Sunday, January 12, 2020
Is Bigger Always Better? Essay
For centuries, a plump figure was considered attractive in both men and women. Full figures suggested a life of ease and luxury. Still today, children are taught that an older man in a red suit with a rounded midsection is jolly and approachable. Some may even feel that a little fat around the belly is not such a bad thing. Sadly, far too many people have more than a little. Obesity has become a worldwide epidemic that affects individuals psychologically, socially, economically, and physically.            Obesity can strongly affect an individual psychologically and socially. Just as prejudices against race, sex, and religion are common all across the world, so is prejudice against obese people. The AORN Journal states that obese individuals â€Å"often are considered lazy overeaters without will power or motivation [†¦] are slothful, have poor personal eating and exercise habits, are of limited intelligence, and lack self-control (Shortt). Such prejudices have even been seen in physicians who are obesity specialists. According to a study found in Psychology Today, some physicians â€Å"associated fat people with laziness and stupidity and connected them to words like ‘bad’ or ‘worthless’†(Allen). The fact that healthcare professionals have such strong biases reinforces how widespread â€Å"the stigma of obesity is in our society†(Allen).            Unfortunately, prejudice and discrimination carries on into everyday life for the obese individual. Economic hardship may ensue. Employment opportunities may be affected. â€Å"Employers often presume that people who are obese are lazy and have poor work habits: (Allen). This misconception results in job opportunities being denied or limited to the obese. Employers also â€Å"want their companies to be perceived as ‘young, dynamic, and energetic’ so they avoid putting people who are obese in visible positions, erroneously believing that the obese person will not be quick or alter to the public’s needs†(Allen). Although employment opportunities may decrease, expenses related to obesity are on the rise. Clothes and shoes cost more because the items may have to be especially made and ordered. Medical bills for associated health problems begin to pile up. Finding a seat to fit in becomes an added difficulty. For example, many airlines are now requiring obese individuals to purchase two seats to accommodate their wider size. Added expenses pose a serious dilemma, since income rates are lower and poverty rates are higher in families with obese members (Raman).            Emotional suffering, however, may be one of the most painful effects of obesity. Society subtly teaches that attraction equals thin. The pressure from peers does not help either. Obese individuals, especially children and adolescents, are often subjected to endless teasing and ridicule. It is of little wonder that not so thin men and women think of themselves as fat and unattractive. These individuals may start to believe the prejudices about them are true. Such feelings of low self worth lead to depression in many individuals. Thus, depression is often linked to obesity. Concerning children, and article in Psychology Today states, â€Å"The longer a child is over weight, the more he or she is at risk for depression and other mental disorders†(Lawson). Without intervention, these problems can carry on into adulthood. Obese children and adults are at risk for serious emotional problems. The Merck Manual of Diagnosis and Therapy states, â€Å"Problems include disparagement of body image, a condition in which persons feel that their body is grotesque and loathsome.  They believe that others view them with hostility and contempt, which makes them self-conscious and impairs social functioning†(Beers 60). Sadly, these emotional problems may affect personal achievements and relationships. According to the Journal of the American College of Nutrition, then umber of years of education and marriage rates were lower among women who were obese in childhood and adolescence (Raman).            While the psychological, social, and emotional effects of obesity are significant, the physical effects of obesity are far more profound. In fact, the physical effects of obesity are life-threatening. According to the AORN Journal, â€Å"a person who is 40% overweight is twice as likely to die prematurely as a person of average weight†(Shortt). The article continues by stating, â€Å"In 2000, obesity due to poor diet and inactivity cause 16% of all deaths (ie, 400,000), making it the number-two killer after tobacco use (ie, 435,000 deaths)†(Shortt).            Obese individuals are at an increased risk for many chronic medical conditions. The AORN Journal lists type 2 diabetes, heart disease, stroke, hypertension, sleep apnea, osteoarthritis, and some forms of cancer as conditions related to obesity (Shortt). Concerning the increased risk of cancer, Brunner and Suddarth’s Textbook of Medical-Surgical Nursing states, â€Å"Obesity is associated with endometrial cancer and possibly postmenopausal breast cancers. Obesity may also increase the risk for cancers of the colon, kidney, and gall bladder†(Smeltzer 321). The text also correlates obesity and back injuries due to increased stress in the â€Å"relatively weak back muscles†(2051). Several other physical effects of obesity are noted in the Merck Manual of diagnosis and Therapy including orthopedic disturbances of weight-bearing and non-weight bearing joints. The text also states, â€Å"Skin disorders are particularly common; increased sweat and skin secretions, trapped in thick folds of skin, produce a culture medium conducive to fungal and bacterial growth and infections†(Beers 60).            Everyday tasks become a burden to the obese. Climbing a set of stairs, walking to the mailbox, tying shoelaces, and playing with their own children are all considered strenuous activities. The onset of shortness of breath, increased heart rate and blood pressure, seating, and fatigue quickly bring any type of physical activity to an end. The increased stress to the heart due to obesity can eventually lead to chronic heart failure and even death.            The expression â€Å"bigger is better†is true for many things. Weight is not one of them. As waistbands continue to expand, human lives are being endangered. Obesity is a worldwide crisis that brings long-term psychological, social, emotional, and physical effects. A closer look at obesity proves that bigger is not always better. Works Cited Allen, Colin. â€Å"Obesity Doctors Are Weight Biased.†Psychology Today. 29 Sept 2003. Beers, Mark and Robert Berkow. The Merck Manual of Diagnosis and Therapy. 17th ed. West Point: Merck, 1999. Lawson, Willow. â€Å"The Obesity – Depression Link.† Psychology Today. 27 May 2003. Raman, Rita. â€Å"Obesity and Heatlh Risks.† Journal of the American College of Nutrition. 21 (2002). Shortt, Janet. â€Å"Obesity – A Public Dilemma.† AORN Journal. Dec 2004. Smeltzer, Suzanne and Brenda Bare. Brunner & Suddarth’s Textbook of Medical – Surgical Nursing. 10th ed. Philadelphia: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, 2004.
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