Obesity - Defining the "Real" Problem

There is no question that obesity is a real problem worldwide. It is reported to be one of the greatest health concerns of our time. The Centers for Disease Control states that "Obesity is a contributing cause of many other health problems, including heart disease stroke, diabetes, and some types of cancer. These are some of the leading causes of death in the U.S. Obesity can cause sleep apnea and breathing problems as well as limit mobility. Obesity can also causes problems during pregnancy or make it more difficult for a woman to become pregnant." With literally millions of articles claiming obesity facts and statistics on the internet, not to mention print, radio and film, obesity is readily defined as a root cause claiming the lives and lifestyles of our families and our communities. Or is it?

Is obesity really the cause of all these problems, or is it more accurate to say that obesity is merely another symptom of the true underlying problems that plague our society? Although one article can not define the complexity of the symptom of obesity we can surely gain an understanding and start to right our thinking with regard to the issue by defining a few of the variables involved.

• Physical: Some of the more physical or tangible causes of obesity are the lifestyle factors. What are we doing or not doing to create this problem? A severe imbalance in our nutritional intake coupled with lack of proper physical activity is prevalent among those who suffer from obesity.


• Mental: At the very least our way of thinking is skewed when it comes to the topic of obesity. Thinking of it as a cause rather than a symptom is evidence if this upside down thinking pattern. We need to get our mental game up to par before we can even consider making change.


• Psychological: The emotional and psychological factors surrounding obesity are as varied as those who suffer from it. Our relationship with food and the way we feel about exercise can certainly be both the cause and the cure for this problem.


• Social: The people we surround ourselves with can add to or detract from our leading a healthy lifestyle. More social functions take place around a centerpiece of unhealthy foods than I care to even think of.


• Corporate: Industry capitalizes on our dysfunction around food and exercise. 100 calorie packs of junk are consumed in great quantity disguised as healthy alternatives. We ingest chemicals we would otherwise never consume in the name of dietary supplementation. We are promised we don't need to exercise if we take this or wear that.


• Government: Although on one end of the spectrum it appears the government is taking a stand and calling us to action with regard to this issue, the actions of government itself often lead us in direct opposition of this goal. Since "we the people" are our government, we need to take this responsibility seriously and look to make change in our political policy.
  

I could go on and on but the fact remains, the solution to our obesity epidemic does not lie in fighting obesity itself, it lies in fighting the issues that lead to this symptom. All the obesity statistics, facts, and figures can not help us unless we first resolve our thinking epidemic. By gaining an understanding of the root causes we can then stand ready to defeat what is said to be one of our greatest health risks of all times.

The History of Obesity

Obesity is simply fatness in a degree higher than being overweight. The energy intake coming from food is stored as fat because the body does not use it. Obesity has quite an impact in one's physical health that many degenerative diseases are directly and indirectly linked to obesity as observed in the history of obesity. It may even have a much worse impact on a person's mental health. Throughout the history of obesity, its reputation varies from appreciation and the opposite among cultures and in time.

Take a look in the history of obesity and we'll learn that this is truly an age-old health condition. Ancient Egyptians are said to consider obesity as a disease, having been drawn in a wall of depicted illnesses. Perhaps the most famous and earliest evidence of obesity is the Venus figurines, statuettes of an obese female torso that probably had a major role in rituals. Ancient China have also been aware of obesity and the dangers that come with it. They have always been a believer of prevention as a key to longevity. The Aztecs believed that obesity was supernatural, an affliction of the gods. Hippocrates, the father of medicine, was aware of sudden deaths being more common among obese men than lean ones as stated in his writings. In certain cultures and areas where food is scarce and poverty is prevalent obesity is viewed as a symbol of wealth and social status. To date, an African tribe purposely plumps up a bride to prepare her for child bearing. Before a wedding can be set, a slim bride is pampered to gain weight until she reaches the suitable weight.

Throughout the history of obesity, the public's view and status of obesity changed considerably in the 1900's. It was regarded as unfashionable by the French designer, Paul Poiret who designed skin-revealing clothes for women. About the same time, the incidence of obesity began to increase and become widespread. Later in the 1940's, Metropolitan Life Insurance published a chart of ideal weights for various heights. They also advocated that weight gain parallel to age is not ok. The government and the medical society became more hands-on with obesity by initiating a campaign against it. This was preceded by a study of risk factors of cardiovascular diseases revealing obesity among the high ranks. Since then various diet and exercise programs have emerged. In 1996, the Body Mass Index (BMI) was published. This statistical calculation and index determined if a person is obese or not. At this time, obesity incidence have soared, led by children and adolescent obesity, tripling in just a few short years, greater than any number in the history of obesity.

