The obesity epidemic is real.
If one walks down the street,
particularly in the western world, it immediately becomes apparent that the
problem of obesity is a growing, health concern. This is not merely attributable
to hype or media hype, personal or mass opinion, or merely a figment of
someone’s vivid imagination. There are a large percentage of people, who are
overweight or even grossly overweight, all around the globe.
One might argue that because of
the media, there is increased awareness of the growing obesity epidemic. There
are also medical records documenting evidence that shows the problem of obesity is
reaching epidemic proportions, in many different parts of the world.
In order to understand the
obesity epidemic, it is important to know what obesity is. It is also necessary
to understand how this is determined, as well as what a concern of epidemic
proportion signifies for humankind.
One might ask how it is
possible to determine if there really is an obesity epidemic. Is it
identifiable from a medical, scientific perspective?
To explain this more fully,
there are three words that must be understood, namely obesity, epidemic and
body mass index.
What is obesity?
“Obesity is a medical condition
in which excess body fat has accumulated to the extent that it may have an
adverse effect on health, leading to reduced life expectancy and/or health
problems. (1)
When one argues that obesity is
of epidemic proportion globally, it is important to understand how an epidemic
is determined and why it becomes an area of medical concern.
What is an epidemic?
Normally, one would of an
epidemic in terms of being the spread of a disease process or an infection.
Thus, since obesity is not an infection, there are people who prefer not to
refer to the problem of obesity, as an epidemic. At no point in time, has it
ever been determined that obesity has any relationship to infection. At the
same time, the obesity problem continues to expand its global horizons,
rapidly.
Allegorically speaking, one
might suggest that the problem of obesity is growing, in a manner similar to
the spread of a disease or an infection. In other words, as it spreads, it
touches, changes and endangers the lives of many people in certain areas, at
the same time. It also affects their health in an adverse manner.
Within this context and under
the following definition of epidemic, one might suggest that obesity is a real
epidemic or at the very least, a global health concern of epidemic
proportion: “A rapid spread, growth or
development.” (2)
To assert that an obesity
epidemic is real, it is important to understand how body mass index is
determined from a scientific, medical and health care perspective.
What is body mass index?
“Body mass index (BMI), a
measurement which compares weight and height, defines people as
overweight (pre-obese) if their BMI is between 25 kg/m2 and
30 kg/m2, and obese when it is greater than 30 kg/m2." (3)
Globally, medical and health
care professionals, determine body mass index for their patients. This often
includes large numbers of people living in different areas, sometimes in
remote areas of the world. This information researched further, determines the
numbers of people whose lives are ultimately affected. That is when the reality
of obesity as an epidemic or a global health concern of epidemic proportion, becomes evident.
On this basis, the obesity
epidemic is real and yes, people everywhere, should be concerned and seek
medical guidance and directives with regard to obesity. The good news is that
the problem of obesity can be resolved.
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