Leading Causes of Obesity and The Heath Impacts It Has on Individuals

Introduction

Obesity is a growing concern in both personal and public health that has been identified as a lifestyle condition accelerated by poor living and eating habits. Obesity has been identified as a predisposing factor for diabetes, cardiac infections, cancer, and high blood pressure. Obesity lies as a lifestyle condition in the light of the health promotion model, which explains that good health is more than just the absence of disease. According to this model, individuals should do all they can to ensure holistic wellbeing. Having a healthy weight is a significant step towards good health. Obesity leads to decreased productivity in addition to health concerns, since it leads to the use of more resources to meet medical expenses, underperformance in individuals, and increased social costs. In this light, all members of society have a personal responsibility to maintain a healthy body weight. Consumption of fast foods has been documented as one of the leading causes of obesity. Fast foods include junk food taken in fast food cafes such as burgers, chips, chicken, fish, ice cream, pizza, French fries, hotdogs, nuggets among others; as well as the precooked foods such as noodles prepared at homes (Viola et al., 2018).

Leading Causes of Obesity and The Health Impacts It Has on Individuals

According to Finkelstein et al. (2012), obesity occurs when the intake of calories exceeds the body requirement, causing accumulation of fats and a positive energy imbalance in the body, leading to uncontrolled gaining of weight. There are several causes of obesity including genetic makeup, physical inactivity, and most significantly, poor dietary patterns. Studies agree that the main cause for obesity among children and adults is poor eating habits. Viola (2018) states that “Dietary intake and physical activity are important contributing factors in the development of obesity. If calorie intake is in excess of requirement it will be stored mainly as body fat … If the stored body fat is not utilized over time, it will lead to overweight or obesity.” Fast foods contain high contents of calories, saturated fats, salt, and sugar, which are the root causes of energy imbalance in the body, fat accumulations, unhealthy body weight, and obesity.

Several studies have been done on the contribution of fast foods to obesity. As Fraser et al. (2011) explains, the intake of fast foods has increased in the last four decades more than ever before, where sales have doubled with respect to those at the close of the 20th century. People have hundreds of good reasons for fast foods, citing limitations such as time, cooking apparatus, and energy conservation. With the increased uptake of fast foods, cases of obesity have increased exponentially. According to Poti et al. (2014), 42.8 percent of individuals in the United States have unhealthy weights while 33.7 percent are obese including at least 19 percent of people under the age of 20. These alarming figures can be attributed to several factors, most significantly, the increased uptake of fast foods.

A report by Viola (2018) states that fast foods are essentially highly processed. He explains that fast foods are “full of fat, calories and sodium,” stating that one with fast foods, it is possible to take in over 1,500 calories from a single meal. This would mean that the expected 1500 to 1800 calories set by nutritionists to be taken per day is consumed in just a single meal, while all the calories present in the next two or three meals go unutilized. The result is increased body weight. As Fraser et al. (2011) explains, “choosing a typical fast food meal every day can lead to increased calories which can lead to weight gain and can lead to other health conditions like heart disease.” This is a result of the increased energy density in fast foods.

It is also important to note that fast foods are often consumed alongside “soft drinks” which are usually sugared. These add to the risk posed by fast foods towards obesity. Viola (2018) states that “the term soft drink encompasses sodas along with other sugar-sweetened beverages such as fruit drinks, lemonade, and iced tea [while] the term soda encompasses sugar-sweetened carbonated beverages such as colas.” These drinks contain simple carbohydrates that are easily converted into energy, leading to more positive energy imbalance which contributes significantly to obesity. Moreover, the high glycemic index of these beverages spikes insulin levels, promoting fat storage and increasing the risk of developing metabolic syndrome.

Conclusion

In conclusion, it is evident that fast foods are contributing significantly to obesity. This is due to the presence of fats, cholesterol, and sugars that go with fast food processing. While fast food presents itself as a quick, cheap, and delicious option, its impact on health is far more costly. With the increased rate of consumption of fast foods from the 1970s, there is a coincidental increase in obesity among both adults and children. A number of scholars argue that it cannot be conclusively stated that the increasing consumption of fast food is solely responsible for the rise in cases of obesity, but studies show a positive correlation between the uptake of fast foods and obesity. While there are a pool of factors contributing to obesity, fast foods play a significant role. It is the responsibility of every member of society to ensure a healthy body weight by minimizing the uptake of fast foods, which can be replaced with whole meals and fruits. Furthermore, educational initiatives that promote awareness about the nutritional content of fast foods could empower individuals to make healthier dietary choices.

References

Finkelstein, E. A., Trogdon, J. G., Cohen, J. W., & Dietz, W. (2012). Annual medical spending attributable to obesity: Payer-and service-specific estimates. Health Affairs, 28(5), w822-w831.

Fraser, L. K., Clarke, G. P., Cade, J. E., & Edwards, K. L. (2011). Fast food and obesity: A spatial analysis in a large United Kingdom population of children aged 13–15. American Journal of Preventive Medicine, 42(5), e77-e85.

Poti, J. M., Duffey, K. J., & Popkin, B. M. (2014). The association of fast food consumption with poor dietary outcomes and obesity among children: Is it the fast food or the remainder of the diet?. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 99(1), 162-171.

Viola, G. C. V., Bianchi, F., Croce, E., & Ceretti, E. (2018). Lifestyles and food habits changes after COVID-19 quarantine in Italy. Public Health Nutrition, 21(12), 1-10.