Obesity

1. Obesity Authors: Sabnam Mahmuda, ThanureePathiranawasam, OsheenChibber, RyuMatias, Sammer Gupta & LuxzonTharmarajah

2. Research Question • What are the health effects, psychological/social and economical implications of obesity?

3. Aspects of Obesity

4. Social aspect of ObesityBy: Sabnam Mahmuda

5. Obesity facing the society • Obese people are rarely accepted in society • Often they are shunned and left to feel isolated • This isolation leads to people overeating to overcome their social life problems • In turn, the isolation only leads to further overeating and it does nothing to solve the problem of being obese • If actions are not taken to prevent obesity, the cycle of obesity will continue to repeat and ruin the lives of many • Exposal to good media sources can help people understand the complications of obesity and learn about the health benefits available • Bad media sources encourages people to consume unhealthy food and target children as their consumer

6. Did you know that... • Obesity is a disease which can cause obese individuals to die early due to the health complications which occurs as a result of obesity • In fact, life spans of obese people are 7 years less than people who are not obese • According to Canadian Health Measures Survey, between 2007 and 2009, 37% of Canadian adults were considered overweight and 24% were considered obese • Being obese effects people socially, physically and psychologically

7. Obesity in U.S.A • America, the leader of the world in politics is also leading the world as an obese nation • According to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, less than 40% of children in the U.S. meet the nutritional guideline • Much of the blame falls on the shoulders of advertising companies of fast food restaurants who target children as their primary consumers • The easy access to fast foods and busy life styles of Americans cause people to rely on fast foods to meet their nutritional necessities • As a result of consuming fast foods with high calorie intake and a lack of physical activities people become obese • A Federal Dietary Survey for young adults revealed an increase in the consumption of fast foods • In 2002, more than $110 billion were spent on fast foods by Americans • The gradual expansion of fast food restaurant chains and deceitful advertising methods leave Americans at the mercy of their own judgements to prevent obesity

8. Obesity in Canada • Following the footsteps of its neighbour America, Canada’s obesity rates are also increasing at alarming rapidity • Statistics Canada disclosed that more than 1.6 million Canadian children are obese • Of all Canadians the percentage of adults who are obese is 59% • Between the ages of 2-17 years the percent of obese Canadians is 26% • Canada being a well developed country offers plenty of comforts of modern life style to its citizens • But taking advantage of these comforts often lead to people being deprived of opportunities to engaging in simple physical activities which could help them maintain a healthy life style • The Canadian government has initiated programs in pre-schools, daycares and schools to promote children’s participation in daily physical activity • Even with the Canadian government’s initiatives, and organizations such as the Canadian Obesity Network and the Childhood Obesity Foundation working to raise awareness of the implication of obesity and prevent its progress it depends upon the Canadian citizens to use the resources available to them to make healthy decisions regarding their dietary choices

9. Is our lifestyle to be blamed? • Research points to lifestyle as being one of the major factor behind obesity • Modern lifestyle demands time and money • In most middle class families both parents have to work to support the family • The children are left to take care of themselves • At the lack of maturity children on their own make poor dietary choices • In addition, media influence also plays a big part in children’s food choices • Lack of participation in physical activities on a daily basis also contribute to becoming obese

10. Modern lifestyle • The comforts of modern lifestyle prevent people from engaging in physical labour • Reliance on pre-packaged meals and fast foods are unhealthy choices • To manage their busy lives families are forced to make these choices despite knowing the consequences • Media manipulation such as sales offering lower prices for buying larger proportions (super-size) of foods also cause people to consume large amount of food with high calories at once • The availability of technological toys such as video games, online games and handheld games also prevent people from participating in old fashioned sports and physical activities • The Canadian Community Health Survey revealed that children who spend more than 2 hours in front of TV, on the computer or play video games are more likely to become obese in their adolescence than children who watch less than an hour

11. Obesity and the media

12. Good Media • The media plays a big role in increasing the rates of obesity not only amongst children but also adults • In the 21st century, new and developed technologies allow people to be constantly exposed to media • Internet, TVs and shopping centers are few examples of sources of media • The media delivers messages from the ever increasing advertising companies to the public in order to keep the consumer culture cycling • However, there are good media sources which inform people and raise awareness about the causes and effect of obesity in the lives of children and adults • These good media sources may be health shows on televisions, newspaper articles explaining the implications of obesity, credible website that promote methods of how to prevent becoming obese etc • They also inform people of the benefits and opportunities of health clubs and gyms offering programs to help maintain a healthy life style

