Reflection on Promoting Health and Wellbeing: Obesity Impact

This essay provides a reflection on the intricate relationship between health, wellbeing, and obesity. It highlights how obesity can significantly impact an individual's mental health, leading to mood and anxiety disorders, particularly in individuals with a BMI over 30. The reflection emphasizes the interconnectedness of physical and mental health in determining overall wellbeing and underscores the importance of addressing health inequalities, especially income-related disparities that can contribute to unhealthy lifestyles and obesity. The role of health policies in promoting healthier food choices, physical activity, and encouraging healthy behaviors among healthcare professionals is also discussed. Furthermore, the essay acknowledges the crucial role nurses play in educating patients and families about nutrition, the healthcare system, and obesity-related illnesses, as well as helping patients set and achieve health goals to reduce their BMI and improve their mental health.

PROMOTING HEALTH
AND WELLBEING

TABLE OF CONTENTS
REFLECTION.................................................................................................................................1
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................3

REFLECTION
As per my point of view health is one of the most important things within an individual’s
life. If an individual is physically, mentally and emotionally fit and healthy then they can tackle
any issue or problem effectively, enhance their wellbeing and live a high- quality life. There are
various factors that can affect health of an individual and obesity is one of them. Various
research has helped in identifying that obesity is directly related to mental health of an
individual and can result in mood or anxiety disorder. People who are mostly affected with this
health issue are people whose comes in the category of obese who have BMI over 30. I think
health and wellbeing are inter-related to each other. If health of an individual is affected then it
can directly affect wellbeing of an individual. Both physical and mental health can affect
wellbeing of a person. If a person is not healthy and is obese then it can affect their mental
health.
It is extremely important to focus upon reducing health inequalities because these health
inequalities can directly impact an individual, families, population group etc. Type of inequality
and its level directly affect health of an individual. Income is one of the most important type of
health inequality that can directly influence health of an individual, group or families. It has been
observed that people or families with high disposable income or have job with hood income of
salary have a lazy and lethargic life style that leads them towards obesity that can further result
in development of mental health issues. Mental health of obese people should be reduced with
the help of different kind of policies, legislation of that its negative impact upon obese can be
reduced.
Health policies plays a vital and important role in tackling obesity in mental health issue.
As these policies can help in promoting healthier food choices and physical activities. These
policies can further help in encouraging nursing staff members to role model healthy behaviour.
Appropriate policy development can further help in encouraging healthy lifestyle. This will not
only help in reducing obesity issue or concern faced by people but will also help them in
reducing their stress level, deal with social and ethical pressure about their obesity which will
eventually help in dealing with mental health problems
Nurses play an important role in helping people in dealing with obesity which is one of
the main reasons because of which they suffer from mental health problems. They can help in
educating patients and families on nutrition, the health care system, and obesity-related illnesses
1

and ways in which obesity can lead a person towards degrading mental health. They can further
help patients to identify their health goals, and develop plan to achieve them so that they can
reduce their BMI level and eventually enhance their mental health.
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REFERENCES
Books and Journals
Johnson, M., and et. al., 2018. Tackling obesity in mental health secure units: a mixed method
synthesis of available evidence. BJPsych open, 4(4), pp.294-301.
Singh, N.K.D., and et. al., 2021. Obesity and mental health issues among healthcare workers: a
cross-sectional study in Sabah, Malaysia. Journal of Health Research.
Weschenfelder, J., Bentley, J. and Himmerich, H., 2018. Physical and mental health
consequences of obesity in women. Adipose tissue, pp.123-159.
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