Obesity - An Epidemic
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| Obesity trends - tracking the global epidemic Retrieved 22 September 2013 from http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/obesity-prevention-source/ |
The prevalence of obesity is far reaching, with no one group or subgroup immune to the epidemic. There are a number of initiatives and policies in place for reducing obesity rates both nationally and internationally, which leads to the question: what is the most effective intervention we as future health care professionals can provide to patients or family members struggling with obesity? And what efforts are most successful in the prevention of obesity? It seems this epidemic needs to be addressed from these two separate fronts - prevention of further occurrences and reduction of current instances of obesity.
The Harvard School of Public Health has The Obesity Prevention Resource (2013), a compilation of information addressing causes of obesity, policy and environmental changes necessary for the reduction of obesity, prevention strategies, trends and statistics, as well as healthy diet and lifestyle tips for those trying to live a healthy life free from obesity.
Obesity's global trends and statistics are startling (Harvard, 2013):
- the worldwide obesity rate has nearly doubled since 1980
- over 200 million adult men are obese
- almost 300 million adult women are obese
- 43 million preschool children are overweight or obese
- The worldwide obesity rate in children has had a 60% increase since 1990
Beyond individual health, the impact of obesity on society as a whole includes the economy, national productivity, and even national defense (Harvard, 2013). The estimated health care costs associated with obesity in 2005 were $190 billion in the U.S. alone (Harvard, 2013). Additionally, there are the costs of lost productivity - lost days of work, higher insurance premiums, as well as lower wages and incomes related to illness (Harvard, 2013). And surprisingly, the obesity epidemic impacts the ability of the armed forces to recruit new members, with close to 30 percent of youth in the U.S. now too heavy to meet the qualifications of the military services (Harvard, 2013).
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2012), there needs to be support of healthy eating and active living across all settings for a reduction in obesity rates. The CDC's recommendations include providing access to fresh produce and farmer's markets, promoting breastfeeding, and adopting policies that promote public transportation and bicycling (2012, http://www.cdc.gov/vitalsigns/AdultObesity/#Whatcanbedone). Healthier living can start anywhere, and in Georgia, a state which has seen a reduction in childhood obesity rates in recent years, it's being encouraged at school. Georgia has instituted the "Power Up for 30" initiative, with elementary schools voluntarily adding an additional 30 minutes of physical activity each day (http://www.sfgate.com/news/article/State-childhood-obesity-rates-decrease-in-Georgia-4833921.php). This is a statewide approach, and the goal is continued reduction in childhood obesity rates (sfgate, 2013).
The most hopeful aspect of the obesity epidemic is that it is preventable. Obesity rates can be drastically reduced, if not totally eradicated, through effective policy implementation and individual efforts aimed at healthy choices and lifestyles. Though many variables impede these efforts, among them poor access to healthy food choices, poor resources, limited knowledge, mental or psychological barriers, and more, efforts must be made by health care practitioners, educators, policy makers, and governments on behalf of those struggling with obesity, and in protection of those susceptible to it in the future.
Additional resources:
http://www.cdc.gov/obesity/
http://www.cdc.gov/obesity/resources/recommendations.html
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