World Obesity Day

“We are digging our graves with our teeth.”- Thomas Moffett. More than 800 million people in the world are currently living with obesity. By 2035 it is estimated that 1.9 billion people globally will be living with obesity. World Obesity Day, observed annually on March 4, is set aside to raise awareness, promote advocacy, enhance policies and facilitate the sharing of experiences in the field of obesity. In most cases, obesity is a multifactorial disease due to psychosocial factors and genetic variants. Obesity is an expensive health issue to treat and manage. Alarmingly, the global costs of overweight and obesity are predicted to reach US$3 trillion per year by 2030, and more than US$18 trillion by 2060. Too often we take a judgmental approach regarding the narrative surrounding obesity. Perhaps this is out of ignorance. Those of us who have ever tried to lose weight know firsthand how challenging this is. On the other hand it is relatively easy to gain weight. Obesity is a complex interaction of different factors, for different people, in different countries and cultures. Obesity is a complex, chronic condition which contributes to many health issues including osteoarthritis, cancer and depression. It is important that we remove our biases regarding the conversation about obesity especially given that at least 2.8 million people die each year as a result of being overweight or obese. It is critical that we give more support to those who are struggling with issues pertaining to their weight management. This year’s campaign theme is Let’s Talk About Obesity And….World Obesity Day is about acknowledging the complexity of obesity, breaking down stereotypes, and advocating for multifaceted solutions. The World Health Organization (WHO) defines obesity as a chronic complex disease defined by excessive fat deposits that can impair health. Obesity can lead to increased risk of type 2 diabetes and heart disease, it can affect bone health and reproduction, it increases the risk of certain cancers. Obesity influences the quality of living, such as sleeping or moving. The diagnosis of overweight and obesity is made by measuring people’s weight and height and by calculating the body mass index (BMI): weight (kg)/height² (m²). The body mass index is a surrogate marker of fatness and additional measurements, such as the waist circumference, can help the diagnosis of obesity. Obesity results from an imbalance of energy intake (diet) and energy expenditure (physical activity). It appears that the more society embraces modernity is the more our lives become sedentary. A sedentary lifestyle predisposes all of us to become overweight and obese. Many employees with desk bound jobs are sometimes afraid to leave their desks and stretch at various intervals throughout the work day. We need to revisit employer/employee relationships and see how best human resource management can change this culture of reluctance. It clearly takes determination and support to overcome obesity. Obesity in the Caribbean. According to the Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA), the Caribbean has some of the highest rates of overweight and obesity in the Americas with adults ranging from 18.9% in Antigua and Barbuda to 31.6% in the Bahamas. Distressingly, overweight and obesity prevalence levels in children aged 5-9 years in CARICOM countries are increasing, and highest in the Bahamas at 39.5% and lowest in Saint Lucia at 26.1%. Disturbingly, the prevalence of obesity in Caribbean children is two to three times higher than the World. Jamaica’s obesity rate is very disconcerting. . According to the World Health Organization (WHO), 54% of Jamaicans are overweight or obese. The World Obesity Federation (WOF) says that Jamaica is a high-risk country for childhood obesity. The WOF states that the excessive consumption of sugary snacks and beverages has been identified as a major contributing factor to this disturbing fact. With the obesity epidemic in children and adolescents, the future seen through the risk factor lens for Non Communicable Diseases (NCDs) looks dismal, as these young person’s will be the future working generation but living with higher rates of NCDs. Double Burden of Malnutrition. The WHO adds that many low- and middle-income countries face a so-called double burden of malnutrition. While these countries continue to deal with the problems of infectious diseases and under nutrition, they are also experiencing a rapid upsurge in noncommunicable disease risk factors such as obesity and overweight. It is common to find under nutrition and obesity co-existing within the same country, the same community and the same household. Youth Facilitating Change. Without a doubt many children around the world are exposed to environments that do not promote health but instead encourage weight gain. The proliferation of the fast-food industry is also a contributing factor to the global epidemic of obesity. Children in low- and middle-income countries are more vulnerable to inadequate pre-natal, infant, and young child nutrition. At the same time, these children are exposed to high-fat, high-sugar, high-salt, energy-dense, and