13. Bad Media • The good media sources can also be the bad media sources who are responsible for stereotyping • But targeting children is unjust because they are immature at their age, they are more susceptible to the lies and deceitful methods used by the media to sell unhealthy nutritional products • Children are not aware of how media manipulation targets, and directly influences them to buy their products in order to follow the current trend or “fit in” in the society • Children are not capable of making sound decisions on their own and resisting the appeal of trends portrayed by the media • They portray obese people as social outcasts who don’t belong which only adds to the negative implications of leading an obese life style • They stereotype body images through models, movies and advertisements which encourage people to fall prey to their manipulation • As a result overweight and obese people often seek illegal methods of surgeries at low costs to loose weight or follow unhealthy diets • The media keeps the cycle of consumer culture going to help support the economy but it should also be responsible for relaying truthful information to the public • At the end, since there are good and bad media sources to which the public is constantly exposed, it is up to the judgement of the public to make healthy food choices to lead a healthy life

14. Canadian Obesity Network • The CON-RCO is a non-profit establishment devoted to helping Canadians fight Obesity since 2006 • Medical professionals, researchers and CON representatives work together to promote awareness about the social, emotional and psychological impact of obesity • The CON is goal oriented to focus on developing programs to help individuals face health, social and economical problems associated with obeisty • In partnership with other organizations CON also lead researchers to discover methods to deal with the health effects of obesity • Researches are also being lead to find out about the disease so that public can have access to accurate information regarding obesity which can be used to understand and eventually prevent the spread of the disease • Their initiatives to raise awareness include hosting conferences for students and National Obesity Summits all over Canada open to all interested individuals and medical professionals • CON also manages the website where information from credible sources about the causes and effects of obesity, stories about obesity and information about health care programs are available to the public

15. Childhood Obesity Foundation • Established in 2004 in British Columbia, the COF is a foundation and a charity focused on raising awareness about the complications of childhood obesity and bringing about change to stop the pandemic • The COF’s mission is to promote the practice of daily physical activities and making good dietary choices in the lives of children • Working alongside other Canadian organizations and government health facilities the COF campaigns against advertising companies for selling unhealthy foods and targeting children as their consumer • The COF has developed strategic programs for preschools, daycares, elementary and high schools to engage children and young adults in healthy physical activities on a regular basis during school hours (Example: 5-2-1-0 rule displayed on the side) • The COF’s website also provides information about government initiatives in action to help prevent obesity and educate citizens of the implications of obesity during childhood

16. Psychological Aspect of ObesityBy: Thanuree Pathiranawasam

17. Background information • The mental health effects of obesity is just as dangerous and the physical effects • Many emotional and mental health issues caused by morbid overweight include: • social discrimination, low self-esteem and thoughts of suicide • Obesity rates among children and adults have increased substantially during the past 25 years, according to new results from the Canadian Community Health Survey (CCHS) • In 2005, the number of obese Canadians 18 or older was 5.5 million; 36% of the adult population was considered overweight

18. Obesity and the effect it has on individuals • The mental health effects of obesity includes • social discrimination – people often judge and mistreat individuals who are overweight • They are socially undesirable and therefore have a greater chance of having anxiety or depression • Obese people are seen as lazy and lacking in willpower, or incapable of looking after themselves properly • Many obese individuals tend to isolate themselves form society, resulting in behavioural and learning problems • depression is a key mental effect of obesity because many obese individuals feel socially unacceptable and do not fit with societies norms

19. Societies view on Obesity • Obese individuals suffer from social discrimination • social discrimination includes the way society views you based on your appearance • Society vies Obese individuals as: • Lazy • lacking in willpower • incapable of looking after themselves • it is not abnormal for obese people to be discriminated in society • obese individuals tend to receive disapproving stares form people on crowded buses or subways • obese women in particular have a harder time finding romance due to societies norms

20. what society portrays as obese and the psychological effects it has on people Media, Hollywood then to serotypes Obesity as the individual being lazy and less driven • society generally believes that obesity is caused by a lack of self-discipline or is a moral weakness • many of societies serotypes go into the workplace and obese individuals are often dined promotion or the job due to their weight • in a recent physicians survey, one of three doctors said that they respond negatively to obesity and that obese individuals are more likely to have: Drug addiction, alcoholism or a mental illness

