Obesity prevention in socioeconomically disadvantaged families in Australia

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Running Head: PUBLIC HEALTH NUTRITION
Obesity prevention in socioeconomically disadvantaged families in Australia
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PUBLIC HEALTH NUTRITION
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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PUBLIC HEALTH NUTRITION
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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PUBLIC HEALTH NUTRITION
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).