of factors contributing to its development. These can be:

• hereditary;

As you may have guessed, it is the latter category of causes and effects that we are interested in. At this point, we care about the five ones that have made the biggest contribution.

Product Range

The main cause of obesity is junk food and an unbalanced diet rich in simple carbohydrates, fats, and sugars, plus a bunch of additives. Manufactured, processed, refined, and packaged meals are the most popular. Thanks to advances in technology, Americans have come to mass-produce meals that keep fresh longer and taste better. It takes less time to prepare unhealthy, processed foods in the microwave than it does to cook them yourself.

Lack of a work-life balance, high-stress levels, insufficient sleeping hours contribute to body weight gain. Not only do these factors contribute to this, but failing to take the time to do your homework can also have a negative impact on your physical health. Without a healthy, balanced approach to work, rest, and play, you may find yourself increasingly dependent on a sedentary lifestyle that can lead to overweight consequences. Many Americans work 50, 60, or more hours a week and suffer from a deficit of leisure hours. Cooking processed foods saves them hours and money, even though they end up costing them a lot more – by causing cardiovascular disease. In addition, obese people feel stressed on a regular basis in the United States metropolitan areas. Many of them are simply binge eating under the influence of negative emotions. Chronic overeating leads to a disturbance in the appetite center in the brain, and the normal amount of food eaten can no longer suppress hunger as much as necessary, affecting the body mass.

Food Deserts

The term ‘ food desert ‘ refers to poor areas (urban, suburban and rural) with limited access to fresh fruit, grains, and vegetables – places where it is much easier to access junk food. A grocery shop in a food desert that sells healthy foods may be 10-15 miles away, while a mini-market or cheap shop that sells harmful snacks is close to the house. In such a world, it takes much more effort to eat healthier, form eating habits, and stay slim.

Everyone’s Passion for Sweets

Consuming sweets in large quantities is addictive: the more and easier we give the body energy, the more the brain uses serotonin and dopamine to encourage it – it will make obese people want sweets again and again during the day. Cakes and pastries are fast carbohydrates that easily satisfy hunger and increase body mass. Despite the harm of sweets, obese people experience the need for them to satiate. Sweetened carbonated drinks are one of the main sources of sugar in the American diet. Moreover, some individuals may be more adversely affected by such diets than others: patients with a genetic predisposition to obesity gain body mass faster from sugary drinks than those without it. This leads to childhood obesity.

The Harm of Tolerance

Every year, the body positive movement is becoming more and more popular all over the world. It would seem that this major trend should have freed us from the problems associated with the cult of thinness and society’s notorious standards. In many ways, a positive attitude towards the body has proved fruitful. For example, the notion of beauty has clearly broadened. Now on fashion shows and magazine covers, you can see not only a girl with perfectly retouched skin and without a single hint of body fat but also an ordinary person with its inherent features: overweight, wrinkles, hair, and individual skin features. In general, all the things that we are all so familiar with in real life.

Does it really make that much sense? Is this a positive thing in terms of the cause and effect topic regarding obesity? In short, opinions are divided. Extremes aren’t easy to overcome. Not everyone manages to do it. Researchers have concluded that due to plus size having become positioned as a variant of the norm, more persons have become obese. Many obese Americans have formed the opinion that it is really quite normal, and they have become oblivious to the damage it does to their health. This is what we are going to focus on next.

Effects of Obesity

We all know that obesity is dangerous to health. However, medical studies show that most adults are unaware of the number of complications and diseases that obesity in America entails. So they are fairly comfortable with becoming gradually fatter. But indifference is replaced by concern when obesity related diseases begin to occur.

For interesting examples of students writing that also reveal the causes and effects of other phenomena, consult the custom essay service offering essays by professionals. In this way, you will realize the importance of highlighting the effects right after the causes.

Is obesity an aesthetic disadvantage, an inconvenience, a limitation in physical activity or is it an illness after all? How does it affect health, and what are the consequences? The visible signs of obesity are by no means the only complication associated with this condition. Obesity creates a high risk of life-threatening diseases such as atherosclerosis, hypertension, heart attack, myocardial infarction, and kidney and liver problems. Moreover, it can also lead to disability.

Cardiovascular Disease

This is the most serious and damaging impact on the body and blood vessels in particular. Every extra kilo is a huge additional load on the heart. Obesity increases the risk of heart attacks. Experts from the American Heart Association have developed a paper on the relationship between obesity and cardiovascular disease, which discusses the impact of obesity on the diagnosis and outcomes of patients with atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, heart failure, and arrhythmias. Childhood obesity aggravates the course of cardiovascular disease from a very early age. The fact that even kids and adolescents are obese is associated with high blood pressure, dyslipidemia, and hyperglycemia.

