narrative essay about obesity

Essays About Obesity: Top 5 Examples and 7 Writing Prompts

Obesity is a pressing health issue many people must deal with in their lives. If you are writing essays about obesity, check out our guide for helpful examples and writing prompts. 

In the world we live in today, certain diseases such as obesity are becoming more significant problems. People suffering from obesity have excess fat, which threatens their health significantly. This can lead to strokes, high blood pressure, heart attacks, and even death. It also dramatically alters one’s physical appearance.

However, we must not be so quick to judge and criticize obese people for their weight and supposed “lifestyle choices.” Not every obese person makes “bad choices” and is automatically “lazy,” as various contributing causes exist. Therefore, we must balance concern for obese people’s health and outright shaming them. 

To write insightful essays about obesity, you can start by reading essay examples. 

5 Best Essay examples

1. obesity as a social issue by earnest washington, 2. is there such a thing as ‘healthy obesity’ by gillian mohney, 3. problems of child obesity by peggy maldonado, 4.  what is fat shaming are you a shamer by jamie long.

• 5. ​​The Dangerous Link Between Coronavirus and Obesity by Rami Bailony

Writing Prompts for Essays About Obesity

1. what causes obesity, 2. what are the effects of obesity, 3. how can you prevent obesity, 4. what is “fat shaming”, 5. why is obesity rate so higher, 6. obesity in the united states, 7. your experience with obesity.

“Weight must be considered as a genuine risk in today’s world. Other than social issues like body shaming, obesity has significantly more to it and is a risk to human life. It must be dealt with and taken care of simply like some other interminable illness and we as people must recollect that machines and innovation has progressed to help us not however not make us unenergetic.”

Washington writes about the dangers of obesity, saying that it can significantly damage your digestive and cardiovascular systems and even cause cancer. In addition, humans’ “expanded reliance on machines” has led us to become less active and more sedentary; as a result, we keep getting fatter. While he acknowledges that shaming obese people does no good, Washington stresses the dangers of being too heavy and encourages people to get fit. 

“‘I think we need to move away from using BMI as categorizing one as obese/overweight or unhealthy,” Zarabi told Healthline. “The real debate here is how do we define health? Is the vegetarian who has a BMI of 30, avoiding all saturated fats from meats and consuming a diet heavy in simple carbohydrates [and thus] reducing his risk of cardiac disease but increasing likelihood of elevated triglycerides and insulin, considered healthy?

Mohney, writing for Healthline, explains how “healthy obesity” is nuanced and should perhaps be retired. Some people may be metabolically healthy and obese simultaneously; however, they are still at risk of diseases associated with obesity. Others believe that health should be determined by more factors than BMI, as some people eat healthily and exercise but remain heavy. People have conflicting opinions on this term, and Mohney describes suggestions to instead focus on getting treatment for “healthy obese” people

“The absence of physical movement is turning into an increasingly normal factor as youngsters are investing more energy inside, and less time outside. Since technology is turning into an immense piece of present-day youngsters’ lives, exercises, for example, watching TV, gaming, messaging and playing on the PC, all of which require next to no vitality and replaces the physical exercises.”

In her essay, Maldonado discusses the causes and effects of childhood obesity. For example, hereditary factors and lack of physical activity make more children overweight; also, high-calorie food and the pressure on kids to “finish their food” make them consume more. 

Obesity leads to high blood pressure and cholesterol, heart disease, and cancer; children should not suffer as they are still so young. 

“Regardless of the catalyst at the root of fat shaming, it persists quite simply because we as a society aren’t doing enough to call it out and stand in solidarity against it. Our culture has largely bought into the farce that thinness equals health and success. Instead, the emphasis needs to shift from the obsession of appearance to promoting healthy lifestyle behaviors for all, regardless of body size. A lean body shouldn’t be a requisite to be treated with dignity and respect. Fat shaming is nonsensical and is the manifestation of ignorance and possibly, hate.”

Long warns readers of the dangers of fat shaming, declaring that it is reprehensible and should not be done. People may have “good intentions” when criticizing overweight or obese people, but it does not, in fact, help with making them healthier. Long believes that society should highlight a healthy lifestyle rather than a “healthy” body, as everyone’s bodies are different and should not be the sole indicator of health. 

5. ​​ The Dangerous Link Between Coronavirus and Obesity by Rami Bailony

“In a study out of NYU, severe obesity (BMI >40) was a greater risk factor for hospitalization among Covid-19 patients than heart failure, smoking status, diabetes, or chronic kidney disease. In China, in a small case series of critically ill Covid-19 patients, 88.24% of patients who died had obesity versus an obesity rate of 18.95% in survivors. In France, patients with a BMI greater than 35 were seven times more likely to require mechanical ventilation than patients with a BMI below 25.”

Bailony’s essay sheds light on research conducted in several countries regarding obesity and COVID-19. The disease is said to be “a leading risk factor in mortality and morbidity” from the virus; studies conducted in the U.S., China, and France show that most obese people who contracted the coronavirus died. Bailony believes obesity is not taken seriously enough and should be treated as an actual disease rather than a mere “lifestyle choice.”

It is well-known that obesity is an excess buildup of body fat, but what exactly causes this? It is not simply due to “eating a lot,” as many people simply understand it; there are other factors besides diet that affect someone’s body size. Look into the different causes of obesity, explaining each and how they are connected.

Obesity can result in the development of many diseases. In addition, it can significantly affect one’s physique and digestive, respiratory, and circulatory systems. For your essay, discuss the different symptoms of obesity and the health complications it can lead to in the future.

It can be safely assumed that no one wants to be obese, as it is detrimental to one’s health. Write an essay guide of some sort, giving tips on managing your weight, staying healthy, and preventing obesity. Include some dietary guidelines, exercise suggestions, and the importance of keeping the balance between these two.

“Fat shaming” is a phenomenon that has become more popular with the rise in obesity rates. Define this term, explain how it is seen in society, and explain why it is terrible. Also, include ways that you can speak about the dangers of obesity without making fun of obese people or making them feel bad for their current state. 

The 21st century has seen a dramatic rise in obesity rates worldwide compared to previous decades. Why is this the case? Explore one or more probable causes for the increase in obese people. You should mention multiple causes in your essay, but you may choose to focus on one only- explain it in detail.

The United States, in particular, is known to be a country with many obese people. This is due to a combination of factors, all connected in some way. Research obesity in the U.S. and write about why it is a bigger problem than in other countries- take a look at portion size, fitness habits, and food production. 

If applicable, you may write about your experience with obesity. Whether you have struggled or are struggling with it in the past or know someone who has, discuss how this makes you feel. Reflect on how this knowledge has impacted you as a person and any lessons this may have taught you. 

For help with your essays, check out our round-up of the best essay checkers .If you’re looking for more ideas, check out our essays about bullying topic guide !

Martin is an avid writer specializing in editing and proofreading. He also enjoys literary analysis and writing about food and travel.

View all posts

Obesity Essay

Last updated on: Feb 9, 2023

Obesity Essay: A Complete Guide and Topics

By: Nova A.

11 min read

Reviewed By: Jacklyn H.

Published on: Aug 31, 2021

Are you assigned to write an essay about obesity? The first step is to define obesity.

The obesity epidemic is a major issue facing our country right now. It's complicated- it could be genetic or due to your environment, but either way, there are ways that you can fix it!

Learn all about what causes weight gain and get tips on how you can get healthy again.

On this Page

What is Obesity

What is obesity? Obesity and BMI (body mass index) are both tools of measurement that are used by doctors to assess body fat according to the height, age, and gender of a person. If the BMI is between 25 to 29.9, that means the person has excess weight and body fat.

If the BMI exceeds 30, that means the person is obese. Obesity is a condition that increases the risk of developing cardiovascular diseases, high blood pressure, and other medical conditions like metabolic syndrome, arthritis, and even some types of cancer.

Obesity Definition

Obesity is defined by the World Health Organization as an accumulation of abnormal and excess body fat that comes with several risk factors. It is measured by the body mass index BMI, body weight (in kilograms) divided by the square of a person’s height (in meters).

Obesity in America

Obesity is on the verge of becoming an epidemic as 1 in every 3 Americans can be categorized as overweight and obese. Currently, America is an obese country, and it continues to get worse.

Paper Due? Why Suffer? That's our Job!

Causes of obesity

Do you see any obese or overweight people around you?

You likely do.

This is because fast-food chains are becoming more and more common, people are less active, and fruits and vegetables are more expensive than processed foods, thus making them less available to the majority of society. These are the primary causes of obesity.

Obesity is a disease that affects all age groups, including children and elderly people.

Now that you are familiar with the topic of obesity, writing an essay won’t be that difficult for you.

How to Write an Obesity Essay

The format of an obesity essay is similar to writing any other essay. If you need help regarding how to write an obesity essay, it is the same as writing any other essay.

Obesity Essay Introduction

The trick is to start your essay with an interesting and catchy sentence. This will help attract the reader's attention and motivate them to read further. You don’t want to lose the reader’s interest in the beginning and leave a bad impression, especially if the reader is your teacher.

A hook sentence is usually used to open the introductory paragraph of an essay in order to make it interesting. When writing an essay on obesity, the hook sentence can be in the form of an interesting fact or statistic.

Head on to this detailed article on hook examples to get a better idea.

Once you have hooked the reader, the next step is to provide them with relevant background information about the topic. Don’t give away too much at this stage or bombard them with excess information that the reader ends up getting bored with. Only share information that is necessary for the reader to understand your topic.

Next, write a strong thesis statement at the end of your essay, be sure that your thesis identifies the purpose of your essay in a clear and concise manner. Also, keep in mind that the thesis statement should be easy to justify as the body of your essay will revolve around it.

Body Paragraphs

The details related to your topic are to be included in the body paragraphs of your essay. You can use statistics, facts, and figures related to obesity to reinforce your thesis throughout your essay.

If you are writing a cause-and-effect obesity essay, you can mention different causes of obesity and how it can affect a person’s overall health. The number of body paragraphs can increase depending on the parameters of the assignment as set forth by your instructor.

Start each body paragraph with a topic sentence that is the crux of its content. It is necessary to write an engaging topic sentence as it helps grab the reader’s interest. Check out this detailed blog on writing a topic sentence to further understand it.

End your essay with a conclusion by restating your research and tying it to your thesis statement. You can also propose possible solutions to control obesity in your conclusion. Make sure that your conclusion is short yet powerful.

Obesity Essay Examples

Essay about Obesity (PDF)

Childhood Obesity Essay (PDF)

Obesity in America Essay (PDF)

Essay about Obesity Cause and Effects (PDF)

Satire Essay on Obesity (PDF) 

Obesity Argumentative Essay (PDF)

Obesity Essay Topics

Choosing a topic might seem an overwhelming task as you may have many ideas for your assignment. Brainstorm different ideas and narrow them down to one, quality topic.

If you need some examples to help you with your essay topic related to obesity, dive into this article and choose from the list of obesity essay topics.

Childhood Obesity

As mentioned earlier, obesity can affect any age group, including children. Obesity can cause several future health problems as children age.

Here are a few topics you can choose from and discuss for your childhood obesity essay:

• What are the causes of increasing obesity in children?
• Obese parents may be at risk for having children with obesity.
• What is the ratio of obesity between adults and children?
• What are the possible treatments for obese children?
• Are there any social programs that can help children with combating obesity?
• Has technology boosted the rate of obesity in children?
• Are children spending more time on gadgets instead of playing outside?
• Schools should encourage regular exercises and sports for children.
• How can sports and other physical activities protect children from becoming obese?
• Can childhood abuse be a cause of obesity among children?
• What is the relationship between neglect in childhood and obesity in adulthood?
• Does obesity have any effect on the psychological condition and well-being of a child?
• Are electronic medical records effective in diagnosing obesity among children?
• Obesity can affect the academic performance of your child.
• Do you believe that children who are raised by a single parent can be vulnerable to obesity?
• You can promote interesting exercises to encourage children.
• What is the main cause of obesity, and why is it increasing with every passing day?
• Schools and colleges should work harder to develop methodologies to decrease childhood obesity.
• The government should not allow schools and colleges to include sweet or fatty snacks as a part of their lunch.
• If a mother is obese, can it affect the health of the child?
• Children who gain weight frequently can develop chronic diseases.

Obesity Argumentative Essay Topics

Do you want to write an argumentative essay on the topic of obesity?

The following list can help you with that!

Here are some examples you can choose from for your argumentative essay about obesity:

• Can vegetables and fruits decrease the chances of obesity?
• Should you go for surgery to overcome obesity?
• Are there any harmful side effects?
• Can obesity be related to the mental condition of an individual?
• Are parents responsible for controlling obesity in childhood?
• What are the most effective measures to prevent the increase in the obesity rate?
• Why is the obesity rate increasing in the United States?
• Can the lifestyle of a person be a cause of obesity?
• Does the economic situation of a country affect the obesity rate?
• How is obesity considered an international health issue?
• Can technology and gadgets affect obesity rates?
• What can be the possible reasons for obesity in a school?
• How can we address the issue of obesity?
• Is obesity a chronic disease?
• Is obesity a major cause of heart attacks?
• Are the junk food chains causing an increase in obesity?
• Do nutritional programs help in reducing the obesity rate?
• How can the right type of diet help with obesity?
• Why should we encourage sports activities in schools and colleges?
• Can obesity affect a person’s behavior?

Health Related Topics for Research Paper

If you are writing a research paper, you can explain the cause and effect of obesity.

Here are a few topics that link to the cause and effects of obesity.Review the literature of previous articles related to obesity. Describe the ideas presented in the previous papers.

• Can family history cause obesity in future generations?
• Can we predict obesity through genetic testing?
• What is the cause of the increasing obesity rate?
• Do you think the increase in fast-food restaurants is a cause of the rising obesity rate?
• Is the ratio of obese women greater than obese men?
• Why are women more prone to be obese as compared to men?
• Stress can be a cause of obesity. Mention the reasons how mental health can be related to physical health.
• Is urban life a cause of the increasing obesity rate?
• People from cities are prone to be obese as compared to people from the countryside.
• How obesity affects the life expectancy of people? What are possible solutions to decrease the obesity rate?
• Do family eating habits affect or trigger obesity?
• How do eating habits affect the health of an individual?
• How can obesity affect the future of a child?
• Obese children are more prone to get bullied in high school and college.
• Why should schools encourage more sports and exercise for children?

Tough Essay Due? Hire Tough Writers!

Topics for Essay on Obesity as a Problem

Do you think a rise in obesity rate can affect the economy of a country?

Here are some topics for your assistance regarding your economics related obesity essay.

