Compared to how it was several years ago, nowadays, it has become a common trend to meet and interact with people who are obese or overweight. More so, the aspect of being obese was mainly limited to adults and older people. However, when I walk around, undertaking my daily routine chores and activities, I note that the condition is not limited to a specific group since it affects children and adults. Furthermore, obesity is a condition that has become prevalent in various environments and settings, including workplaces, learning institutions, hotels and restaurants, beaches, childcare centers, streets, health care facilities and sporting facilities, among others. However, the most surprising thing is that the number of fast and junk food joints and their customers has been on the rise. Nowadays, it is almost impossible to visit an area and fail to meet customers flocking to a joint or restaurant to buy chips, burgers, pizzas, energy and soft drinks. In this sense, the increased cases of obesity have resulted in the condition being declared by relevant agencies such as the World Health Organization (WHO) as a global health epidemic. The increase in cases of obesity and overweight can be attributed to the poor eating and lifestyle habits that have been adopted in the modern world due to changes in social, economic and environmental lifestyle changes.
First, the most common cause of obesity among most people globally is poor eating habits and unhealthy diets. In the modern world, people have gotten used to eating high-calorie foods, such as chocolates, sugar, cheese, butter, and junk foods, which are major sources of fats that lead to them being obese and overweight. In essence, the concept of modernization has led to an increased urban population, which has influenced the rise in the number of fast-food outlets. Some of the eating habits that result in obesity include eating fast, eating more, and eating irregularly. Furthermore, the condition is made worse by the increased prevalence of eating food items that have high calories, which tend to lead to an increase in weight (Hodge 192). In most cases, manufacturers and food outlets ensure that these foods are tasty and addictive, which makes the customers prefer eating them regularly, but eventually will lead to an increase in weight followed by health complications and challenges. In 2023, people living in most urban and suburban areas, 95% of them were reported to have eaten fast foods at least once (Hodge 193). More so, it was estimated that two out of three people tend to consume fast food at least once a week (Hodge 193). In this sense, the increase in poor eating habits and unhealthy diets has been a major cause of obesity.
Second, the increase in obesity can be attributed to decreased physical exercise and reduced mobility. This has been caused by several factors, such as changing modes of transportation, the presence of labor-saving devices like lifts and elevators, moving away from physically demanding jobs, and increasing movement from rural-urban set-ups. In the modern world, people have abandoned traditional physical activities like walking and have resulted in using vehicles, trains, lifts, elevators, and modern hobbies such as television and computer games rather than physical activities like sports and gyms. For example, most people, including children and teenagers, prefer sitting, watching television and playing games rather than going out to do physical exercises like running, walking, jogging, or yoga. The rapid growth of technology and the increased use of social media have resulted in physical inactivity turning into a universal pandemic (Kazmi 3). Nowadays, adults mainly prefer remaining sedentary, which makes them more prone to obesity and ill health (Kazmi 3). In this regard, one of the significant health issues associated with physical inactivity is obesity and being overweight.
Aspects related to epigenetics are also associated with causing obesity. Epigenetics refers to an area that links environmental factors to patterns of genetic change and modifications, such as rapid changes in dietary changes. The modifications do not alter the sequence of DNA, but they affect how cells “read” genes and occur as a result of external factors (Rohde 39). For example, it is how environmental factors affect pregnant women on a developing fetus. This means that when a woman is pregnant for two or three weeks after conceiving, epigenetic modifications happen, hence defining “set points” for hunger and satiety for the offspring. As a result, if a pregnant woman consumes a diet with low calories, epigenetics set unfavorable hunger and satiety balance in the offspring, hence leading them to an abnormal weight gain. On the other hand, if obese women consume diets rich in high calories during pregnancy, there is a likelihood of the condition persisting in the offspring. An example is that aspects of mutations in genetics, such as FTO and MC4R, are significantly linked to higher body mass index (BMI) and increased appetite, respectively (Rohde 44). Furthermore, exposure to environmental pollutants or stressors can lead to epigenetic alterations that make individuals prone to weight gain and obesity. Additionally, there are genetic mechanisms that tend to lead to impact factors such as stress and stress, which may sometimes contribute to obesity risks. As a result, epigenetic patterns are some factors that tend to contribute to obesity and excessive weight gain.
In conclusion, the increase in cases of obesity and overweight can be attributed to the poor eating and lifestyle habits that have been adopted in the modern world due to changes in social, economic and environmental lifestyle changes. The increased prevalence of obesity is reaching pandemic proportions globally to the extent of resulting in adverse impacts such as poor health conditions and financial constraints on people. As a result, health agencies and governments have to collaborate and develop sufficient measures that will effectively prevent obesity and excessive weight gain in populations. In 2004, the World Health Assembly adopted the “WHO Global Strategy on Diets, Physical Activity and Health,” which supports healthy diets and regular physical activity. It is the responsibility of relevant stakeholders to ensure that these approaches are embraced in communities.
Works Cited
Hodge, Rebecca A., et al. “Consistent and changing consumption of fast-food and full-service meals and 3-year weight change in a large population cohort study.” The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 117.2 (2023): 392-401.
Kazmi, Tahseen, et al. “Relationship Between Physical Inactivity and Obesity in the Urban Slums of Lahore.” Cureus 14.4 (2022).
Rohde, Kerstin, et al. “Genetics and epigenetics in obesity.” Metabolism 92 (2019): 37-50.
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