21. differences between boys and girls? • Obesity in women and males differ after they reach adulthood • According to an obesity research from the University of Texas, while young obese women are less as likely to attend college as their slim counterpart, obese men did not differ in their attendance compared to non-obese men • Robert Crosnoe stats that: • girls are far more vulnerable to the mental health risks of obesity, since the notion that body image is more important to girls' self-concept and that social norms have greater effects on the education of girls than boys. • obese young women are far more likely to use drugs and alcohol

22. body image • Obese individuals are usually lacking in self-esteem due to their body image, which often impact their levels of achievement • A 1991 study showed that 80 percent of severely obese people: • perceive themselves as physically unattractive • believe that others make disparaging comments about their weight • dislike being seen in public • feel discrimination when applying for jobs • feel that they are treated disrespectfully by their physician

23. self esteem • Many obese people are lacking in self esteem and feel insecure and inferior to others • Obese people usually find it uncomfortable to go out due their weight • Many obese people prefer not to go out in public because they feel self-conscious or they simply cannot enjoy activities that most people take for granted • like going to the movies, taking the subway or going on vacation because the seats are to small, the turnstile are too narrow or accommodation to uncomfortable

24. when does obesity become dangerous and why • Often children suffering from obesity will skip school or drop out altogether to avoid confronting their peers • teen suffering form obesity often turn to drugs and alcohol and illicit substances have become an unfortunate way of escaping from and coping with obesity

25. Depression? • Individuals suffering form obesity are more prone to depression and anxiety • Obese people are less physically active because they are embarrassed to change in the locker rooms • the lack on physical activity can cause depression and anxiety • Obese individuals perceive themselves as socially undesirable which increases their chances of depression and anxiety

26. extreme cases • In one study, severally obese individuals were asked to choose between being obese or having some other infirmity. By large more individuals responded that they would rather be blind or have a leg amputated than be at their present weight • More interestingly more people said they would rather be poor and thin than rich and obese • Many extreme causes involve depression, anxiety, isolation and suicide

27. Suicide? • Suicide attempt involving obesity are not rare, Zametkin et al reported that obesity associated with depression have caused greater suicide thoughts and suicide attempt among children • Janssen et al (2004) conducted a cross-section study of Canadian youth and determined that girls had more suicide thought and attempt at suicide than boys • A recent University of Minnesota study reveals that 26 percent of overweight teens who were teased at school and home reported they had considered suicide, and 9 percent had attempted it

28. Isolation? • Many obese individuals tend to go into isolation due to disapproval they receive from society • Overweight people are subject to disapproval, even lectures from family and friends and the sneers from strangers • The results of a 2007 rat study by Japan's Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine suggest that social isolation is an environmental factor that contributes to obesity. • Social isolation may also increase your risks of mortality and morbidity, according to Harvard Health Publications.

29. How to avoid these situations and triggers to look for • Psychological effects of obesity have the potential to carry towards adulthood and in some causes anxiety and obsessive compulsory behaviour may be present • Triggers to Watch For: • Your obese teen has less energy or interests and is hesitant to participate in social relationships or other activities; • Your obese teen appears increasingly sad, lonely, angry or withdrawn. • Your obese teen has few friends. • Your obese teen has thoughts of causing harm to him/her or others. • Your obese teen is obsessed with eating. • Your obese teen sleeps too much or not enough. • Your obese teen is reluctant to go to school.

30. how to cope with obesity • Parents should speak with their child and the subject of overreacting should be discussed, depression often triggers overacting to situations • talk about the appropriate amount of food needed for their diet (many teens overeat due to depression) • engage in more physical activity and involve yourself more in your child’s life • Help children understand that being overweight can undermine physical and mental health and is more than an appearance issue; • Talk to children about why they overeat and how they feel about themselves. Identify feelings and situations that cause them to overeat, and discuss coping strategies; • Criticizing an obese child or trying to humiliate them into losing weight will increase the child's emotional difficulties. The child may become lonelier, more depressed, and less likely to make changes that might help; • Praise your child's strengths and accomplishments; • Help children gain control over their weight by discussing and encouraging healthy food choices and exercising regularly with them. Individualize food and exercise plans according to the child's interests and your commitment level; • Set an example--make healthy eating and exercise a family affair; • Encourage children to make smart choices and understand the benefits of feeling better and being healthier. Explain the long-term medical impacts of a healthy lifestyle; • Limit access to high-calorie, high-fat and sugary foods, including soda and juices--especially at home; • Limit sedentary activities including television and computer time; and • Do not use food to reward or punish children. Establish a system to reward weight goals and help the child get back on track when they fall off

