Obesity as a Health Disorder
Obesity is a health disorder that results from an unhealthy accumulation of body fat to the point where an individual's health is at risk of negative consequences. This disorder is primarily caused by a rise in high-energy foods combined with insufficient physical activity, resulting in fat accumulation under the skin and around major internal organs such as the heart. Obesity and overweight conditions are on the rise worldwide, according to the World Health Organisation, with about one-third of the global population suffering from one or both conditions. Obesity and overweight disorders are prevalent in the UAE at a rate of more than 60%, double the global average (Rizvi, 2015). This exposes the affected populations to chronic health risks associated with obesity such as type-2 diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, arthritis, asthma and stroke (Mathew, 2001).
Causes of Obesity
The primary causes of obesity are physical inactivity, and the consumption of high energy and fat contents present mainly in processed foods. The intake of these empty calories coupled with sedentary lifestyles makes the body store excess fat leading to deterioration of both physical and mental health (Chaudhary, 2016). According to research studies conducted in the UAE, the intake of such foods and lack of physical activity is firmly attributable to economic developments which have seen people work in less physically involving jobs, use elevators in buildings, travel in cars and do less exercise as a result of the high temperatures and unconducive urban environment (Rizvi, 2015). Busy modern schedules have also led to an increase in the consumption of junk and processed foods such as burgers and sugary soft drinks. Furthermore, there are inadequacies in the health information present in young and adult populations about the dangers of obesity and the associated causes and preventive measures. This has resulted in unfounded blame on genetics from some parents for their children's obese conditions without due consideration of their eating habits and exercise needs.
Addressing Obesity
Therefore, it is essential that holistic measures are adopted to curb the rate of obesity not only to mitigate the accompanying health risks but also to reduce the global cost for related medicare, estimated at $2 trillion (Rizvi, 2015). According to research by McKinsey Global Institute, half of the world population could be either overweight or obese by 2030. In this regard, acute organ deterioration due to obesity in children is a major concern especially in countries experiencing high prevalence levels such as the UAE where 36 percent of the children are obese. This has been associated with parental misinformation, food addiction, excess intake of sugary foods, food availability and genetics. Whereas adult obesity implications may be late to reverse, childhood obesity is easily manageable to avert the associated health problems (Chaudhary, 2016). This may be done through explicit food labeling, parental education, advertising restrictions on high-calorie foods, reduced food portions and investment in physical wellness programs. Additionally, the transport facilities and environmental factors should be considered especially in urban areas to facilitate physical activity and reduce obesity levels.
Conclusion
In conclusion, obesity is a lifestyle-related condition whose development is greatly dependent on foods ingested, physical exercises and genetics. Despite the rampant disregard of this disease, it predisposes both adults and children to many health-threatening physical and mental conditions as well as bringing substantial economic and productivity losses. It is therefore incumbent for all health stakeholders to mitigate upon the causes of obesity to realize better health outcomes around the world.
References
Childhood obesity is a growing problem in UAE. GulfNews. (Chaudhary, 2016). Retrieved 13 November 2017, from http://gulfnews.com/news/uae/health/childhood-obesity-is-a-growing-problem-in-uae-1.1935026
Obesity ‘a big problem in UAE’. GulfNews. (Mathew, 2001). Retrieved 13 November 2017, from http://gulfnews.com/news/uae/general/obesity-a-big-problem-in-uae-1.423586
Special report: Obesity rate in the UAE double the world average. (Rizvi, 2015). The National. Retrieved 13 November 2017, from https://www.thenational.ae/uae/health/special-report-obesity-rate-in-the-uae-double-the-world-average-1.74056