• Does socioeconomic status affect the possibility of obesity in an individual?
• Analyze the film and write a review on “Fed Up” – an obesity epidemic.
• Share your reviews on the movie “The Weight of The Nation.”
• Should we increase the prices of fast food and decrease the prices of fruits and vegetables to decrease obesity?
• Do you think healthy food prices can be a cause of obesity?
• Describe what measures other countries have taken in order to control obesity?
• The government should play an important role in controlling obesity. What precautions should they take?
• Do you think obesity can be one of the reasons children get bullied?
• Do obese people experience any sort of discrimination or inappropriate behavior due to their weight?
• Are there any legal protections for people who suffer from discrimination due to their weight?
• Which communities have a higher percentage of obesity in the United States?
• Discuss the side effects of the fast-food industry and their advertisements on children.
• Describe how the increasing obesity rate has affected the economic condition of the United States.
• What is the current percentage of obesity all over the world? Is the obesity rate increasing with every passing day?
• Why is the obesity rate higher in the United States as compared to other countries?
• Do Asians have a greater percentage of obese people as compared to Europe?
• Does the cultural difference affect the eating habits of an individual?
• Obesity and body shaming.
• Why is a skinny body considered to be ideal? Is it an effective way to reduce the obesity rate?

Obesity Solution Essay Topics

With all the developments in medicine and technology, we still don’t have exact measures to treat obesity.

Here are some insights you can discuss in your essay:

• How do obese people suffer from metabolic complications?
• Describe the fat distribution in obese people.
• Is type 2 diabetes related to obesity?
• Are obese people more prone to suffer from diabetes in the future?
• How are cardiac diseases related to obesity?
• Can obesity affect a woman’s childbearing time phase?
• Describe the digestive diseases related to obesity.
• Obesity may be genetic.
• Obesity can cause a higher risk of suffering a heart attack.
• What are the causes of obesity? What health problems can be caused if an individual suffers from obesity?
• What are the side effects of surgery to overcome obesity?
• Which drugs are effective when it comes to the treatment of obesity?
• Is there a difference between being obese and overweight?
• Can obesity affect the sociological perspective of an individual?
• Explain how an obesity treatment works.
• How can the government help people to lose weight and improve public health?

Writing an essay is a challenging yet rewarding task. All you need is to be organized and clear when it comes to academic writing.

• Choose a topic you would like to write on.
• Organize your thoughts.
• Pen down your ideas.
• Compose a perfect essay that will help you ace your subject.
• Proofread and revise your paper.

Were the topics useful for you? We hope so!

However, if you are still struggling to write your paper, you can pick any of the topics from this list, and our essay writer will help you craft a perfect essay.

Are you struggling to write an effective essay?

If writing an essay is the actual problem and not just the topic, you can always hire an essay writing service for your help. Essay experts at 5StarEssays can help compose an impressive essay within your deadline.

All you have to do is contact us. We will get started on your paper while you can sit back and relax.

Place your order now to get an A-worthy essay.

Marketing, Thesis

As a Digital Content Strategist, Nova Allison has eight years of experience in writing both technical and scientific content. With a focus on developing online content plans that engage audiences, Nova strives to write pieces that are not only informative but captivating as well.

Essay on Obesity Examples and Samples

• Essay on Cyberbullying Examples and Samples
• Essay on Technology Examples and Samples
• Essay on Professionalism Examples and Samples
• Essay on Career Goals Examples and Samples
• Essay on Animal Testing Examples and Samples
• Essay on Drug Abuse Examples and Samples
• Essay on Immigrations Examples and Samples
• Essay on Capital Punishment Examples and Samples
• Essay on Communication Examples and Samples
• Essay on Friendship Examples and Samples
• Essay on Community Service Examples and Samples
• Essay on My Family Examples and Samples
• Essay on Frankenstein Examples and Samples
• Essay on Pro Life Examples and Samples
• Essay on Anxiety Examples and Samples
• Essay on Industrial Revolution Examples and Samples
• Essay on Research Argument Examples and Samples
• Essay on Food Examples and Samples
• Essay on Great Depression Examples and Samples
• Essay on Self-Reflection Examples and Samples
• Essay on The Great Gatsby Examples and Samples
• Essay On What Does It Mean to Be American Examples and Samples
• Essay on World War 2 Examples and Samples
• Essay on Ethics Examples and Samples
• Essay on Concert Review Examples and Samples
• Essay on Fahrenheit 451 Examples and Samples
• Essay on Nursing Scholarship Examples and Samples
• Essay on Pro Choice Examples and Samples
• Essay on Process Analysis Examples and Samples
• Essay on Solar Energy Examples and Samples
• Essay on Personal Narrative Examples and Samples
• Essay on Hamlet Examples and Samples
• Essay on Civil Rights Examples and Samples
• Essay on Rhetoric Examples and Samples
• Essay on Martin Luther King Examples and Samples

Recent Articles

May 05 2023

Eating disorders Essay Sample, Example

Obesity Amongst Adolescents Essay Sample, Example

Feb 01 2019

How to Lose Weight Essay Sample, Example

May 23 2018

Why You Should Not Eat Fast Food Essay Sample, Example

May 17 2018

The Most Obese Countries in the World and Why They Are on the List Essay Sample, Example

Feb 18 2018

What Coca-Cola Does to Your Health And Why People Keep Drinking It Essay Sample, Example

Jul 10 2012

The Problem of Obesity in America Essay Sample, Example

Remember Me

What is your profession ? Student Teacher Writer Other

Forgotten Password?

Username or Email

• Search Menu
• Sign in through your institution
• Advance Articles
• Editor's Choice
• Author Guidelines
• Submission Site
• Open Access Options
• Self-Archiving Policy
• About Journal of Molecular Cell Biology
• Society affiliations
• Editorial Board
• Advertising and Corporate Services
• Journals Career Network
• Dispatch Dates
• Journals on Oxford Academic
• Books on Oxford Academic

Article Contents

Obesity: causes, consequences, treatments, and challenges.

• Article contents
• Figures & tables
• Supplementary Data

Obesity: causes, consequences, treatments, and challenges, Journal of Molecular Cell Biology , Volume 13, Issue 7, July 2021, Pages 463–465, https://doi.org/10.1093/jmcb/mjab056

• Permissions Icon Permissions

Obesity has become a global epidemic and is one of today’s most public health problems worldwide. Obesity poses a major risk for a variety of serious diseases including diabetes mellitus, non-alcoholic liver disease (NAFLD), cardiovascular disease, hypertension and stroke, and certain forms of cancer ( Bluher, 2019 ).

Obesity is mainly caused by imbalanced energy intake and expenditure due to a sedentary lifestyle coupled with overnutrition. Excess nutrients are stored in adipose tissue (AT) in the form of triglycerides, which will be utilized as nutrients by other tissues through lipolysis under nutrient deficit conditions. There are two major types of AT, white AT (WAT) and brown AT, the latter is a specialized form of fat depot that participates in non-shivering thermogenesis through lipid oxidation-mediated heat generation. While WAT has been historically considered merely an energy reservoir, this fat depot is now well known to function as an endocrine organ that produces and secretes various hormones, cytokines, and metabolites (termed as adipokines) to control systemic energy balance. Studies over the past decade also show that WAT, especially subcutaneous WAT, could undergo ‘beiging’ remodeling in response to environmental or hormonal perturbation. In the first paper of this special issue, Cheong and Xu (2021) systematically review the recent progress on the factors, pathways, and mechanisms that regulate the intercellular and inter-organ crosstalks in the beiging of WAT. A critical but still not fully addressed issue in the adipose research field is the origin of the beige cells. Although beige adipocytes are known to have distinct cellular origins from brown and while adipocytes, it remains unclear on whether the cells are from pre-existing mature white adipocytes through a transdifferentiation process or from de novo differentiation of precursor cells. AT is a heterogeneous tissue composed of not only adipocytes but also nonadipocyte cell populations, including fibroblasts, as well as endothelial, blood, stromal, and adipocyte precursor cells ( Ruan, 2020 ). The authors examined evidence to show that heterogeneity contributes to different browning capacities among fat depots and even within the same depot. The local microenvironment in WAT, which is dynamically and coordinately controlled by inputs from the heterogeneous cell types, plays a critical role in the beige adipogenesis process. The authors also examined key regulators of the AT microenvironment, including vascularization, the sympathetic nerve system, immune cells, peptide hormones, exosomes, and gut microbiota-derived metabolites. Given that increasing beige fat function enhances energy expenditure and consequently reduces body weight gain, identification and characterization of novel regulators and understanding their mechanisms of action in the beiging process has a therapeutic potential to combat obesity and its associated diseases. However, as noticed by the authors, most of the current pre-clinical research on ‘beiging’ are done in rodent models, which may not represent the exact phenomenon in humans ( Cheong and Xu, 2021 ). Thus, further investigations will be needed to translate the findings from bench to clinic.

While both social–environmental factors and genetic preposition have been recognized to play important roles in obesity epidemic, Gao et al. (2021) present evidence showing that epigenetic changes may be a key factor to explain interindividual differences in obesity. The authors examined data on the function of DNA methylation in regulating the expression of key genes involved in metabolism. They also summarize the roles of histone modifications as well as various RNAs such as microRNAs, long noncoding RNAs, and circular RNAs in regulating metabolic gene expression in metabolic organs in response to environmental cues. Lastly, the authors discuss the effect of lifestyle modification and therapeutic agents on epigenetic regulation of energy homeostasis. Understanding the mechanisms by which lifestyles such as diet and exercise modulate the expression and function of epigenetic factors in metabolism should be essential for developing novel strategies for the prevention and treatment of obesity and its associated metabolic diseases.

A major consequence of obesity is type 2 diabetes, a chronic disease that occurs when body cannot use and produce insulin effectively. Diabetes profoundly and adversely affects the vasculature, leading to various cardiovascular-related diseases such as atherosclerosis, arteriosclerotic, and microvascular diseases, which have been recognized as the most common causes of death in people with diabetes ( Cho et al., 2018 ). Love et al. (2021) systematically review the roles and regulation of endothelial insulin resistance in diabetes complications, focusing mainly on vascular dysfunction. The authors review the vasoprotective functions and the mechanisms of action of endothelial insulin and insulin-like growth factor 1 signaling pathways. They also examined the contribution and impart of endothelial insulin resistance to diabetes complications from both biochemical and physiological perspectives and evaluated the beneficial roles of many of the medications currently used for T2D treatment in vascular management, including metformin, thiazolidinediones, glucagon-like receptor agonists, dipeptidyl peptidase-4 inhibitors, sodium-glucose cotransporter inhibitors, as well as exercise. The authors present evidence to suggest that sex differences and racial/ethnic disparities contribute significantly to vascular dysfunction in the setting of diabetes. Lastly, the authors raise a number of very important questions with regard to the role and connection of endothelial insulin resistance to metabolic dysfunction in other major metabolic organs/tissues and suggest several insightful directions in this area for future investigation.

Following on from the theme of obesity-induced metabolic dysfunction, Xia et al. (2021) review the latest progresses on the role of membrane-type I matrix metalloproteinase (MT1-MMP), a zinc-dependent endopeptidase that proteolytically cleaves extracellular matrix components and non-matrix proteins, in lipid metabolism. The authors examined data on the transcriptional and post-translational modification regulation of MT1-MMP gene expression and function. They also present evidence showing that the functions of MT1-MMP in lipid metabolism are cell specific as it may either promote or suppress inflammation and atherosclerosis depending on its presence in distinct cells. MT1-MMP appears to exert a complex role in obesity for that the molecule delays the progression of early obesity but exacerbates obesity at the advanced stage. Because inhibition of MT1-MMP can potentially lower the circulating low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels and reduce the risk of cancer metastasis and atherosclerosis, the protein has been viewed as a very promising therapeutic target. However, challenges remain in developing MT1-MMP-based therapies due to the tissue-specific roles of MT1-MMP and the lack of specific inhibitors for this molecule. Further investigations are needed to address these questions and to develop MT1-MMP-based therapeutic interventions.

Lastly, Huang et al. (2021) present new findings on a critical role of puromycin-sensitive aminopeptidase (PSA), an integral non-transmembrane enzyme that catalyzes the cleavage of amino acids near the N-terminus of polypeptides, in NAFLD. NAFLD, ranging from simple nonalcoholic fatty liver to the more aggressive subtype nonalcoholic steatohepatitis, has now become the leading chronic liver disease worldwide ( Loomba et al., 2021 ). At present, no effective drugs are available for NAFLD management in the clinic mainly due to the lack of a complete understanding of the mechanisms underlying the disease progress, reinforcing the urgent need to identify and validate novel targets and to elucidate their mechanisms of action in NAFLD development and pathogenesis. Huang et al. (2021) found that PSA expression levels were greatly reduced in the livers of obese mouse models and that the decreased PSA expression correlated with the progression of NAFLD in humans. They also found that PSA levels were negatively correlated with triglyceride accumulation in cultured hepatocytes and in the liver of ob/ob mice. Moreover, PSA suppresses steatosis by promoting lipogenesis and attenuating fatty acid β-oxidation in hepatocytes and protects oxidative stress and lipid overload in the liver by activating the nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2, the master regulator of antioxidant response. These studies identify PSA as a pivotal regulator of hepatic lipid metabolism and suggest that PSA may be a potential biomarker and therapeutic target for treating NAFLD.

In summary, papers in this issue review our current knowledge on the causes, consequences, and interventions of obesity and its associated diseases such as type 2 diabetes, NAFLD, and cardiovascular disease ( Cheong and Xu, 2021 ; Gao et al., 2021 ; Love et al., 2021 ). Potential targets for the treatment of dyslipidemia and NAFLD are also discussed, as exemplified by MT1-MMP and PSA ( Huang et al., 2021 ; Xia et al., 2021 ). It is noted that despite enormous effect, few pharmacological interventions are currently available in the clinic to effectively treat obesity. In addition, while enhancing energy expenditure by browning/beiging of WAT has been demonstrated as a promising alternative approach to alleviate obesity in rodent models, it remains to be determined on whether such WAT reprogramming is effective in combating obesity in humans ( Cheong and Xu, 2021 ). Better understanding the mechanisms by which obesity induces various medical consequences and identification and characterization of novel anti-obesity secreted factors/soluble molecules would be helpful for developing effective therapeutic treatments for obesity and its associated medical complications.

Bluher M. ( 2019 ). Obesity: global epidemiology and pathogenesis . Nat. Rev. Endocrinol . 15 , 288 – 298 .

