Obesity and Social Issues among the Aboriginals

This paper analyzes obesity as a health condition that occurs from prolonged over nutrition and its implications on society. It focuses on the Aboriginal community of Australia and the social determinants that contribute to the high prevalence of obesity among them.

Community Health Studies Assignment 1
OBESITY AND SOCIAL ISSUES AMONG THE ABORIGINALS
By (Name)
Professor’s Name
The Course
The Name of the University
The City and State where it is Located
The Date

Community Health Studies Assignment 2
Obesity and Social Issues among the Aboriginals
Introduction
Obesity is one of the global health problems. Obesity is related to overweight, which
is contributed by social factors. Overweight and obesity increase the risks of
developing health conditions like cardiac problems, diabetes, and social problems. This paper
succinctly analyses obesity as a health condition that occurs from prolonged over nutrition.
Community nurse and social workers collaborate to promote public health awareness on
obesity on its implication to society. Analysis of the obesity is important in sensitizing
people on the negative effects social and cultural beliefs that may affect their health status.
(Newman et al., 2015, p. 146). From evidenced-based practices, it is clear that obesity is one of
the social issue affecting the health status of the indigenous Australian population. The
Aboriginal community of Australia has the majority of the obese people in the country as
compared to the non-indigenous communities. The increase in the number of obese people
among the Aboriginals is due to their social practices.
The social determinants of health among the aboriginal include the use of drug and
other addictive substances in the community. Drug and substance abuse may also affect the
entire society if majority of the people are addicted to the drug (Fisher et al, 2015, p. 450).
Obesity has caused an increases on both morbidity and mortality rates among the Aboriginal
community of Australia. Body Mass Index is used to determine whether an individual is
normal, overweight, or obese. BMI is higher than 30.0 kg/m2. The increase in BMI is an
indication of obesity among the Aboriginal's population.
Description of Obesity and how it affects People
Evidence-based practices provide relevant and accurate information on the effects of obesity
on the Aboriginals. Research studies have shown that more than forty percent of the

Community Health Studies Assignment 3
Aboriginal population are obese. Obesity is associated with various health conditions
(Newman et al., 2015, p. 14). The majority of obese people are adults because of the social
determinants that cause the prevalence of the problem. Obesity among the Aboriginal is an
age-related social problem because the prevalence of young people to adults is 1:5. Obesity is
associated with a various disease like diabetes, hypertension and cardiac problems (Germov,
2014, p. 556). For example, a large number of obese people among the Aboriginal population
are suffering from type II diabetes. Obesity is affecting the adults and old people, therefore,
resulting to the prevalence of type II diabetes because this type of diabetes normally affects
adults and old people. Obesity has also increase the morbidity of hypertension (Brown et al.,
2015, p. 34). High blood pressure has contributed to the increase in the mortality rates among
the indigenous Aboriginal community. Obese people have higher concentration of fats
deposited in the walls of their blood vessels (World Health Organization, 2013, p. 12). The
deposition of fats increase blood resistance to blood flow and reduces the space of the lumen,
therefore, causing increases blood pressure.
Obesity increases the workload of the cardiac muscle because the heart needs to
perform extra work to ensure that blood reaches all body tissues and cells (Liamputtong, 2016,
p. 68). In this case, the mortality rates increased among the Aboriginals due to obesity-related
heart problems. Review of important literature on the relationship between obesity and
healthcare provision have shown that the prevalence of obesity is higher among the poor and
illiterate Aboriginal communities as compared to the Non-indigenous Australian
communities.
Social Issues and Determinants that lead to Obesity among the Aboriginals
Social determinants are the main components that cause increase the prevalence of
obesity among the Aboriginal community as compared to the non-indigenous communities.

Community Health Studies Assignment 4
The social issue that results in the increase in the number of obese people among the
Aboriginal community includes alcohol intake, lack of physical exercise, and the belief on
traditional medications. Alcohol consumption one of the social issue that leads to obesity,
especially among adults and old people (World Health Organization, 2013, p. 12). Analysis of
and various literature and evaluation of the research outcomes have shown that a large
number of obese people are addicted alcohol consumers and active social smokers. Also, the
alcohol addicts do not engage in physical exercise, therefore, increasing the prevalence of
obesity among the Aboriginal community.
The cultural beliefs of the Aboriginal people contribute to the large number of alcohol
consumer in Australia. Aboriginal ex-smokers are also in a risk of developing obesity as
compared to non-Aboriginal ex-smokers (Derrick, Haynes, Chapman and Hall, 2011, p. 78).
Aboriginal current smokers have lower prevalence of the health issue but smoking and
alcohol consumption may increase the risk of getting the problem if an individual engages in
both social activities. In some cases, heavy smoking may lead to accumulation of fats in the
body, therefore, increasing the BMI of the people. The increase in the BMI lead to obesity
and related health issues (Petersen, 2009, p. 24).
How People can reduce the Prevalence of Obesity in the Society
Public health promotion is an appropriate strategy used in dealing with obesity. The
desire to reduce the social impacts of obesity among the Aboriginal starts from the
recognition of the health conditions related to the issue. Dealing with obesity requires the
people to engage in regular physical activities (Brown et al., 2015, p. 34). Appropriate lifestyle
is also important in reducing the prevalence of obesity among the Aboriginal communities
and eradicating social problems. Since cultural activities result in the prevalence problems
related to obesity, it is important to analyze the cultural beliefs of the Aboriginal community.

Community Health Studies Assignment 5
Aboriginals are active smokers, therefore, reducing the smoking habits is pivotal in dealing
with obesity and its negative impacts on the people.
Change in the lifestyles of the Aboriginals is another aspect to be considered in the
eradication of obesity. Family background is affected by the type of lifestyles of the family
member (Petersen, 2009, p. 24). Obesity may also occur due to inheritance. Changing the
lifestyle may assist in improving the familial background, therefore, reducing the prevalence
of obesity as a social and health issue.
Conclusion
Understanding the mechanism in which obesity affects people is important in dealing
with the issue in the social perspective. Social workers and community health officers should
establish appropriate strategies to eradicate the issue and prevent the occurrence of the
negative impacts related to obesity. Public education is one of the strategies to be used in
managing and preventing obesity in the community. Social education is effective in changing
the beliefs and values of the people about their health.

Community Health Studies Assignment 6
References
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metrics and peer rankings of research influence of Australian researchers in six fields of
public health. PloS one, 6(4), p.e18521.
Fisher, M., Baum, F., MacDougall, C., Newman, L. and McDermott, D., 2015. A qualitative
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Germov, J., 2014. Second opinion: an introduction to health sociology. UK: Oxford University Press,
556p.
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Community Health Studies Assignment 7
Newman, L., Baum, F., Javanparast, S., O'Rourke, K. and Carlon, L., 2015. Addressing social
determinants of health inequities through settings: a rapid review. Health Promotion
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onepage&q=World%20Health%20Organisation%20on%20oral%20and%20dental
%20diseases&f=false