Report on Obesity and the Mediterranean Diet

Running head: REPORT
Nutrition
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author Note

REPORT1
Executive summary
The dramatic upsurge in the incidence and prevalence of obesity and overweight people in
most nations has been identified as a matter of immediate health concern. Obesity increases
the risks of mortality by making the patients more likely to suffer from comorbid conditions.
The increase in BMI creates several public health challenges and is often associated with
poor dietary behaviour. This report was based on a secondary research and highlighted the
impact of Mediterranean diet on obesity. The findings suggested that adherence to a
Mediterranean diet decreases obesity and helps in its successful prevention and management.

REPORT2
Table of Contents
Introduction................................................................................................................................3
Aim/Research question..............................................................................................................4
Methods......................................................................................................................................4
Results and Discussion...............................................................................................................5
Conclusion..................................................................................................................................8
References..................................................................................................................................9

REPORT3
Introduction
Obesity refers to the abnormal or excessive accumulation of adipose tissue or fat in
the body, which takes a toll on the physical health and wellbeing of individuals. It is
generally defined as an imbalance between daily consumption of energy and its expenditure
that leads to excess gain of body weight (Pozza & Isidori, 2018). The condition is triggered
by a plethora of factors that can be cultural, genetic or societal. Some major causes are poor
food habits, decreased physical activity, insomnia, poor energy metabolism and side effect of
medications (Tomiyama et al., 2018). 2 in 3 adults and 1 in 4 adolescents and kids were
found to be obese in the year 2017-18 in Australia. 8.4% of disease burden in Australia in
2015 was directly accredited to obesity (AIHW, 2019). Moreover, the number of weight loss
surgeries increased from 9,300 in 2005-06 to 22,700 in 2014-15, thus highlighting the high
prevalence of obesity in the Australian population. The Australian Guide to Healthy Eating
emphasises on the regular consumption of vegetables and beans/legumes, cereal foods,
primarily whole grain, lean meat, fish, poultry, nuts, eggs, seeds, cheese, milk, and other
reduced dairy fat alternatives (Department of Health and Aging, 2017).
There is a growing body of evidence that consumption of fast food or processed food
that are rich in fat content increases the likelihood of suffering from obesity (Currie et al.,
2019). Little or no consumption of vegetables and fruits and unrefined carbohydrates like
brown rice and wholemeal bread have also been associated with an increased risk of suffering
from obesity. Mediterranean diet has gained attention in recent years and it comprises of
legumes, nuts, seeds, fruits, vegetables, whole grains, sea food, and focuses on moderate
consumption (Dernini et al., 2017). Meals are generally formulated around plant-based food
and the diet does not emphasise on meat consumption.