Google Scholar

Cheong L.Y. , Xu A. ( 2021 ). Intercellular and inter-organ crosstalk in browning of white adipose tissue: molecular mechanism and therapeutic complications . J. Mol. Cell Biol . 13 , 466 – 479 .

Cho N.H. , Shaw J.E. , Karuranga S. , et al.  ( 2018 ). IDF Diabetes Atlas: global estimates of diabetes prevalence for 2017 and projections for 2045 . Diabetes Res. Clin. Pract . 138 , 271 – 281 .

Gao W. , Liu J.-L. , Lu X. , et al.  ( 2021 ). Epigenetic regulation of energy metabolism in obesity . J. Mol. Cell Biol . 13 , 480 – 499 .

Huang B. , Xiong X. , Zhang L. , et al.  ( 2021 ). PSA controls hepatic lipid metabolism by regulating the NRF2 signaling pathway . J. Mol. Cell Biol . 13 , 527 – 539 .

Loomba R. , Friedman S.L. , Shulman G.I. ( 2021 ). Mechanisms and disease consequences of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease . Cell 184 , 2537 – 2564 .

Love K.M. , Barrett E.J. , Malin S.K. , et al.  ( 2021 ). Diabetes pathogenesis and management: the endothelium comes of age . J. Mol. Cell Biol . 13 , 500 – 512 .

Ruan H.-B. ( 2020 ). Developmental and functional heterogeneity of thermogenic adipose tissue . J. Mol. Cell Biol . 12 , 775 – 784 .

Xia X.-D. , Alabi A. , Wang M. , et al.  ( 2021 ). Membrane-type I matrix metalloproteinase (MT1-MMP), lipid metabolism, and therapeutic implications . J. Mol. Cell Biol . 13 , 513 – 526 .

Author notes

Shanghai Diabetes Institute, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Diabetes Mellitus, Shanghai Clinical Center for Diabetes, Shanghai Jiao Tong University Affiliated Sixth People's Hospital, Shanghai 200233, China E-mail: [email protected]

Email alerts

Citing articles via, affiliations.

• Online ISSN 1759-4685
• Copyright © 2024 Chinese Academy of Sciences
• About Oxford Academic
• Publish journals with us
• University press partners
• What we publish
• New features  
• Open access
• Institutional account management
• Rights and permissions
• Get help with access
• Accessibility
• Advertising
• Media enquiries
• Oxford University Press
• Oxford Languages
• University of Oxford

Oxford University Press is a department of the University of Oxford. It furthers the University's objective of excellence in research, scholarship, and education by publishing worldwide

• Copyright © 2024 Oxford University Press
• Cookie settings
• Cookie policy
• Privacy policy
• Legal notice

This Feature Is Available To Subscribers Only

Sign In or Create an Account

This PDF is available to Subscribers Only

For full access to this pdf, sign in to an existing account, or purchase an annual subscription.

• ConscienHealth
• Advocacy Organizations
• Affiliates & Advocates
• Service Partners
• Publications
• LATEST NEWS

My Story of Living with Obesity

Difficult Teen Years

At 18, I weighed 330 pounds. As a teen, it was very difficult to be the biggest student in the entire school. I had tried numerous diets throughout my teenage years and was unable to lose any significant amount of weight. The summer I graduated high school, I decided that the likelihood of significant weight loss was very slim and I needed help. I was very fortunate that my family had health insurance that would cover gastric bypass which was pretty rare 20 years ago. After surgery, the weight loss was amazing, I lost 180 pounds in the first 6 months. I went on to college and graduated from nursing school in 2002.

Follow-up Care for a Chronic Disease

As time went on, I slowly regained some weight. A marriage and two children later, I had regained about 50 pounds. I joined Weight Watchers and increased my exercise. But I didn’t see much movement in the scale. I scheduled an appointment to see a bariatric surgeon for follow-up. The surgeon recommended that I seek care in a comprehensive weight management program.

It has been 7 years now that I have been under the care of providers certified in obesity medicine. With their help, I have been able to lose and maintain my weight.

A Daily Struggle

Living with obesity is a daily struggle – just as it would be for someone living with diabetes. Food is often the center of celebrations, cookouts, holidays, and family gatherings. I have to think about every meal and pre-plan everything to ensure that I am staying within my boundaries.

I usually prepare meals to take with me even when I travel. But this summer my family went on an extended vacation and it would have been too difficult to pack meals, so I did the best I could. I still managed to gain 5 pounds. My husband gained 10. A few days after we were back, my husband was back to his pre-vacation weight and it took me 5 weeks to lose 5 pounds.

I still have a BMI in the range of obesity by medical criteria and by social standards. But I have come a long way and I am proud of my accomplishments.

Insurance Gaps

My health insurance does not cover all of the cost associated with management of my obesity. But I am fortunate that I can afford the out of pocket expenses that are part of the prescribed treatment plan. Everyone is different and there is not one size to fit all. What is working for me may not work for someone else.

What I want you to take away from this is that obesity isn’t always about willpower or motivation. I think it’s important to recognize that just because someone has obesity, it doesn’t mean they chose it. Often, they do not have access to the right tools to help them fight the disease. I hope that by sharing my story, I can help others gain access to the options they need.

  We are deeply grateful to Nikki Tibbs , who wrote today’s guest post and presented her story of living with obesity to a large group of Western Pennsylvania employers at the 20th Annual Symposium of the Pittsburgh Business Group on Health. She is a registered nurse, certified cardiac device specialist, and clinical supervisor in the Butler Health System. She lives in Collier, WV, with her husband and two children.

  PBGH Panel on Obesity and Well-Being, photograph © Ted Kyle

Subscribe by email to follow the accumulating evidence and observations that shape our view of health, obesity, and policy.

Your email:

September 14, 2019

3 Responses to “My Story of Living with Obesity”

September 14, 2019 at 9:15 am, Jens Olesen said:

Dear Nikki – just a short note to thank you so very much for your story!!

All the best Jens

September 14, 2019 at 5:24 pm, Allen Browne said:

Thank you Ms. Tibbs. You are brave, stubborn, and express yourself beautifully

September 16, 2019 at 6:48 pm, Valerie Lawrence said:

Brava, Nikki!

“Often, they do not have access to the right tools to help them fight the disease.”

is SO true – especially because the variation is so great among what tools will work for any individual!

I applaud your tenacity, your determination, and your courage! Thank you for sharing your story!

Search this blog

• access to care
• anti-obesity medicines
• bariatric surgery
• childhood obesity
• evidence based medicine
• food industry
• food policy
• health disparities
• health economics
• health insurance
• health outcomes
• health reporting
• Obesity Action Coalition
• obesity care
• obesity causes
• obesity prevention
• obesity statistics
• obesity treatment
• physical activity
• public health
• scientific integrity
• scientific rigor
• semaglutide
• The Obesity Society
• weight bias
• weight discrimination
• weight loss
• weight stigma
• February 2024
• January 2024
• December 2023
• November 2023
• October 2023
• September 2023
• August 2023
• February 2023
• January 2023
• December 2022
• November 2022
• October 2022
• September 2022
• August 2022
• February 2022
• January 2022
• December 2021
• November 2021
• October 2021
• September 2021
• August 2021
• February 2021
• January 2021
• December 2020
• November 2020
• October 2020
• September 2020
• August 2020
• February 2020
• January 2020
• December 2019
• November 2019
• October 2019
• September 2019
• August 2019
• February 2019
• January 2019
• December 2018
• November 2018
• October 2018
• September 2018
• August 2018
• February 2018
• January 2018
• December 2017
• November 2017
• October 2017
• September 2017
• August 2017
• February 2017
• January 2017
• December 2016
• November 2016
• October 2016
• September 2016
• August 2016
• February 2016
• January 2016
• December 2015
• November 2015
• October 2015
• September 2015
• August 2015
• February 2015
• January 2015
• December 2014
• November 2014
• October 2014
• September 2014
• August 2014
• February 2014
• January 2014
• December 2013
• November 2013
• October 2013
• September 2013
• August 2013
• February 2013
• January 2013
• December 2012
• November 2012
• October 2012
• September 2012
• August 2012
• February 2012
• January 2012
• October 2011
• February 2011
• January 2011
• December 2010
• October 2010
• September 2010
• October 2009
• August 2009
• Consumer Trends
• Food & Nutrition
• Food Industry
• Health & Obesity
• Health Policy
• Scientific Meetings & Publications

outstanding advocacy

Recognized by The Obesity Society & Obesity Action Coalition

©2009-2013 ConscienHealth. All rights reserved. | Website Design by Mariela Antunes | Hosting by DTS

• About Project
• Testimonials

Business Management Ideas

Essay on Obesity

List of essays on obesity, essay on obesity – short essay (essay 1 – 150 words), essay on obesity (essay 2 – 250 words), essay on obesity – written in english (essay 3 – 300 words), essay on obesity – for school students (class 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 and 12 standard) (essay 4 – 400 words), essay on obesity – for college students (essay 5 – 500 words), essay on obesity – with causes and treatment (essay 6 – 600 words), essay on obesity – for science students (essay 7 – 750 words), essay on obesity – long essay for medical students (essay 8 – 1000 words).

Obesity is a chronic health condition in which the body fat reaches abnormal level. Obesity occurs when we consume much more amount of food than our body really needs on a daily basis. In other words, when the intake of calories is greater than the calories we burn out, it gives rise to obesity.

Audience: The below given essays are exclusively written for school students (Class 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 and 12 Standard), college, science and medical students.

Introduction:

Obesity means being excessively fat. A person would be said to be obese if his or her body mass index is beyond 30. Such a person has a body fat rate that is disproportionate to his body mass.

Obesity and the Body Mass Index:

The body mass index is calculated considering the weight and height of a person. Thus, it is a scientific way of determining the appropriate weight of any person. When the body mass index of a person indicates that he or she is obese, it exposes the person to make health risk.

Stopping Obesity:

There are two major ways to get the body mass index of a person to a moderate rate. The first is to maintain a strict diet. The second is to engage in regular physical exercise. These two approaches are aimed at reducing the amount of fat in the body.

Conclusion:

Obesity can lead to sudden death, heart attack, diabetes and may unwanted illnesses. Stop it by making healthy choices.

Obesity has become a big concern for the youth of today’s generation. Obesity is defined as a medical condition in which an individual gains excessive body fat. When the Body Mass Index (BMI) of a person is over 30, he/ she is termed as obese.

Obesity can be a genetic problem or a disorder that is caused due to unhealthy lifestyle habits of a person. Physical inactivity and the environment in which an individual lives, are also the factors that leads to obesity. It is also seen that when some individuals are in stress or depression, they start cultivating unhealthy eating habits which eventually leads to obesity. Medications like steroids is yet another reason for obesity.

Obesity has several serious health issues associated with it. Some of the impacts of obesity are diabetes, increase of cholesterol level, high blood pressure, etc. Social impacts of obesity includes loss of confidence in an individual, lowering of self-esteem, etc.

The risks of obesity needs to be prevented. This can be done by adopting healthy eating habits, doing some physical exercise regularly, avoiding stress, etc. Individuals should work on weight reduction in order to avoid obesity.

Obesity is indeed a health concern and needs to be prioritized. The management of obesity revolves around healthy eating habits and physical activity. Obesity, if not controlled in its initial stage can cause many severe health issues. So it is wiser to exercise daily and maintain a healthy lifestyle rather than being the victim of obesity.

Obesity can be defined as the clinical condition where accumulation of excessive fat takes place in the adipose tissue leading to worsening of health condition. Usually, the fat is deposited around the trunk and also the waist of the body or even around the periphery.

Obesity is actually a disease that has been spreading far and wide. It is preventable and certain measures are to be taken to curb it to a greater extend. Both in the developing and developed countries, obesity has been growing far and wide affecting the young and the old equally.

The alarming increase in obesity has resulted in stimulated death rate and health issues among the people. There are several methods adopted to lose weight and they include different diet types, physical activity and certain changes in the current lifestyle. Many of the companies are into minting money with the concept of inviting people to fight obesity.

In patients associated with increased risk factor related to obesity, there are certain drug therapies and other procedures adopted to lose weight. There are certain cost effective ways introduced by several companies to enable clinic-based weight loss programs.

Obesity can lead to premature death and even cause Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus. Cardiovascular diseases have also become the part and parcel of obese people. It includes stroke, hypertension, gall bladder disease, coronary heart disease and even cancers like breast cancer, prostate cancer, endometrial cancer and colon cancer. Other less severe arising due to obesity includes osteoarthritis, gastro-esophageal reflux disease and even infertility.

Hence, serious measures are to be taken to fight against this dreadful phenomenon that is spreading its wings far and wide. Giving proper education on benefits of staying fit and mindful eating is as important as curbing this issue. Utmost importance must be given to healthy eating habits right from the small age so that they follow the same until the end of their life.

Obesity is majorly a lifestyle disease attributed to the extra accumulation of fat in the body leading to negative health effects on a person. Ironically, although prevalent at a large scale in many countries, including India, it is one of the most neglect health problems. It is more often ignored even if told by the doctor that the person is obese. Only when people start acquiring other health issues such as heart disease, blood pressure or diabetes, they start taking the problem of obesity seriously.

Obesity Statistics in India:

As per a report, India happens to figure as the third country in the world with the most obese people. This should be a troubling fact for India. However, we are yet to see concrete measures being adopted by the people to remain fit.

Causes of Obesity:

Sedentary lifestyle, alcohol, junk food, medications and some diseases such as hypothyroidism are considered as the factors which lead to obesity. Even children seem to be glued to televisions, laptops and video games which have taken away the urge for physical activities from them. Adding to this, the consumption of junk food has further aggravated the growing problem of obesity in children.

In the case of adults, most of the professions of today make use of computers which again makes people sit for long hours in one place. Also, the hectic lifestyle of today makes it difficult for people to spare time for physical activities and people usually remain stressed most of the times. All this has contributed significantly to the rise of obesity in India.

Obesity and BMI:

Body Mass Index (BMI) is the measure which allows a person to calculate how to fit he or she is. In other words, the BMI tells you if you are obese or not. BMI is calculated by dividing the weight of a person in kg with the square of his / her height in metres. The number thus obtained is called the BMI. A BMI of less than 25 is considered optimal. However, if a person has a BMI over 30 he/she is termed as obese.

What is a matter of concern is that with growing urbanisation there has been a rapid increase of obese people in India? It is of utmost importance to consider this health issue a serious threat to the future of our country as a healthy body is important for a healthy soul. We should all be mindful of what we eat and what effect it has on our body. It is our utmost duty to educate not just ourselves but others as well about this serious health hazard.

