Social Cognitive Theory Of Obesity Essay

Obesity is defined as a medical condition whereby there is excessive fat accumulation in the body and may present a risk to health (Wright & Harwood, 2012). Consequently, this condition may reduce life expectancy or increase health problems. An epidemic is an extensive occurrence of a communicable disease in a society at a given period of time. Obesity condition has reached epidemic proportions all over the world whereby both the adults and children are found obese. Most of the older adults are more likely to be obese as compared to younger adults. On the other hand, the percentage of obese children is increasing.
There are various factors that lead to obesity. Under the genetic factors, the obese condition is passed down from one generation to another. In metabolism factors, the metabolism and hormones are different from one individual to another. This factor contribute in how much weight an individual gains. Other factors include; lifestyle choices, medicines, emotions, and social-economic factors.
Question 2: Explain the increase in obesity rates from the viewpoints of two different theories of health related behavior.
Increase in obesity rate may be explained in different theories viewpoints.
Among the theories are Social Cognitive theory (SCT) and Health Belief Theory. Social Cognitive Theory is a theory that explains how individuals get and maintains some patterns of behaviors (Bandura, 2011). Based on this theory, increase in obesity rate may be due to various factors. People tend to apply emotional coping responses tactics to dealing with emotional stimuli. This tactics may involve behaviors that lead to high risks of obesity condition. Moreover, Social Cognitive Theory shows that obesity may be increased as a result of lack of self-control. Most obese people, show lack of self-control as related to poor diet and lack of exercise behaviors. Consequently, this leads to increased Body Mass Index as well as high risks of
obesity.
Health Belief Theory (HBT) contains factors such as perceived barrier and self-efficacy which explain the increased rate in obesity (Nutbeam, Harris & Wise, 2010). For instance, the perceived barrier to exercise and proper diet among women is associated to lack of motivation, cost, and time among others. Self-efficacy is a belief in one’s ability to carry out a particular behavior. Based on HBT, an obesogenic environment may lead to a low self-efficacy for the intake of proper diet. This poor consumption of energy-dense food is related to obesity and other health problems.
Question 3: Each of the theories includes concepts and strategies for promoting changes in health related behaviors. Based on the theories you select, how could the concepts and strategies of a particular theory be utilized to encourage an individual to change their behavior that is related to obesity.
Based on HBT, perceived barrier strategy can be used to provide increased motivation, support and skills to enable women access fast and inexpensive food (Nutbeam, Harris & Wise, 2010). This will encourage women to change their imbalanced diet intake behavior to balanced diet intake. Moreover, the strategy may be used to promote more time-efficiency exercise options. Time-efficiency exercise would encourage women to participate in physical activities hence reducing the level of fat in the body. It will also help to balance the level of energy intake and energy expenditure hence reducing the risks of obesity rate.

According to SCT, the self-control is a vital strategy. This strategy can be utilized to encourage individuals to change their behavior by providing opportunities for self-monitoring, goal setting, and solving of crises (Bandura, 2011). The emotional coping responses strategy can e used to provide training in predicament solving and stress management. The training will provide people with new mechanism of dealing with emotions as well as managing stress. As a result, the overeating and oversleeping habit will no longer be the mechanism to use and therefore low degree of obesity rate.