Obesity is an epidemic finding its home in children, adolescents, and adults. It does not discriminate among age groups or race, nor does it confine itself to a particular geographical region. In less than 100 years, civilization has moved from horse and cart, to astronauts orbiting the earth. Significant leaps in technology and knowledge marks this period greater than any other in recorded history. Yet, with all of these advances, we find ourselves falling short in other human developments. In the following paragraphs and posts, I would like to explore obesity, identify its side effects on the human movement system, and provide solutions to mitigate this epidemic.
Obesity can be defined as having excess body fat as a percentage of total weight (Kenney, Wilmore & Costill, 2012). In general, men are considered obese when they are over 25% body fat, and women are considered obese when they are over 35% body fat. Overweight may be defined as a bodyweight that exceeds a standard based on a person’s height and frame size (Kenney et al., 2012). This is a method that helps categorize males and females to determine if they are overweight. However, it may indicate false positives, as it does not account for the nature of mass. That is, height and frame measurements do not discriminate between fat and muscle content. Therefore, a person with lower fat but higher muscle content might still be interpreted as being overweight. Consequently, this method is discouraged as a mode of determining if an individual is overweight.
Obesity and overweight in the United States has grown unusually fast since the 1970s, and trends are indicating that men and women are moving from normal weight to overweight to obese (Kenney et al., 2012). In the United States, 72% of men and 64% of women are overweight and obese, respectively (Kenney et al., 2012). Moreover, these trends are infiltrating other countries such as Canada, Australia, and most of Europe. Considering the trends and geographical locations of growth, what then, might be the cause of such an epidemic?
Kenney et al. (2012) indicated that the causes of obesity are multifactorial. Some researchers posit that genetics play a major factor: if parents are overweight, there exists a high probability that offspring will exhibit similar traits. Other factors have been attributed to obesity such as hormonal imbalances, cultural habits, subpar physical activity, and improper diets (Kenney et al., 2012). Despite the number of factors, it would seem logical that all contribute to the problem.
Obesity and overweight are emergent and spreading. It is clear that we have an understanding of its origins, yet it remains problematic to control. It is challenging to scale the importance of each contributing factor, yet it is apparent that all support the propagation of obesity. What we have established is its existence. The question remains, though, how do we change it and sway public opinion?
References
Kenney, W. L., Wilmore, J. H., & Costill, D. L. (2012). Physiology of sport and exercise (5th ed.). Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics.
-Michael McIsaac