“Look at her, eating at Macdonalds, maybe if she stopped eating so much she would lose some weight”. This statement is constantly made by thousands of people who do not know the truth about obesity. Humans are quick to make judgements based on what they see in front of them. If an obese person is eating, the first thing that comes to mind for many people is, “Its their fault that they are overweight”. The details of the obese individuals story are often overlooked. People do not realize that there are many factors that contribute to obesity such as; genetics, medical disorders, and the lifestyles being passed on to current and upcoming generations. Likewise, the story of a woman named Claire illustrates how a person can be deemed …show more content…
This hormone produces the feeling of hunger, thus a person will feel the need to eat more often, even shortly after finishing a meal. Moreover, brain scans revealed that people with the double FTO gene were experiencing the same brain responses that an individual experiences through alcohol and recreational drug use, simply from eating (WebMD, 2013). These facts demonstrate that the causes of overeating may be the result of specific genes in your body that you have no control over. Furthermore, problems associated with health, such as disease or depression, can result in obesity. For example, Prader-Willi syndrome, which is characterized by a defect in chromosome 15. This disease causes a dysfunction in the brains hypothalamus, the part controlling hunger and satiety. An individual with Prader-Willi syndrome will have trouble controlling their food intake, in addition they will suffer from a slower metabolic rate than the average person. Without being closely monitored, these causes can lead to a person becoming morbidly obese (Foundation for Prader-Willi Syndrome Research Canada, 2014). Can a person who suffers this disease be blamed for their obesity? Surely they cannot, because these illnesses are external forces which the individual cannot control. Likewise to disease, depression can also result in obesity. “Studies have found that 66 percent of those seeking bariatric, (weight loss) surgery have had a
Often times, people who are obese also suffer with other diseases that may have contributed to their obesity in the first place. When a person is clinically depressed, a lot of times they overeat to deal with their emotions, which causes them to become obese. Another example of a disease that might have made a person obese is Hypothyroidism. Hypothyroidism is when the thyroid gland doesn’t produce enough thyroid hormones, which
In order to identify a condition as a disease, it should fit certain criteria. One of the reasons that obesity is classified as a disease is because of its large comorbidity. Obesity is a risk factor for chronic diseases such as hypertension, dyslipidaemia, type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, sleep apnoea, musculoskeletal disorders and some cancers (Rossner, 2002). According to Rossner (2002), the death rate from all causes, cardiovascular disease, cancer and other diseases increases among moderate and severe overweight men and women in all age groups. Therefore, obesity is
Health-wise, obesity is a problem, no doubt. It can cause diabetes, heart attacks, cholesterol problems, and now it can cause depression. Eating too much sugar leads to diabetes, especially if it runs in the family. Eating too much fat can cause cholesterol to block circulation to your heart, leading you to go into cardiac arrest and most likely die. Depression depends on one’s personality. Obese people see themselves as outcasts, sometimes, and believe that they will never find their significant other.
In a way, this book highlights the various consequences of obesity in significant detail. In the author's opinion, obesity does impact on an individual's health negatively from both a surgical and mental
The pressure to lose weight in today’s society inhibits the personality and health of overweight people while essentially increasing the weight of the people who experience these pressures (Worley 163-167). So reasons Mary Ray Worley in her article, “Fat and Happy: In Defense of Fat Acceptance.” Worley uses her personal experience as well as a small number of facts to dispute why overweight people struggle as they attempt to contribute to society (163-167). In the beginning of her article she references an association of which she is a member, the National Association to Advance Fat Acceptance, to convey the possibilities to advance society when judgement based on size is abandoned (163-164). The association holds a conference every year, and Worley continually refers to the atmosphere at the convention as “another planet,” suggesting that the scarcity of judgment during the convention differed significantly from her everyday experiences (163-164, 167). Applying her encounters to all people of her weight category, she declares that even doctors blame the majority of sicknesses on weight (165). She also proclaims that people should not diet and exercise in order to lose weight, as this triggers loss of motivation without results, but to improve their attitude and mood (166). Referencing Dr. Diane Budd from the convention, she states that attempts to lose weight cause “lasting harmful effects on one’s appetite, metabolism, and self-esteem” (164). While Worley’s unjustifiable
