Change Your World Week Winter 2022 (Archived)

WHAT, WHEN, WHERE, HOW?

Let's start with the Basics

Obesity means having too much body fat. It is different from being overweight, which means weighing too much. The weight may come from muscle, bone, fat, and/or body water. Both terms mean that a person's weight is greater than what's considered healthy for his or her height. Obesity increases your risk of diabetes, heart disease, stroke, arthritis, and some cancers. If you have obesity, losing even 5 to 10% of your weight can delay or prevent some of these diseases. For example, that means losing 10 to 20 pounds if you weigh 200 pounds.

People with obesity are more likely to develop a number of potentially serious health problems, including:

• Heart disease and strokes. Obesity makes you more likely to have high blood pressure and abnormal cholesterol levels, which are risk factors for heart disease and strokes.

• Type 2 diabetes. Obesity can affect the way the body uses insulin to control blood sugar levels. This raises the risk of insulin resistance and diabetes.

• Certain cancers. Obesity may increase the risk of cancer of the uterus, cervix, endometrium, ovary, breast, colon, rectum, esophagus, liver, gallbladder, pancreas, kidney, and prostate.

• Digestive problems. Obesity increases the likelihood of developing heartburn, gallbladder disease, and liver problems.

• Sleep apnea. People with obesity are more likely to have sleep apnea, a potentially serious disorder in which breathing repeatedly stops and starts during sleep.

• Osteoarthritis. Obesity increases the stress placed on weight-bearing joints, in addition to promoting inflammation within the body. These factors may lead to complications such as osteoarthritis.

• Severe COVID-19 symptoms. Obesity increases the risk of developing severe symptoms if you become infected with the virus that causes coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). People who have severe cases of COVID-19 may require treatment in intensive care units or even mechanical assistance to breathe.

Symptoms

Body mass index (BMI) is often used to diagnose obesity. To calculate BMI, multiply weight in pounds by 703, divide by height in inches, and then divide again by height in inches. Or divide weight in kilograms by height in meters squared.

Asians with a BMI of 23 or higher may have an increased risk of health problems.

For most people, BMI provides a reasonable estimate of body fat. However, BMI doesn't directly measure body fat, so some people, such as muscular athletes, may have a BMI in the obesity category even though they don't have excess body fat.

Many doctors also measure a person's waist circumference to help guide treatment decisions. Weight-related health problems are more common in men with a waist circumference over 40 inches (102 centimeters) and in women with a waist measurement over 35 inches (89 centimeters).

When to see a doctor

If you're concerned about your weight or weight-related health problems, ask your doctor about obesity management. You and your doctor can evaluate your health risks and discuss your weight-loss options.

Causes

Although there are genetic, behavioral, metabolic, and hormonal influences on body weight, obesity occurs when you take in more calories than you burn through normal daily activities and exercise. Your body stores these excess calories as fat.

In the United States, most people's diets are too high in calories — often from fast food and high-calorie beverages. People with obesity might eat more calories before feeling full, feel hungry sooner, or eat more due to stress or anxiety.

Many people who live in Western countries now have jobs that are much less physically demanding, so they don't tend to burn as many calories at work. Even daily activities use fewer calories, courtesy of conveniences such as remote controls, escalators, online shopping, and drive-through banks.

Risk factors

Obesity usually results from a combination of causes and contributing factors:

Family inheritance and influences

The genes you inherit from your parents may affect the amount of body fat you store, and where that fat is distributed. Genetics may also play a role in how efficiently your body converts food into energy, how your body regulates your appetite, and how your body burns calories during exercise.

Obesity tends to run in families. That's not just because of the genes they share. Family members also tend to share similar eating and activity habits.

Lifestyle choices

• Unhealthy diet. A diet that's high in calories, lacking in fruits and vegetables, full of fast food and laden with high-calorie beverages and oversized portions contributes to weight gain.

• Liquid calories. People can drink many calories without feeling full, especially calories from alcohol. Other high-calorie beverages, such as sugary soft drinks, can contribute to significant weight gain.

