Obesity prevention in socioeconomically disadvantaged families in Australia

This article discusses the problem of obesity in socioeconomically disadvantaged families in Australia. It explores the determinants of obesity, such as fast foods, sedentary lifestyle, and genetic make-up, and proposes a public health nutrition approach to prevent it. The article also highlights the political sensitivity of the issue and the need for coordinated efforts from the government, public health, and nutrition departments. Course code and college/university not mentioned.

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Running Head: PUBLIC HEALTH NUTRITION
Obesity prevention in socioeconomically disadvantaged families in Australia
Author’s name:
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Contents
Introduction.................................................................................................................................................2
Problem statement......................................................................................................................................3
Determinants of obesity in socioeconomically disadvantaged families in Australia....................................4
Fast foods................................................................................................................................................4
Sedentary lifestyle...................................................................................................................................5
Genetic make up......................................................................................................................................5
Proposed public health nutrition approach.................................................................................................6
Political sensitivity.......................................................................................................................................8
Conclusion...................................................................................................................................................9

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Introduction
Obesity refers to a condition whereby there is accumulation of fat more than
20% of the total body weight. Obesity is measured in terms of basal mass index, if a person has a

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body mass index of 25-30kg/m2 the person is considered to be overweight and he or she is at a
higher risk of developing obesity (1). If a person has a basal mass index of more than 30kg/m2
they are considered obese. Obesity has a negative effect on a person’s health. An obese person is
predisposed to conditions such as hypertension, stroke, type 2 diabetes mellitus, and infertility
and irregular periods for women, gallstones, coronary heart disease, osteoarthritis and cancer.
Obesity increases the chances of developing these conditions (2). Obesity may take an emotional
toll on the affected person. Obesity can lead to depression, and feeling of social isolation because
of the weight (3). A person with obesity may feel discriminated, stigmatized and they have a low
self-esteem. Low self-esteem will mostly result in poor coping skills and low quality of life (3).
The emotional burden associated with obesity is worse in the school going children
because of the stigma they experience from their peers. Such individuals will have poor coping
skills and some may develop chronic mental health conditions such as depression which might
lead to self-harm, drug abuse and social isolation (5). Obese people have an altered sense of body
and self-perception; some may subject themselves to extreme diets and slimming regimens
which are detrimental to their health (5).
Obesity is mostly referred to a lifestyle disease because it affects people who have
unhealthy lifestyle and diet especially those who take high diet high in cholesterol and unhealthy
fats. Obesity is also high in the socioeconomically disadvantaged people in Australia. In obesity
the concentration of low density lipids is very high in the blood compared to the concentration of
high density lipoproteins (7).

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Problem statement
In Australia weight problem has been a menace for the past decade with 48% of
men and 30% of women dealing with weight issues. 19% of men and 22% of women in this
population have obesity (4). Being overweight predisposes someone to obesity and obesity
makes it difficult to control some of the chronic conditions (4). Obesity is more common in the
indigenous Australians compared to other communities living in Australia. Studies conducted
show that 31% of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders are overweight and obese. Among the
indigenous people of Australia 38% of their youths have an enlarged waist circumference, 43%
have Acanthosis Nigricans and 27% have developed hypertension.
Statistics show that in the year 2014-2015, 26% of the children and adolescent were
overweight or obese. According to statistics adults born in the 1970s have a lower chance of
developing obesity compared to adults born in the 1980s and 1990s. This implies that the
prevalence rate of developing obesity decreases with the increase in seniority in terms of the year
of birth of adults, children and adolescent (6).
Obesity is increasing at an alarming rate in Australia and this is a call for public
health awareness of the public on the causes of obesity, prevention of obesity and the health
impact of obesity in later years of life and its increasing disease burden (5). The public needs to
be educated on the importance of adopting a healthy lifestyle in the prevention of obesity.
Determinants of obesity in socioeconomically disadvantaged
families in Australia
The rate of obesity in the socioeconomically disadvantaged in Australia is very
high. Factors attributing to the increased rate of obesity among this group of people in Australia

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are availability of fast foods, sedentary lifestyles, poor eating habits, genetic make-up, and
reduced number of the labor work force.
Fast foods
Fast foods are cheap compared to other types of food. These foods are also easily
available. Eating fast foods is the only option for the economically disadvantaged because they
are easily available and easy to prepare in comparison to other form of healthy foods. For
instance when you walk into the supermarket in the grocery section, healthy and organic foods
are very expensive compared to the inorganic and unhealthy foods (12). Fries cost less compared
to broccoli, white bread is less expensive compared to whole grain brown bread, sugar is less
expensive compared to honey, and oats are more expensive compared to wheat. For the
socioeconomically disadvantaged person he or she will opt for the cheaper option regardless of
the many disadvantages associated with the fast foods (13).
Nutritionally oats are better than wheat and they don’t cause weight gain, whole grains
are better than refined grain, honey is superior to sugar in terms of the health benefit, sadly the
more superior the food the more expensive it is, leaving the socioeconomically disadvantaged no
option but to take the less superior food which predisposes them to obesity. Fast foods are also
linked with poor eating habits (13).
Sedentary lifestyle
Sedentary lifestyle goes hand in hand with the reduced labor workforce. The
disadvantaged have a more sedentary lifestyle because most of the time they have no job to go
to, which results in a reduction in their labor workforce and accumulation of weight due to
prolonged durations of inactivity (13). This is mostly attributed to depression and the lack social

