Lecture 5 - Obesity Flashcards
What is the definition of Obesity?
Obesity is hard to define as it is more complex than just a measure of an individuals weight. It can be seen as abnormal or excessive accumulation of fat which may impair one’s health. Generally a BMI over 30 is seen as obese as this can lead to chronic disease and mortality and is used internationally. Over 25 for Overweight. Increase by incriments of 5 for severr obese (>35) and morbidly obese (>40)
What are problems associated with Obesity?
Obese kids are dying younger than their parents. Other health related complications are cancer, sleep apnoea, cardivascular disease, Type 2 diabetes, retinal dysfunction and cognitive impairment & depression.
How is obesity a multi-factorial condition? What are the 8 factors?
Obesity is considered multi-factorial as many factors can contribute:
- Nutrition - low cost of bad foods, large portion sizes, labeling confusing and misleading - things marked as healthy when they aren’t
- Physical activity - people less active due to more office based sedentary work
- Lifestyle related - people who give up smoking have been found to gain major weight
- Psychological - reward eating, habits and beliefs
- Environment - Advertising of fast food (Australia is leader), association of unhealthy foods with healthy activities eg soft drink companies (coke eg) supporting football (eg).
- Genetic factors - inherit body mass, role of leptin (the hormone that tells your body is full) - leptin deficiency children have huge appetites and when given leptin, they lose weight.
- Disease related - underactive thyroid
- Age related - increasing age (less active) and post menopause (change in hormone levels)
What can be done about Obesity?
For children in particular, legislation being implemented which promotes a healthy environment where physical activity and health nutrition are promoted.
How do you measure obesity in children?
Because children are always growing, you cannot use BMI for a measure of obesity, you measure by plotting their weight on a percentile graph and if are in the 95th percentile, the child may be considered obsese.
What have been the trends of obesity?
Prevalence of obesity has doubled in the last 30 years for both children and adults. That means overweight people are more likely becoming obese. Children are highly affected by this with large portions of children under 5 being obese. Australias obesity levels are on par with America.
What are the relative risks of obesity?
As your body max index (BMI) increases, you have a more exponential risk of mortality. Risk increases greatly for Type 2 diabetes and sleep apnoea.
In what 4 places do obese people encounter discrimination?
- Workplace - obese people less likely to be employed and obese women earn less than lean women.
- Medical settings - common belief by medical practitioners is that obese people are laxy, indulgent, lack self-control and lack will power
- Education - obese children more likely to be teased, miss more days from school and perform worse academically. Perception by teachers are that these children are untidy and more emotional.
- Mental health - obese people have lower self-esteem, negative self perceptions and more suicide thoughts and attempts.
What are possible causes of obesity?
Cause of obesity is complex and is not caused by one thing alone. Can be affected by interpersonal factors, community factors, work/school/home factors, individual and population factors.
What is ‘Good for kids. Good for life’?
It is Australia’s largest child obesity prevention program which goes over a 5 year period. The goals were to reduce childhood overweight and obesity in children aged 0-15 yrs old and provide evidence for policy change in NSW for approx 170,000 children.
What were the outcomes for the Good for Kids. Good for life obesity prevention program?
The outcomes were significant behaviour changes - reductions in sweetened beverages & small screen recreation time and increases in eating fruit and vegies, physical activity and 2 or more cups of water per day. Also a significant decrease in prevalence of obesity for girls in K, Yr 2 and yr 4 and overall decline of overweight and obese children by average 1% per year for ALL children. 1% considered HUGE impact and enough to acquire funding to roll out phase 2.
What behaviours were targeted in the ‘Good for kids. Good for life’ obesity prevention program?
It targeted behaviours such as increasing fruit and vegies and decreasing dense calory foods. Increase physical activity and reduce time on small screen recreation. And to increase non-sweetened drinks and decrease sweetened drinks.
What 7 settings was the ‘Good for kids. Good for life.’ program implemented in?
Set up in 7 priortiy settings - schools, aboriginal communities, childcare, sports clubs, health services, community social organizations and social marketing.
