NHPA: obesity Flashcards
Define: obesity
carrying around excess body weight (fat) that can have a negative impact on health.
weight measurements/BMI for obese?
• For adults, defined as BMI of atleast 30 and waist measurement of atleast 88cm (females) or 102cm (males)
what causes obesity?
• Often caused when energy intake outweighs energy expenditure, but also by metabolic problems
why is the rate of obesity in australia increasing?
• Australians have been eating more food and are exercising less than
why is obesity a NHPA?
Can lead to the development of other conditions (key determinant for type 2 and gestational diabetes, CVD, arthritis and kidney disease – decreasing obesity levels can help decrease the prevalence of these conditions). Contributes greatly to BOD in Australia (particularly YLD, eg. difficulty in exercising). Often preventable (by eating a more nutrient dense/less energy dense diet and exercising more).
Direct costs to inv’s
- Weight management programs and copayments for medications
* Costs due to related conditions: eg. ambulance fees for heart attack
Direct costs to comm
- Doctor/specialist fees to diagnose obesity
- Operating public and private hospitals for people hospitalised by heart attack related to obesity
- Costs associated with implementing health promotion programs (eg. LiveLighter)
- Taxes paid towards Medicare and PBS
Indirect costs to ind’s
Due to related conditions
• Can’t work – loss of income
• If can’t do the housework, costs of additional services (eg. housekeeper)
Indirect costs to comm
- Loss of productivity
- Welfare due to not working
- Costs of carers
Intangible costs to ind’s
- Mental health: self conscious low self esteem
- Sleep disturbances due to related conditions, eg. sleep apnoea
- Reduced fitness levels/ can’t exercise as at high intensity (as increase in tissues requiring oxygen)
- Lowered energy levels
- Adjustments required to make dietary changes
Intangible costs to comm
- Stress and anxiety for family and friends if diagnosed with related condition
- Feelings of frustration for family and friends if they have to take time out of lives to care for them due to related condition
Define: sleep apnoea
excess weight pushes the walls of the through together, which can temporarily halt breathing and force person to wake up.
biological determinants?
Age
• as age increases, metabolism slows down; becomes more difficult to maintain weight.
Genetic predisposition
Basal metabolic rate
• lower BMR results in less energy being used, which can lead to obesity
Hormonal disturbances
• Leptin contributes to appetite and fat distribution
• Disturbances in levels of/sensitivity to leptin can lead to obesity.
behavioural determinants?
- Lack of physical activity
- Energy dense diet
- Excessive alcohol consumption (as alcohol contains kilojoules)
physical environment determinants?
Access to recreation facilities
Work environment
• If it doesn’t facilitate incidental exercise (walking up stairs, around factory…) can lead to weight gain.
• Seating arrangements
Transport systems
• Passive methods of transport (eg. car travel) can lead to increased obesity risk
• Not having transport to get fresh fruit and vegetables can lead to reliance on processed foods…
Social determinats?
- Low SES
- Food insecurity, leading to reliance on processed foods
- Stress (eating may be a response to it)
- Early life experience (more likely if obese in childhood, due to difficulties in losing weight and changing dietary and physical activity behaviours)
Livelighter campaign: WHO?
- Developed by Department of Health Western Australia
* Implemented in Victoria; funded by Victorian Government and carried out by the Heart Foundation and the Cancer Council
LL: aims?
- Assist adults in eating well, being physically active and maintaining a healthy body weight
- In doing so, to reduce impact of related conditions such as CVD, T2D, some cancers (colorectal/breast cancer)
LL: how?
Advertising campaigns
• Found in newspapers, online and on TV
• They are very graphic/confronting to educate people on the dangers of obesity and abdominal fat, and to encourage Australians to lose excess weight … and to reduce obesity levels in Australia.
Resources on their website
• Am I at risk? Tool
o Gauges risk for obesity – teaches how to take waist circumference, and BMI calculator
o Also has information for risk of related conditions
o Resources to reduce risk
• 12 week meal and activity planner
o Creates meal plan based on energy needs (age, sex, height, weight, waist circumference) and over time gives them more freedom to choose their meals.
o Also has space for physical activity to be put
• Recipes:
o Provides nutrient dense rather than energy dense meals to reduce obesity risk
o For breakfast, light/main meals, desserts, snacks and drinks
• Top tips
o Watch portion sizes, limit intake of unhealthy fats, avoid sugary drinks, eat healthier when out (grilled rather than fried, salads), be active everyday