micronutrient-poor foods, which tend to be lower in cost and nutrient quality. These dietary patterns, in conjunction with lower levels of physical activity, result in sharp increases in childhood obesity while under nutrition issues remain unsolved. In Jamaica, the tendency has been to make Physical Education (PE) optional after grade nine. However, if the society genuinely seeks to have more physically active students then Physical Education (PE) should be mandatory to grade 11. Obesity is a societal rather than an individual responsibility, with the solutions to be found through the creation of supportive environments and communities that embed healthy diets and regular physical activity as the most accessible, available and affordable behaviours of daily life. Eradicating Stigma. Obesity has also been associated with anxiety disorders and eating disorders, specifically bulimia and binge-eating disorders. The reality is many of us turn to food to comfort us in times of stress. Such comfort foods are usually unhealthy and only mask our emotional pain for a time. Unfortunately, many individuals who are diagnosed as obese face prejudice and stigma that ultimately impacts their mental health and self-esteem. For some individuals, it may be difficult to recognize and appreciate their talents and abilities because of their struggles with their weight. The matter of weight gain is further compounded by the perfect body type that is portrayed in various avenues. Those who do not meet such requirements are often made to feel ashamed of their body type. Body shaming involves humiliating someone by making inappropriate or negative comments about their body size or shape. Social media often emphasizes physical appearance and makes it easy to post hurtful comments about others. The overall message is often that you should strive for the perfect body and find ways to hide your flaws. This can have a huge influence on your body image. Sadly, in such moment’s weight management tend to the farthest thing from the minds of such individuals. Additionally, persons who are obese are frequently subjected to discrimination in several settings, including educational, employment, and even health care settings. It is important to not only recognize that obesity is a disease itself, but to consider the risk factors and other diseases linked to obesity. There is often an underestimated connection between obesity and other health issues, especially mental health. The proliferation of social media has led to us becoming fixated and obsessed with the perfect body type. Social media can be a two-edged weapon in that it facilitates hurt and discrimination yet it also can be used to reach out for help and support. Healthy Eating. Eating a healthy diet is not about strict limitations, or depriving yourself of the foods you love. Rather, it is about feeling great, having more energy, improving your health, and improving your mental state. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) states that an eating plan that helps promote health and manage one’s weight includes a variety of healthy foods. Eating should be a fun activity; dark leafy greens, oranges, and tomatoes even fresh herbs are loaded with vitamins, fiber, and minerals and should be part of our eating plan. Some initiatives spearheaded by CARPHA to combat childhood obesity include the Six-Point Policy Package. CARPHA’s six-point policy package (6-PPP) was instituted in 2017 to promote healthier food environments and food security to address childhood obesity through joint policy action. This framework includes policy recommendations to address: #1 food labelling; #2 nutrition standards and guidelines for schools and other institutions; #3 food marketing; #4 nutritional quality of food supply; #5 trade and fiscal policies; and #6 food chain incentives. Undoubtedly, the fight to tackle global obesity will require a multi sectoral approach involving both public and private sectors and non-governmental organizations (NGO’s). It is imperative that governments incorporate the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, especially goal #3 that addresses Good Health and Well-Being in their campaign to tackle obesity. The campaign to tackle global obesity will require a collaborative action in order to correct the misconceptions around obesity as well as to implement far-reaching solutions. A critical part of the conversation about obesity must be the implementation of The National School Nutrition Policy. This policy is necessary in order to promote healthy eating habits in our schools. On this World Obesity Day join the global campaign in the fight against obesity. In the words of Michelle Obama, parents have a right to expect that their efforts at home won't be undone each day in the school cafeteria or in the vending machine in the hallway. ...Parents have a right to expect that their kids will be served fresh, healthy food that meets high nutritional standards. Wayne Campbell is an educator and social commentator with an interest in development policies as they affect culture and or gender issues. waykam@yahoo.com @WayneCamo © #WorldObesityDay