“Obesity may seem simple to explain, but it’s far more complex than calories in vs calories burned” (Orley Andreasson, 2022).
People who are obese are just lazy! – FALSE
People with obesity just eat too much ! – FALSE
People who are obese Just need to get up and move more to lose weight! – FALSE
People are obese because they chose to be! – FALSE
What is obesity?
“Obesity is defined as abnormal or excessive fat accumulation that presents a risk to health. A body mass index (BMI) over 25 is considered overweight, and over 30 is obese.”(WHO,2023)
- Body Max Index or BMI is a measurement using height and weight to determine the amount of body fat that you have.
- BMI also factors in your gender.
What can cause obesity?
“Despite the stigma around weight gain, obesity can be caused by many things beyond how much you eat or exercise. Genetics, social or economic factors, and certain medications or health conditions can also play a role” (Holland, 2020).
- Genetics
- Physiological influences
- Food intake and eating disorders
- Weight history
- Can be Hereditary
- Unhealthy diet
- Sedentary lifestyle
- Certain Medications
- Pregnancy
- Hormonal imbalances
- Lack of sleep
- Environmental/social influences
How Obesity affects your health…
- Type 2 diabetes
- Infertility
- High blood pressure
- Heart disease
- Certain cancers (breast, colon, and endometrial)
- Stroke
- Gallbladder disease
- Fatty liver disease
- High cholesterol
- Sleep apnea and other breathing problems
- Chronic lower back pain
- Musculoskeletal disorders
What you can do to lower the risks of obesity by prevention and also treatments of obesity..
Treatments include seeking assistance from health specialists such as…
- Dieticians/ Nutritionist
- Bariatric physicians
- Endocrinologist
Prevention techniques include…
- Increased level of activity
- Reducing stressors
- Getting plenty of rest and sleep
- Nutritional intake
Why we need to spread awareness for change…
- To assist persons struggling with obesity to proper resources to get help.
- Decrease risks of health problems
- Encourage happy, healthy lifestyle
- Decrease risks of psychological consequences such as increased anxiety, depression, low self-esteem and eating disorders
- To end stigma and discrimination
- To end judgment
References:
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2022, July 15). Consequences of Obesity. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; CDC. https://www.cdc.gov/obesity/basics/consequences.html
Coping with the impact of obesity stigma on mental health. (2022). Www.youtube.com. Retrieved November 13, 2023, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wnd6YTtDE-M&t=16s
Holland, K. (2020, July 29). Obesity Facts in America. Healthline. https://www.healthline.com/health/obesity-facts
Larery, T. (2019). The True Weight of Childhood Obesity in America. The Midwest Quarterly, 60(3),329+. https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/A583693217/LitRC?u=anon~2a140135&sid=bookmark- LitRC&xid=fdb5bf52
World Health Organization. (2022). Obesity. World Health Organization. https://www.who.int/health-topics/obesity/#tab=tab_1