Global Health Issue: Obesity

Global Health Issue: Obesity

Introduction

Global health issues are the problems regarding healthcare that have surrounded international framework of health. The issues occur in several different countries presenting a very serious challenge to public health. This document will discuss obesity as the global health issue and will identify the preventive measures that are being taken to counteract it.

Discussion

The World Health Organization describes obesity as a condition of abnormal or excess accumulation of adipose tissue (body fat) to an extent that an individual's health may be impaired. Obesity has surfaced as one of the most disturbing nutritional issue facing the world at this time. The trend has augmented in a very precise period of time in U. S. In last quarter of the twentieth century it has appeared to have initiated (Nahal, 2012). As poverty in America is increasing, the obesity is increasing at speedy rate. People living below poverty line not only experience obesity as a disease itself but also experience obesity related disease. This affects quality of life of several families and influences poverty rate furthermore.

Obesity and poverty form a combination that is assuming an alarming state worldwide. . It is difficult to explain the relationship between obesity and poverty, being culturally accustomed to associate poverty underweight and malnutrition, and these two elements are still present in very poor countries where per capita income does not exceed $ 1,000. The prevalence of obesity in the world is rising to alarming proportions, especially in developing countries or in countries with medium income poverty. Unfortunately, the association of obesity and poverty is a phenomenon that affects even the high-income countries.

There is an intricate, devastating and self sustaining relationship between obesity and poverty. Both, poverty and obesity seems to cultivate from similar environmental, economical and social factors. The epidemic of obesity in U. S and western world has been effectively and excessively affecting the neediest. Long ago, obesity was the signature of wealth. People presumed that an individual might be obese as he or she has enough to eat. However, now that the paradigm has altered significantly obesity serves as trait of people belonging to low status. The status is generally determined certain variables that includes: occupation, education, social capital, consumption, social context, assets and wealth, and access to wherewithal, including access to physical activity. Perhaps the greatest determined connection between obesity and poverty is education and earnings. Usually the more the ...