Obesity and Malnutritioned (Essay Sample)

Obesity and Malnutrition Name: Institutional affiliation Obesity and Malnutrition Abstract Obesity is a global health crisis with the number of individuals with the condition drastically increasing each year. Statistics indicate that over the past years, the number of persons who have obesity has increased dramatically. Obesity is attributed to the lack of access to nutritious food, the adoption of sedentary lives and genetic factors. The World Health Organization recognizes obesity at a prevalence that is soon to reach endemic levels. This research paper discusses the causes and the risk factors associated with obesity. The most common causes of obesity are the lack of physical exercise and poor dietary habits. Fast foods that are high in the energy play a significant role in gaining additional weight and consequentially obesity. This information can be attributed to the findings in the graph where the majority of the people from the population consume fast food. The literature review examines how several factors, especially the unavailability of nutritious foods as being intricately interconnected to the risk of developing obesity. The purpose of this research is to offer a health solution that will ensure that the community adopts strategies to address food insecurity by providing access to nutrient dense foods for lower income families. The majority of low-income earners from the population consume fast foods and canned foods since they are affordable as compared to nutrients dense foods. One benefit of being physically fit is reduced morbidity, which in turn boosts productivity. Reduced morbidity leads to reduced absenteeism at workplaces and consequentially reduces the mortality rate caused by obesity-related complications. This research is intended to enlighten the entire public and the scientific community about how to improve the quality of life and how to mitigate conditions arising from the food insecurity. Substantial literature indicates that obesity and overweight contributed to numerous lifestyle diseases. It has also led to the increment of healthcare costs. This research will help the general public and the community to improvise strategies that will curb the increasing rates of obesity. It will aid the community in seeking approaches that will tackle the rising prevalence of obesity and malnutrition by encouraging the consumption of healthy organic foods that are rich in nutrients. Obesity is a public health issue with statistics indicating that high percentiles of individuals have excessive weight universally (James, 2008). The experiment completed where data was collected from a variety of counties throughout Florida proves the hypothesis of lower income families have less access to healthier options due to their financial situation, increases the risk of obesity and malnutrition within those families. This fact is also evident with Miami-Dade County where the majority of the low-income earners prefer cheap fast foods as opposed to organic or healthy food. On the contrary, to the privileged families whose incomes allow them to invest in their health by leading them to choose the healthier options while purchasing food, thus maintaining a healthy weight and form. The finding of this research is that the change in dietary patterns worldwide is a result of urbanization and affluence. All these dietary changes were also marked with compounded lifestyle changes that proved that physical activity was at a minimal. The studies indicate that a few individuals engage in physical activity in their free time. Most of the leisure time in affluent homes is dominated by watching televisions instead of exercising. The study also discovered that social inequality contributed to the high prevalence of obesity (Tanumihardjo et al., 2007). This variation is due to the economic insecurity characterized by the inability to access healthy foods equitably. This influences the diet of the population, as the only affordable foods are packed with energy and reduced nutrients. Nutrient-rich foods and high-quality diets are the domain of the affluent while the poor suffer due to the lack of healthy food choices. It will aid the community, the environment, and the general public to develop population-based strategies that will assist in inhibiting obesity from continually occurring. The findings will help the community to alter the availability of nutritious food at a reasonable price to ensure that obesity and malnutrition population decreases. The community will also learn how to reduce sedentary lifestyles and ensure that it assists in the creation of obesity prevention policies. The community will then influence the prices of healthy foods, as heightened food buying behavior is affected by the demand for the food. Increased variety and availability of healthy foods increase the consumption levels of the entire population (Tollini, 2014). This research will assist the government in revising trade agreements between countries to facilitate the affordability of healthy foods in the market and to ensure that they are in constant supply. Lower income families will then have access to nutritious healthier options at a cost-effective price hence the ability to eat organic and healthy food. The policies created will influence the eating and physical activity behaviors to affect the settings in which people live their lives directly. It is imperative that overweight and obesity prevention and reduction is done through behavioral modification of the individual. Depending on information technology impairs physical activity. Activities like driving, watching the television and staying long hours in front of the computer leave no time for physical exercise. This research will assist society to counterbalance technological advancement and physical activity. The community will also be aware that being overweight and obese affects the productivity of an individual. This is because it affects spontaneous movement, increases morbidity and eventual death. The increased morbidity removes an individual from the workforce due of absenteeism caused by morbidity. The sicklier a person is, the more highly likely that the individual will take sick leave, an action that strains resources and reduces the overall productivity of an individual. This research will also aid the scientific community in seeking alternate methods to combat micronutrient deficiencies. The scientific community will also try to look for ways that will ensure that the healthcare systems are not overwhelmed treating lifestyle conditions that can be mitigated. It will strive to make tremendous strides in reducing the prevalence of malnutrition and obesity to reduce the strain put on healthcare systems by the lifestyle diseases. The scientific community will be able to create models that will ensure that the mortality rate and the under-nutrition of individuals are decreased. Studies indicate that the only way to reduce preventable deaths caused by obesity is by exercising, changing nutrition and getting medical intervention. Contradicting research to this researcher’s studies indicate that self-motivation, self-determination, and long-term weight control instigate change in an individual and make the person want to adopt healthy measures. Personal decisions, especially after life-threatening circumstances, make an individual to initiate a course of action that will ensure that the individual cuts weight. Waiting for a negative consequence to occur to take a course of action is not a good initiative to the eradication of the obesity menace. This will only affect a handful of individuals who seek to change their lives after they are put in a compromising situation. Inner city gardens and farming in schools address the inadequacy of fruits and vegetables in the society. Programs that include agriculture in schools ensure that the school cafeterias serve healthy meals. The nutrition of the student population is improved ensuring that the prevalence of obesity is mitigated. Farming in schools boosts awareness on the significance of availability and consumption of healthy foods. Inner city gardens impact the community by ensuring that they adopt readily available healthier options. It ensures that the community consumes the recommended dosage of fruits and vegetables. The inner-city gardens and farms in schools yield positive results in the quest to eradicate obesity within the school environment and community as a whole (Flora & Gillespie, 2009). Schools and the community should play a critical role in creating awareness on the consequences of obesity and how it can be diminished. A healthy community should be the priority of a nation as healthy society guarantees productivity. Literature Review Obesity is a condition characterized by the excessive accumulation and storage of fat (adipose tissue) in the body. It is commonly known as a leading cause of mortality, morbidity, disability, healthcare utilization and healthcare costs in the United States “(What is Obesity”, 2016). Obesity can be measured in several ways although a basic method used is by determining the body mass index (BMI) which is the most efficient and inexpensive method. BMI is acquired by calculating height and weight measurements to determine the ratio, the range of BMI is considered healthy from 18.5 to 24.9 and considered overweight when the BMI is 30 or higher (“Obesity Prevention Source”, n.d). Obesity and malnutrition has become one of the areas of concern not just in this country but internationally. Obese people have a higher risk of health complications. Despite their excessive consumption of food, these people in most cases are malnourished and experience micronutrient deficiencies. Obesity has overburdened people with a lot of health problems and severe complications, and its effects are life threatening, posing big threats in people’s lives, obesity is also a part o...