M3.2: Vulnerable Populations
Obesity is one of the most preventable diseases we face here in the United States. According to the World Health Organization, more than 1.9 billion adults were overweight and 41 million children under the age of 5 were obese in 2016. There have been numerous efforts to tackle the rising rates of obesity, but these efforts seem to fall short in targeting the root of the problem. These efforts in the beginning may have been unethical or efforts put into decreasing obesity started strong, but later lost traction. Michelle Obama and her program, Let's Move, started off strong by raising awareness to childhood obesity and getting communities/families involved in healthy eating and daily physical activity. This is a great example of only looking at nutrition and activity levels, but does not address how processed foods and exposures to chemicals such as pesticides and herbicides effect the likelihood of children becoming obese.
From our speaker in lecture last week, she presented a study that looked at bisphenol A (BPA) effects on obesity. This study found that children who were born to mothers that were exposed to the chemical BPA had an increased risk of obesity. This shows that sometimes leading a sedentary lifestyle and having an unhealthy diet is not the only cause for obesity.
Decreasing exposures to a chemical such as BPA can be a step in the right direction in addressing obesity in the US. Not only would we need to educate communities about the effects of harmful chemicals, but creating stricter regulations surrounding products being made with such chemicals can help decrease our risks and the risk of our future children.
Obesity is one of the most preventable diseases we face here in the United States. According to the World Health Organization, more than 1.9 billion adults were overweight and 41 million children under the age of 5 were obese in 2016. There have been numerous efforts to tackle the rising rates of obesity, but these efforts seem to fall short in targeting the root of the problem. These efforts in the beginning may have been unethical or efforts put into decreasing obesity started strong, but later lost traction. Michelle Obama and her program, Let's Move, started off strong by raising awareness to childhood obesity and getting communities/families involved in healthy eating and daily physical activity. This is a great example of only looking at nutrition and activity levels, but does not address how processed foods and exposures to chemicals such as pesticides and herbicides effect the likelihood of children becoming obese.
From our speaker in lecture last week, she presented a study that looked at bisphenol A (BPA) effects on obesity. This study found that children who were born to mothers that were exposed to the chemical BPA had an increased risk of obesity. This shows that sometimes leading a sedentary lifestyle and having an unhealthy diet is not the only cause for obesity.
Decreasing exposures to a chemical such as BPA can be a step in the right direction in addressing obesity in the US. Not only would we need to educate communities about the effects of harmful chemicals, but creating stricter regulations surrounding products being made with such chemicals can help decrease our risks and the risk of our future children.
Aika,
ReplyDeleteI agree that we need to inform the public about the dangerous chemicals that can cause a health risk like obesity. I think it is important that people know all factors when on their weight-loss journey because everything helps. There may not be a definitive way to prove chemicals like BPA's cause obesity directly, but adding to the cause in my opinion is just as bad. I believe that there is more money in weight-loss interventions via exercise and diets this may be the reason there is little research on chemical effects.
I totally agree with you in that the money goes more toward weight-loss pills, fad diets, and crazy exercise regimens, but it always seems to be the little things that have the biggest effects.
DeleteReally interesting take on this assignment, I also agree that we are so focused on the individual and how they can help themselves that we give little regard to our changing environment and how that shapes us physically. Nature and Nurture are both working to inform your genetic makeup and make you who you are.
ReplyDeleteThis is absolutely true. As Kelly mentioned, both nature and nurture play a role in the determination of our genetic expression. Understanding the role of environmental exposures within our health would benefit everyone.
ReplyDelete