• Inactivity. If you have a sedentary lifestyle, you can easily take in more calories every day than you burn through exercise and routine daily activities. Looking at computer, tablet, and phone screens is a sedentary activity. The number of hours spent in front of a screen is highly associated with weight gain.

Certain diseases and medications

In some people, obesity can be traced to a medical cause, such as Prader-Willi syndrome, Cushing syndrome, and other conditions. Medical problems, such as arthritis, also can lead to decreased activity, which may result in weight gain.

Some medications can lead to weight gain if you don't compensate through diet or activity. These medications include some antidepressants, anti-seizure medications, diabetes medications, antipsychotic medications, steroids, and beta-blockers.

Social and economic issues

Social and economic factors are linked to obesity. Avoiding obesity is difficult if you don't have safe areas to walk or exercise. Similarly, you may not have been taught healthy ways of cooking, or you may not have access to healthier foods. In addition, the people you spend time with may influence your weight — you're more likely to develop obesity if you have friends or relatives with obesity.

Age

Obesity can occur at any age, even in young children. But as you age, hormonal changes and a less active lifestyle increase your risk of obesity. In addition, the amount of muscle in your body tends to decrease with age. Generally, lower muscle mass leads to a decrease in metabolism. These changes also reduce calorie needs and can make it harder to keep off excess weight. If you don't consciously control what you eat and become more physically active as you age, you'll likely gain weight.

Other factors

• Pregnancy. Weight gain is common during pregnancy. Some women find this weight difficult to lose after the baby is born. This weight gain may contribute to the development of obesity in women.

• Quitting smoking. Quitting smoking is often associated with weight gain. And for some, it can lead to enough weight gain to qualify as obesity. Often, this happens as people use food to cope with smoking withdrawal. In the long run, however, quitting smoking is still a greater benefit to your health than continuing to smoke. Your doctor can help you prevent weight gain after quitting smoking.

• Lack of sleep. Not getting enough sleep or getting too much sleep can cause changes in hormones that increase appetite. You may also crave foods high in calories and carbohydrates, which can contribute to weight gain.

• Stress. Many external factors that affect mood and well-being may contribute to obesity. People often seek more high-calorie food when experiencing stressful situations.

• Microbiome. Your gut bacteria are affected by what you eat and may contribute to weight gain or difficulty losing weight.

Even if you have one or more of these risk factors, it doesn't mean that you're destined to develop obesity. You can counteract most risk factors through diet, physical activity and exercise, and behavior changes.

Quality of life

Obesity can diminish the overall quality of life. 

Other weight-related issues that may affect your quality of life include:

• Depression

• Disability

• Shame and guilt

• Social isolation

• Lower work achievement

Certain health conditions can also lead to weight gain, which may lead to obesity. These include:

• polycystic ovary syndrome, a condition that causes an imbalance of female reproductive hormones

• Prader-Willi syndrome is a rare condition present at birth that causes excessive hunger

• Cushing syndrome is a condition caused by having high cortisol levels (the stress hormone) in your system

• hypothyroidism (underactive thyroid), a condition in which the thyroid gland doesn’t produce enough of certain important hormones

• osteoarthritis and other conditions that cause pain that may lead to reduced activity

Obesity can be the base cause of many other health issues, some of which can even be considered life-threatening. Some of these include type 2 diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, different types of cancers, stroke, gallbladder disease, fatty liver disease, high cholesterol, sleep apnea, arthritis, and infertility. 

Treating obesity can be a process, sometimes harder for others depending on the way, they view themselves and the drive they have for change. If you are unable to treat obesity on your own, medical help is always an option. Start with a primary care physician who can refer you to a specialist in your area. You may also be admitted to a team of care that involves the doctor, as well as a dietist, therapist, and other healthcare. Sometimes these doctors may recommend medicines and procedures but ultimately they will be of value to helping your change in lifestyle. 