31. Table 1: The International Classification of adult underweight, overweight and obesity according to BMI

32. The short term health effects of ObesityBy: osheenchibber

33. Some short term effects are: • High Blood Pressure • High Cholesterol • Difficulty Standing and Walking • Sleep Apnea • Fertility issues • Diabetes Mellitus and Pregnancy

34. High Blood Pressure • It is a chronic medical condition in which the systemic arterial blood pressure is elevated. • High blood pressure may occur in any age group depending on the health conditions of that person • It can lead to stroke, myocardial infarction, heart failure and arterial aneurysm and is a leading cause of chronic kidney failure. • Dietary and lifestyle changes can improve high blood pressure and decrease the risk of associated health complications • Drug use may be necessary; this is subjective to the patient.

35. High Cholesterol • Is the presence of high levels of cholesterol in the blood. • Not a disease, but a metabolic derangement that may be caused by many diseases • It is due to abnormalities in the levels of lipoproteins, the particles that carry cholesterol in the bloodstream. • May be related to diet, genetic factors, and diseases such as diabetes and an under active thyroid • It can be treated by reducing dietary cholesterol intake, certain medicines can be prescribed. Hardly treatments including surgery are used.

36. Difficulty Standing and Walking • It becomes difficult to walk or even stand when a person is obese, as they do not have enough strength to be able to handle their own weight. • This leads to laziness, which further adds to obesity.

37. Sleep Apnea • A sleep disorder characterized by abnormal pauses in breathing or instances of abnormally low breathing during sleep. • This is also mentioned in the Long Term Effects of Obesity, more details are provided there.

38. Infertility • Obesity can cause biochemistry to gang up on a woman’s chances of decent ovulation. • If a woman is significantly overweight, while a woman’s ovaries are trying to have normal cycles, the steady input of estrone from this other pathway will interfere • A steady supply of estrogen from the peripheral conversion of androstenedione to estrogen will blunt the peaks and valleys of the ovary's function, which ultimately interferes with ovulation and can cause infertility

39. Diabetes Mellitus and Pregnancy • Abnormal maternal glucose regulation occurs in 3-10% of pregnancies • The prevalence of diabetes mellitus among women of childbearing age is due to adolescent obesity • Gestational diabetes Mellitus is defined as glucose intolerance of variable degree with onset or first recognition during pregnancy • Infants of mothers with pre-existing diabetes experience double risk of serious injury at birth, trope the likelihood of caesarean delivery, and quadruple the incidence of newborn intensive care unit admission. • Studies indicate that the risk of these morbidities is directly proportional to the degree of maternal hyperglycemia. For this reason, the excessive fetal and neonatal morbidity attributable to diabetes in pregnancy should be considered preventable with early diagnosis and effective treatment therapies

40. The Long term health effects of ObesityBy: RyuMatias

41. Obesity associates with: • Cardiovascular diseases • Diabetes • Sleeping disorders • Cancer • Overall reduced life expectancy

42. Those with BMI’s greater than 30 experience adverse conditions relating to: • Cardiology • Neurology • Respirology • Endocrinology • Different fields containing different side effects

43. Effects on Cardiology • heart disease; angina  myocardial infarction (heart attack) • heart failure (inability to pump blood) • increased blood pressure • abnormal cholesterol levels

44. Diagram of Myocardial Infarction

45. Effects on Neurology • stroke★ • migraines • carpal tunnel syndrome • dementia • idiopathic intracranial hypertension • multiple sclerosis

46. Stroke • Loss of brain functions • Caused by insufficient blood supply being pumped to brain • Deprivation of blood is a result of artery narrowing • Artery narrowing/blocking is a byproduct of overeating and plaque buildup from fatty foods CT scan of human brain diagnosed with stroke.

47. Effects on Respirology • obstructive sleep apnea ★ • hypoventilation syndrome • asthma • increased complications during general anaesthesia

48. Obstructive Sleep Apnea • Disorder characterized by irregular breath pauses (apneas) during sleep • Can occur from 5 to 30 times per hour of sleep • Person may possess the disorder for years without its identification • Effect of obesity due to lack of muscle + excess soft tissue around breathing airways

49. Effects on Endocrinology • diabetes mellitus ★ • polycystic ovarian syndrome • menstrual disorders • infertility • complications during pregnancy • birth defects

50. The Economic Implications of Obesity By: Sameer Gupta