Obesity can be defined as a condition (medical) that is the accumulation of body fat to an extent that the excess fat begins to have a lot of negative effects on the health of the individual. Obesity is determined by examining the body mass index (BMI) of the person. The BMI is gotten by dividing the weight of the person in kilogram by the height of the person squared.

When the BMI of a person is more than 30, the person is classified as being obese, when the BMI falls between 25 and 30, the person is said to be overweight. In a few countries in East Asia, lower values for the BMI are used. Obesity has been proven to influence the likelihood and risk of many conditions and disease, most especially diabetes of type 2, cardiovascular diseases, sleeplessness that is obstructive, depression, osteoarthritis and some cancer types.

In most cases, obesity is caused through a combination of genetic susceptibility, a lack of or inadequate physical activity, excessive intake of food. Some cases of obesity are primarily caused by mental disorder, medications, endocrine disorders or genes. There is no medical data to support the fact that people suffering from obesity eat very little but gain a lot of weight because of slower metabolism. It has been discovered that an obese person usually expends much more energy than other people as a result of the required energy that is needed to maintain a body mass that is increased.

It is very possible to prevent obesity with a combination of personal choices and social changes. The major treatments are exercising and a change in diet. We can improve the quality of our diet by reducing our consumption of foods that are energy-dense like those that are high in sugars or fat and by trying to increase our dietary fibre intake.

We can also accompany the appropriate diet with the use of medications to help in reducing appetite and decreasing the absorption of fat. If medication, exercise and diet are not yielding any positive results, surgery or gastric balloon can also be carried out to decrease the volume of the stomach and also reduce the intestines’ length which leads to the feel of the person get full early or a reduction in the ability to get and absorb different nutrients from a food.

Obesity is the leading cause of ill-health and death all over the world that is preventable. The rate of obesity in children and adults has drastically increased. In 2015, a whopping 12 percent of adults which is about 600 million and about 100 million children all around the world were found to be obese.

It has also been discovered that women are more obese than men. A lot of government and private institutions and bodies have stated that obesity is top of the list of the most difficult and serious problems of public health that we have in the world today. In the world we live today, there is a lot of stigmatisation of obese people.

We all know how troubling the problem of obesity truly is. It is mainly a form of a medical condition wherein the body tends to accumulate excessive fat which in turn has negative repercussions on the health of an individual.

Given the current lifestyle and dietary style, it has become more common than ever. More and more people are being diagnosed with obesity. Such is its prevalence that it has been termed as an epidemic in the USA. Those who suffer from obesity are at a much higher risk of diabetes, heart diseases and even cancer.

In order to gain a deeper understanding of obesity, it is important to learn what the key causes of obesity are. In a layman term, if your calorie consumption exceeds what you burn because of daily activities and exercises, it is likely to lead to obesity. It is caused over a prolonged period of time when your calorie intake keeps exceeding the calories burned.

Here are some of the key causes which are known to be the driving factors for obesity.

If your diet tends to be rich in fat and contains massive calorie intake, you are all set to suffer from obesity.

Sedentary Lifestyle:

With most people sticking to their desk jobs and living a sedentary lifestyle, the body tends to get obese easily.

Of course, the genetic framework has a lot to do with obesity. If your parents are obese, the chance of you being obese is quite high.

The weight which women gain during their pregnancy can be very hard to shed and this is often one of the top causes of obesity.

Sleep Cycle:

If you are not getting an adequate amount of sleep, it can have an impact on the hormones which might trigger hunger signals. Overall, these linked events tend to make you obese.

Hormonal Disorder:

There are several hormonal changes which are known to be direct causes of obesity. The imbalance of the thyroid stimulating hormone, for instance, is one of the key factors when it comes to obesity.

Now that we know the key causes, let us look at the possible ways by which you can handle it.

Treatment for Obesity:

As strange as it may sound, the treatment for obesity is really simple. All you need to do is follow the right diet and back it with an adequate amount of exercise. If you can succeed in doing so, it will give you the perfect head-start into your journey of getting in shape and bidding goodbye to obesity.

There are a lot of different kinds and styles of diet plans for obesity which are available. You can choose the one which you deem fit. We recommend not opting for crash dieting as it is known to have several repercussions and can make your body terribly weak.

The key here is to stick to a balanced diet which can help you retain the essential nutrients, minerals, and, vitamins and shed the unwanted fat and carbs.

Just like the diet, there are several workout plans for obesity which are available. It is upon you to find out which of the workout plan seems to be apt for you. Choose cardio exercises and dance routines like Zumba to shed the unwanted body weight. Yoga is yet another method to get rid of obesity.

So, follow a blend of these and you will be able to deal with the trouble of obesity in no time. We believe that following these tips will help you get rid of obesity and stay in shape.

Obesity and overweight is a top health concern in the world due to the impact it has on the lives of individuals. Obesity is defined as a condition in which an individual has excessive body fat and is measured using the body mass index (BMI) such that, when an individual’s BMI is above 30, he or she is termed obese. The BMI is calculated using body weight and height and it is different for all individuals.

Obesity has been determined as a risk factor for many diseases. It results from dietary habits, genetics, and lifestyle habits including physical inactivity. Obesity can be prevented so that individuals do not end up having serious complications and health problems. Chronic illnesses like diabetes, heart diseases and relate to obesity in terms of causes and complications.

Factors Influencing Obesity:

Obesity is not only as a result of lifestyle habits as most people put it. There are other important factors that influence obesity. Genetics is one of those factors. A person could be born with genes that predispose them to obesity and they will also have difficulty in losing weight because it is an inborn factor.

The environment also influences obesity because the diet is similar in certain environs. In certain environments, like school, the food available is fast foods and the chances of getting healthy foods is very low, leading to obesity. Also, physical inactivity is an environmental factor for obesity because some places have no fields or tracks where people can jog or maybe the place is very unsafe and people rarely go out to exercise.

Mental health affects the eating habits of individuals. There is a habit of stress eating when a person is depressed and it could result in overweight or obesity if the person remains unhealthy for long period of time.

The overall health of individuals also matter. If a person is unwell and is prescribed with steroids, they may end up being obese. Steroidal medications enable weight gain as a side effect.

Complications of Obesity:

Obesity is a health concern because its complications are severe. Significant social and health problems are experienced by obese people. Socially, they will be bullied and their self-esteem will be low as they will perceive themselves as unworthy.

Chronic illnesses like diabetes results from obesity. Diabetes type 2 has been directly linked to obesity. This condition involves the increased blood sugars in the body and body cells are not responding to insulin as they should. The insulin in the body could also be inadequate due to decreased production. High blood sugar concentrations result in symptoms like frequent hunger, thirst and urination. The symptoms of complicated stages of diabetes type 2 include loss of vision, renal failure and heart failure and eventually death. The importance of having a normal BMI is the ability of the body to control blood sugars.

Another complication is the heightened blood pressures. Obesity has been defined as excessive body fat. The body fat accumulates in blood vessels making them narrow. Narrow blood vessels cause the blood pressures to rise. Increased blood pressure causes the heart to start failing in its physiological functions. Heart failure is the end result in this condition of increased blood pressures.

There is a significant increase in cholesterol in blood of people who are obese. High blood cholesterol levels causes the deposition of fats in various parts of the body and organs. Deposition of fats in the heart and blood vessels result in heart diseases. There are other conditions that result from hypercholesterolemia.

Other chronic illnesses like cancer can also arise from obesity because inflammation of body cells and tissues occurs in order to store fats in obese people. This could result in abnormal growths and alteration of cell morphology. The abnormal growths could be cancerous.

Management of Obesity:

For the people at risk of developing obesity, prevention methods can be implemented. Prevention included a healthy diet and physical activity. The diet and physical activity patterns should be regular and realizable to avoid strains that could result in complications.

Some risk factors for obesity are non-modifiable for example genetics. When a person in genetically predisposed, the lifestyle modifications may be have help.

For the individuals who are already obese, they can work on weight reduction through healthy diets and physical exercises.

In conclusion, obesity is indeed a major health concern because the health complications are very serious. Factors influencing obesity are both modifiable and non-modifiable. The management of obesity revolves around diet and physical activity and so it is important to remain fit.

In olden days, obesity used to affect only adults. However, in the present time, obesity has become a worldwide problem that hits the kids as well. Let’s find out the most prevalent causes of obesity.

Factors Causing Obesity:

Obesity can be due to genetic factors. If a person’s family has a history of obesity, chances are high that he/ she would also be affected by obesity, sooner or later in life.

The second reason is having a poor lifestyle. Now, there are a variety of factors that fall under the category of poor lifestyle. An excessive diet, i.e., eating more than you need is a definite way to attain the stage of obesity. Needless to say, the extra calories are changed into fat and cause obesity.

Junk foods, fried foods, refined foods with high fats and sugar are also responsible for causing obesity in both adults and kids. Lack of physical activity prevents the burning of extra calories, again, leading us all to the path of obesity.

But sometimes, there may also be some indirect causes of obesity. The secondary reasons could be related to our mental and psychological health. Depression, anxiety, stress, and emotional troubles are well-known factors of obesity.

Physical ailments such as hypothyroidism, ovarian cysts, and diabetes often complicate the physical condition and play a massive role in abnormal weight gain.

Moreover, certain medications, such as steroids, antidepressants, and contraceptive pills, have been seen interfering with the metabolic activities of the body. As a result, the long-term use of such drugs can cause obesity. Adding to that, regular consumption of alcohol and smoking are also connected to the condition of obesity.

Harmful Effects of Obesity:

On the surface, obesity may look like a single problem. But, in reality, it is the mother of several major health issues. Obesity simply means excessive fat depositing into our body including the arteries. The drastic consequence of such high cholesterol levels shows up in the form of heart attacks and other life-threatening cardiac troubles.

The fat deposition also hampers the elasticity of the arteries. That means obesity can cause havoc in our body by altering the blood pressure to an abnormal range. And this is just the tip of the iceberg. Obesity is known to create an endless list of problems.

In extreme cases, this disorder gives birth to acute diseases like diabetes and cancer. The weight gain due to obesity puts a lot of pressure on the bones of the body, especially of the legs. This, in turn, makes our bones weak and disturbs their smooth movement. A person suffering from obesity also has higher chances of developing infertility issues and sleep troubles.

Many obese people are seen to be struggling with breathing problems too. In the chronic form, the condition can grow into asthma. The psychological effects of obesity are another serious topic. You can say that obesity and depression form a loop. The more a person is obese, the worse is his/ her depression stage.

How to Control and Treat Obesity:

The simplest and most effective way, to begin with, is changing our diet. There are two factors to consider in the diet plan. First is what and what not to eat. Second is how much to eat.

If you really want to get rid of obesity, include more and more green vegetables in your diet. Spinach, beans, kale, broccoli, cauliflower, asparagus, etc., have enough vitamins and minerals and quite low calories. Other healthier options are mushrooms, pumpkin, beetroots, and sweet potatoes, etc.

Opt for fresh fruits, especially citrus fruits, and berries. Oranges, grapes, pomegranate, pineapple, cherries, strawberries, lime, and cranberries are good for the body. They have low sugar content and are also helpful in strengthening our immune system. Eating the whole fruits is a more preferable way in comparison to gulping the fruit juices. Fruits, when eaten whole, have more fibers and less sugar.

Consuming a big bowl of salad is also great for dealing with the obesity problem. A salad that includes fibrous foods such as carrots, radish, lettuce, tomatoes, works better at satiating the hunger pangs without the risk of weight gain.

A high protein diet of eggs, fish, lean meats, etc., is an excellent choice to get rid of obesity. Take enough of omega fatty acids. Remember to drink plenty of water. Keeping yourself hydrated is a smart way to avoid overeating. Water also helps in removing the toxins and excess fat from the body.

As much as possible, avoid fats, sugars, refined flours, and oily foods to keep the weight in control. Control your portion size. Replace the three heavy meals with small and frequent meals during the day. Snacking on sugarless smoothies, dry fruits, etc., is much recommended.

Regular exercise plays an indispensable role in tackling the obesity problem. Whenever possible, walk to the market, take stairs instead of a lift. Physical activity can be in any other form. It could be a favorite hobby like swimming, cycling, lawn tennis, or light jogging.

Meditation and yoga are quite powerful practices to drive away the stress, depression and thus, obesity. But in more serious cases, meeting a physician is the most appropriate strategy. Sometimes, the right medicines and surgical procedures are necessary to control the health condition.

Obesity is spreading like an epidemic, haunting both the adults and the kids. Although genetic factors and other physical ailments play a role, the problem is mostly caused by a reckless lifestyle.

By changing our way of living, we can surely take control of our health. In other words, it would be possible to eliminate the condition of obesity from our lives completely by leading a healthy lifestyle.

Health , Obesity

Get FREE Work-at-Home Job Leads Delivered Weekly!

Join more than 50,000 subscribers receiving regular updates! Plus, get a FREE copy of How to Make Money Blogging!

Message from Sophia!

Like this post? Don’t forget to share it!

Here are a few recommended articles for you to read next:

• Essay on Cleanliness
• Essay on Cancer
• Essay on AIDS
• Essay on Health and Fitness

No comments yet.

Leave a reply click here to cancel reply..

You must be logged in to post a comment.

Billionaires

• Donald Trump
• Warren Buffett
• Email Address
• Free Stock Photos
• Keyword Research Tools
• URL Shortener Tools
• WordPress Theme

Book Summaries

• How To Win Friends
• Rich Dad Poor Dad
• The Code of the Extraordinary Mind
• The Luck Factor
• The Millionaire Fastlane
• The ONE Thing
• Think and Grow Rich
• 100 Million Dollar Business
• Business Ideas

Digital Marketing

• Mobile Addiction
• Social Media Addiction
• Computer Addiction
• Drug Addiction
• Internet Addiction
• TV Addiction
• Healthy Habits
• Morning Rituals
• Wake up Early
• Cholesterol
• Reducing Cholesterol
• Fat Loss Diet Plan
• Reducing Hair Fall
• Sleep Apnea
• Weight Loss

Internet Marketing

• Email Marketing

Law of Attraction

• Subconscious Mind
• Vision Board
• Visualization

Law of Vibration

• Professional Life

Motivational Speakers

• Bob Proctor
• Robert Kiyosaki
• Vivek Bindra
• Inner Peace

Productivity

• Not To-do List
• Project Management Software
• Negative Energies

Relationship

• Getting Back Your Ex

Self-help 21 and 14 Days Course

Self-improvement.

