Here a touchy topic for most people to discuss and that is
obesity. But why is it that? For medical professionals obesity is seen as
disease, but to others it may be an attack on one's self esteem. Perhaps during
the 80's and 90's when models like Kate Moss are barely marginal to be
considered anorexic, some may even be anorexic, young girls aspired to look
stick skinny in order to feel good about themselves. There’s always a need to
look one’s best and looks are often more emphasized in today’s society more so
than the content of one’s character. Since there’s a need to look stick skinny
by celebrities and models there are some that feel that this standard of beauty
is rather impossible to achieve. Sure there’s a difference between being
healthy and being anorexic skinny. But now because of the way rich countries
are dieting and exercising or the lack of, people are getting fatter and less
healthy. It stems from the mass consumption of foods that are high in calories,
but low in nutrients. Obesity is an epidemic. Recent news shows that the
obesity rates in Welsh are catching up to America. With more than 57% of Welsh
adults being overweight or obese (BBC 2012). The article details the percentage
of why people are obese/overweight such as drinking too much, smoking, lack of
exercise, poor dieting habits, and etc. In connecting it back to class it just
goes to show that obesity is an epidemic that affects all countries.
Even more interesting according to WHO each year 2.8 million
overweight or obese people die. So I went on google for a picture that depicts
the obesity epidemic that is affecting all countries (primarily the richer and
more developed countries). To me this picture is saying that the people of
world are getting larger and fatter. We now see overweight and obese people
complain that by calling them out on their weight is insulting then. Doctors now
are scared of telling their patients that they're "FAT" without
offending them because they know that their patient may or may not come back to
seek treatment. It’s interesting how in developed countries, particularly in
America, obesity is not often thought about as a “disease” itself.
But in an evolutionary standpoint obesity should not even exist.
During primitive times man had to run and hunt in order to survive. And perhaps
at the time we needed to consume large amounts of fats and proteins in order
maintain body heat as well as the energy to survive whether it’s hunting or farming. Humans
are not physically inept because it’s survival of the fittest. Only those who
had wealth had a larger girth (ironically it’s the inverse now). While there
are some people who have a difficult time losing weight because of genetics or
perhaps an underlying disease such as depression or a metabolic disease.
Shouldn’t one address those underlying issues in order to prevent obesity as a
result of those underlying issue(s)? Don’t get me wrong, I’m not attacking or
insulting fat people for being fat out of being shallow or cruel, but rather I
am saying that being overweight and obese is a gateway disease to other
diseases such as cardiovascular disease, which is the number one killer in
America. Obesity is a first world problem. You never hear someone in a
developing country complain about being fat because they don’t have the luxury.
 | |
| (Duke 2011) |
According to “WHO noncommunicable diseases such as
cardiovascular disease will increase from 17 million to 25 million in year
2030” (WHO 2012) And that “annual infectious disease deaths is projected to
decline over the next 20 years” (WHO 2012). Interestingly enough how I
interpret this information is that basically the fat rich people in the
developed nations are bound to die from a disease more so than those in a
developing nation. And since infectious diseases affect the poorer countries
because of the lack of good health care, it’s ironic that the poor is more
likely to live than to die. In connection to what we are learning in class
about global health it may seem that richer countries that already underwent
their industrial revolution and as a result of that became richer and fatter.
Developing countries that are economically growing into a powerhouse such as
China are seeing an increase in fast food chains such as McDonald's and other
fast food chains.
Speaking of China, the only type of traveling experience that I
had that remotely relates to the global health was back in 1999 when I made a trip
back to my motherland. Majority of my family was concentrated in Hong Kong and
Guangzhou; areas that are more modernized and advanced. I remember when my
family and I had to venture outside of the city and into the country to visit
my grandparents’ grave(s). As we left the city, even as a child, I noticed the
difference in the structure of the buildings as well as the type of clothing
people wore in the countryside. Definitely there is a disparity in how the
people lived in the city compared to the rural areas. Having a toilet in a
person’s home was often rare and instead neighborhoods had a community toilet
house. Even then there were no toilets, but rather a whole in ground with a two
adjacent grips for one’s shoes. That’s right, there were no toilet seat
coverings, tissue, or an actual toilet itself. For some reason this shocked me
as a nine year. In some sense it relates back to the sanitation problem that many
developing countries are struggling with especially with infrastructures such
as sewage and waste management. Perhaps now that part of China I’ve visited may
be industrialized now and may have actual toilets.
