The problem of obesity in modern societies : "To a fitter future ?"

Résumé du document

The need for being leaner and fitter future evident. The Media covering issues of adult obesity, reported the concerns of overweight among children. The obesity epidemic in the developed countries can no longer be ignored. Globally there are more than 1 billion overweight adults and at least 300 million of these people are obese. The prevalence of obesity among adults has increased three times in the last 20 years.

Extraits

[...] But obesity also generate impairment in the quality of life and this disease has frequently been ignored by most health professional and policy makers. The World Health Report 2002 estimated that more than 2.5 million deaths annually are weight related and forecast this could rise to 5 million by 2020. Deaths directly related to obesity have been estimated at 320,000 a year in Europe and more than 300,000 in the USA in 2001. There are many reasons why we getting fatter, like food habits and the lack of activities. [...]

[...] That's why there is a higher rate of obesity in poor population. Industrialised foods are easily accessible and allow the poorer to access to the consumer society. There are other reasons for explaining the obesity epidemics like genetics problem but this explanation concern a minority of people. Unhealthy shopping habits, depression, give up smocking are also other reasons. So, why are we getting fatter ? Principally because of new eating style and advertising that promise people to become more and more resistant and beautiful, and on the contrary those ad people and make them dependant on food. [...]

[...] Fast-food is also contributing to a high rate of obesity so the government should tax this kind of food more than the other. The money collected could serve to finance a global media plan about healthy food. A minister in Great Britain propose last month to the commons health select committee that youngsters should have two hours sporting activity each day at school. The practice of sport serve to consume the excess of calories. Every people should have information about nutrition, healthy and unhealthy foods. [...]

[...] The result is that large portions are becoming normalised, and people have lost track of what portion sizes are. There is evidence that larger portion results in a greater energy intake, and that people may now be eating more in response to such environmental cues rather than their own physiological signals. Television Increased television viewing is a major contributor to increasing levels of obesity. This is thought to act trough several mechanisms, which are reducing activity, increasing people exposure to food advertising, over-eating because of no pay attention to eating, associated TV snacking habits, and possibly even slowing down metabolism. [...]

[...] The problem of obesity in modern societies : To a fitter future ? The urgency of a leaner, fitter future is self evident. Media reporting of adult obesity has been with us for some time and last year saw the beginning of mainstream media reporting of overweight in children. The obesity epidemic in the developed countries can no longer be ignored. Globally there are more than 1 billion overweight adults and at least 300 million of these people are obese in the world. [...]