Essay Sample on Obesity

Obesity has become a significant problem globally. Studies have shown that about 2.8 million people die every year as a result of being obese or overweight (VanItallie 88). It is also considered to be among the leading causes of cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, and stroke, among adults and children in many developed countries. In this regard, research has pointed out that almost 23 percent of adults in America are obese, while one in every five children are classified as being overweight.Obesity can be defined as a body mass index (BMI) that is above 30 kg/m2(Malik et al., 15).It is in the light of this background that this paper highlights various steps that can be implemented to prevent and manage obesity.

Obesity is caused by both genetics and individual factors. In this regard, aspects such poor nutrition, lack of exercise, and a sedentary lifestyle are among the leading individual risk factors of the ailment. The nutritional shift by many individuals has been largely influenced by urbanization (Bray et al., 10). In other words, the increased consumption of fast foods and saturated fats has been brought about by the busy urban lifestyle, where most people have limited time to exercise or prepare healthy meals due to their hectic work schedules. As a result, most of them end up consuming junk and unhealthy foods because they are cheap and readily available, thus increasing their chances of becoming obese or overweight (Malik et al., 18). Additionally, studies have shown that persons with a family history of obesity are more likely to become obese due to genetic factors. In this case, it is essential for people to identify their risk factors and minimize or manage them to prevent obesity.

Various steps can be implemented to prevent or minimize the prevalence of obesity. First, public education and awareness programs can be utilized by healthcare professionals and providers to educate the public on the causes and dangers of the ailment (Malik et al., 20). Secondly, obese patients can be encouraged to adopt a healthy lifestyle that includes regular exercise and proper nutrition, just to mention (22). Thirdly, the implementation of policies that regulate the formulation, production, and marketing of manufactured food products can help minimize the selling and consumption of unhealthy foodstuff, thus reducing the spread of obesity (26). Lastly, individuals with a family background of obesity should be encouraged to go for regular health check-ups and monitor their body mass index to minimize their chances of getting the disease.

In conclusion, the prevalence of obesity has become a significant health problem in many developed countries globally. The disease is attributed to be one of the leading causes of death and chronic diseases in both adults and children. Some of the risk factors associated with the ailment include genetics, a sedentary lifestyle, and unhealthy eating habits, among other contributing factors. In this regard, various initiatives can be employed to prevent and minimize the prevalence of the ailment. Examples of steps that can be adopted include; public education and awareness programs; regular health checks ups; adopting a healthy lifestyle; and the implementation of policies that regulate the formulation, production, and marketing of manufactured food products. In this case, it is the responsibility of all policymakers, patients, and healthcare providers, to ensure that these initiatives get implemented and enforced to solve the obesity problem.

Works Cited

Bray, George A., and Claude Bouchard, eds. Handbook of ObesityVolume 2: Clinical Applications. Vol. 2. CRC Press, 2014.

Malik, Vasanti S., Walter C. Willett, and Frank B. Hu. "Global obesity: trends, risk factors and policy implications." Nature Reviews Endocrinology 9.1 (2013): 13-27.

VanItallie, Theodore B. "Prevalence of obesity." Endocrinology and metabolism clinics of North America 25.4 (2013): 87-90.