The result is excessive insulin production in the body. This, in turn, leads to an overabundance of insulin in the blood, which makes the peripheral tissues more resistant to it. As a consequence of the above, sodium metabolism is disturbed, and blood pressure rises. It is important to remember that excessive carbohydrate food intake leads to increased production of insulin by the pancreas. Excess insulin in the human body easily converts glucose into fat. And obesity reduces tissue sensitivity to insulin itself. This kind of vicious circle leads to type 2 diabetes.

Effects on Joints

Obesity increases the load on joints to a great extent, especially if one undergoes little or no physical activity. For instance, if one lives in a megalopolis, where all physical activity consists of getting off the sofa, walking to the car, and plumping up in an office chair at work. All this leads to a reduction in muscle mass, which is already weak, and all the load falls on the joints and ligaments.

The result is arthritis, arthrosis, and osteochondrosis. Consequently, a seemingly illogical situation is formed – there is practically no exercise, but joints are worn out harder than in the case of powerlifters. In turn, according to a study by the University of California, reducing body weight reduces the risk of osteoarthritis.

Infertility

In most cases, being obese leads to endocrine infertility, as it causes an irregular menstrual cycle. Women experience thyroid disease, polycystic ovarian syndrome, problems with conception, and decreased progesterone hormone. Obese men are faced with erectile dysfunction, reduced testosterone levels, and infertility. It should be noted that the mother’s obesity affects not only her health but also the one of her unborn child. These children are at higher risk of congenital malformations.

Corresponding Inconveniences

Public consciousness is still far from the notion that obese people are sick individuals. The social significance of the issue is that people who are severely obese find it difficult to get a job. They experience discriminatory restrictions on promotion, daily living disadvantages, restrictions on mobility, clothing choices, discomfort with adequate hygiene, and sexual dysfunction. Some of these individuals not only suffer from illness and limited mobility but also have low self-esteem, depression, and other psychological problems due to involuntary isolation by watching television or playing video games. Therefore, the public has to recognize the need to establish and implement national and childhood obesity epidemic prevention programs.

Society today provokes unintentional adult and childhood obesity among its members by encouraging the consumption of high-fat, high-calorie foods and, at the same time, by technological advances, promoting sedentary lifestyles like spending time watching television or playing video games. These social and technological factors have contributed to the rise in obesity in recent decades. Developing a responsible attitude towards health will only have a full impact if people are given the opportunity to enjoy a healthy lifestyle. At the level of the community as a whole, it is therefore important to support people in adhering to dieting recommendations through the continued implementation of evidence-based and demographic-based policies to make regular physical activity and good nutrition both affordable and feasible for all. It is recommended to cut down on the food consumed.

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The Causes of Dyslexia: Neurological and Genetic Factors

This essay about dyslexia explores its nature as a learning anomaly affecting reading, writing, and spelling abilities. It discusses the genetic and neurological factors contributing to dyslexia, such as familial clustering and brain structural differences. Phonological processing deficits are highlighted as a key aspect, impacting word identification and decoding. Additionally, environmental factors can exacerbate dyslexic challenges. Understanding the complex interplay of these factors is crucial for effective intervention and support for individuals with dyslexia, facilitating academic and personal success.

How it works

Dyslexia, a distinct learning anomaly, impairs an individual’s capacity for reading, writing, and spelling, despite normative cognitive abilities and educational access. This neurodevelopmental anomaly manifests as impediments in phonological processing, rendering word identification and decoding arduous tasks. Though widely documented and affecting millions globally, the precise etiology of dyslexia remains a subject of intensive inquiry. Current investigations suggest a multifaceted interplay of genetic and neurological determinants.

Genetics assumes a pivotal role in dyslexia’s genesis. Evidence underscores familial clustering of dyslexia, indicating a hereditary predisposition.

Twin analyses, comparing dyslexia prevalence in identical versus fraternal twins, evince higher concordance rates in identical twins, underscoring genetic influence. Identified genetic loci, such as DCDC2 and KIAA0319, implicated in neuronal migration and cerebral maturation, augment risk rather than guarantee dyslexia onset, highlighting its multifactorial nature.

