| People still continue to label and stigmatize overweight persons as being lazy and gluttonous. The prejudice behind such ignorant statements.continues to prevail despite the facts that are coming to light. WHO is calculating the worldwide economic impact of overweight and obesity. It is also working with the University of Auckland (New Zealand) to analyse the impact that globalization and rapid socioeconomic transition have on nutrition and to identify the main political, socioeconomic, cultural and physical factors which promote obesogenic environments. Obesity is twice as common among those with lower socioeconomic status as it is among those with higher status. The fact that genetic influences account for only 33% of the variation in body weight means that the environment exerts an enormous influence on malnutrition. This influence is dramatically illustrated by the marked increase in the prevalence of obesity in the past decade. |
| Depression and it’s various forms have become a growing problem in the developed countries. More drugs create more obesity. This then would be categorized as a socioeconomic factor contributing to weight problems and the diseases associated with them. What about the physical factors which promote obesogenic environments ? That’s a whole other issue. Are you sitting comfortably ? First, we now have evidence that genes are linked to obesity. Most of our illnesses are, despite the fact that we are consistently told that lifestyle choices are the main contributing factor to certain diseases. We can choose not to smoke, yet this does not guarantee that we won’t get certain cancers. We can choose to be physically active as part of our daily regimen, yet this does not ensure that we won’t still be at risk for sudden strokes, heart attacks or ruptures. We can choose not to drink, yet still encounter liver problems. We can eat a sensible diet and still suffer cardiac anomalies. There are no clear cut answers to these contradictions and while the health industry is working hard to extend our lives, they still have apparently not found the cure for cancer. In truth they know many of the answers but choose instead to conceal some of the truths that would be very hard for many people to accept. Globalization would come to an abrupt halt if the real evidence of environmental toxins were to be made more easily acccessible to the public. Instead, it is a political choice to keep us in the dark and blame the individuals for their illnesses because of ‘lifestyle choices’. More and more it is becoming increasingly clear that individuals have less and less choice in avoiding the myriad contributing factors to illness and immuno-suppression. The toxins are all around us, and they are increasing daily. They have permeated our food supply, our drinking water and our air supply to the point now that there is no real turning back. We have known about the hazards of air pollution for decades, yet only now is it being taken serious. The Kyoto accord could indeed help, but unfortunately it is too little too late. People still insist on driving their cars day in and day out, while at the same time blaming smokers for polluting the air. People still insist on buying overpackaged foods, under the mistaken belief that such packaging will prevent contamination. Sometimes, though, the packaging can be more harmful than the food itself. All manner of chemical toxins are getting into the water supply and leaching into soils, yet despite all the information being distributed, people still believe that these are isolated incidents. And we worry more about contracting e-coli from meat products than the added hormones used to increase production. We can’t pronounce many of the additives added to our foods, yet continue to consume them without concern of what these additives actually are and what they are doing over the long term to our bodies. UK Warns About 350 Food Products with Cancer Risk - 350 food products that have been inadvertently contaminated with an illegal dye that could lead to an increased risk of cancer. Lead in Environment Causing Violent Crime - When environmental lead finds its way into the developing brain, it disturbs neural mechanisms responsible for regulation of impulse. That can lead to antisocial and criminal behavior. Bird Flu Can Produce Other Diseases, Doctors Say - What the World Health Organization (news - web sites) fears most is that the virus could mingle with either human or pig influenza viruses, for instance by infecting a person who also had human flu, and acquire the ability to pass easily between people. Such a new strain could kill tens of millions of people Metalworking Fluids Linked to Breast Cancer Risk Women with jobs that involve metalworking fluids may have a higher risk of developing breast cancer, Alarm bells about environmental toxins are consistently ringing all over, yet for some reason it seems that people are becoming more complacent about such issues. It is much easier to blame life-style choices for all our illnesses and disease. This brings us back to the issue of obesity and the public stigma attached to it. And, in my view, the shame of the political initiative to get our kids off the couch, as a cure for being overweight. Obesity is a disease, not simply the result of eating too much fat and not exercising. |
| Political and socioeconomic factors in obesity |
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| february 18,2005 |