• Body Language
• Complainers
• Emotional Intelligence
• Personality

Social Media

• Project Management
• Anik Singal
• Baba Ramdev
• Dwayne Johnson
• Jackie Chan
• Leonardo DiCaprio
• Narendra Modi
• Nikola Tesla
• Sachin Tendulkar
• Sandeep Maheshwari
• Shaqir Hussyin

Website Development

Wisdom post, worlds most.

• Expensive Cars

Our Portals: Gulf Canada USA Italy Gulf UK

Privacy Overview

My Mother, Obesity and Me: Our Narrative. How Obesity Is Intimately Related to Biopsychosocial and Spiritual Factors

• Open Access
• First Online: 13 April 2022

Cite this chapter

You have full access to this open access chapter

• Eduardo Farías-Trujillo 4 , 5  

Part of the book series: Public Health Ethics Analysis ((PHES,volume 7))

3075 Accesses

The word obesity invokes multiple connotations that contain a realm of disparate descriptions ranging from disease to disdain. There are few other human conditions that cause increased morbidity and mortality and affect millions of individuals worldwide yet is viewed by many as a character fault or moral failure. This paper explores the personal experience of obesity and how it is important to face obesity not only as a biological issue, but also a philosophical one, which has its roots in a complex phenomenon. This approach allows health professionals to propose a theoretical ethic about obesity, which goes beyond mere socio-economic-religious, and leads to an applied ethics built on the firm and solid foundations of knowledge diversity. The obese human being does not live in a world of simple events, but instead faces experiences – mystical, religious, artistic, linguistic – and, from there, configures their identity, builds personality and establishes interrelations and interdependencies. While recognizing the importance of strategies to reverse the trend of increasingly sedentary lifestyles, this paper points to the need for public health obesity reduction efforts to avoid stigmatizing people who cannot lose weight.

You have full access to this open access chapter,  Download chapter PDF

Similar content being viewed by others

The Tipping of the Big Stone—And Life itself. Obesity, Moral Work and Responsive Selves Over Time

Biomassochism: Lacan and the ethics of weight cycling

Tipping the Scales of Truth: Why the Energy Balance Equation Is a Dangerous Lie

• Environmental influences
• Obesogenic environment
• Personal responsibility

Public Health Ethics Issue

World-wide, obesity is a growing health problem (Fox et al. 2019 , 1). The impact of this problem is clearly seen in Mexico. Over the past 20 years, obesity has increased steadily among Mexicans in conjunction with a transformation of the nutritional landscape. This transformation has involved increased availability of highly processed, inexpensive food; more advertising targeting fast food; and increased food consumption outside of the home. This has led to profound changes in the diet of a growing sector of Mexicans leading to increased consumption of food that contains high amounts of fat, sugar, and salt (Rivera et al. 2012 , 119–151).

Nutrition and foodbehaviors are often approached as a matter of personal responsibility. This creates a challenge for health officials who need to ensure there is a comprehensive approach to obesity that focuses on creating public policy for reducing food insecurity and malnutrition (Loring and Robertson 2014 ), promoting public health interventions that foster better eatinghabits, and avoiding approaches that blame or stigmatize individuals (Puhl and Heuer 2009 , 2010 ; Mexican Observatory of Non-communicable Diseases [OMENT] 2018 ).

Background Information

In Mexico, the Ministry of Health estimates that the total cost of obesity in 2017 was $12 billion and will continue to increase until reaching $13.6 billion by 2023, a projected increase of 13% over 6 years (Health Secretary of Mexico 2013 ). A study by the Mexican Institute of Competitiveness (IMCO) estimated that the total annual cost of diabetes associated with obesity amounted to $42 billion in 2013, of which 73% represented medical expenses, 15% work-related losses due to absenteeism, and 12% income losses due to premature mortality (IMCO 2015 ).

To address the growing costs associated with obesity, the Health Secretary of Mexico launched the National Strategy for Prevention and Control of Overweight, Obesity and Diabetes (Health Secretary of Mexico 2013 ). The government promoted this as an unprecedented effort to combat two of the main challenges to the health of Mexicans: overweight that affects seven out of 10 adults and three out of every 10 children, as well as diabetes that affects almost one in ten people. This strategy has three pillars: public health, medical care and health regulation/fiscal policy. For this strategy to be successful, it must consider that foodbehavior is not just a matter of individual willpower and personal responsibility determined by biological needs. Rather, food behavior is also impacted by social and cultural values, (Health Secretary of Mexico 2013 ). Focusing solely on diet and exercise will not solve the obesity problem.

The scientific community, as well as various international organizations (i.e., the World Health Organization, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the World Obesity Federation (WOF) and the World Cancer Research Fund (WCRF) have concluded that the global epidemic of overweight and obesity arises primarily from an environment that promotes obesity. (WHO 2018 , 2020 ; World Health Assembly 2004 ). Such an “obesogenic environment” (Swinburn et al. 2001 ) results from multimillion-dollar advertising for ultra-processed foods high in sugars, fat, and sodium, and the omnipresence and affordability of these products (World Health Assembly 2004 ).

On international and national scales, Mexico is an obese nation. According to the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), which comprises 35 countries worldwide, representing each continent, Mexico ranks as one of the nations with the highest adult obesity rate (OECD 2010 ). In schoolchildren without program food aid, the prevalence of obesity increased 97% between 2012 and 2018 (WHO 2018 ). In adolescents without program food aid, the prevalence of obesity increased 60% between 2012 and 2018. In adults with moderate food insecurity, obesity increased 10% between 2012 and 2018 (Shama-Levy et al. 2019 , 852).

In the face of such challenges, governments and society have not stood idly by. Massive campaigns that promote healthy eating habits, such as the consumption of fruits and vegetables, occur in almost all OECD countries. Mexico has the “5 fruits and vegetables a day” promotion, as well as regulations that seek to promote the consumption of fresh foods in season (5 x Día Verduras y Frutas, México 2006 ; Official Journal of the Federation [DOF] 2013 ). Likewise, social networks and mobile applications have encouraged users to reduce body weight and increase physical activity.

According to the National Institute of Public Health (INSP), Mexico is one of the countries with the highest incidence of obesity and diabetes (34% of the population in Mexico is obese and 9.2% have been diagnosed with diabetes) (INSP 2020 ). The health and economic implications are so large (Manzano 2017 ), that in 2016 the Health Ministry declared obesity and diabetes national public health emergencies (Rivera et al. 2018 ). Mexico is also a major consumer of sugary drinks, a known risk factor for obesity and diabetes. Up to 10% of all calories consumed by Mexican children and adults come from sugary drinks (National Health and Nutrition Survey [ENSANUT] 2018 ).

In January 2014, the Mexican government implemented a 10% tax to industrialized sugar sweetened beverages to curb the obesity and diabetes epidemic. Two years later, a first analysis by the National Institute of Public Health (NIPH) on the impact of this tax found that consumption of sugar sweetened beverages in the country had decreased by 6.1% (INSP 2020 ).

Obesity is not only a food problem; there are many factors that contribute to obesity, such as some genetic syndromes and endocrine disorders, (hypothyroidism, Cushing’s syndrome, tumors), medicines such as antipsychotics, antidepressants, antiepileptics, and antihyperglycemics, unhealthy lifestylehabits, age, unhealthy environments, family history and genetics, race or ethnicity and sex (Templeton 2014 ; Lee et al. 2019 ; Bolton and Gillett 2019 ). Educational and socioeconomic inequalities (Loring and Robertson 2014 ) also influence high rates of obesity. The obstacles and difficulties faced by many people in the labor market, such as lower recruitment, lower productivity and poor re-entry, reinforce these inequalities. In Mexico, as elsewhere, it is common to find that malnutrition and obesity coexist among the inhabitants of the same community and among the members of the same household (Pedraza 2009 , 108). This is because among lower socioeconomic groups, prenatal and infant nutrition is often inadequate because they receive less expensive fast or processed foods that are high in calories, fat, sugar, and salt, but poor in micronutrients (Headey and Alderman 2019 , 2020–2021).

Approach to the Narrative

In the following story, I share my personal story with obesity to illustrate the complex factors that impact weight and foodbehavior and how focusing on individual willpower and personal responsibility will not by itself solve the challenge of obesity.

My mother and I struggled with weight issues all our lives.

Since 1997, I have been a Catholic priest, but my priestly formation began back in 1982 at the tender age of 12. The teachings and practices of Catholicism, which emphasize individual responsibility and forgiveness, shaped my personality and approach to my and my mother’s obesity.

As my story will show, my mother could not recover from obesity because the social factors that sustain it are powerful. My mother had to face obesity due to her circumstances. My father was a worker in the United States; he had to be out of the country for half a year and my mother had to take care of the family. My father did not allow my mother to work outside of the home. So, sometimes we did not have enough money to buy food. Sometimes we had to rely upon family and friends for our meals. My parents’ relationship gradually deteriorated. However, my mother never wanted to permanently separate from my father. These marital conflicts and my mother’s tendency to worry about her children had an impact on her physical and mental health and ultimately her obesity.

My mother and I were always very close. My father’s absence because of his work, as well as the fact that I am the eldest of five siblings, led me to behave not only as her son, but as her confidant and support in the care of my brothers.

Although she was a strong, determined, tenacious woman, she could not and did not want to face her obesity. Although she wanted to have adequate weight and a good quality of life, she did not decide to fully cope with her obesity. It wasn’t just about weight; it was about a different way of living. She died with obesity, although not only because of it. On one occasion she went to my room and, with tears in her eyes, she asked me: “Am I never going to be healthy?” At that time, I believed strength of will was enough to face any physical, moral, or spiritual problem. So, I answered to her: “It is enough that you decide to do it”. I was wrong. There is no universal recipe for recovering from obesity.

In 2011, I joined a support group to address my obesity. Thanks to the internal dynamics of this group I became aware of how my physical and emotional health impacted my weight. I lost 46 pounds in 1 year. I discovered that addressing my obesity was not a matter of willpower, but of goodwill, because it is not about following crash diets or extreme exercises, but about adopting a permanent healthy lifestyle.

My father, who is now 72 years old, has been an athlete and an amateur boxer all his life. To this day he is a strong and vigorous man who takes care of his physical health. He was always trying to get me to exercise, to train, to run, to jump rope. When the movie, Rocky , appeared in Mexico, 2 years after it appeared in the United States, my father took me to see it. As I watched the movie, I saw my father: an athletic, handsome sportsman who took care of his body and exhorted me to imitate him. My father wanted me to be like him or like my cousins, who possessed different physical skills than me. He told me that I had to be like them—that they ran, climbed trees and were not fat like me.

In 1982, when I was 12 years old, I participated in track and field at school. My team, the Blues, lacked competitors for a 2.5-mile race. I had never run that distance and, when the coach asked me to run this race, my first reaction was to refuse. Two and a half miles are 12 and a half laps around a soccer field. After 28 min and 30 s, I finished in last place, but I earned points for my team. This experience brought about a fundamental change in my life. I realized that I had many physical abilities that were not the same as my dad’s; they were also not the same abilities as other boys’ my age. My abilities were different, but real. When the time came for the awards, some of my classmates told me, “We didn’t know you were capable of this.” I had pain in my body, but joy in my heart. When I got home, I shared with my family what I had achieved. My brothers, sisters and my parents congratulated me, when I told them that this moment had been like an epiphany, a revelation. I started participating in other sports, because, unlike my father, I was not interested in in boxing. I discovered that I had ability for tennis, Tae Kwon Do, swimming, soccer, hiking, and jogging. At first, engaging in sports, caring for myself, my appearance and health, were influenced by family and social pressures. Afterwards, having a good quality of life was an issue I internalized and made mine. I learned to lead a new way of life.

I entered the Diocesan Seminary in 1985. An eleven-year stage for priestly ordination began. I was 15 years old, 5 feet, 7 inches tall, weighed 172 pounds, and my pants size was 32. My participation in sports and the intensity of my studies resulted in me losing weight and I dropped to size 28. In December 1985, when I went back home to see my father, whom I had not seen since June because of his work in United States, I thought he would be proud of my great achievement. I had lost weight, I was on the Tae Kwon Do team, I was part of the soccer team, and I was running or walking almost every day. When he saw me, my father said: “You are very skinny.” I wondered where the congratulations were, the recognition, the applause, the hug. I had thought that when my father saw that I had lost weight, he would be happy, he would feel proud of me and congratulate me. Within me, I experienced a kind of male rivalry between father and son because of my weight and physical appearance. When he said “you are very skinny” it broke my heart. Instead of a hug and a congratulation, I felt that he saw me as a rival and that his message was: “I am better than you.” I thought he should know that I was following his example and that he should feel happy.

In the Seminary I received many awards for my academic achievements. I obtained an average of A+ during the 11 years of priestly formation. As a prize for my intellectual capacity and my responsibility, I obtained the opportunity to study in Rome. While in Rome, I swam, ran, and went to the gym. I also was careful about my diet, so I returned from Rome weighing 165 pounds. However, I was not able to maintain this healthy lifestyle when I returned from Rome.

I came back to Mexico and the bishop appointed me director of a preparatory school. These were years of intense academic work, including contact with students, parents, staff, and administration. In addition, I provided marital counseling. I worked all day long and into the evening. The daily stresses contributed to my putting on weight. I became an obese person.

I tried to exercise. I played soccer and ran, but I could not manage a healthy lifestyle. When the evening meetings were prolonged, the dinners were plentiful, and since I skipped meals during the day, I overate at dinner. These attitudes created a vicious cycle. Not eating during the day led to overindulgence at night. To compensate, the next day I would forego breakfast or lunch and just drink coffee.

While I knew that many factors impacted my obesity, including my biology, and social and emotional factors, I was still focused on personal responsibility. I felt that I, like everyone else, had to take personal responsibility for starting a recovery process. I hit rock bottom when I realized that my obesity was preventing me from having a good quality of life.

At the time I went to Rome, my mother, weighed 221 pounds, but she was 5 feet, 3 inches tall. Although obesity is not just a matter of weight, she and I realized what was happening with us. Eating more food than we needed made us tired, and our growing immobility saddened us. Things did not get better and our health became precarious. In a span of just 2 years my weight ballooned from 165 pounds to 203 pounds. What was going on inside manifested itself on the outside. I once heard someone say that the body screams what silences the soul.

A friend of mine started losing weight and I asked him how he was doing it, to which he replied that he was receiving treatment from a nutritionist and that it really worked. Although it took me a few months; I finally went to see the nutritionist. The nutritionist told me that a healthy lifestyle includes regular exercise, a balanced relationship with food, enough sleep and rest time, and not forgetting good social relationships. If I had obesity problems it was because I had stopped having a healthy lifestyle (i.e., I was not taking care of my body, my mind or my relationships). The nutritionist became an important teacher for me, because he proposed a diet of specific foods, appropriate portions, fixed schedules for eating, exercise and establishing good social relationships. I knew that I needed a new way of life that included working to improve and maintain the health of my body; to respect, enjoy, and love my body as if it was a part of me and not my enemy.