Understanding my heritage and where I came from is extremely
important to me. Whether it’s reading about the history or stories from my
family. I feel as though through my family’s stories of what they had to endure
in China during Mao’s cultural revolution has opened my eyes at that time about
how lucky I am to be living here in America. Seeing how China over the past
20-30 years or so has economically grown into a powerhouse and the influx of
factory workers shows that China also needs to step up their sanitation and
healthcare game. Especially since China is one of the most populous countries
in the world.
Resources:
Duke. 2011. http://today.duke.edu/2011/11/globesity
Duke. 2011. http://today.duke.edu/2011/11/globesity
BBC. 2012. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-19659074
The first part of this blog focuses on what is often referred to as the "obesity epidemic."
ReplyDeleteWhile I can agree with the argument that many countries are having major increases in obesity, which is demonstrated in the 2012 WHO Report. I disagree with the statement that "obesity is an epidemic that affects all countries." Obesity is definitely a problem for many countries, especially those of the industrialized West but this is hardly "all countries.” I also think that merely looking at or using terms like “obesity epidemic” are really just generalizations on a very complex problem. I also think that this is a problem that is multi-faceted; the impact of obesity on America is different than on those in developing countries.
“…The fat rich people in the developed nations are bound to die from a disease more so than those in a developing nation. And since infectious diseases affect the poorer countries because of the lack of good health care, it’s ironic that the poor is more likely to live than to die.” (Blog)
“In terms of attributable deaths, the leading behavioural and physiological risk factors globally are raised blood pressure (to which 13% of global deaths are attributed), followed by tobacco use (9%), raised blood glucose (6%), physical inactivity (6%) and being overweight or obese (5%)”…. “mean blood pressure has been stable or increasing in most African countries.14,15 Today, mean blood pressure remains very high in many African and some European countries. s shown in Figure 8, the prevalence of raised blood pressure in 2008 (SBP ≥140 mm Hg or diastolic blood pressure (DBP) ≥90 mm Hg) was highest in the WHO African Region at 36.8% (34.0–39.7).” (WHO 2012)
I think this goes to show that, it’s not necessarily the fat Americans who will die from their obesity related illnesses but rather those who live in countries who lack the NCD medication to control the side effects of obesity. There is also something to be said for the environment in which these individuals live, if we take an ecological approach, as seen in the following abstract we can see the difference between some of the factors contributing to obesity in developing countries.
"The recent global increase in obesity stems from the coalescence of complicated factors. Urban lifestyle is one of them because of changes in food and activity level. The lifestyle factors are linked to reduction in energy expenditure. Compared to rural areas, less physical effort is required in city living. Additionally, food options change. Higher-caloric and fatty foods are cheaper and more widely available in cities. There is the potential to surpass caloric requirements and still incur nutritional deficits.25 This trend, the nutrition transition, plays the yang to the ying of physical activity in the balance of energy.26 Socioeconomic status and education level are central determinants to healthy weight.27
The risk that this and other biological factors could be compounded by environmental factors of urban lifestyles–the reduction in physical exertion and exposure to higher-caloric foods–could lead to a rise in the incidence of overweight and obese children."(Caballero, B, and S Rubinstein)
As with any global health issue, obesity is a complex issue, a big problem and due to cultural environmental and historical modalities this is a problem that calls for much interdisciplinary and cross-cultural evaluation.
Sources:
“WHO2012-World Health Statistics.pdf”, n.d.
Caballero, B, and S Rubinstein. “Environmental Factors Affecting Nutritional Status in Urban Areas of Developing Countries.” Archivos Latinoamericanos De Nutrición
47, no. 2 Suppl 1 (June 1997): 3–8.
