Causes and Effects of Obesity

                                                     Causes and Effects of Obesity

Stakeholders such as the World Health Organization consider obesity as a condition characterized by excessive accumulation of body fat, usually more than 20 percent of body fat (World Health Organization). Just like other health challenges, obesity is associated with various causes as well as effects, for instance, some of the causes of obesity include, poor dieting and family history among others. Besides, obesity has been associated with several effects ranging from psychological problems to physical problems (World Health Organization).

Causes of Obesity

Poor diet or lack of a balanced-diet is considered one of the major causes of obesity; a balanced-meal should contain all the required nutrients in the right proportion, however, many people in the current society consume significant amounts of junk food including, hence making them vulnerable to obese conditions. Also, the environment in which an individual inhabits is a major pre-disposing factor that causes obesity. For instance, individuals who live in environments characterized by lack of healthy food stores are likely to engage in poor eating habits, hence, making them susceptible to obese conditions. Family genetics is also considered a major cause of obesity in the current society; research has shown that obese conditions could be inherited from parents by their off-springs (World Health Organization). Parents with high-fat storage genes are likely to give birth to off-springs with similar genes, hence, making them vulnerable to obesity.

Effects of Obesity

            This is one of the major health challenges experienced in the contemporary society; millions of people across the globe suffer from the effects of obesity. In fact, a study conducted in 2008 indicates that over 500 million individuals were obese and about 2.8 million people lost their lives as a result of obese conditions (World Health Organization). Obesity has also been associated with the development of psychological challenges, particularly among effected persons. Obese persons tend to experience low self-esteem i.e. they usually feel inferior and depressed. Consequently, individuals suffering from excessive body weight tend to undergo mobility challenges as their bodies cannot support excessive weights.