Obesity

Image 1

The Oxford Dictionary defines obesity as:

‘The state of being grossly fat or overweight’

Obesity is an epidemic disease, which consists of body weight that is in excess of that appropriate for a person’s height, and age standardised to account for differences, leading to an increased risk of health- related problems.

Medical Effects

Image 2

Children and adults who are classified as obese are at higher risk of developing diseases like diabetes, heart disease, hypertension, cancer, sleep apnea, joint problems including osteoarthritis, psychosocial effects and metabolic syndrome.

The cause of obesity is an imbalance between energy intake and energy use (or expenditure). Other factors that can impact are: genetics, ageing, psychological issues, medications, medical problems, environment where you live (rural/remote/urban areas), socioeconomic, prenatal environmental factors, and bad parenting (negligence) such as buying and the consumption of cheap junk/ take away fast food), and lack of active activity like exercising, running, swimming, walking.

There are metabolic factors associated with obesity, these include; diabetes mellitus, gallbladder disease, hypertension, cardiovascular disease, and cancer.

Image 3

Obesity increases the chances of disease and the medical effects. Pathogenesis is the manner of how a disease is developed. This concept allows an easy division of disadvantages of obesity into those produced by the mass of fat and those produced by the metabolic effects of fat cells.

These include the stigma of obesity and the behavioral responses. It produces, osteoarthritis resulting from the wear and tear on joints due to carrying an increased mass of fat, and sleep apnea that results from increased parapharyngeal fat deposits.

Obesity causes low self esteem which directly relates to ones behaviour, psychological and emotional state. This will impact on ones ability to:

- develop close relationships,

- can lead to discrimination at school or work,

- safety of oneself,

- Involvement of tasks at school or work as one can be less active,

- Tiredness due to sleep apnea,

- Loneliness,

- Anxiety and

- Depression.

We can prevent obesity by consuming fresh healthy food and have a balanced diet.

This links to EYLF, Outcome 3: Children have a strong sense of wellbeing

 

Children take responsibility for their own health and physical wellbeing

As a professional early childhood educator and a mother, It is important to be a role model for our children, as well as for our future generations; to eat healthy food, and promote a healthy eating plan and increasing physical activity to live a healthy life.

Effects To Mental Health

Image 4

Depression

The Oxford Dictionary defines depression as:

‘A mental condition characterized by severe feelings of hopelessness and inadequacy, typically accompanied by a lack of energy and interest in life’.

The NSW government of Health identifies a strong inter connection between obesity

and depression.

Risk Children Adults

Greatly Increased Depression, body image issues and social interaction. These body image issues can lead to eating disorders which is also known as a mental condition.

Social isolation and depression is an immediate action.

Moderately increased Medical illness. Psychological problems.

It is suggested that obesity amongst children has a greater effect in the long term than adult obesity and there is also a higher risk to remain obese through out their adult life.

The Obesity Action Coalition (OAC) identifies the strong connection between obesity and depression. The OAC explains people who are depressed will:

Binge eat,

Less likely to exercise regularly.

There are strong genetic links between depression, therefore child obesity is more likely if one parent is either depressed or obese. It is not only obesity that can cause depression, both of these can counter part with each other. Anti depressant medication can cause weight gain also. The OAC also identifies the females who are obese also have a higher risk of depression than males.

20% of obese individuals have a higher risk of depression.

The feeling of dissatisfaction, frustration and sadness is a factor of being over weight. Carrying excess weight can also cause chronic joint pain.

The OCA also speaks about the discrimination people with obesity face by airlines, insurance companies, doctors and department stores. This can lead to depression and other psychological conditions.

Image 5

An article about Obesity, Genetics, Depression and Weight Loss speaks about a double epidemic. The combination of obesity and depression is leading to a double epidemic.

Studies have also found:

66% of those seeking weight loss surgery have had a history of mental history

Obesity can lead to over eating and depression can also lead to over eating, thus being a vicious and self destruction cycle.

There is a 25% chance amongst obese people to experience depression or a mood

disorder.

Depression amongst teenagers are more likely to become obese within a year.

Depression is a mental condition which can affect ones thinking and lifestyle. Obesity and depression are inter related and common trends are noticed between them.

It is safe to say that obesity causes depression and in turn depression can also cause obesity.

Obesity is an epidemic that the world is facing, contributing to many medical and mental illnesses. Studies have proven obesity has reasoning behind it to, whether it be socioeconomic, bad parenting, depression or environmental surroundings.

It is important to ensure a healthy and positive lifestyle is implemented in an adolescents life to help minimise to risk of obesity, medical or mental illness in the future.

Image 6

References

Image 1: Childhood and Adult Obesity Becoming a Major Public Health Threat (August, 18, 2010) by Fresh Healthy Vending. Retrieved from http://freshhealthyvending.com/child-obesity/childhood-

Image 2: Prevention is key to your health (May 15, 2012). Retrieved from http://www.examiner.com/article/prevention-is-key-to-your-health

Image 3: Heart disease in world collage. Retrieved from http://www.shutterstock.com/pic-129594260/stock-photo-heart-disease-in-word-collage.html

Image 4: Mental Function and Obesity (June 19, 2013), Nobuko Yamada-Goto, Goro Katsuura and Kazuwa Nakao. Retrieved from http://www.intechopen.com/books/functional-brain-mapping-and-the-endeavor-to-understand-the-working-brain/mental-function-and-obesity

Image 5: Advicenow (January, 2009). Retrieved from http://www.advicenow.org.uk/is-that-discrimination/whats-it-all-about/

Image 6: Healthy eating on a budget (August 7, 2012), Louisa Deasey. Retrieved from http://health.ninemsn.com.au/family/8512312/healthy-eating-on-a-budget

Oxford Dictionaries, Oxford University Press (2014). Retrieved From http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/

References Australia Government Department of Health; Overweight and Obesity (May 26, 2009).

Retrieved From http://www.health.gov.au/internet/main/publishing.nsf/Content/health-pubhlth-strateg-hlthwt-obesity.htm

Obesity Action Coalition; Obesity and Depression David Engstrom (2014). Retrieved from http://www.obesityaction.org/educational-resources/resource-articles-2/obesity-related-diseases/obesity-and-depression

PsychCentral; Obesity, Genetics, Depression and Weight Loss (May 18, 2014), Marina Williams. Retrieved from http://psychcentral.com/lib/obesity-genetics-depression-and-weight-loss/00015756

www.education.vic.gov.au/earlylearning

http://www.vcaa.vic.edu.au/earlyyears pg.23

En.Wikipedia.org/wiki/obesity

Medical Consequences of Obesity, J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2004 Jun;89(6):2583-9.

www.ncbi.nlm.gov/pubmed/15181027 by GA Bray - 2004