Public Health Concerns: Nutrition and Overweight

Public Health Concerns: Nutrition and Overweight

Introduction

Obesity is a chronic disease characterized by excess fat, which can be establish an early age in life and is difficult to reverse, so that its prevalence increases with increasing age. T he health consequences of being overweight are severe and lead to decreased longevity and quality of life. Overweight and obesity have become one of the most prevalent medical conditions affecting the well-being of children (Shore & Yakes, 2007).

Obesity affects individuals of all ages and sexes, showing a high prevalence in Chile, estimated in adults from 13% for men and 22.7% for women. Its frequency increases with age until about 60 years in both sexes and is consistently higher in women of all ages, especially those of lower socioeconomic status. It is also associated with a higher prevalence of chronic disease conditions such as hypertension, diabetes mellitus, cholelithiasis, dyslipidemia, coronary heart disease, cancer, respiratory diseases, psychiatric, arthritis and many other chronic diseases, which limit life expectancy, with increased cost of health for the population, which represents a serious public health problem worldwide (Rodriguez et. al, 2005).

Discussion

Overweight and obesity have become key challenges for public health. Recent data show that 61% of adults in the Unites States are overweight (have a body mass index > 25, see the following definition) and 34% are obese (body mass index > 30, according to the Office of the Surgeon General, 2009). Canada and the United Kingdom show lower levels of obesity (about a quarter of adults are obese), but the long-term trend is similar and visible not only in developed but also developing countries: A growing number of children, youngsters, and adults are overweight. As a result of that trend, public communication on this issue has increased in the last years. Policymakers have coined the term obesity epidemic to label the associated challenge in a simple, illustrative, but at the same time also somewhat misleading way (Aguayo et. al, 2003).

This entry starts with an elaborated and precise definition of the key terms overweight and obesity. Medical and economic aspects of the problem are described, and social constructivism and framing are presented as promising theoretical perspectives for a critical analysis of the obesity epidemic from a communication science perspective. Obesity can be counteracted by policies focusing on the individual level or the societal level (California Department of Public Health, 2010).

Policy Recommendations

Health Diet

Children can eat a ...