obesity

Question 1

What is the distribution of obesity

Answer 1

In HIC, both sexes and ages are affected, but disproportionately more in the more disadvantaged groups-so there is a social gradient to the disease

In LMIC, the most affected are middle aged people in urban environments, especially women

In Under-developed countries, they face a dual burden as they are still dealing undernutrition in some areas, yet other areas are now being hit with obesity.

Overweight and obesity are increasing simultaneously and proportionally in all age groups in all regions to varying extents. This indicates that it is not a single-generation issue but an environemental one

Question 2

What is the progression of the obesity pandemic

Answer 2

Starts in high SES middle age women living in urban areas, then progresses to men then children of low SES, and of rural background

Question 3

What are the 4 consequences of obesity

Answer 3

metabolic disorders(type 2 diabetes, cancers)
mechanical disorders(arthritis etc)

psychological problems( Low self esteem)

social consequences( weight bias/discrimination, reduced opportunities)

Question 4

Obesogenic environemt

Answer 4

The sum of influences that the surroundings/opportunities, conditions of life have on promoting obesity in individuals and populations

Question 5

Obesogenic environmental consequences

Answer 5

Obesity is the result of people responding normally to the obesogenic environments they find themselves in

The obesogenic environment has physical, economic, policy and socio-cultural aspects

Question 6

Global forces that drive the obesity pandemic

Answer 6

Food system- globalised food supply and technological changes creating cheaper and more available food calories

Changes to lifestyle-levels of occupational physical activity, sendentary lifestyle, increased mechanisation, fewer active transport and recreation opportunities

Political and economic drivers- drive us to consume in an attempt to improve the economy via market based growth

Question 7

4P’s of food system

Answer 7

Products: tend to be processed, not fresh. this reduces time cost of food
Placement: junk food is for sale in diverse places
Prices: there is a lot of pressure in the system to have prices as low as possible for people to buy
Promotion-there is marketing everywhere, especially onscreen creating passive overconsumption

Question 8

What prevents the implementation of WHO’s prevention strategies for obesity

Answer 8

policy resistance-lobbying ability of food companies
Political timidity and susceptibility to lobbying
lack of publicpressure
weak accountability services
inadequate present systems for monitoring population nurtion or weight

Policy interventions for obesity can only be realistically directed at the environment rather than the individual