Obesity is measured by BMI, which stands for Body Mass Index, and is the relationship between weight and height. A person with a BMI of between 25 and 30 is classified as overweight, and above 30 is obese. When someone is referred to as being apple or pear shaped, it is in reference to the distribution of fat on that person (Ashwell et al. 1985). Health problems associated with obesity include diabetes, high blood pressure, along with some forms of cancer, and there can even be some psychological issues due to the social stigma of being overweight. Although research has not been able to pinpoint a specific defected gene, many genes have now been identified that increase or decrease appetite, which could help explain why some people have a natural tendency to gain or lose weight easily. Obesity is higher in European countries than in developing countries, which is mainly due to contrasts in diets. Developing countries, such as Ethiopia and Nepal, have issues of famine and poverty which lead to malnutrition and hunger. Their diet rarely supplies them with the necessary nutrients and energy they need. On the other hand, European diets typically have a high fat diet (typically 40% total calorific intake), and therefore it is very easy to consume more calories than is needed or intended. Cotton and Blundell (1993) refer to this as ‘Passive over consumption’.
Despite the sharp rise in diagnosed obesity in recent years (100% in the last decade), the UK National Food Survey found that calorie intake has declined by 20% between 1970 and 1990. This indicates that we are exercising less now than in past years, which has caused our energy output to become lower than previously. Changes in modern day lifestyles have lead in some way to this decrease. Driving rather than walking, and office environment jobs, whereby we are constantly sitting instead of being physically active all day, are some examples. The Food Survey also found that children are using less energy now than children of the same age thirty years ago. This indicates that children too are less active now than in previous years, perhaps as a knock on effect from the lifestyles of their parents and also the rapid increase in computer game consoles, which mean children are sitting down and inactive for long periods of time.
In order to maintain weight and a healthy lifestyle, we must eat sensibly and maintain regular, physical activity. The importance of a healthy lifestyle comes from the fact that those who are a healthy weight have significantly less health problems than those who are overweight. Our ‘feel good’ factor and general well-bring are also important, even if they are perhaps sometimes psychological. We must learn to control portion sizes and to reduce, not eliminate, certain food types, as this will in turn increase our knowledge and understanding of the components of a healthy diet. Regular exercise and physical activity also help to keep our heart healthy, and is especially beneficiary to those wanting to lose weight as it helps to burn off any excess calorie intake. Even small, everyday changes count, such as walking up flights of stairs instead of taking the lift, and set us in the right frame of mind for a healthy lifestyle.
Nicola Glyde Communications assignment
