Physical and social consequence of being overweight

Obesity

Obesity 

Obesity has become a global epidemic, with at estimated 2.8 million people suffering every year as a result of just being overweight or obese. Obesity affects approximately 23% of women and 20% of men in the WHO European Region. Obesity and overweight are substantial risk factors for diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and cancer, among other chronic diseases. According to a new WHO/Europe brief, they can also contribute to overweight prejudice and obesity stigma. Obesity stigma is widespread, with one recent study from Western Europe finding that 18.7% of overweight individuals were stigmatized. The percentage of those with extreme obesity was substantially greater - 38%. Obese people face discrimination from educators, employers, healthcare providers, the media, and even their peers.

  1. Obesity affects children the most 

Weight bias and obesity stigma can have particularly negative consequences for youngsters. Obese school-aged children had a 63 percent increased probability of being bullied, according to studies. When children and teenagers are harassed or persecuted by peers, family, or friends because of their weight, it can lead to feelings of shame, sadness, low self-esteem, poor body image, and even suicide.

Teachers' weight bias can lead to lower student expectations, which can result in poor educational outcomes for obese children and teens. This, in turn, can have an impact on children's life chances and prospects, leading to social and health disparities. Parents may advocate for their children with teachers and principals by expressing concerns and increasing knowledge of weight bias in schools, and families can speak for their children to teachers and principals by voicing concerns and promoting awareness of weight bias in schools.

2. Ethical considerations and importance of social environment 

Oversimplifying the causative factors and implying that simple solutions will lead to rapid and long-term results – for example, “eat less, be more” active can contribute to weight bias and set unreasonable expectations, masking the difficulties people with obesity may face in changing their behavior.

Furthermore, this frequently concentrates discussion on individual conduct and apparent failures, while overlooking key social and environmental elements. To stem the alarming rise in obesity, it is essential to understand the causes and for authorities to invest in preventative and early intervention methods. At the same time, it's critical to realize that society and government have a moral responsibility to act notably on behalf of a child to lessen obesity's health and social effects. Failure to do so will have an impact on future generations' social and health capital, as well as increase inequality in Europe and abroad.

Causes of obesity:

  1. Consuming excessive calories
  2. Bad and inefficient diet
  3. Lack of physical activities
  4. Genetics
  5. Medical reasons such as hormonal imbalance

Symptoms of obesity:

Obesity has symptoms that extend beyond increased body fat. Obesity can cause skin problems, shortness of breath, sleeping troubles, and other issues. Some symptoms have even been linked to an increased risk of some diseases and disorders. These can be life-threatening or even devastating in some situations. Although a few additional pounds may appear inconsequential in terms of a person's general health, excessive weight gain often can lead to a massive medical issue.

Common symptoms in adults are:

  1. Body fat that is excessive, especially around the waist
  2. Breathing problems
  3. Sweating a lot more than usual.
  4. Snoring
  5. Sleeping problems
  6. Moisture pooling in the creases of the skin causes skin issues.
  7. Inability to carry out simple physical chores that were simple before weight gain
  8. Fatigue is a condition that can range from minor to severe.
  9. Back and joint pain, in particular
  10. Negative self-esteem, despair, shame, and social exclusion are all psychological difficulties.

Complications:

Obesity can cause a variety of major health problems. Obesity is associated with a higher risk of serious health consequences, such as:

  1. Hypertension, high blood pressure or heart disease are caused by the heart working overtime to pump blood around the body.
  2. High cholesterol levels fat deposits that can clog arteries can cause strokes, heart attacks, and other problems.
  3. Stroke caused by excessive cholesterol and blood pressure
  4. Diabetes type 2
  5. Some kinds of cancer: According to the CDC, obesity is associated with 40% of cancer diagnoses.
  6. Asthma
  7. Chronic high blood pressure affects the kidneys, resulting in renal disease.
  8. Excess weight causes osteoarthritis, which puts added strain upon those joints, bones, and muscles.
  9. Gallbladder disease: A study found that each one-point increase on the BMI scale raised the risk of acute pancreatitis by 7%.
  10. Fat accumulation in the neck and tongue restrict airways, causing sleep apnea.
  11. Excess weight pulling on the valve at the top of the stomach, allowing stomach acid to flow into the esophagus, causes gastroesophageal reflux, hiatal hernia, and heartburn.

Treatment for obesity:

  1. Dietary changes
  2. Avoid crash dieting
  3. Indulge in physical activities 
  4. Try taking weight loss medications
  5. Surgeries
  6. Hormonal treatments

Take Away 

Despite going on a diet or exercising, you can lose weight in a variety of ways. The suggestions above are an excellent place to begin making beneficial lifestyle changes. Adding exercise to these healthy behaviors can help a person lose weight faster.

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