pathoscribe

Written by Caitlin Maramba | Art by Trevor Cheng

It is estimated that one in every eight adults worldwide has obesity. To be obese is described simply as having excessive body fat. Excess body fat can lead to later health complications such as high blood pressure and cholesterol. Another symptom is emotional isolation. Those who are overweight are often judged and perhaps singled out due to their condition and the stigma associated with it. 

Obesity can be a result of many things. To begin, bad lifestyle choices are the main cause. An unhealthy lifestyle can be described as indulging in a harmful diet, avoiding exercise, and even getting insufficient sleep. However, many factors of obesity can be uncontrollable, like genes and socioeconomic factors. Genes passed down from the family can dictate metabolism, which is how the stomach digests food. A quick metabolism will burn many calories, even during rest, while someone with a slow metabolism will store energy differently and take longer to burn calories. Additionally, what one eats will define how much fat one’s body stores, which is why socioeconomic factors can affect obesity, so those without the money to purchase healthy food will have a higher possibility of obesity. 

Obesity worsens and increases the risk of many serious health conditions. Most notably, it can lead to high blood pressure, which increases the energy needed to pump blood across your body,  and high cholesterol, which means that there is too much of a fatty compound in your blood. Both can cause heart problems. Likewise, obesity is a considerable cause of type 2 diabetes. Type 2 diabetes occurs when cells begin to contain more blood sugar than usual. Joint problems such as osteoarthritis are another struggle caused by the increased amount of body fat your joints must carry. Lastly, sleep apnea is a detrimental consequence of obesity, which can cause periods without respiration, disrupt sleep, and increase the inability to function during the day. 

Moreover, the treatment and prevention of obesity mostly consist of breaking unhealthy habits and encouraging healthy ones. Changes in diet focus on including more fruits and vegetables as well as removing unhealthy options. Also, include more physical exercise daily, aiming for twenty minutes of movement a day. The effect of these actions will be strengthened by doing it with family or friends to feel less alone. It is important not to define treating obesity as simply losing weight, as it is far more beneficial to change current habits to include more healthy eating and active behavior. 

Lastly, it is crucial to note that BMI (Body Mass Index), which is the main factor in determining whether or not a child is obese, has recently been shown to be inaccurate. BMI cannot differentiate between muscle or fat in the body. Additionally, no evidence points to the idea that there is an ideal body weight for everyone. A healthy body is an amalgamation of genes, fitness, environment, behaviors, and more that cannot be so tightly defined by weight. Obesity is a serious problem worldwide, and we must foster healthy habits both physically and mentally to be open to the fact that being healthy can look different for everyone. 

Works Cited

Barrette, Lorie. “Is BMI Accurate? New Evidence Says No.” University of Rochester Medical 

Center, 8 Jan. 2024, https://www.urmc.rochester.edu/news/publications/health-matters/is-bmi-accurate. Accessed 15 Jan. 2025.

“Obesity in Teens.” Stanford Medicine Children’s Health, Stanford Children’s Health, 

https://www.stanfordchildrens.org/en/topic/default?id=obesity-in-teens-90-P01627. Accessed 15 Jan. 2025.

“Overweight and Obesity Statistics 2024.” SingleCare, 18 Nov. 2024, 

https://www.singlecare.com/blog/news/obesity-statistics/. Accessed 15 Jan. 2025.