Obesity Public Health Issues

The recent acknowledgement of obesity as a disease was a wise decision for the Canadian Medical Association to implement. Obesity is a major health issue worldwide with its prevalence having more than doubled since 1980 (“Obesity and overweight,” 2016). It is a common misconception that the sole causes of obesity are a poor, unhealthy diet and physical inactivity. In truth, the etiology of obesity is far more complex and multiple factors contribute to its presence (Chan & Woo, 2010). At the molecular level, obesity is the abnormal or excess accumulation of fat in adipose tissue (Chan & Woo, 2010). It lowers life expectancy and impairs body functions (Rich, 2015; Chan & Woo, 2010). Several factors that play a role in obesity include genetics, socioeconomic status, education, ethnicity, and the environment (James, Leach, Kalamara, & Shayeghi, 2001; Chan & Woo, 2010).
Current obesity public health interventions have targeted the food, physical activity, and socioeconomic environments (Chan & Woo, 2010). However, there are also a number of barriers to effective obesity management and one the primary challenges is the stigma and weight bias (Chan & Woo, 2010). Recognizing obesity as a disease is an alternative approach to address this issue. It shifts the predisposed thinking that obesity is caused by the individual’s lifestyle choices and that it
is solely within the individual’s control. It aims to get health care professionals to look at obesity through a different lens and perspective while attempting to reduce the stigma and biases associated with it and the barriers they create to receiving care.
There are several forms of weight bias in health care settings where health professionals display negative attitudes to those who are obese (Puhl & Heuer, 2009).
Physicians mainly viewed obesity as a behavioural problem caused by excessive eating and sedentary behaviour (Puhl & Heuer, 2009). Regrettably, an individual’s weight influenced the physician’s attitude towards the patient. As the BMI of a patient increased, doctors reported liking their job less, having less patience, and having less desire to help the individual. They even reported that seeing obese patients was “a greater waste of their time” (Puhl & Heuer,
2009).
Additionally, nurses and medical students exhibited the same biased negative attitudes toward those who are obese. Students pointed out that their depreciation of obese patients was because of the belief that the individuals themselves were to blame for their condition (Puhl & Heuer, 2009). Although obesity is often associated with eating and physical activity behaviours, a study showed that only about one third of dietitians believed that they were effective in the obesity management process (Puhl & Heuer, 2009). Furthermore, most studies revealed that health professionals found treating obesity to be professionally unrewarding (Puhl & Heuer, 2009).
As a result of bias and discrimination from health experts, patients may be reluctant to seek help and treatment from their health care providers. 68% of obese women reported that they delayed seeking care because of their weight and 83% reported that their weight was a barrier to receiving health care (Puhl & Heuer, 2009). People who are obese are also less likely to undergo screenings for cancer (Puhl & Heuer, 2009). This is a huge problem as obesity is associated with several other health issues such as diabetes and cardiovascular diseases (Chan & Woo, 2010).
Recognizing obesity as a disease is a step to changing the public’s, health care providers’, and individuals’ perceptions of obesity as a health problem and its complex multifactorial causes. Treating it as a chronic disease would lead health professionals to adopt a new perspective resulting in improved interactions and attitudes towards patients. More prevention efforts, treatment, and research can be put into place as obesity is officially acknowledged as a disease.