What happened next was that I came home and talked to my mother and told her we should start together with this new lifestyle. I knew that I theory without practice is just information, because it was not just about improving our body image, but about improving our personal confidence, our psychological state and our functioning in the different areas of our lives. We had to assimilate that love for the body does not lead to creating a perfect body, but it is a condition of possibility to be happy in an imperfect, fragile body, full of challenges.

I started following the diet suggested by the nutritionist. I was walking an hour a day. In 3 weeks, I lost 13 pounds. I lost 46 pounds in a year. Deep down I was proud, because I had “willpower” and, under this premise, I asked my mother to do the same, to start this new lifestyle with me, that she should be strong, that she should eat only what was necessary and that she would soon reach good weight, but she did not, because even though she was a strong woman, determined and courageous, from my point of view, was weak in the face of obesity.

I confess I didn’t consider her genetic predisposition and environmental triggers conspired against her. I did not know that in the face of these conditions, little can be done by just focusing on individual factors. My mother suffered from hypothyroidism and was 23 years older than me. Although I took this into account, my focus still was on my mother’s willpower. My father, my brothers and I often blamed her for her excessive weight. We failed to understand all the pressures and circumstances that influenced her obesity. My mother had to choose the food, she had to adjust to a budget, she had to consider the different preferences of six different people and she had to cook something that everyone liked.

My main mistake was that I thought my mother should be like me, i.e., that it was enough for her to decide to change the way she ate, because I had done it that way. I wanted to lose weight because my motivation was health. I thought that everyone would react like me, that is, they would want to have a “normal” weight for health reasons. I didn’t consider that each person has different motivations not only to provide food to others, but also to eat.

What did my struggle with obesity teach me? It taught me that a complex of factors that range from the individual and physiological to the social contribute to the outcome of body weight. Obesity is about biopsychosocial and spiritual factors. That is why an integrated approach makes sense and is most effective. The whole community must get involved in a sustained way and engage on all levels from individual behavior, nutrition, and physical activity up to the individual’s environment, broadly conceived. The immediate social environment, the family, plays a key role in prevention by establishing healthy attitudes. Attitudes and good habits formed in the family in one generation pass on to children and can have a multigenerational effect on health. The family is a good place to start, but efforts cannot end there. Governments also play a role. Interventions that restructure the environment to make healthier choices easier and make healthy foods more available and cheaper play an important role in tackling obesity.

A holisticapproach will impact the entire population down to the level of individual behaviors. The focus should be on health as the motivator and the desired outcome rather than fixating on weight. This fixation goes hand in hand with stigmatizing the person, rather than focusing on the problem and the behaviors. I know. Fixating on some ideal body type and weight I was never destined to realize was my pathway to stigmatizing myself, one that thank God I eventually learned to avoid.

Questions for Discussion

Are stories of personal struggles with obesity useful? If so, what makes them useful; if not, why not?

Some people think stigmatizing obese individuals or making them feel guilty about their condition can help them. Do you agree with this idea? Why or why not?

Public health professionals emphasize that obesity is a disease. What do you see as the advantages and disadvantages of this view?

Obesogenic environments play a role in the obesity epidemic. How great a role do you think environments play, especially compared to individual behavior?

Do you think it possible to address the obesity epidemic without in some way limiting or restricting peoples’ lifestyle choices or access to obesogenic foods?

The narrative suggests that individual behavior, family life, and obesogenic environments all play a role in the obesity epidemic.

Do you agree that a holisticapproach is necessary or the best strategy to address the problem? Why or why not?

Do you think that focusing on the family, an obesogenic environment, and the idea of obesity as a disease run the risk of giving obese individuals an excuse not to take responsibility for their condition? If so, how would you address this concern?

What conditions do you think most influence the obesity epidemic and why?

5 x DÍA VERDURAS Y FRUTAS, MÉXICO. 2006. Revista Chilena de Nutricion 33 (S1): S316–S317. https://doi.org/10.4067/S0717-75182006000300016 .

Article   Google Scholar  

Bolton, Derek, and Grant Gillett. 2019. The Biopsychosocial Model of Health and Disease: New Philosophical and Scientific Developments . Cham: Palgrave Pivot. https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/978-3-030-11899-0.pdf .

Book   Google Scholar  

Fox, Ashley, Wenhui Feng, and Victor Asal. 2019. What Is Driving Global Obesity Trends? Globalization or “Modernization”? Globalization and Health 15 (32). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12992-019-0457-y .

Headey, Derek D., and Harold H. Alderman. 2019. The Relative Caloric Prices of Healthy and Unhealthy Foods Differ Systematically Across Income Levels and Continents. The Journal of Nutrition 149 (11): 2020–2033. https://doi.org/10.1093/jn/nxz158 .

Health Secretary of Mexico. 2013. National Strategy for the Prevention and Control of Overweight, Obesity and Diabetes . First edition, September. https://www.gob.mx/cms/uploads/attachment/file/276108/estrategia_sobrepeso_diabetes_obesidad.pdf .

Lee Alexandra, Michelle Cardel, and William T. Danahoo. 2019. “Social and Environmental Factors Influencing Obesity.” In ENDOTEXT, ed. K.R. Feingold, B. Anawalt, A. Boyce, et al. South Dartmouth: MDText.com. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK278977/ .

Google Scholar  

Loring, Belinda, and Aileen Robertson. 2014. Obesity and Inequities. Guidance for Addressing Inequities in Overweight and Obesity . Copenhagen: WHO Regional Office for Europe. http://www.euro.who.int/__data/assets/pdf_file/0003/247638/obesity-090514.pdf?ua=1 .

Manzano, Elena Analuisa. 2017. Relación del Sobrepeso y Obesidad con el Rendimiento Laboral en Trabajadores de una Empresa Metalmecánica en México. Revista Colombiana de Salud Ocupacional 6 (4): 5–10. https://revistas.unilibre.edu.co/index.php/rc_salud_ocupa/article/view/4940 .

Mexican Institute of Competitiveness (IMCO). 2015. La Corrupción en México: Transamos y no Avanzamos . https://periodicooficial.jalisco.gob.mx/content/la-corrupcion-en-mexico-transamos-y-no-avanzamos .

Mexican Observatory of Non-communicable Diseases (OMENT). 2018. Epidemiological Overview: Non-communicable Diseases . Secretary of Health, Mexico. https://epidemiologia.salud.gob.mx/gobmx/salud/documentos/pano-OMENT/panoepid_ENT2018.pdf .

National Health and Nutrition Survey 2018 (ENSANUT 2018). 2018. https://ensanut.insp.mx/encuestas/ensanut2018/doctos/informes/ensanut_2018_presentacion_resultados.pdf .

National Institute of Public Health (INSP). 2020. Tax to Sugar Sweetened Beverages in Mexico is Expected to Reduce Obesity and Diabetes . https://www.insp.mx/epppo/blog/4446-sweetened-beverages-mexico.html .

Official Journal of the Federation (DOF). 2013. Official Mexican STANDARD NOM-043-SSA2-2012, Basic Health Services . Promotion and Education for Health in Alimentary Matters. Criteria for Providing Guidance. http://dof.gob.mx/nota_detalle.php?codigo=5285372&fecha=22/01/2013 .

Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). 2010. Obesity and the Economics of Prevention: Fit Not Fat . Paris: OECD Publishing. https://doi.org/10.1787/9789264084865-en .

Pedraza, Dixis Figueroa. 2009. Obesity and Poverty: Conceptual References for Its Analysis in Latin America. Saúde e Sociedade 18 (1): 103–117. http://www.scielo.br/pdf/sausoc/v18n1/11.pdf .

Puhl, Rebecca M., and Chelsea A. Heuer. 2009. The Stigma of Obesity: A Review and Update. Obesity 17 (5): 941–964. https://doi.org/10.1038/oby.2008.636 .

———. 2010. Obesity Stigma: Important Considerations for Public Health. American Journal of Public Health 100 (6): 1019–1028. https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2009.159491 .

Rivera Dommarco, Juan Ángel, Mauricio Hernández Ávila, Carlos A. Aguilar Salinas, Felipe Vadillo Ortega, and Ciro Murayama Rendon. 2012. Obesidad en México: Recomendaciones para una Política de Estado . México: UNAM. https://www.anmm.org.mx/publicaciones/Obesidad/obesidad.pdf .

Rivera Dommarco, Juan Ángel, Mónica Arantxa Colchero Aragonés, Mario Luis Fuentes, Teresita González de Cosío Martínez, Carlos A. Aguilar Salinas, Gonzalo Hernández Licona, and Simón Barquera. 2018. La Obesidad en México. Estado de la Política Pública y Recomendaciones para su Prevención y Control . México: Instituto Nacional de Salud Pública. https://www.insp.mx/produccion-editorial/novedades-editoriales/4971-obesidad-mexico-politica-publica-prevencion-control.html .

Shama-Levy, T., Ismael Campos-Nonato, Lucía Cuevas-Nasu, Lucía Hernández-Barrera, María Del Carmen, Juan Rivera-Dommarco Morales-Ruán, and Simón Barquera. 2019. Overweight and Obesity in Mexican Vulnerable Population. Results of Ensanut 100k. Salud Pública de México 61 (6): 852–865. https://www.medigraphic.com/cgi-bin/new/resumenI.cgi?IDARTICULO=90731 .

Swinburn, Boyd, Gary Sacks, Kevin D. Hall, Klim McPherson, Diane T. Finegood, Marjory L. Moodie, and Steven L. Gortmaker. 2001. The Global Obesity Pandemic: Shaped by Global Drivers and Local Environments. The Lancet 378 (9793): 804–814.

Templeton, Arnoud J. 2014. Obesity and Women’s Health. Facts, Views and Vision in Obstetrics, Gynaecology, and Reproductive Health 6 (4): 175–176. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4286855/ .

World Health Assembly. 2004. Fifty-Seventh World Health Assembly, Geneva, 17–22 May 2004: Summary Records of Committees, Reports of Committees . World Health Organization. https://apps.who.int/iris/handle/10665/260147 .

World Health Organization. 2018. Obesity and Overweight . https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/obesity-and-overweight .

———. 2020. The WHO Child Growth Standards . https://www.who.int/childgrowth/standards/en/ .

Download references

Author information

Authors and affiliations.

Clarkson University, Potsdam, NY, USA

Eduardo Farías-Trujillo

Bioethics Unit, Faculty of Philosophy, Autonomous University of Queretaro, Queretaro, Mexico

You can also search for this author in PubMed   Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Eduardo Farías-Trujillo .

Editor information

Editors and affiliations.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, USA

Drue H. Barrett  & Leonard W. Ortmann  & 

Bioethics Fellow, Cleveland, OH, USA

Stephanie A. Larson

Additional information

Disclaimer: This paper is presented for instructional purposes only. The ideas and opinions expressed are the author’s own. The paper is not meant to reflect the official position, views, or policies of the editors, the editors’ host institutions or the author’s host institution.

Rights and permissions

Open Access This chapter is licensed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License ( http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ ), which permits use, sharing, adaptation, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, as long as you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons license and indicate if changes were made.

The images or other third party material in this chapter are included in the chapter’s Creative Commons license, unless indicated otherwise in a credit line to the material. If material is not included in the chapter’s Creative Commons license and your intended use is not permitted by statutory regulation or exceeds the permitted use, you will need to obtain permission directly from the copyright holder.

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2022 The Author(s)

About this chapter

Farías-Trujillo, E. (2022). My Mother, Obesity and Me: Our Narrative. How Obesity Is Intimately Related to Biopsychosocial and Spiritual Factors. In: Barrett, D.H., Ortmann, L.W., Larson, S.A. (eds) Narrative Ethics in Public Health: The Value of Stories. Public Health Ethics Analysis, vol 7. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-92080-7_15

Download citation

DOI : https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-92080-7_15

Published : 13 April 2022

Publisher Name : Springer, Cham

Print ISBN : 978-3-030-91443-1

Online ISBN : 978-3-030-92080-7

eBook Packages : Religion and Philosophy Philosophy and Religion (R0)

Share this chapter

Anyone you share the following link with will be able to read this content:

Sorry, a shareable link is not currently available for this article.

Provided by the Springer Nature SharedIt content-sharing initiative

• Publish with us

Policies and ethics

• Find a journal
• Track your research

An official website of the United States government

The .gov means it’s official. Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

The site is secure. The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

• Publications
• Account settings

Preview improvements coming to the PMC website in October 2024. Learn More or Try it out now .

• Advanced Search
• Journal List
• BMJ Open Sport Exerc Med
• v.4(1); 2018

Sleep deprivation and obesity in adults: a brief narrative review

Christopher b cooper.

1 Exercise Physiology Research Laboratory, Departments of Medicine and Physiology, David Geffen School of Medicine at University of California, Los Angeles, California, USA

Eric V Neufeld

Brett a dolezal, jennifer l martin.

2 Department of Medicine, David Geffen School of Medicine at University of California, Los Angeles, California, USA

3 VA Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System, Geriatric Research, Education and Clinical Center, Los Angeles, California, USA

Background/aims

Obesity and sleep deprivation are two epidemics that pervade developed nations. Their rates have been steadily rising worldwide, especially in the USA. This short communication will explore the link between the two conditions and outline the proposed mechanisms behind their relationship.

Studies on the topic of sleep and obesity were reviewed, and findings were used to develop a theoretical model for the biological link between short sleep duration and obesity.

Individuals who regularly slept less than 7  hours per night were more likely to have higher average body mass indexes and develop obesity than those who slept more. Studies showed that experimental sleep restriction was associated with increased levels of ghrelin, salt retention and inflammatory markers as well as decreased levels of leptin and insulin sensitivity.

Conclusions

There may be a link between obesity and sleep deprivation. We recommend further investigations are to elucidate the potential mechanisms.

What is already known?

• There is a bidirectional link between sleep deprivation and obesity.

What are the new findings?

• Sleep deprivation may mediate increases in body mass index through elevated ghrelin, suppressed leptin and augmented hedonic signalling during food intake.
• Decreased sleep results in increased fatigue, which may lower capability for exercise.
• Obesity increases the risk for sleep disorders, which may compromise sleep quality.