This blog is about how obesity is becoming more common in the world, especially America. Informing someone they are obese is a very controversial and sensitive subject, because many people feel that being called obese is very offensive. 0besity used to be a sign of wealth and luxury but nowadays those who are obese are usually struggling financially and must resort to eating cheap, unhealthy fast food. Sophia Leung stated a very controversial but true statement, “Don’t get me wrong, I’m not attacking or insulting fat people for being fat out of being shallow or cruel, but rather I am saying that being overweight and obese is a gateway disease to other diseases such as cardiovascular disease, which is the number one killer in America”(blog). Obesity has become a disease that has been so accepted in this country. I think that there are just such a large number of obese people in this country so we forget how serious of an issue it really is. People don’t think of it as such a big problem and forget about all the health risks that come with obesity because it is just so common in this country.
ReplyDeleteI believe that the world ‘obese’ is definitely overused today. Many people use the world to describe an individual they believe is “fat” or “overweight”, ignoring the fact that the person may or may not be truly obese. I think that today, especially in America, people take obesity very lightly, and just think of it as a word to describe someone’s appearance rather than the serious disease that it really is. I completely agree with the argument that “Obesity is a first world problem” and “You never hear someone in a developing country complain about being fat” (blog). Although obesity is a large problem that this country needs to address, the issue of people, mainly women, who obsess over wanting to achieve the “ideal” body, needs to also be addressed. Most women who dream to achieve the “ideal” image look to famous celebrities and models as inspiration. As much as obesity is a problem, anorexia and the obsession with dieting and wanting to be skinny is also an issue this country should address. I think there is an overly excessive amount of focus on the celebrities in the media and it is pressuring and in a sense brainwashing many individuals to feel as if they must replicate the celebrity image. It can be really difficult finding the balance between not eating too much and eating enough to maintain a good, healthy body. I think that issues concerning people’s bodies will be ongoing in this country because there are just so many ways people can be steered. Some people can be so easily drawn to fast food restaurants and others can be so in awe of the skinny celebrities on magazine covers. So many tactics have been used in order to help steer this nation to become healthier, and as much as people try, I feel like there will never be a solution to ever solve this growing issue.
It’s funny that there are always two sides to everything. When our countries were underdeveloped, we lived in more environmentally friendly conditions without many industries. But lacking strong economies, we couldn’t buy high protein food, and were unable to develop new technologies. Economic development gives people what they are seeking, but also have some negative consequences. For example, Chinese people have gotten fatter in the last 20 years. The causes include consumption patterns and lifestyle changes. The process of urbanization, long working hours, and the increased popularity of the automobile in China have all led to less active lifestyles which affect people in various ways.
ReplyDeleteIn the past, the Chinese diet was mainly vegetable-based food with a small amount of meat. One of the reasons for this is the lack of money; the other is the inadequate supply chain bringing foods to market. Nowadays, with the increase of income, Chinese diets are changing. There are more and more fatty foods on their daily menu. Restaurants always are full. Processed food is everywhere, which is full of additives, fats, high salt and sugar content. With the opening of China to the world, international goods are now commonly available having an impact on the Chinese lifestyle. Examples of this include the introduction of the Western fast food chains KFC and McDonald. From 1987 to 2007, these two fast food chain stores have been established throughout China, and account for annual sales inside of China of $ 33.187 billion, which is about 5% of the total fast food market in China. They change their food recipes to suit local tastes, and set up great entertainment which attracts a lot kids and young people. Statistics shows that China's fast food market saw total sales increased by 900% from 1997 to 2006, while the number of fast food restaurants in China increased in this period by 180%. Fast food offer convenience and fun but they are not accompanied by an increase of nutrients over traditional diets. Fast food delivers more fat, sugar and salt, but it does not give people more vegetables, a variety of vitamins and more iron, calcium and iodine and the other trace element that are required. This is bound to become another important force in the advent of Chinese obesity. It’s the same as here in America.