The neurobiological underpinnings of dyslexia revolve around structural and functional cerebral disparities. Neuroimaging unveils divergences in brain architecture and activation patterns between dyslexic and non-dyslexic cohorts. Notably, reduced left hemisphere engagement, especially in parietotemporal and occipitotemporal domains during reading tasks, characterizes dyslexic cohorts. These regions, pivotal for phonological processing and lexical recognition, elucidate the reading impairments inherent in dyslexia. Furthermore, structural aberrations, like diminished gray matter volume, implicate neural circuitry efficiency and connectivity in reading processes.

At the crux of dyslexia lie phonological processing deficits. Phonological awareness, vital for fluent reading, pertains to discerning and manipulating word sound structures. Dyslexic individuals grapple with segmenting words into phonetic constituents, impeding symbol-sound correspondence. This impediment engenders laborious reading and compromises comprehension, orthography, and lexicon acquisition.

Environmental factors also modulate dyslexia’s phenotypic expression and severity. While not causative, inadequate linguistic exposure, dearth of reading materials, and non-supportive educational milieus exacerbate dyslexic challenges. Timely identification and intervention are imperative, as tailored strategies can ameliorate academic performance setbacks and fortify self-esteem.

Despite elucidated causes and predispositions, dyslexia’s etiological panorama remains intricate and variegated. It warrants recognition that dyslexic manifestations vary across individuals, from mild to severe. Moreover, dyslexia frequently co-occurs with comorbid learning disparities, like attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), complicating diagnostic endeavors.

In summation, dyslexia ensues from a nexus of genetic and neurological determinants impacting language processing. Genetic susceptibilities and cerebral structural variances set the stage, while environmental influences modulate symptomatology. Grasping these foundational determinants facilitates efficacious interventions and nurturing educational ambiances. By perpetuating research endeavors and comprehending dyslexia’s intricacies, educators, clinicians, and families can furnish comprehensive support to dyslexic individuals, enabling scholastic and personal flourishing.

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Home — Essay Samples — Nursing & Health — Obesity — The Most Common Causes of Obesity

The Most Common Causes of Obesity

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• Published: 07 May 2024

Epidemiology and Population Health

Obesity: a 100 year perspective

• George A. Bray   ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0001-9945-8772 1  

International Journal of Obesity ( 2024 ) Cite this article

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This review has examined the scientific basis for our current understanding of obesity that has developed over the past 100 plus years. Obesity was defined as an excess of body fat. Methods of establishing population and individual changes in levels of excess fat are discussed. Fat cells are important storage site for excess nutrients and their size and number affect the response to insulin and other hormones. Obesity as a reflection of a positive fat balance is influenced by a number of genetic and environmental factors and phenotypes of obesity can be developed from several perspectives, some of which have been elaborated here. Food intake is essential for maintenance of human health and for the storage of fat, both in normal amounts and in obesity in excess amounts. Treatment approaches have taken several forms. There have been numerous diets, behavioral approaches, along with the development of medications.. Bariatric/metabolic surgery provides the standard for successful weight loss and has been shown to have important effects on future health. Because so many people are classified with obesity, the problem has taken on important public health dimensions. In addition to the scientific background, obesity through publications and organizations has developed its own identity. While studying the problem of obesity this reviewer developed several aphorisms about the problem that are elaborated in the final section of this paper.

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Obesity in children is rising dramatically, and it comes with major – and sometimes lifelong – health consequences

2023 California Health Equity Fellow, University of Southern California

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Christine Nguyen does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

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In the past two decades, children have become more obese and have developed obesity at a younger age. A 2020 report found that 14.7 million children and adolescents in the U.S. live with obesity.

Because obesity is a known risk factor for serious health problems , its rapid increase during the COVID-19 pandemic raised alarms.

Without intervention, many obese adolescents will remain obese as adults. Even before adulthood, some children will have serious health problems beginning in their preteen years.

To address these issues, in early 2023, the American Academy of Pediatrics released its first new obesity management guidelines in 15 years.

I am a pediatric gastroenterologist who sees children in the largest public hospital in California, and I have witnessed a clear trend over the last two decades. Early in my practice, I only occasionally saw a child with a complication of obesity; now I see multiple referrals each month. Some of these children have severe obesity and several health complications that require multiple specialists.

These observations prompted my reporting for the California Health Equity Fellowship at the University of Southern California.

It’s important to note that not all children who carry extra weight are unhealthy. But evidence supports that obesity, especially severe obesity, requires further assessment.

How obesity is measured

The World Health Organization defines obesity as “abnormal or excessive fat accumulation that presents a risk to health.”

