To coincide with the online publication of “How to Feed Your Whole Family a Healthy Balanced Diet” – a book providing advice on quick healthy recipes – HowTo.co.uk takes a look at the obesity epidemic in the UK.
There is no question about it, obesity in the UK has increasingly become a problem over recent year. Much of this is down to our junk-food culture and hectic lifestyles, but how does it affect you, who does it affect and what can be done? The reasons are not always clear.
What is Obesity?
According to the Association for the Study of Obesity, obesity is defined an excess of fat tissue and it is calculated by the use of the Body Mass Index, which calculates the weight in relation to the height. Over 1/5th of the population in the UK and USA are considered obese and 30-40% are considered overweight.
There is a strong genetic link with obesity. If a child has two obese parents they have a 70% chance of becoming obese themselves, compared with a 20% chance if both parents are lean.
Ethnic origins can also affect obesity, black people and Asians seem to be most likely to gain weight, followed by those of Mediterranean origin. Northern Europeans are less likely to become obese.
Obesity and Food
Unfortunately the increase in the availability of processed food has had an enormous effect on the diets and therefore the weight of the population. We all require the necessary amount of nutrients to keep our bodies healthy, as a general rule, the more processed the food is, the less nutrients that are in it. The effect is that we end up eating more to try to get the necessary nutrients and this can result in putting on weight.
The food manufacturers now know that most people want to eat more healthily so they adjust the wording on the packaging to make us think that it is healthy, when often it isn’t. For instance, the packaging may say that a product is low in sugar, but it may not mention that it contains the artificial sweetener aspartame, which has been linked with obesity.
Other Causes of Obesity
A recent conference took place entitled Obesity and the Built Environment where the various links between the local environment and weight were discussed. These highlighted factors such as the number of nearby fast food outlets, the availability of fresh food, the options for exercise for children and the necessity of car use as having strong links with obesity.
Depression can lead to obesity and obesity can lead to depression, so it is possible to get caught in a vicious circle. When people are depressed physiological changes take place in their hormonal and immune systems, which can lead to weight gain. In addition there is a reduction in general self care procedures, such as eating properly and getting plenty of exercise. Mental health issues should also be treated where necessary.
Children and Women
One tenth of six year olds are now obese in the UK. This is a serious concern because obese children usually turn into obese adults which means we could be sitting on a health time bomb. It is recommended that overweight children over the age of eight get a medical evaluation and advice as to how to sort out the problem.
Another issue is maternal weight gain. Many women put on weight when pregnant and are never able to lose it. A recent study has looked into this and believes that if these women follow strict rules, they should be able to control their weight.
Generally healthy eating is a vital part of dealing with obesity. There is no magic involved. This is common sense and is backed up by numerous scientific studies. Eating regular, nutritionally balanced meals, avoiding processed and junk foods and taking up a programme of regular exercise can make serious headway against the obesity epidemic.
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