Introduction

Sleep deprivation occurs when an individual’s biological sleep need is not met. In epidemiological studies, definitions vary, but sleep deprivation is typically considered obtaining less than 7 hours of sleep. There are numerous studies in the scientific literature that suggest that sleep deprivation has metabolic effects that predispose to weight gain. Currently, developed nations are facing an epidemic of obesity. For example, the prevalence of obesity in the USA increased from 22.9% in 1988–1994 to 37.7% in 2013–2014. 1 By 2014, the rate of obesity had reached 35.0% among adult men and 40.4% among adult women. Also, data indicate that the adult population in the USA is getting less sleep, 2 and a significant proportion receives less than the recommended 7 hours of sleep per night. 3 In 1998, 26% of people reported sleeping less than 8 hours, whereas in 2005, the proportion was 35%. In the National Health Interview survey of 110 442 civilian employed workers between 2004 and 2007, the weighted prevalence of self-reported short sleep duration, defined as ≤6 hours per day, was 29.9%. 4

The electronic search strategy was created and completed by a single researcher (CBC), and the results were reviewed by the other members of the research team. A computerised literature search was performed using PubMed/MEDLINE and Google Scholar with keywords ‘sleep deprivation’, ‘sleep restriction’, ‘short sleep’, ‘sleep duration’, ‘obesity’, ‘weight gain’ and ‘body mass index’. Titles and abstracts of potentially relevant articles published in English between 2000 and 2017 were screened. Studies were included solely based on relevance to the research question. Included papers were grouped based on content and methodology into one of the following categories: prospective studies (single investigations and reviews/meta-analyses), cross-sectional studies (single investigations and reviews/meta-analyses), mixed studies (single investigations and reviews/meta-analyses) and mechanistic studies (single investigations and reviews/meta-analyses). Prospective, cross-sectional and mixed studies examined the epidemiological relationship between sleep deprivation and obesity, while mechanistic studies offered insight on the mechanisms driving the relationship between the two.

A systematic literature search for epidemiological evidence of an association between sleep deprivation and obesity provided 92 original studies and 18 reviews of various subsets of these investigations.

Prospective studies

Two meta-analyses, one of 30 pooled studies (634 511 participants) and the other of 11 studies (197 906 participants), demonstrated that short sleep is associated with an increase in body mass index (BMI) and risk of developing obesity. Similar findings, including in a cohort solely comprised of women, were reported up to a certain age. Associations between sleep deprivation and obesity diminished after 27 years of age in one investigation and disappeared in women 40 years and older in another. In contrast, a different study concluded that older adults who slept less than 5 hours compared with 7–8 hours increased their risk of obesity by 40%. Other analysis calculated an increased risk of 15% in individuals sleeping 5 hours or less and 6% in those sleeping 6 hours compared with those sleeping 7–8 hours.

Cross-sectional studies

One cross-sectional study of 41 610 participants reported an association between weight change (defined as gaining or losing ≥5 kg) within 5 years and an increased likelihood to report decreased total sleep time. Individuals more likely to report decreased total sleep time were women who lost significant weight as well as both men and women who gained significant weight.

Mixed studies

Mixed studies were those that included both prospective and cross-sectional analyses or a review of both prospective and cross-sectional studies. Several investigations revealed that individuals with short sleep duration had higher average BMI and were at greater risk for developing obesity. In addition to obesity, one meta-analysis of 12 pooled studies (18 720 patients with metabolic syndrome and 70 833 healthy controls) found a link between sleep deprivation and an increased risk for developing metabolic syndrome. Other studies, however, reported mixed results in older adults and concluded that conflicting mathematical relationships between sleep deprivation and obesity suggest an insufficient body of evidence to establish a link between the two.

Mechanistic studies

Experimental sleep restriction has been associated with increased levels of ghrelin, salt retention and inflammatory markers as well as decreased levels of leptin and insulin sensitivity. Higher ghrelin and lower leptin following sleep deprivation were correlated with increased hunger, especially for foods dense in fats and carbohydrates. Furthermore, consumption of these calories was found to increase the activity of neuronal reward pathways. Other studies revealed decreased thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) and free thyroxine (T 4 ) following chronic partial sleep loss. Behavioural mechanisms, such as reduced physical activity secondary to increased fatigue, irregular feeding and increased feeding due to more time spent awake, were also suggested as possible links between sleep deprivation and obesity.

In one meta-analysis of 30 investigations (634 511 participants), a pooled regression analysis in the adults suggested that a reduction in 1 hour of sleep per day would be associated with a 0.35 kg/m 2 increase in BMI. For a person approximately 178 cm tall that would be equivalent to a weight gain of approximately 1.4 kg (3.1 lbs). The authors explained that insufficient evidence exists to draw conclusions about cause and effect from this literature. 5 A prospective study was conducted in 596 young adults who were interviewed at ages 27, 29, 34 and. 6 An association was found between short sleep duration and obesity at age 27 years, but this association diminished with age. Similarly, a 10-year longitudinal investigation of 4903 women reported a significant link between short sleep duration and the risk for developing obesity in those younger than 40 years but not in women 40 years or older. 7 A different epidemiological study of older adults concluded that sleep duration of less than 5 hours, compared with sleeping 7–8 hours, increased the likelihood of developing obesity by 40%. 8 These results were echoed by a meta-analysis of 11 prospective studies (197 906 participants) that also found a significant association in both sexes between short sleep duration (defined as less than 5–6 hours per night) and the risk for developing obesity. 9

The prospect of future weight gain with restricted sleep was investigated in the Nurses Health Study. 10 The authors originally enrolled 121 700 female nurses in 1976. The cohort was surveyed in 1986 and asked about sleep duration. Overall, 4.3% of women slept 5 hours or less, 25.5% slept 6 hours, 42.1% slept 7 hours, 23.5% slept 8 hours and 4.5% slept 9 hours or more. Respondents were then contacted every 2 years for up to 16 years and asked to report their body weight. Voluntary physical activity levels were similar between groups.

At baseline, there was a clear cross-sectional relationship between weight and sleep duration with those sleeping 5 hours or less weighing on average 2.47 kg (5.43 lbs) more than those sleeping 7 hours (the median for the cohort) and 1.24 kg (2.73 lbs) more than those sleeping 6 hours. Furthermore, while all groups gained weight over the ensuing 10 years, weight increased more rapidly in those sleeping the least. Those sleeping 5 hours or less gained 0.73 kg (1.61 lbs) more and those sleeping 6 hours gained 0.26 kg (0.57 lbs) more than those sleeping 7 hours. Over the 16 years, 10.5% of the women being followed gained 15 kg (33 lbs) or more.

Women sleeping 5 hours or less were 32% more likely and those sleeping 6 hours were 12% more likely to gain this amount of weight compared with those sleeping 7–8 hours. Of those women who were not obese at baseline, 15.9% had become obese at the end of 16 years as defined by a BMI ≥30 kg/m 2 . The risk of developing obesity was increased by 15% in those sleeping 5 hours or less and increased by 6% in those sleeping 6 hours compared with those sleeping 7–8 hours. The comparisons described above were statistically significant, and in the statistical analysis reported by these investigators, all models were adjusted for potential confounding variables such as age, smoking status, alcohol consumption, caffeine consumption and the use of medications known to affect sleep.

One cross-sectional study of 41 610 participants found that both men and women who experienced significant weight gain (defined as 5 or more kilograms within 5 years) were more likely to report a decreased total sleep time than those of stable weight. Interestingly, women who lost significant weight were also more likely to report decreased total sleep time. This same trend was not observed in men. The authors noted, however, that the composition of the weight gained or lost was not specified. 11

One review reported that short sleep duration was consistently linked with the development of obesity in children and young adults; findings in older adults were mixed. 12 A meta-analysis of 12 studies (18 720 patients with metabolic syndrome and 70 833 healthy controls) found a significant association in both sexes between short sleep duration (defined as less than 5–6 hours per night) and an increased risk for developing metabolic syndrome. 13 Examination of the database from the National Health and Nutritional Examination Survey I between 1982 and 1992 revealed that subjects between the ages of 32 years and 49 years with self-reported sleep durations at baseline less than 7 hours had higher average BMIs and were more likely to be obese than subjects with sleep durations of 7 hours. 14 This analysis raised awareness of the possibility of a connection between sleep restriction and the development of obesity. On the contrary, a different review concluded that there is inadequate evidence to link decreased sleep duration with the increasing incidence of obesity. The authors reported that the reviewed cross-sectional studies yielded both inverse and zero relationships between sleep duration and obesity. Reviewed longitudinal studies yielded similar mixed results. 15

Experimental studies have shown sleep restriction to influence two important hormones, leptin and ghrelin, that regulate metabolism and energy expenditure. 16 Leptin is released from adipose tissue (fat) and acts on receptors in the hypothalamus of the brain where it inhibits appetite and promotes satiety thus limiting food intake. Circulating blood levels of leptin are generally proportional to body fat mass. Ghrelin, however, is released from the stomach and pancreas and stimulates appetite. Circulating ghrelin levels fluctuate over the course of the day in relation to food intake. Leptin is decreased with sleep deprivation, 17 whereas ghrelin is increased. 18 In a short-term study of 10 men, 2 days of sleep restriction was associated with an 18% reduction in the leptin and a 28% elevation in ghrelin. These changes were associated with increased hunger and appetite, especially for calorie-dense foods with high carbohydrate content. 18 Both the decrease in leptin and the increase in ghrelin seen with sleep deprivation could potentially increase food intake and contribute to weight gain. 19 Considering that increased caloric intake has been shown to promote sleep, sleep deprivation may prompt overeating as a compensatory mechanism to regain lost sleep. 20 21 This response may be governed on a neurological level as increased activity of neuronal reward pathways (hedonic signalling) during food intake has been observed following sleep deprivation. 21 These and other potential mechanisms by which sleep deprivation may predispose to obesity are summarised in figure 1 .

Summary of proposed mechanisms that stimulate the relationship between sleep deprivation and obesity.

In addition to biological associations, several authors have highlighted the potential for behavioural mechanisms between sleep deprivation and obesity. The most straightforward of these states that individuals who sleep less have more opportunities to consume calories. Short sleepers may also experience fatigue, which reduces the likelihood of engaging in physical activity. 22 One review noted that decreased sleep allowed for the possibility of increased feeding late at night and early in the morning. 23 Considering that components of metabolism can differ depending on the time of day, it is reasonable to believe that caloric intake during these periods may result in altered metabolic responses. 23 Furthermore, women may respond differently to disruptions in sleep duration and metabolism than men, but little research exists on this topic. 21

Cross-sectional and longitudinal epidemiological studies have also shown associations between short sleep duration and diabetes, 24 25 hypertension, 26 27 cardiovascular disease 28 29 and mortality. 6 Habitually short sleep duration could lead to insulin resistance by increasing sympathetic nervous system activity, raising evening cortisol levels and decreasing cerebral glucose utilisation that over time could compromise pancreatic beta-cell function and lead to diabetes. One review reported that both acute and chronic sleep restriction impaired insulin sensitivity by 20%–30%, which lasted between 1 day and 2 weeks. 30 Another stated that sleep deprivation reduced both glucose tolerance (insulin-mediated uptake) and glucose effectiveness (insulin-independent uptake). 31 It has been postulated that sleep restriction may also indirectly affect insulin secretion through its modulatory effects on leptin and ghrelin. 30 32 Other endocrine signalling affected includes the hypothalamic–pituitary–thyroid axis. TSH 31 33 and free T 4 33 levels were decreased following chronic partial sleep loss suggesting a possible corresponding reduction in metabolic rate. However, it is unclear whether the decrease in TSH originated directly from the anterior pituitary gland or from decreased secretion of hypothalamic thyrotropin-releasing hormone. Additionally, prolonged short sleep durations could lead to hypertension through chronically raised blood pressure over the 24-hour period, increased salt retention and structural adaptations of the cardiovascular system. 34 In a report from the Cleveland Family Study, 614 individuals completed questionnaires about sleep habits, underwent polysomnography and had blood tested for circulating markers of inflammation. The conclusion of these authors was that activation of proinflammatory pathways may represent a mechanism by which sleep habits affect health. 35

While this has not been systematically studied, an additional consideration might be that sleepiness (from insufficient sleep) may lead to decreased physical activity, therefore making weight maintenance more difficult. This behavioural mechanism warrants further research. In addition, there is some evidence that increasing sleep duration may facilitate weight maintenance by decreasing cravings and appetite. 36 This suggests a potential enhancement to weight management programme may be improvements in sleep duration.

Due to the vastly intricate link between sleep deprivation and obesity, reviewing all literature pertaining to this topic fell beyond the scope of this short review. Instead, its purpose was to provide a framework for understanding mechanisms mediated by hormonal regulators of appetite. Other limitations include the focus on predominantly male adults. Sleep patterns, daily activities and hormone profiles differ between children, adolescents, men, women and the elderly; therefore, some of the mechanisms outlined in the paper may have more or less influence depending on age and sex. While some of the reviewed material involved discussion of both sexes, future investigations should highlight results found in women. Finally, it is important to note that the majority of studies employed self-reported sleep measures rather than objective metrics such as polysomnography or actigraphy. Further research should monitor sleep duration in the home sleep environment.

In summary, there is extensive scientific evidence linking sleep restriction to weight gain and obesity. Although mechanistic relationships are not yet clear, if metabolic changes resulting from sleep restriction lead to an increase in body weight, insulin resistance and increased blood pressure, then interventions designed to increase the amount and improve the quality of sleep could serve as treatments and as primary preventative measures for these metabolic disorders. 37 Further research is needed with objective measures of sleep duration and repeated assessments of both sleep and body weight. Experimental study designs that manipulate sleep duration are also necessary to better explore the possibility of a causal relationship between sleep deprivation and obesity.

Contributors: All authors made significant contributions. CBC conceived the idea for this paper and performed the literature review. EVN, BAD and JLM wrote significant portions of the manuscript.

Funding: The authors have not declared a specific grant for this research from any funding agency in the public, commercial or not-for-profit sectors.

Competing interests: None declared.

Patient consent: Not required.

Provenance and peer review: Not commissioned; externally peer reviewed.

Data sharing statement: No additional data are available.

Narratives for Obesity: Effects of Weight Loss and Attribution on Empathy and Policy Support

Affiliations.