Let's Talk about obesity and what is and how it is related to social issues in the world

Nearly 23% of people with obesity in the United States have reported food insecurity, compared with 15% of people with moderate weight. This association with obesity has doubled since 1999–2000, according to a recent analysis of trends in food insecurity.

People with low food security report concerns that food will run out before they can afford to buy more and are unable to afford balanced meals.

While there are varying degrees, low food security can reduce the “quality, variety, and desirability” of a person’s diet, even in wealthy nations like the U.S. Very low food security in the U.S., for example, leads to skipping meals and the disruption of regular eating patterns.

In 2019, 10.5% of U.S. households had some level of food insecurity — 6.4% had low food security, and 4.1% had very low food security. Now, there are concerns that COVID-19 may be exacerbating this problem.

Food insecurity is associated with a range of negative health outcomes. For children, these include anemia, asthma, poor cognitive performance, and behavior problems. In adults, there is a higher risk of depression, asthma, diabetes, and hypertension.

Now, let's switch over to Obesity in children and What Causes it

Childhood obesity is a serious health problem in the United States. 1 in 5 children and adolescents in the US have obesity. Some groups of children are more affected than others, but all children are at risk of gaining weight that is higher than what is considered healthy.

For children and adolescents aged 2-19 years in 2017-20181:

• The prevalence of obesity was 19.3% and affected about 14.4 million children and adolescents.

• Obesity prevalence was 13.4% among 2- to 5-year-olds, 20.3% among 6- to 11-year-olds, and 21.2% among 12- to 19-year-olds. Childhood obesity is also more common among certain populations.

• Obesity prevalence was 25.6% among Hispanic children, 24.2% among non-Hispanic Black children, 16.1% among non-Hispanic White children, and 8.7% among non-Hispanic Asian children.

• In 2011-2014, among children and adolescents aged 2-19 years, the prevalence of obesity decreased as the head of household’s level of education increased.

• Obesity prevalence was 18.9% among children and adolescents aged 2-19 years in the lowest income group, 19.9% among those in the middle-income group, and 10.9% among those in the highest income group.

• Obesity prevalence was lower in the highest income group among non-Hispanic Asian boys and Hispanic boys.

• Obesity prevalence was lower in the highest income group among non-Hispanic White girls, non-Hispanic Asian girls, and Hispanic girls. Obesity prevalence did not differ by income among non-Hispanic Black girls.

This is a chart that tells us how a certain percentile of BMI correlates to being UNderweight, Healthy Weight, Overweight, and Obesity

Finding Help

The website that we suggest is "The Obesity Society" and we choose this Website because it had very good information and a very family-friendly feel to it as soon as you opened the page and this is what they do. 

his organization helps to spread awareness about obesity and assist people who have obesity. It is focused on obesity science, treatment, and prevention. There are approximately 2800 members worldwide that are a part of this organization, including researchers, care providers, educators, and students. Their vision is “ Solving the challenges of obesity through deeper understanding and coordinated action.”

You are able to reach out to this website if you have any questions and need some answers about obesity. 

You can contact them by phone at (989) 563-6526, or by email at contact@obesity.org. Their main campus is located in Silverspring, Maryland

SOURCES

DOE, JON. “Food Insecurity in the US Increasingly Linked to Obesity.” Medical News Today, MediLexicon International, 2022, https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/food-insecurity-in-the-us-increasingly-linked-to-obesity.

DOE, JON. “Overweight & Obesity.” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 17 Feb. 2022, https://www.cdc.gov/obesity/index.html.

Moores, Danielle. “Everything You Need to Know About Obesity.” Healthline, Healthline Media, 31 July 2020, https://www.healthline.com/health/obesity.

DOE, JON. “Obesity.” Mayo Clinic, Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research, 2 Sept. 2021, https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/obesity/symptoms-causes/syc-20375742.

Berry, Jerry. “Obesity.” MedlinePlus, U.S. National Library of Medicine, 27 Jan. 2022, https://medlineplus.gov/obesity.html.

jerry, berry. “Research. Education. Action.” The Obesity Society, 21 Mar. 2022, https://www.obesity.org/.