Perhaps the most controversial is the independent film, Super Size Me. Released in 2004, Super Size Me was written, produced and directed by American independent filmmaker, Martin Spurlock in an exploration of the prevalence of obesity in the USA. He documented 30 days of his life in an experiment of eating only McDonald's food with completely no exercise. He began the project as healthy and lean but ended up overweight. It was later followed by several other documentaries and a few changes in the McDonald's menu. The history of obesity should be well studied so precautions can be practiced and thus prevent obesity from spreading.

Over the years and in the history of obesity, it seems to worsen despite growing awareness and combating techniques that it has been called an epidemic.

Fatter and Fatter - The Definition of Obesity

What is the definition of obesity? This is a serious concern for everyone who knows they are carrying a little extra baggage. Apparently this is more than half the population these days! An amazing 2/3 or 66% of American people are now overweight according to the Centers for Disease Control. And therein lies the problem. Obesity is now defined by the American Medical Association as a disease. So if you're too fat and you're wondering if you have crossed the line into obesity status keep reading.

Signs of obesity include first and foremost your weight obviously. Is your weight too much for a person of your age, body type and gender? If a woman is 20% above what is considered the normal range for her height then she is obese. Are you large boned, are you an athlete with a lot of muscle mass? Then give yourself a few pounds. What is considered a healthy weight for the average person? The chart below is based on a Body Mass Index of 20 - 25. These are considered healthy weights because they have the least risk for some of the diseases associated with obesity, heart disease, stroke and cancer.

Height Weight

4'10" 97 - 121

4'11" 99 - 123

5'0" 101 - 127

5'1" 105 - 132

5'2" 110 - 136

5'3" 112 - 140

5'4" 114 - 145

5'5" 119 - 149

5'6" 123 - 156

5'7" 127 - 158

5'8" 129 - 162

5'9" 134 - 167

5'10" 138 - 173

5'11" 143 - 178

6'0" 145 - 182

6'1" 149 - 187

6'2" 156 - 193

6'3" 158 - 198

6'4" 162 - 202

6'5" 170 - 211

6'6" 172 - 215

6'7" 175 - 220

From Calorie, Fat & Carbohydrate Counter

Published by Family Health Publications

Because there is such a wide range it's important to discuss your weight with your doctor and let him help you determine your health risks. Other signs of obesity are sleep apnea, hypertension, stress, incontinence, menstrual irregularities, excess facial hair and depression. If you decide to see a doctor, look for a doctor who understands the importance of eating according to the glycemic index who can individualize a weight loss program for you.

The chart above is for adults. If you believe your child is overweight you need to intervene in a serious way. According to the Health and Medical Research Foundation, in 1968 5% of all children were overweight. In 2004 the numbers had risen to 18% in children 6 years to 11 years old. For those between the ages of 12 years to 17 years 15% were overweight. In 40 years the number of overweight children has roughly tripled. One third of American Indian children are obese. Obesity is also more common in Latino and African American children. No doubt these childhood obesity statistics are due to poor choices, lack of parental supervision and perhaps a lack of affordable, nutritious food.

The health risks for obese children are immense. The Center for Disease Control has linked excess fat to 20 different health problems from high blood pressure to liver cancer. We know that poor diets and inactivity are the causes of obesity and overweight children usually become overweight and even obese adults. Today our children are more sedentary than any other generation and at the same time they are bombarded with television advertisements for unhealthy foods. We need to be vigilant about their nutrition and limiting foods with few nutrients and saturated fats.

What about fast food? Does fast food cause obesity? It is not a coincidence that in the years that the obesity statistics have risen so dramatically that the fast food industry now dominates our urban landscapes. Every corner it seems has a fast food restaurant. Even if parents have the best intentions with both parents working it's a huge temptation to just do what is convenient. Fast foods are high glycemic foods that are full of trans fats, the worst saturated fats. French fries and hamburgers raise blood sugar and do not have enough nutrients to make them worth the calories. And they are full of calories! A quarter pounder with cheese has 530 calories with 270 calories being the saturated fat. So does fast food cause obesity? When you eat it often you are not getting a nutritious diet but one high in unhealthy fat.

Obesity is everyone's problem because it adds to the burden of our health care system. Some other critical facts about obesity include the tremendous expense. According to a recent issue of Time magazine we spend an astonishing $147 billion a year on diet related illness. Cheap food and poor dietary choices extract an extremely high price in terms of being sick and more susceptible to disease. It may soon overtake tobacco as the leading cause of preventable death. It's time to educate ourselves about the role of good nutrition in losing weight and maintaining the fat loss through a healthy lifestyle. Educate yourself so you can educate your children and be a healthy role model.