Measuring fat composition requires specialized equipment that is not available in a regular doctor’s office. Therefore most clinicians use body measurements to screen for obesity.

One method is body mass index, or BMI, a calculation based on a child’s height and weight compared to age- and sex-matched peers. BMI doesn’t measure body fat, but when BMI is high , it correlates with total body fat.

According to the American Academy of Pediatrics , a child qualifies as overweight at a BMI between the 85th and 95th percentile . Obese is defined as a BMI above the 95th percentile . Other screens for obesity include waist circumference and skin-fold thickness , but these methods are less common.

Because many children exceeded the limits of existing growth charts, in 2022 the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention introduced extended growth charts for severe obesity. Severe obesity occurs when a child reaches the 120th percentile or has a BMI over 35. For instance, a 6-year-old boy who is 48 inches tall and is 110 pounds would meet criteria for severe obesity because his BMI is 139th percentile.

Severe obesity carries a heightened risk of liver disease, cardiovascular disease and metabolic problems such as diabetes. As of 2016, almost 8% of children ages 2 to 19 had severe obesity .

Other health problems associated with severe obesity include obstructive sleep apnea , bone and joint problems that can cause early arthritis, high blood pressure and kidney disease . Many of these problems occur together.

How obesity affects the liver

The liver disease associated with obesity is called nonalcoholic fatty liver disease . To store excess dietary fat and sugar, the liver’s cells fill with fat. Excess carbohydrates in particular get processed into substances similar to the breakdown products of alcohols . Under the microscope, a pediatric fatty liver looks similar to a liver with alcohol damage.

Occasionally children with fatty liver are not obese; however, the greatest risk factor for fatty liver is obesity. At the same BMI, Hispanic and Asian children are more susceptible to fatty liver disease than Black and white children. Weight reduction or reducing the consumption of fructose, a naturally occurring sugar and common food additive – even without significant weight loss – improves fatty liver.

Fatty liver is the most common chronic liver disease in children and adults. In Southern California, pediatric fatty liver doubled from 2009 to 2018. The disease can progress rapidly in children, and some will have liver scarring after only a few years.

Although few children currently require liver transplants for fatty liver, it is the most rapidly increasing reason for transplantation in young adults . Fatty liver is the second-most common reason for liver transplantation in the U.S., and it will be the leading cause in the future .

Links between obesity and diabetes

Fatty liver is implicated in metabolic syndrome , a group of conditions that cluster together and increase the risk of cardiovascular disease and diabetes.

In a telephone interview, Dr. Barry Reiner, a pediatric endocrinologist, voiced his concerns to me about obesity and diabetes.

“When I started my practice, I had never heard of type 2 diabetes in children,” says Reiner. “Now, depending on which part of the U.S., between a quarter and a third of new cases of diabetes are type 2.”

Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease previously called juvenile-onset diabetes. Conversely, type 2 diabetes was historically considered an adult disease.

However, type 2 diabetes is increasing in children, and obesity is the major risk factor . While both types of diabetes have genetic and lifestyle influences, type 2 is more modifiable through diet and exercise.

By 2060, the number of people under 20 with type 2 diabetes will increase by 700% . Black, Latino, Asian, Pacific Islander and Native American/Alaska Native children will have more type 2 diabetes diagnoses than white children.

“The seriousness of type 2 diabetes in children is underestimated,” says Reiner. He added that many people express a misconception that type 2 diabetes is a mild, slow-moving disease.

Reiner pointed to an important study showing that type 2 diabetes acquired in childhood can rapidly progress . As early as 10 to 12 years after their childhood diagnosis, patients developed nerve damage, kidney problems and vision damage. By 15 years after diagnosis, at an average age of 27, almost 70% of the patients had high blood pressure .

Most patients had more than one complication. Although rare, a few patients experienced heart attacks and strokes. When people with childhood onset diabetes became pregnant, 24% delivered premature infants, over double the rate in the general population .

Heart health

Cardiovascular changes associated with obesity and severe obesity can also increase a child’s lifetime chance of heart attacks and strokes. Carrying extra weight at 6 to 7 years old can result in higher blood pressure, cholesterol and artery stiffness by 11 to 12 years of age . Obesity changes the structure of the heart , making the muscle thicken and expand.

Although still uncommon, more people in their 20s, 30s and 40s are having strokes and heart attacks than a few decades ago. Although many factors may contribute to heart attack and stroke, obesity adds to that risk.

Talk about being healthy, not focusing on weight

Venus Kalami, a registered dietitian, spoke with me about the environmental and societal influences on childhood obesity.

