Obesity is a Health Issue in the U K
12 Pages3433 Words348 Views
Added on 2019-10-31
Obesity is a Health Issue in the U K
Added on 2019-10-31
ShareRelated Documents
Running head: OBESITY IN THE UK1OBESITY IS A HEALTH ISSUE IN UKNameInstitution
OBESITY IN THE UK2Obesity is a Health Issue in the UK1.Introduction Obesity stands out as one of the most prevalent epidemiologic challenge plaguing healthcare systems all over the world, gulping immense resources. The incidence of the condition has risen in the past 30 years not only in the UK but most countries especially Western countries. Figures on obesity from the UK paint a poor state of health pertaining to the condition. The World Health Organisation (WHO) actually describes the situation in the UK as "a public health bomb"[ CITATION Aca13 \l 1033 ], and that the rates in the country are “just about the worst in Europe”[ CITATION Nat14 \l 1033 ]. The WHO defines obesity as the excessiveaccumulation of fat to a point that it represents a risk to health [ CITATION Att14 \l 1033 ]. Another definition of obesity is defined as having a body mass index (BMI) greater than or equal to 30 kg/m2 [ CITATION Rya10 \l 1033 ]. A common description of obesity that is often adopted in the medical cycle is the increased deposition of adipose tissue, which results from the enlargement of fat cells, which may also be accompanied by a rise in their number. This paper investigates various elements of obesity as a health issue in the UK. This includes dimensions of socioeconomic, why it is an important nursing issue, its epidemiology and demography, and health inequalities that influence the issue.2.Obesity in the UKThe top five big killers in England are attributable to obesity in one way or another. According to the Department of Health, heart disease, stroke, cancer, lung, and liver disease are the top killers which also happen to be linked to obesity [ CITATION All07 \l 1033 ]. There is a steady and weighty social gradient in the occurrence of obesity in the England.
OBESITY IN THE UK3High levels of obesity are reported in women and children of lower socio-economic groupings [ CITATION Rob07 \l 1033 ]. Considering Europe as a whole, 20-25% of the obesity is found in males, whereas 40 to 50% of the obesity is found in females. 3.Significance to NursingThis is an important health issue for nursing today because obesity poses a significant risk to the health of the masses. The nurse's role in managing the condition and accompanying burden is based on obesity, its causes, burden, and treatments. Nurses should be able to understand the interaction of different factors which include environmental, physiologic, and psychological which play a role in the obesity epidemic.4.Epidemiology and DemographyIn Western Europe, the UK ranks first among countries with the highest levels of obesity. The UK leads with 24.9% followed by Ireland at 24.5% [ CITATION NHS151 \l 1033 ]. TheUN Food and Agriculture Organisation reports the incidence of obesity in the UK as one in every four adults being obese [ CITATION FAO13 \l 1033 ]. The level of obesity in the UK has more than tripled from 6% in men and 8% in women in the 1980s, with over 24.8% of adults classified as obese [ CITATION Hea13 \l 1033 ]. Obesity in the UK has been linked toincome, social deprivation and obese. In the UK, obese persons are more likely to be found inurban dwellings [ CITATION Bak17 \l 1033 ]. Lower income areas of London have the highest rates of obesity especially childhood obesity compared to the rest of the UK. In terms of regions, the North East of UK has the highest incidence of obesity [ CITATION Bak17 \l 1033 ].
OBESITY IN THE UK45.Impact of health inequalities: Socioeconomic factorsa)IncomePersons with lower income levels are disproportionately more likely to be obese. This is in contrary of the common misconception that people with higher income levels in developed countries are more likely to be obese [ CITATION Tar14 \l 1033 ]. Evidence from various studies indicates that the likelihood of developing obesity is increased with lower income andis inversely associated with the socioeconomic status. [ CITATION Ama09 \l 1033 ]. As attested by the former public health minister, Anna Soubry, poorer people have a tendency of being overweight [ CITATION Mon13 \l 1033 ]. This assessment is based on the correlation between deprivation and obesity in which the prevalence of obesity increases or remains the same with increased deprivation. A notable observation is that in lower-income countries, persons with higher socioeconomic status have an increased likelihood of becoming obese. Whereas, in high-income countries, persons with a higher socioeconomic status are less likely to be obese [ CITATION Fre12 \l 1033 ]. The possible explanation for this reversal is that there is a possibility that in lower income countries, a higher socioeconomic status translates to increased consumption of high-caloric food and avoiding physical activity, whereas, in higher income countries, those with higher socioeconomic status have a tendency to eat healthily and regular exercise.b)EducationEvidence from studies has shown a positive correlation between education and health[ CITATION Mar111 \l 1033 ]. True to this, there is an established positive correlation between education and obesity in which a better education lowers the likelihood of becoming obese. According to Devaux and fellows (2011), evidence from a number of OECD countries
End of preview
Want to access all the pages? Upload your documents or become a member.
Related Documents
Obesity and Overweight Assignment PDFlg...
|8
|2477
|65
Obesity Prevention: Social Media Strategies for Awarenesslg...
|15
|3837
|260
Arguments for Taking a Public Health Approach to Obesitylg...
|4
|604
|91
Arguments for Taking a Public Health Approach to Obesitylg...
|7
|2453
|68
Nursing assignment : Tuberculosislg...
|17
|5255
|161
Prevalence of Obesity in England since 2010lg...
|13
|742
|59