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interactions because of their inability to get a job or provide for their loved ones. Most of the
depressed individuals end up beige eating especially fast foods which are available and these
results in obesity (13).
Genetic make up
The interaction between the genetic make-up and the type of food someone consumes
determines the ability of that person to develop obesity. If obesity runs in the family and the
individuals of that family don’t observe good eating habits and an exercise regimen thy will end
up having obesity (13). Most of the socioeconomically disadvantaged people in Australia are the
women and majority of the indigenous Australian people. Genetically these two groups are
predisposed to developing obesity compared to other groups; therefore the high rates of obesity
found among women and the indigenous people of Australia is attributed to their economic status
and their physical inactivity especially the women.
Genetics also determine caloric intake versus expenditure, some people have a high
metabolic rate which results in the burning of calories at a very high rate. Others have a very low
metabolic rate which results into slow burning of calories. Slow burning of calories results in
accumulation which may end up causing obesity in people with low metabolic rates compared to
persons with a high metabolic rate (13).
Proposed public health nutrition approach
The best way to approach the issues and causes surrounding obesity is to engage the
public health department, and the nutrition department. These two departments will formulate
specific and appropriate strategies for preventing obesity (8). The public health department will

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deal with public sensitization and the nutrition department will come up with nutritional advice
and formulate meal plans and alternatives for replacing fast foods.
Australia is ranked the third country in the world with a highest number of
overweight people. In Australia obesity has an increasing frequency with the prevalence ate
increasing with increasing age. Women are affected more than men statistics show that in every
four children one has obesity making it 25% of the children population in Australia has obesity.
In every three adults two have obesity, making it 63% of the adult population has obesity (9).
The increase in the prevalence rate of obesity has led to an increase in the
number of weight loss surgeries conducted in Australia because of the altered body perception.
Statistics state that the number of people asking for weight loss surgery has greatly increased
compared to the number of people seeking weight loss surgery in the last decade. In Australia
5% of the disease burden has been attributed to obesity (4). Obesity increases the fatality of
chronic conditions such as hypertension and diabetes. For instance if a person had a stroke
previously and they develop obesity in their later years, this client is at a higher risk of
developing coronary heart disease because of hypercholesteremia especially because of the
increasing levels of low density lipids in the circulatory system.
Obesity is also a problem to individuals who move to Australia especially from
low income nations. Development of obesity in immigrants is attributed to poor eating habits
which results from availability of cheap fast foods (8). Fast foods are unhealthy and cheap
compared to organic foods which are healthy and expensive. People from the low socioeconomic
class opt the cheap option because that I what they can afford. Immigrants have an increased risk

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of developing conditions such as hypertension and diabetes. These conditions are highly
associated with poor eating habits hypertension and obesity.
Overweight and obesity in children negatively impacts their health status, resulting
in increased juvenile hypertension and type 1 diabetes. Overweight and obese mostly complain
of musculoskeletal pain, headaches, anxiety, enuresis, depression and bullying. These complains
can worsen and they may lead to chronic mental conditions which can make the child or
adolescent a danger to themselves and those around them (5).
Obesity is a big problem in Australia especially in low socioeconomic status.
People in this cadre have no access to healthy, organic and quality food because of the costly
nature of these foods; however they have access to most of the processed and fast foods because
they are cheap and this increases their chances of developing obesity (5).Obesity is a major
public health issue in Australia because of the increased disease burden associated with obesity
and its increasing prevalence and incidence rate.
The most effective strategies applied in the prevention of obesity are changes in
lifestyle through encouraging the public to more active physically; physical activity helps in
burning out excess calories. The public should also change their diet plans and adopt a more
healthy diet plan by consuming less sugars and processed foods and consuming more
unprocessed foods, fruits, vegetables and whole grain cereals. Australian’s should also adopt the
use of natural sweeteners, such as honey because of the health benefits associated with healthy
options and the reduction in unhealthy fats in foods that are not processed. When a person
consumes healthy foods they stay fuller for longer because they have complex sugars unlike

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processed foods which have simple sugars and they are easily digested making a person hungry
shortly after eating them (13).
Political sensitivity
Obesity in Australia among the disadvantaged is growing at alarming rate
prompting nutritionist and researcher to term obesity in Australia an epidemic. Political leaders
are now advocating for a healthier lifestyle in an attempt to lower the levels of obesity in
Australia. Obesity has led to an increased disease burden in Australia and an increase in the
medical expenditure (10). Complications that result from obesity and the disease burden
associated with obesity have a negative effect on the economy of the country. This is attributed
to the inability of the socioeconomically disadvantaged people to foot their own hospital bill;
thereby depending on the government for medical care. Prevention is better than cure; therefore
preventing obesity is better than curing it.
This proposal will be positively accepted by the public and the political leaders,
because it is evident that obesity is a growing problem among the socioeconomically
disadvantaged Australians. The increasing prevalence of obesity is undeniable and its disease
burden is increasing.
Addressing the issue of obesity will be received better if the political leaders are
involved. The department of public health and nutrition cannot make a significant impact without
involving the political leaders. Political leaders are the people’s choice therefore the public will
listen and practice what they advocate for because they believe in them.

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Conclusion
In Australia obesity is on the rise at a tremendous rate. To prevent the continued rise of
obesity and reduce its disease burden, the government, the ministry of public health and the
ministry of nutrition have to work together in a coordinated way to ensure that the public is
sensitized on the causes, preventive measures and complications of besity.

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