There are many people who believe that obesity is a matter of personal responsibility. Many people think it is Americans are the ones who to blame and not the fast food industry. Many people may say that it is easy to blame obesity on what Americans eat. However, these people do not realize that many Americans cannot afford healthy foods. So, since fast foods are cheap and affordable, it may be why many people choose them. In the article “Physical activity and childhood obesity” Green, Riley, and Hargrove explain “a greater percentage of adolescents from families living in poverty are obese (23%), compared with those from families of a higher socioeconomic status (14%)” (915). Additionally, this statement demonstrates that although obesity may be caused by genes or psychological influences, the environment is the most important factor. When families are in poverty, they are not looking for what is healthy and what is unhealthy. They are looking for food to survive, and so many times fast food is the only option. Following this future, there is indication that obesity, extremely affects certain minority youth populations. The National Health and Nutrition Examination survey found that African American and Hispanic adolescents ages 12-19 were more likely to be overweight at 21 and 23 percent, respectively, as compared to non-Hispanic White adolescents (14%) (915). Furthermore, these statistics show that there is a strong relationship among race or ethnicity, poverty, and
Obesity is a big topic in American society, it has grown over the years and it has become very well known. It has become an American concern and the food industry has been an easy target to blame for this “epidemic”. The truth to this is that it can be easy to blame the fast food industry, but the real truth it is, that obesity has become what it is now because our society has let that happened; the government, the citizens, the food industry's. They have all played an important role to what it is now obese.
Impact of obesity on the mental health: Obesity gives rise to psychological problem and worries for the person because of which he faces difficulty in functioning properly.
Obesity usually results in psychological problems. In a culture where many people desire their physical attractiveness is more likely to be slim and not being obese. Individuals who are obese often suffer disadvantages. One disadvantage is low self-esteem, which causes depression. Persons
Obesity has been a growing problem in the U.S. for more than a decade. Various reasons and theories are thrown around as to the cause of this severe problem by psychologists, dietitians, and professors trying to pinpoint a single cause. Due to America’s vast supply of resources, luxurious living standards, and moral of the country, there is no one cause for obesity contrary to advertisements offering a quick-fix drug. America’s obesity problem is rooted much deeper than just cheap fast food and poor choices. Medical conditions, influence of genes, unhealthy lifestyles, and mental illnesses are all contributors towards obesity in any one person. Obesity is a serious problem in America with multiple contributors and one lone solution
In 2008, the American Medical Association recognized obesity as a disease claiming that “Recognizing obesity as a disease will help change the way the medical community tackles this complex issue that affects approximately one in three Americans,” said AMA board member Patrice Harris, M.D. While this may be true, is that a justifiable reason to classify obesity, a result of unhealthy decisions, as a disease? The fact is obesity is the consequence of choosing an unhealthy lifestyle. True the unhealthy lifestyle may not be chosen on purpose but “The choices we make by accident are just as important as the choices we make by design” – Anonymous. Therefore if obesity is a consequence of choices then I feel obesity itself has to be a choice,
This essay discusses how social constructions have an effect on obesity and what combination of causes and contributing factors it includes can lead to obesity. `Obesity is the term used to describe someone who is overweight and unhealthy. Obesity shortens life by an average of 10 years. It is very common in the UK and results from a study back in 2014 showed that a whopping 65.3% of men and 58.1% of women are obese here. (UniversityOfBirmingham,2016) Being over weight is generally associated with being lazy and unpleasant. There are a lot of media groups that have influenced our society’s perception on obesity and many factors that lead to the disease. Obesity can be life threatening and can be the start of lethal conditions such as diabetes,
In order for obesity to be a disease it would have to either impair the function of an individual
Obesity has been a life long struggle. While myself and fifty percent of adults in the United States are battling obesity, the psychological effects have become larger than the obesity itself. Not only are we forced to deal with the physical effects of being overweight, I, like others have had to overcome the psychological effects as well. Low self esteem has been a challenge and has ultimately fueled my bout with depression. Although obesity, low self esteem, and depression are three separate issues, they are all linked and are all relevant to not only me, but to millions of Americans.
Obesity has become an epidemic in our over indulgent North American society. In addition to body image issues, obesity causes significant health issues. Society often views obesity to be a disease when it is actually a sign of a disorder, genetic or environmental. The percentage of our population that is growing overweight is increasing every year, and can become a very serious issue if it is not dealt with urgently. Problems relating to self-confidence, self-consciousness, and isolation can occur as a result.