• 1 1 Oberlin College, Oberlin, OH, USA.
• 2 2 Purchase College, State University of New York, Purchase, NY, USA.
• PMID: 28718352
• DOI: 10.1177/1090198116684794

Despite an urgent need to address the issue of obesity, little research has examined the psychological factors that influence support for obesity-related policy initiatives, which represent an important tool for addressing this complex health issue. In the present study, we measured the degree to which people supported obesity-related policy interventions and empathized with a person struggling with obesity after reading a personal account of his or her situation. The narrative described an obese individual who was portrayed as either successfully losing weight or not, and as attributing his or her weight-loss outcome to personal or environmental factors. We found that protagonists who successfully lost weight and/or took personal responsibility for their situation elicited more empathy from participants, which was associated with support for societal policy interventions for obesity. These findings suggest that specific features of personal narratives influence support for obesity-related policies and highlight empathy as a mechanism through which such narratives affect obesity-related attitudes.

Keywords: narrative; obesity; public policy; reasoning; schema; stigma.

• Obesity / psychology*
• Public Policy*
• Weight Loss*

Crafting an MLA-Formatted Exploration: Deciphering the Complexity of Contemporary Narratives

This essay about decoding contemporary narratives through MLA format explores the intricate layers of modern storytelling. It emphasizes precision in analysis, recognizing the diversity of narrative forms and the active role of readers in constructing meaning. Through an interdisciplinary lens, it illuminates how these narratives reflect and shape societal complexities. The essay underscores the importance of embracing diverse interpretations and the transformative power of literature in provoking reflection and understanding.

How it works

In the dynamic realm of literature, contemporary narratives emerge as enigmatic puzzles, inviting us to unravel their multifaceted layers and uncover their profound messages. Guided by the principles of MLA format, we embark on an odyssey to traverse the complexities inherent in these narratives, venturing into uncharted territories of analysis and interpretation.

At the core of any MLA-formatted expedition lies an unwavering commitment to precision. From meticulously crafted citations to the cohesive structure of the paper, every element must adhere diligently to the standards set forth by the Modern Language Association.

This dedication to accuracy serves as the foundation of our endeavor, ensuring that our exploration is not only academically rigorous but also intellectually robust.

Essential to our journey is the recognition of the diverse spectrum of contemporary narratives that populate the literary landscape. From sprawling novels to concise vignettes, from experimental prose to multimedia storytelling, the diversity is boundless. Each narrative form presents its own unique challenges and opportunities, necessitating an adaptable and nuanced analytical approach. Whether unraveling the complexities of a fragmented narrative or decoding the symbolism woven into a visual narrative, our methodology remains rooted in the principles of close textual analysis and critical inquiry.

A defining characteristic of contemporary narratives is their ability to reflect the complexities of the modern human experience. No longer confined to linear structures or traditional storytelling conventions, these narratives embrace ambiguity, nonlinear timelines, and intricate narrative structures. They compel us to grapple with existential questions and societal issues, prompting introspection and contemplation. As we navigate these narrative landscapes, we are reminded of literature’s profound capacity to both mirror and interrogate the world around us.

Central to our exploration is the acknowledgment of the active role played by the reader in the construction of meaning. Drawing upon poststructuralist insights, we understand that meaning is not inherent within the text but is rather co-constructed through the interaction between reader and text. This recognition demands a willingness to entertain diverse interpretations and embrace the multiplicity of meanings that a text can evoke. Whether analyzing the interplay of language and image in a graphic narrative or deconstructing the narrative voice in a postmodern novel, we remain attuned to the fluidity and plurality of meaning.

As we embark on our journey, we embrace the interdisciplinary nature of contemporary narrative studies. Drawing insights from literary theory, cultural studies, and media analysis, we enrich our understanding of these texts and situate them within broader cultural, historical, and socio-political contexts. This interdisciplinary approach allows us to uncover connections and patterns that might otherwise remain obscured, offering new insights into the ways in which contemporary narratives shape and are shaped by the world around us.

In conclusion, crafting an MLA-approved journey into the realm of contemporary narratives requires a steadfast commitment to precision, an openness to diversity, and an interdisciplinary approach to analysis. By delving deep into the complexities of these texts, we uncover the rich tapestry of meaning that lies beneath the surface, gaining fresh perspectives on the ways in which literature reflects and refracts the human experience. As we venture forth into this intellectual frontier, let us remain ever mindful of the transformative power of storytelling and its capacity to inspire empathy, understanding, and change.

Cite this page

Crafting an MLA-Formatted Exploration: Deciphering the Complexity of Contemporary Narratives. (2024, Jun 01). Retrieved from https://papersowl.com/examples/crafting-an-mla-formatted-exploration-deciphering-the-complexity-of-contemporary-narratives/

"Crafting an MLA-Formatted Exploration: Deciphering the Complexity of Contemporary Narratives." PapersOwl.com , 1 Jun 2024, https://papersowl.com/examples/crafting-an-mla-formatted-exploration-deciphering-the-complexity-of-contemporary-narratives/

PapersOwl.com. (2024). Crafting an MLA-Formatted Exploration: Deciphering the Complexity of Contemporary Narratives . [Online]. Available at: https://papersowl.com/examples/crafting-an-mla-formatted-exploration-deciphering-the-complexity-of-contemporary-narratives/ [Accessed: 1 Jun. 2024]

"Crafting an MLA-Formatted Exploration: Deciphering the Complexity of Contemporary Narratives." PapersOwl.com, Jun 01, 2024. Accessed June 1, 2024. https://papersowl.com/examples/crafting-an-mla-formatted-exploration-deciphering-the-complexity-of-contemporary-narratives/

"Crafting an MLA-Formatted Exploration: Deciphering the Complexity of Contemporary Narratives," PapersOwl.com , 01-Jun-2024. [Online]. Available: https://papersowl.com/examples/crafting-an-mla-formatted-exploration-deciphering-the-complexity-of-contemporary-narratives/. [Accessed: 1-Jun-2024]

PapersOwl.com. (2024). Crafting an MLA-Formatted Exploration: Deciphering the Complexity of Contemporary Narratives . [Online]. Available at: https://papersowl.com/examples/crafting-an-mla-formatted-exploration-deciphering-the-complexity-of-contemporary-narratives/ [Accessed: 1-Jun-2024]

Don't let plagiarism ruin your grade

Hire a writer to get a unique paper crafted to your needs.

Our writers will help you fix any mistakes and get an A+!

Please check your inbox.

You can order an original essay written according to your instructions.

Trusted by over 1 million students worldwide

1. Tell Us Your Requirements

2. Pick your perfect writer

3. Get Your Paper and Pay

Hi! I'm Amy, your personal assistant!

Don't know where to start? Give me your paper requirements and I connect you to an academic expert.

short deadlines

100% Plagiarism-Free

Certified writers

Home — Essay Samples — Nursing & Health — Public Health Issues — Obesity

Essay Examples on Obesity

Hook examples for obesity essays, "the silent epidemic among us" hook.

"Obesity silently creeps into our lives, affecting millions. Explore the hidden health crisis, its causes, and its far-reaching consequences on individuals and society."

"From Childhood to Adulthood: Battling Obesity" Hook

"Childhood obesity often follows us into adulthood. Share stories of individuals who have embarked on journeys of transformation and discuss the challenges they face."

"Obesity's Toll on Public Health" Hook

"Obesity is a public health crisis with wide-ranging effects. Investigate the strain on healthcare systems, the rise of related diseases, and the economic impact of obesity."

"The Cultural Shift: Food, Technology, and Sedentary Lifestyles" Hook

"Examine how cultural factors, including dietary habits, technology use, and sedentary lifestyles, have contributed to the obesity epidemic. What can we learn from these trends?"

"Breaking the Cycle: Strategies for Prevention" Hook

"Prevention is key to combating obesity. Discuss effective strategies for preventing obesity in children and adults, from education to policy changes."

"The Psychological Battle: Obesity and Mental Health" Hook

"Obesity often intersects with mental health challenges. Explore the complex relationship between obesity and mental well-being, as well as the stigma attached to it."

"Shifting Perspectives: Celebrating Body Positivity" Hook

"In the midst of the obesity crisis, the body positivity movement is gaining ground. Discuss the importance of promoting self-acceptance and diverse body images."

Conclusion for Obesity

Benefits of weight loss, made-to-order essay as fast as you need it.

Each essay is customized to cater to your unique preferences

+ experts online

Persuasive Essay on Child Obesity

The issue of obesity and way of its prevention, a worldwide epidemic of obesity and ways to handle it, the most common causes of obesity, let us write you an essay from scratch.

• 450+ experts on 30 subjects ready to help
• Custom essay delivered in as few as 3 hours

The Problem of Obesity and The Unhealthy Lifestyle Among The Us Citizens

Obesity in america: causes, effects, and ways to combat, an increasing in obesity both in adults and children in united states, the issues of the obesity and the american problem, get a personalized essay in under 3 hours.

Expert-written essays crafted with your exact needs in mind

Obesity in The United States and Ways to Avoid It

Obesity as a stigma or a threat to health, why obesity should be classified a disease, don’t blame the eater': the issue of america’s growing weight, childhood obesity, obesity and its effects in the united kingdom, analysis of the theme of fast food and obesity in the article "don’t blame the eater", the main causes of obesity in america, careless consuming and lazy living: obesity in america, the effect of obesity on depression, analysis of the causes of obesity, the role of food companies in rising rate of obesity in america, the causes for the obesity epidemic in america, obesity as one of the most important social problems in america, the problem of obesity among college students and solutions to combat it, age and socio economic issues as risk factors of obesity, childhood obesity: prevention & treatment, the need for healthier lifestyle campaigns to prevent the issue of overweight and obesity in singapore, obesity epidemic in america and the factors contributing to it, the factors of the problem of obesity in america.

Obesity is a condition in which excess body fat has accumulated to such an extent that it may have a negative effect on health. Medical organizations tend to classify people as obese based on body mass index (BMI) – a ratio of a person's weight in kilograms to the square of their height in meters.

There are three types of obesity: Class 1 (low-risk) obesity, if BMI is 30.0 to 34.9; Class 2 (moderate-risk) obesity, if BMI is 35.0 to 39.9; Class 3 (high-risk) obesity, if BMI is equal to or greater than 40.0.

The major contributors to obesity are: diet, sedentary lifestyle, genetics, other illnesses, social determinants, gut bacteria, and other factors.

Excessive body weight has a strong link to many diseases and conditions, particularly cardiovascular diseases, diabetes mellitus type 2, obstructive sleep apnea, certain types of cancer, osteoarthritis, and asthma. As a result, obesity has been found to reduce life expectancy.

Most of the world's population live in countries where overweight and obesity kills more people than underweight. 39 million children under the age of 5 were overweight or obese in 2020. Worldwide obesity has nearly tripled since 1975. From 1999-2000 through 2017-March 2020, US obesity prevalence increased from 30.5% to 41.9%.

Relevant topics

• Eating Disorders
• Drug Addiction
• Mental Health

By clicking “Check Writers’ Offers”, you agree to our terms of service and privacy policy . We’ll occasionally send you promo and account related email

No need to pay just yet!

Bibliography

We use cookies to personalyze your web-site experience. By continuing we’ll assume you board with our cookie policy .

• Instructions Followed To The Letter
• Deadlines Met At Every Stage
• Unique And Plagiarism Free

• Introduction
• Conclusions
• Article Information

The dashed black line indicates the end of the pretax period; the dashed blue line represents the first year of outcomes after tax implementation, encompassing measurements between January 1 and December 31, 2018. BMIp95 indicates body mass index (calculated as weight in kilograms divided by height in meters squared) expressed as a percentage of the 95th percentile.

eFigure 1. Diagram of Study Sample Inclusion Criteria and Sample Size

eAppendix 1. Body Mass Index (BMI) as a Percent of the Value at the 95th Percentile (BMIp95)

eFigure 2. Chart Depicting the Percent of the 95th Percentile of Body Mass Index by Sex—An Alternative Metric for Measuring BMI

eAppendix 2. Weighting to Balance Seattle and Comparison Area for Use in Within-Person Change Models

eAppendix 3. Height Imputation Details

eTable 1. Comparisons of the Association Between the Seattle Sweetened Beverage Tax and BMIp95

eTable 2. BMI Metrics for Seattle and Comparison Area

eReferences

eFigure 3. Synthetic Difference-in-Differences Plots for BMI z Score (Extended) and BMI Untransformed

Data Sharing Statement

See More About

Sign up for emails based on your interests, select your interests.

Customize your JAMA Network experience by selecting one or more topics from the list below.

• Academic Medicine
• Acid Base, Electrolytes, Fluids
• Allergy and Clinical Immunology
• American Indian or Alaska Natives
• Anesthesiology
• Anticoagulation
• Art and Images in Psychiatry
• Artificial Intelligence
• Assisted Reproduction
• Bleeding and Transfusion
• Caring for the Critically Ill Patient
• Challenges in Clinical Electrocardiography
• Climate and Health
• Climate Change
• Clinical Challenge
• Clinical Decision Support
• Clinical Implications of Basic Neuroscience
• Clinical Pharmacy and Pharmacology
• Complementary and Alternative Medicine
• Consensus Statements
• Coronavirus (COVID-19)
• Critical Care Medicine
• Cultural Competency
• Dental Medicine
• Dermatology
• Diabetes and Endocrinology
• Diagnostic Test Interpretation
• Drug Development
• Electronic Health Records
• Emergency Medicine
• End of Life, Hospice, Palliative Care
• Environmental Health
• Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion
• Facial Plastic Surgery
• Gastroenterology and Hepatology
• Genetics and Genomics
• Genomics and Precision Health
• Global Health
• Guide to Statistics and Methods
• Hair Disorders
• Health Care Delivery Models
• Health Care Economics, Insurance, Payment
• Health Care Quality
• Health Care Reform
• Health Care Safety
• Health Care Workforce
• Health Disparities
• Health Inequities
• Health Policy
• Health Systems Science
• History of Medicine
• Hypertension
• Images in Neurology
• Implementation Science
• Infectious Diseases
• Innovations in Health Care Delivery
• JAMA Infographic
• Law and Medicine
• Leading Change
• Less is More
• LGBTQIA Medicine
• Lifestyle Behaviors
• Medical Coding
• Medical Devices and Equipment
• Medical Education
• Medical Education and Training
• Medical Journals and Publishing
• Mobile Health and Telemedicine
• Narrative Medicine
• Neuroscience and Psychiatry
• Notable Notes
• Nutrition, Obesity, Exercise
• Obstetrics and Gynecology
• Occupational Health
• Ophthalmology
• Orthopedics
• Otolaryngology
• Pain Medicine
• Palliative Care
• Pathology and Laboratory Medicine
• Patient Care
• Patient Information
• Performance Improvement
• Performance Measures
• Perioperative Care and Consultation
• Pharmacoeconomics
• Pharmacoepidemiology
• Pharmacogenetics
• Pharmacy and Clinical Pharmacology
• Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
• