Thesis Statement – Modern Medicine Is Not the Answer to the Obesity Problem

ASSIGNMENT 3

Argumentative Essay
Thesis Statement – Modern Medicine is not the answer to the obesity problem

Your genetic makeup can be partially blamed for being over weight or obese. Excessive consumption of food high in saturated fat and high in sugar with no or minimal amount of exercise will see your BMI (Body Mass Index) rise to the level of 25 kg/m2 for overweight or over 30 kg/m2 for obese. BMI is measured by your weight divided by your height. In New Zealand according to Ministry of Health (MOH) there’s approximately 500,000 adults who are obese and 900,000 overweight. Maori and Pacific Islanders being the main contributors. According to the 2002/03 New Zealand Health survey 27 percent of Maori men and women and 36 percent of Pacific men and 47 percent of Pacific women were obese This is an astounding percentage for a small country like ours.

World Health Organization (2003) study shows:
“Fact: Globally, there are more than 1 billion overweight adults, at least 300 million of them obese. Fact: Obesity and over weight pose a major risk for chronic diseases, including Type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, hypertension and stroke and certain forms of cancer. Fact: The key causes are increased consumption of energy dense foods high in saturated fats and sugars and reduced physical activity.” The possibility of developing Type 2 diabetes escalates when body fat increases. Approximately 85% of people with diabetes are Type 2 and of these, 90% are obese

or overweight (WHO, 2003)”. A physical examination and a measure of your BMI will determine if you’re overweight or obese. Medical and family history, inception of increased weight, smoking and alcohol consumption, the periods of loss and gain of weight are an important factor of what course your doctor will choose for you. Dieting and weight loss programmes under the guidance of your doctor are normally what you would begin with. Exercising for 30 minutes a day with a low fat high complex carbohydrate high fibre diet, adjustments to your eating habits with support from a nutritionist and medications such as appetite suppressants is what a programme would include. The appetite suppressants, Phentermine for short term use while Sibutramine and Xenical are long term are prescribed from your doctor but they don’t come without side effects. Mood swings, rapid heart rate, increase in blood pressure, insomnia and constipation are just a few.

As a last resort for obesity there is surgery. Stomach bypass operations, gastric bypass or lap band surgery. The operation takes about 90 minutes, where a band is secured around the upper part of the stomach to restrict your food intake and gives your stomach a false sense of fullness. Because the band restricts the amount of food that flows into the stomach it takes longer to digest. These procedures are quite drastic but then so are the results. The extent of the problem is world wide. In most developed countries obesity has become an epidemic. A profound change in society and behaviour patterns within communities exemplifies the problem (WHO, 2003). Health Organizations such as World Health Organization (WHO) and Ministry of

Health New Zealand (MOH) are trying to combat obesity by promoting healthier living programmes, educating people how to eat moderately and sensibly, introducing weight management programmes to their lifestyles. New Zealand has come up with a Healthy Eating-Healthy Action Strategy to reduce obesity. Their objectives in this strategy are to reduce obesity, improve nutrition and increase physical activity, developing partnerships with central government agencies, health related non government organizations, academia and industries will, over the years to come, change the environment so healthy choices will become easy choices (MOH, 2004).

In summary, Health organizations and governments around the world have realised obesity is a huge health problem, that it has become a major epidemic and that the adverse effects of obesity are having on society as a whole. Obesity plays a major part in other health related diseases and over the years many people have died because this. Health organizations have put strategies in place to ensure future generations are aware of healthy eating and the need for physical activity. But with the changing of environments and society is it enough?

References
World Health Organization. (2003). Global Strategy on Diet, Physical Activity and Health: Obesity and Overweight. Retrieved May 21, 2008 from http://www.who.int/dietphysicalactivity/publications/facts/obesity/en/.

HealthScout. (nd). Health Encyclopedia – Diseases and Conditions: Obesity – symptoms, treatment and prevention. Retrieved May 28, 2008 from http://www.healthscout.com/ency/68/179/main.html.

Ministry of Health. (nd). Obesity in New Zealand: Question and answer –obesity. Retrieved May 28, 2008 from http://www.moh.govt.nz/moh.nsf/UnidPrint/MH3662?OpenDocument.

Ministry of Health. (nd). Obesity in New Zealand: Key facts – obesity. Retrieved May 21, 2008 from http://www.moh.govt.nz/moh.nsf/UnidPrint/MH3662?OpenDocument.