“Food, diet, lifestyle and weight are often a proxy for something greater going on in someone’s life,” says Kalami.

Factors beyond a child’s control, including depression , access to healthy food and walkable neighborhoods , contribute to obesity.

Parents may wonder how to help children without introducing shame or blame. First, conversations about weight and food should be age appropriate.

“A 6-year-old does not need to be thinking about their weight,” says Kalami. She adds that even preteens and teenagers should not be focusing on their weight, though they likely already are.

Even “good-natured” teasing is harmful. Avoid diet talk, and instead discuss health. Kalami recommends that adults explain how healthy habits can improve mood, focus or kids’ performance in a favorite activity.

“A 12-year-old isn’t always going to know what is healthy,” Kalami said. “Help them pick what’s available and make the best choice, which may not be the perfect choice.”

Any weight talk, either criticism or compliments for weight loss, may backfire, she adds. Praising a child for their weight loss can reinforce a negative cycle of disordered eating. Instead, cheer the child’s better health and good choices.

Dr. Muneeza Mirza, a pediatrician, recommends that parents model healthful behavior.

“Changes should be made for the whole family,” says Mirza. “It shouldn’t be considered a punishment for that kid.”

• Cardiovascular disease
• Kidney disease
• Cardiovascular health
• Obesity epidemic
• High blood pressure
• World Health Organization (WHO)
• American Academy of Pediatrics
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
• Body mass index
• Weight stigma

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Guest Essay

A Year on Ozempic Taught Me We’re Thinking About Obesity All Wrong

By Johann Hari

Mr. Hari is a British journalist and the author of “Magic Pill: The Extraordinary Benefits — and Disturbing Risks — of the New Weight Loss Drugs.”

Ever since I was a teenager, I have dreamed of shedding a lot of weight. So when I shrank from 203 pounds to 161 in a year, I was baffled by my feelings. I was taking Ozempic, and I was haunted by the sense that I was cheating and doing something immoral.

I’m not the only one. In the United States (where I now split my time), over 70 percent of people are overweight or obese, and according to one poll, 47 percent of respondents said they were willing to pay to take the new weight-loss drugs. It’s not hard to see why. They cause users to lose an average of 10 to 20 percent of their body weight, and clinical trials suggest that the next generation of drugs (probably available soon) leads to a 24 percent loss, on average. Yet as more and more people take drugs like Ozempic, Wegovy and Mounjaro, we get more confused as a culture, bombarding anyone in the public eye who takes them with brutal shaming.

This is happening because we are trapped in a set of old stories about what obesity is and the morally acceptable ways to overcome it. But the fact that so many of us are turning to the new weight-loss drugs can be an opportunity to find a way out of that trap of shame and stigma — and to a more truthful story.

In my lifetime, obesity has exploded, from being rare to almost being the norm. I was born in 1979, and by the time I was 21, obesity rates in the United States had more than doubled . They have skyrocketed since. The obvious question is, why? And how do these new weight-loss drugs work? The answer to both lies in one word: satiety. It’s a concept that we don’t use much in everyday life but that we’ve all experienced at some point. It describes the sensation of having had enough and not wanting any more.

The primary reason we have gained weight at a pace unprecedented in human history is that our diets have radically changed in ways that have deeply undermined our ability to feel sated. My father grew up in a village in the Swiss mountains, where he ate fresh, whole foods that had been cooked from scratch and prepared on the day they were eaten. But in the 30 years between his childhood and mine, in the suburbs of London, the nature of food transformed across the Western world. He was horrified to see that almost everything I ate was reheated and heavily processed. The evidence is clear that the kind of food my father grew up eating quickly makes you feel full. But the kind of food I grew up eating, much of which is made in factories, often with artificial chemicals, left me feeling empty and as if I had a hole in my stomach. In a recent study of what American children eat, ultraprocessed food was found to make up 67 percent of their daily diet. This kind of food makes you want to eat more and more. Satiety comes late, if at all.

One scientific experiment — which I have nicknamed Cheesecake Park — seemed to me to crystallize this effect. Paul Kenny, a neuroscientist at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York, grew up in Ireland. After he moved in 2000 to the United States, when he was in his 20s, he gained 30 pounds in two years. He began to wonder if the American diet has some kind of strange effect on our brains and our cravings, so he designed an experiment to test it. He and his colleague Paul Johnson raised a group of rats in a cage and gave them an abundant supply of healthy, balanced rat chow made out of the kind of food rats had been eating for a very long time. The rats would eat it when they were hungry, and then they seemed to feel sated and stopped. They did not become fat.

