Everyone
has heard of the obesity epidemic. One’s body mass index (BMI) must be greater
than or equal to 30 to be considered obese, 25 to be overweight, and 18.5-24.9 to
be in the normal range (Poirier
et al., 2006). With the American ‘Western
diet,’ the obesity epidemic increases severely. Some have a fear that parents
will outlive their children. These concerns come from lifestyle choices,
determined by one’s daily habits regarding their diet and physical activity (“Definition of Healthy
Lifestyle | LIVESTRONG.COM,” n.d., “WHO | Obesity and overweight,” n.d.). Healthy lifestyle is important because obesity increases the
risk of morbidity and mortality, leading to decreased life expectancy (Poirier
et al., 2006).
Much
concern arises in children’s health worldwide due to recent years bringing a
rapid increase in youth obesity rates (Poirier
et al., 2006; Popkin & Gordon-Larsen, 2004). In 2014, 41 million children under five years of age were
considered overweight (“WHO | Obesity and
overweight,” n.d.). It is well known that
losing weight can be difficult, therefore many (20-50%) obese adolescents
remain obese during adulthood (Burniat, Cole & Lissau, 2002). Lack of
physical activity begins at a young age, with the average American child spending
over three hours daily in front of a screen and sedentary (Popkin
& Gordon-Larsen, 2004).
In the
United States, 40% of women and 35% of men are obese, whereas in Italy, 25% of women
and 25% of men are obese (“World Obesity Federation | Data,” n.d.). In 2020, expected
overweight adults is nearly 75% for Americans and 45% for Italians (“Obesity and the
Economics of Prevention: Fit not Fat - Italy Key Facts - OECD,” n.d.). Obesity prevalence varies by region due to differing
lifestyles. Modern Western food is highly processed, enriched with sugars and
saturated fats, and lacking fiber (Popkin &
Gordon-Larsen, 2004).
During my
time in Italy, I have noticed the difference in lifestyle between Italians and
most Americans. Italians tend to value natural products purchased at markets (pictured left), causing them to
consume minimal processed foods. There is also a significant increase in
physical activity due to the prevalence of biking and walking throughout Florence.
Italians tend to eat longer meals lasting up to three hours. Eating slowly increases
digestion, allowing the brain to give off the signal of being full, making
weight maintainenance easier (“All about slow
eating,” 2013). It is time for
Americans to start adapting the Italian lifestyle of walking everywhere and
eating wholesome meals.
This post was
written by Morgan Boncyk, a sophomore at Purdue University. Morgan is pursuing
a Bachelor’s of Science in Nutrition Science as well as Nutrition and
Dietetics. She plans to get a Master’s of Public Health and Doctorate in
Medicine.
All about slow
eating. (2013, May 6). Retrieved July 19, 2017, from
http://www.precisionnutrition.com/all-about-slow-eating
Burniat, W., Cole, T. J., & Lissau, I. (Eds.). (2002). Child
and adolescent obesity: causes and consequences, prevention and management.
Retrieved July 19, 2017, from https://ebookcentral.proquest.com
Definition of
Healthy Lifestyle | LIVESTRONG.COM. (n.d.). Retrieved July 19, 2017, from http://www.livestrong.com/article/412212-definition-of-healthy-lifestyle/
Obesity and the
Economics of Prevention: Fit not Fat - Italy Key Facts - OECD. (n.d.).
Retrieved July 19, 2017, from
http://www.oecd.org/els/health-systems/obesityandtheeconomicsofpreventionfitnotfat-italykeyfacts.htm
Poirier, P.,
Giles, T. D., Bray, G. A., Hong, Y., Stern, J. S., Pi-Sunyer, F. X., &
Eckel, R. H. (2006). Obesity and cardiovascular disease: pathophysiology,
evaluation, and effect of weight loss: an update of the 1997 American Heart
Association Scientific Statement on Obesity and Heart Disease from the Obesity
Committee of the Council on Nutrition, Physical Activity, and Metabolism. Circulation,
113(6), 898–918. https://doi.org/10.1161/01.ATV.0000216787.85457.f3
Popkin, B. M.,
& Gordon-Larsen, P. (2004). The nutrition transition: worldwide obesity
dynamics and their determinants. International Journal of Obesity, 28(S3),
S2–S9. https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.ijo.0802804
WHO | Obesity and overweight. (n.d.). Retrieved July 19, 2017, from
http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs311/en/
Very complex subject to be sure. Our food and movement choices began to decline it would seem when the television was put into wide circulation. Combine that with the break-neck speed of todays technology, allowing more and more time being spent sitting staring at screens of one type or another, food deliver systems (drive through and now deliver to homes) long distance drives to work or working from home, sitting has become our natural posture rather than upright. Mix that with the mountains of pre-made foods, no need to even stand for long to make dinner in the kitchen. Combine that with long work hours, a 3 hour leisurely meal seems out of the question for most Americans with the exception of an occasional time with friends on a long weekend or something similar. Perhaps our food choices/volume remain an even bigger problem, as it seems we eat as though we were still working on farms throwing heavy bales of hay around all day burning calories at every toss. We would have to do a lot more than clicking a keyboard all day to work off our plates stacked high with fat and starches (carbs) at breakfast, lunch and dinner plus a snack or two or three! I must confess there are times when I eat as though I will never get another meal...I must pack it all in now! That is a part of the equation that is not mentioned above, the emotional eater. As ones who are considering women's health issues, it is a component that must not be over looked. IT IS HUGE...pun intended. Kidding aside, it can be a painful component for many woman and not just a matter of pushing away from the table. As women, we want to develop compassion toward those who struggle with things we may not understand. Also I would guess a large percentage of obese women are women without means to purchase fruits and vegetables on a regular basis. White starch (carbs... bread, potatoes, rice etc) are their diet mainstay. Don't give up, keep digging. You are doing great!
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