China’s ongoing urbanization is unprecedented in history, both in scale and in speed. It is unclear how this process is affecting the health of the Chinese. But it’s easy to see that an increased population will lead to more waste, garbage and byproducts. More natural habitats will be destroyed for housing purposes and poor waste management will causes the spread of disease and pollution. As food demand increases more land needs to be cleared for food production, and high density of people can lead to conflicts and the quick spread of health problems. The proportion of the Chinese population living in urban areas went from only 20% in 1980, to 27% in 1990, and reached 43% in 2005 . By the middle of this century, the country's urbanization rate has been forecast to reach 75%. The non-economic consequences of such rapid urbanization will affect the environment, as well as people health.
Paul Farmer says,diseases are“A collection of problems” &“Messy social realities”. They are “social experience … larger economic and political context affect the emergence, spread, consequences, and fight against (mostly) epidemic diseases.” How to balance and prepare for all these is crucial.
Source:
http://gcontent.oeeee.com/8/bd/8bdb5058376143fa/Blog/bfc/39c7ec.html
http://www.tinbergen.nl/discussionpapers
I would like to respond to Sophia’s comments on the connotations of body image and conformity associated with beauty standards. In this quote, she summarizes the conflicts that arise when an individual’s mind feels pressured to change their body in order to attain an ideal appearance: “There’s always a need to look one’s best and looks are often more emphasized in today’s society more so than the content of one’s character. Since there’s a need to look stick skinny by celebrities and models there are some that feel that this standard of beauty is rather impossible to achieve”. I think that her statement about the importance of appearance due to societal standards is completely true and would like to elaborate on the impact culture has on such standards.
ReplyDeleteBody image and the desire to fit in according to society’s views on what is desirable in terms of appearance are constant pressures weighing down— subconsciously or not— on people’s minds. It’s a tension that exists around the world and is found in all cultures. Flip through a magazine or tabloid and headlines about losing weight and diet pop out, indirectly raising those who look a certain way above the remaining majority who do not. Though it’s true that appearance and being a healthy weight is important, I’d like to bring attention to the fallacy of striving to conform to an “ideal” appearance: what is considered an ideal body weight in one culture may not be considered ideal at all in another. I experienced this firsthand when I studied abroad in Japan last summer. While in Japan I found that nearly all of the high school girls agreed on one idea of what is considered “best looking” and wanted to attain that specific look: big eyes, pale skin, slim jawline, small face, long legs, and long black hair. When I went shopping with my host family I found all sorts of products and services that advertized their effectiveness in attaining such features—skin whitening creams, facial massages that reduce the amount of lymph trapped in the neck and jaw, and even double eyelid surgery clinics. The high school students asked me if girls in America used similar skin products and were really surprised when I said that in America what is considered attractive, aside from being slim and fit, usually varies based on personal preference and there’s no definitive “best looking” face or body. It was an experience of mutual culture shock that has definitely broadened my views on beauty. Similarly, just as societal standards of beauty are affected by cultural standards, they are affected by time; just compare the individuals in paintings from the Italian Renaissance period to today’s ideals. During the 16th Century, due to the lack of agricultural technology and the convenience of modernity, being what would be considered overweight or even obese by today’s standards was desirable. It meant that you had more than enough to eat and were living well. Fast forward to present day and now, due to the plethora of food and absence of regular exercise in many people’s schedules, being overweight calls for pills and diets. Because of the diversity in perception due to culture and generational differences, what is considered attractive or ideal in terms of appearance is not definite at all. Instead of striving to become more beautiful or attractive through products, I hope that instead society can transition to aiming to become healthier through lifestyle changes.
This blog describes the emphasis on body image in all cultures and how this emphasis can have negative effects when taken to either extreme. The author describes the reasons behind the growing obesity epidemic in developed countries, such as the United States in particular, and why the obesity problem will only continue to grow in our modern society. While obesity is not a problem in developing countries where excess food is usually not available, developed countries have an excess in food causing a higher prevalence in obesity. Also, the food industry is filled with high calorie and low nutrient rich foods that only further escalate the obesity epidemic. Meanwhile, the opposite problem of anorexia is widespread through both genders and all ages due to the emphasis on body image and looks mattering more than the character of the person in our culture. Both weight extremes come with many health problems and a balance needs to be found in order to prevent many deaths.
ReplyDeleteI agree with the author’s main point, our culture plays a huge role in our body image resulting in both obesity and anorexia causing the current obesity epidemic. Both extremes come with severe health consequences resulting in an increasing death rate due to preventable diseases such as cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure, and diabetes. Although WHO reported that death from cardiovascular disease is expected to increase while death from infectious diseases is expected to decline over the next few decades, this does not necessarily mean that only people in developed countries are going to die due to obesity like the author states. The author wrote, “Interestingly enough how I interpret this information is that basically the fat rich people in the developed nations are bound to die from a disease more so than those in a developing nation.” (“Is the World Getting Fatter?”). I agree that obesity is a problem that is mainly occurring in developed nations, but cardiovascular diseases are also rising in prevalence in other developing countries. Therefore, the author needs to take into account that cardiovascular disease is also a large cause of death in developing countries. For instance, the WHO reported that “It has been estimated that raised blood pressure causes 51% of stroke deaths and 45% of coronary heart disease deaths. Mean blood pressure has decreased dramatically in nearly all high-income countries…In contrast, mean blood pressure has been stable or increasing in most African countries.” (World Health Statistics). High blood pressure is the leading cause of cardiovascular disease and it has decreased in recent years in developed countries while increasing in developing countries, such as African countries. This decrease in high blood pressure in the global north can most likely be accounted for by the much easier access to high blood pressure medication, while this medication is expensive and inaccessible for most people in the global south. Therefore it cannot be concluded that the majority of deaths from cardiovascular disease are occurring in developed countries due to obesity because a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure, is rising in occurrence in developing countries while decreasing in developed countries. While obesity may be a much larger problem in richer countries, many people suffering from obesity in these countries have access to health care where they can get medicine to “fix” the problems associated with this disease. Instead of addressing the issue of obesity and trying to fix it through exercise and nutrition, many doctors, like the author mentioned, worry about possibly offending their patient by calling them fat. Therefore instead of prescribing needed diet and exercise, they try to put a band aid on the problem by prescribing medication. Overall, culture plays a major role in health and has led to the current obesity epidemic in first world nations.
There is no question about it that prolonged obesity has negative consequences, often leads to non-communicable disease like cardiovascular disease, one of the leading killers in America. In this blog post the author makes known that this is a health issue that should not neglected and overshadowed by what we view as more “conventional” illnesses like malaria and many of the infectious diseases that plague developing countries. As the numbers show, this disease is one worth putting preventative efforts towards.
ReplyDeleteI agree that obesity is a health issue deserving public attention but what I really wanted to note in this article was the labeling of obesity as a “disease.” What is healthy? What is disease? This topic is very relevant to what we learned in week 3 on the subjectivity and objectivity of illness, sickness and disease. Throughout the article, obesity is referenced as a disease except when it stated that, “particularly in America, obesity is not thought about as a disease itself.” So what is obesity? A disease? Not a disease? And how does this affect the way this health concern is addressed?
The CDC defines obesity as when a person’s weight is more greater than what is considered healthy for their given weight. This objective measure of BMI fits our definition of disease. This given number is a measurement that can be determined by health officials to signify overweight or a healthy weight regardless if the individual feels perfectly healthy or that it is just an attack on their self esteem (as the author notes). In addition, obesity does lead to very measurable outcomes such as high blood pressure.
In contrast to obesity, the author briefly mentions anorexia. As an emotion-based/psychological illness it may be difficult to look at anorexia objectively. The term illness applies to anorexia because it is the sufferer’s own perception of dissatisfaction. In the case of anorexia the sufferer feels dissatisfied, is intensely afraid of gaining weight, desires to be in control and/or as the author mentioned at the beginning of the blog, wants to feel good about his or herself. All of these are hard to quantitatively measure therefore it is hard to evaluate anorexia as a disease. However, if left untreated, anorexia can lead to heart failure, osteoporosis, and other medical conditions (webmd) but does this mean that anorexia is medically significant on these conditions?
I agree with some parts of this blog post however my comment was really prompted on our recent discussion in class. I thought the post was thought provoking on what is considered a “disease.”
Ti Nguyen