But then Dr. Kenny and his colleague exposed the rats to an American diet: fried bacon, Snickers bars, cheesecake and other treats. They went crazy for it. The rats would hurl themselves into the cheesecake, gorge themselves and emerge with their faces and whiskers totally slicked with it. They quickly lost almost all interest in the healthy food, and the restraint they used to show around healthy food disappeared. Within six weeks, their obesity rates soared.

After this change, Dr. Kenny and his colleague tweaked the experiment again (in a way that seems cruel to me, a former KFC addict). They took all the processed food away and gave the rats their old healthy diet. Dr. Kenny was confident that they would eat more of it, proving that processed food had expanded their appetites. But something stranger happened. It was as though the rats no longer recognized healthy food as food at all, and they barely ate it. Only when they were starving did they reluctantly start to consume it again.

Though Dr. Kenny’s study was in rats, we can see forms of this behavior everywhere. We are all living in Cheesecake Park — and the satiety-stealing effect of industrially assembled food is evidently what has created the need for these medications. Drugs like Ozempic work precisely by making us feel full. Carel le Roux, a scientist whose research was important to the development of these drugs, says they boost what he and others once called “satiety hormones.”

Once you understand this context, it becomes clear that processed and ultraprocessed food create a raging hole of hunger, and these treatments can repair that hole. Michael Lowe, a professor of psychology at Drexel University who has studied hunger for 40 years, told me the drugs are “an artificial solution to an artificial problem.”

Yet we have reacted to this crisis largely caused by the food industry as if it were caused only by individual moral dereliction. I felt like a failure for being fat and was furious with myself for it. Why do we turn our anger inward and not outward at the main cause of the crisis? And by extension, why do we seek to shame people taking Ozempic but not those who, say, take drugs to lower their blood pressure?

The answer, I think, lies in two very old notions. The first is the belief that obesity is a sin. When Pope Gregory I laid out the seven deadly sins in the sixth century, one of them was gluttony, usually illustrated with grotesque-seeming images of overweight people. Sin requires punishment before you can get to redemption. Think about the competition show “The Biggest Loser,” on which obese people starve and perform extreme forms of exercise in visible agony in order to demonstrate their repentance.

The second idea is that we are all in a competition when it comes to weight. Ours is a society full of people fighting against the forces in our food that are making us fatter. It is often painful to do this: You have to tolerate hunger or engage in extreme forms of exercise. It feels like a contest in which each thin person creates additional pressure on others to do the same. Looked at in this way, people on Ozempic can resemble athletes like the cyclist Lance Armstrong who used performance-enhancing drugs. Those who manage their weight without drugs might think, “I worked hard for this, and you get it for as little as a weekly jab?”

We can’t find our way to a sane, nontoxic conversation about obesity or Ozempic until we bring these rarely spoken thoughts into the open and reckon with them. You’re not a sinner for gaining weight. You’re a typical product of a dysfunctional environment that makes it very hard to feel full. If you are angry about these drugs, remember the competition isn’t between you and your neighbor who’s on weight-loss drugs. It’s between you and a food industry constantly designing new ways to undermine your satiety. If anyone is the cheat here, it’s that industry. We should be united in a struggle against it and its products, not against desperate people trying to find a way out of this trap.

There are extraordinary benefits as well as disturbing risks associated with weight-loss drugs. Reducing or reversing obesity hugely boosts health, on average: We know from years of studying bariatric surgery that it slashes the risks of cancer, heart disease and diabetes-related death. Early indications are that the new anti-obesity drugs are moving people in a similar radically healthier direction, massively reducing the risk of heart attack or stroke. But these drugs may increase the risk for thyroid cancer. I am worried they diminish muscle mass and fear they may supercharge eating disorders. This is a complex picture in which the evidence has to be weighed very carefully.

But we can’t do that if we remain lost in stories inherited from premodern popes or in a senseless competition that leaves us all, in the end, losers. Do we want these weight loss drugs to be another opportunity to tear one another down? Or do we want to realize that the food industry has profoundly altered the appetites of us all — leaving us trapped in the same cage, scrambling to find a way out?

Johann Hari is a British journalist and the author of “Magic Pill: The Extraordinary Benefits — and Disturbing Risks — of the New Weight Loss Drugs,” among other books.

Source photographs by seamartini, The Washington Post, and Zana Munteanu via Getty Images.

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