Globesity: A worldwide epidemic

The World Health Organisation (WHO) defines obesity as "abnormal or excessive fat accumulation that presents a risk to health."[1]

If you have a body mass index (BMI) of 25 or more you are considered overweight, while 30 or more is considered obese. In 2005, approximately 1.6 billion adults worldwide were overweight, while at least 400 million were obese. By 2015, the WHO predicts these figures will hover around 2.3 billion and 700 million, respectively.[1] This is a problem of epic proportions.

Problems associated with being obese

There are grave health concerns associated with being heavily overweight:

• The heart is placed under considerable strain to keep oxygenated blood circulating around the obese body, leaving individuals at high risk of suffering from high blood pressure and heart attack.
• Cholesterol build-up in the blood vessels is likely to be higher, increasing the risk of stroke and leaving the door open for a host of other life-threatening cardiovascular problems to present.
• The chances of developing metabolic syndrome and type-II diabetes are increased.[2]
• Chronic kidney disease becomes a risk.[3]
• The chances of developing depression increase.[4]
• The risks associated with carrying a child become much more serious.[5]

The negative health effects precipitated by obesity are wide-ranging and horrendous. And yet, the condition of obesity itself is largely reversible. But how?

The reality is that losing weight and changing the trends of the past 100 years is not as easy as flicking a switch. Almost proportionately to the rises in global obesity levels, populations have been moving from rural to urban areas over several generations. This trend has led to an increase in urban associated office work with fast-paced lifestyles involving most of the day sitting behind a desk, eating processed foods and engaging in less physical activity than many of us would like. This has become the norm for many. These habits have now transferred on to our children, many of whom are completely unaware of the lack of nutrition contained within many of the highly processed foods they receive in their school canteens, not to mention the eagerness of many youths to rush home after school so the can play computer games rather than play sport outside.

Yet, in lieu of a mass exodus back to our rural roots, it is essential that busy individuals with

modern lifestyles actively seek to ensure they are meeting their nutritional exercise guidelines on top of their work and other lifestyle commitments in order to combat the obesity problem. Taking the extra time to read the warning labels on our food, choosing the healthy option when eating out, integrating more exercise into our daily routine, educating others about healthy eating habits - these are all are viable, cheap, easy and effective measures to combat the obesity problem.

As if increasing your life expectancy isn't enough, when these measures are performed regularly, you'll start to feel great as well.

 

1. Obesity [http://www.who.int/topics/obesity/en/] (Accessed 14/02/2008)
2. Pradhan A: Obesity, metabolic syndrome, and type 2 diabetes: inflammatory basis of glucose metabolic disorders. Nutr Rev 2007, 65(12 Pt 2):S152-156.
3. Eknoyan G: Obesity, diabetes, and chronic kidney disease. Curr Diab Rep 2007, 7(6):449-453.
4. Lu XY: The leptin hypothesis of depression: a potential link between mood disorders and obesity? Curr Opin Pharmacol 2007, 7(6):648-652.
5. Dixit A, Girling JC: Obesity and pregnancy. J Obstet Gynaecol 2008, 28(1):14-23.

 

 

 

 

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