Obesity Research Paper (Research Paper Sample)

OVERWEIGHT & OBESITY
Kuria George
Kenyatta University
Dr. Jared Msikizwene
Health Behavior
March 12, 2015
Introduction
The health of any nation comes as one of the most fundamental pillars of its economy. This may explain why a tremendous amount of a country’s GDP is almost always channeled to the provision of healthcare, as it is well acknowledged that only healthy individuals have the capacity to create wealth. Recent times, however, have seen a proliferation of ailments and health disorders that threaten the wellbeing of nations. In most cases, these ailments are merely behavioral disorders, the most controversial of which is obesity and overweight.
Obesity refers to a situation in which an individual has an excess proportion of body fat. It is worth noting that, an individual would be considered obese in instances where his or her weight is above the healthy-weight for 20 percent or more. More than not, obesity is measured using the BMI or Body Mass Index. An overweight individual is one whose Body Mass Index lies between 25 and 29.9. Anyone beyond this range is considered obese. This paper seeks to outline the present statistics on obesity, its causes as well as its effects on the human body. Thereafter, a comprehensive role on various bodies on the contribution of obesity will be discussed.
Statistics
Statistics shows that over a third of adults in the United States are obese or overweight. These statistics do not vary among men and women. In addition, these statistics show that adults above the age of 60 have a higher likelihood of being obese and overweight than their counterparts in lower ages. This difference is more pronounced or marked in women than men as it is shown that 42.3 percent of women above 60 years old were obese, which is quite small compared to 31.9% of women between the ages of 20 and 39 (Ogden et al., 2012).
Youths have not been spared by this epidemic as statistics shows that 17 percent are adolescents and children. This condition is more prevalent in boys than in girls. Statistics revealed that 18.6% of boys are obese, which is quite high compared to the 15% for girls (Ogden et al., 2012). For children between the ages of 2 and 19, it is estimated that a third of them are obese and overweight.
Causes of obesity
Various causes of obesity and overweight have been identified. However, it is worth noting that their contribution is quite varied, with the environment, genetics, and behavior, as well as age coming as the main culprits.
Age & Gender
As an individual gets older, the ability of his body to metabolize food becomes slow. In this case, an individual requires fewer calories than he previously needed so as to maintain his weight. At the older age, a person may gain weight even in instances where he or she carries out the same activities and eat the same way as they used to do at an earlier age, yet gain weight (Foster, 2002). This explains why the rates of obesity are higher in people above the age of 60 than those in their 20s or 30s. In addition, it is noted that gender has a role to play in obesity and overweight. Women have a higher likelihood or possibility of being obese and overweight than men.
Scholars note that women have a lower resting metabolic rate than men, in which case they burn less energy when resting than men. In essence, their bodies require fewer calories so as to maintain their body weight than is the case for men (Foster, 2002). This metabolic rate is decreased further once they become menopausal, which explains why most men gain weight after the age of 60.
Genetics and obesity
Research shows that obesity runs in families. According to a study that examined adults adopted as children, scholars noted that their weight was closer or similar to that of their biological parents that that of their adoptive parents. This study seemed to downplay the role of environment in the occurrence of obesity and overweight and noted that, the environment that the foster family provided played a relatively less role in the development of this condition than the genetic makeup of an individual. In fact, research shows that individuals whose biological mothers are overweight and obese have a 75 percent chance that they would also be fat and vice versa (Foster, 2002).
Scholars note that genes interact with the environment to favor the accumulation of fat in an individual's body. They are responsible for one’s drive to eat via poor regulation of satiety and appetite, an individual’s tendency to be physically inactive (sedentary), reduced capacity to utilize dietary fats as fuel, as well as an enlarged not to mention easily stimulated ability to accumulate body fat (Foster, 2002).
Obesity-related genes may affect the manner in which an individual metabolizes food or accumulates fat. In addition, they may change a person's behavior making him, or her inclined towards a lifestyle that heightens his risk of becoming obese (Foster, 2002). Scholars note that some genes control an individual’s appetite thereby reducing his capacity to sense when he is full while others increase one’s responsiveness to sight, taste, as well as the smell of food. In addition, some genes affect an individual’s sense of taste putting him or her off healthy foods and increasing his preference for foods that have high fat content while others reduce an individual’s willingness to take on physical activity.
It is noteworthy, however, that not all persons who have little fitness and abundant food become overweight and obese, nor do obese individuals have a similar distribution of body fat (Foster, 2002). The diversity takes place among individuals from the same ethnic or racial background and families especially when within the same environment. This underlines the role of genes in the development of obesity. This variation comes in line with the theory than overweight and obesity results from an interaction between genes and the environment, with genes playing a significant role.
However, it is noteworthy that individuals who have obesity-related genes do not necessarily have to become obese, rather they stand a higher risk of becoming overweight and obese (Foster, 2002). They may, nevertheless, have to work harder than other people so as to maintain a healthy body weight through making sustained lifestyle changes in the long-term.
Environment and obesity
As much as obesity is seen more as a genetic issue than environmental, the environment within which an individual lives plays a crucial role. It is worth noting that obesity and overweight are considered lifestyle diseases as they are determined by the eating habits of a person, as well as his activeness. Active individuals need a higher amount of calories to maintain their weight than inactive or less active individuals (Wadden et al., 2002). In addition, physical activity is known to lower appetite in obese and overweight people while enhancing the ability of the body to metabolize fat preferentially as a source of energy. Scholars opine that the increase in the number of obese and overweight individuals could have could have resulted from the lower rate of physical activities for many people (Foster, 2002).
Most people in the contemporary society lead unhealthy lifestyles thanks to their tight schedules where they have to juggle work and home responsibilities. Their busy schedules reduce the time they have for physical activity. In addition, they seek quick-fix foods (and fast-foods), most of which have high-fat contents (Wadden et al., 2002). This is compounded by the increased costs of healthy foods like vegetables and fruits, as well as the deficiency of sidewalks, parks and recreational facilities that would have otherwise encouraged physical activity.
Physiological and psychological causes of obesity
Obesity is also associated with psychological and physiological factors. Scholars note that psychological factors may trigger eating habits, as well as obesity and overweight. A large number of people resort to eating as a response to negative emotions like sadness, anger, and boredom. It is worth noting that, a large number of people who may not be able to manage their weight may be having psychological and emotional issues (Foster, 2002). In fact, it is approximated that 30 percent of all people seeking intervention for weight problems may be having binge eating problems in which case they consume enormous amounts of food while feeling that they do not incorporate the capacity to control it (Wadden et al., 2002). On the same note, physiological factors may cause obesity although this is not as common a case. These may include depression, problems with hormones like hypothyroidism (where the thyroid is functioning poorly thereby slowing metabolism), as well as some rare brain diseases that may result in overeating. On the same note, some medications may lead to excessive weight gain, especially where they fall within the category of steroids or antidepressants (Foster, 2002).
Consequences of Overweight and obesity
The consequences of obesity and overweight crosscut the physical and economic aspects and stretch to the social dimensions of an individual.
Physical and economic consequences of obesity and overweight
Overweight and obese individuals are more vulnerable to serious ailments such as coronary heart diseases, strokes, some cancers, Type 2 diabetes and high blood pressure, as well as fertility problems. High blood pressure results from the buildup of fatty plaque in an individual’s blood vessels, in which case the heart would require more energy to pump blood to the various parts of the body (Foster, 2002).
An individual would also experience breathing difficulties and asthma, thanks to excess abdominal fat that prevents the full expansion of lungs (Wad...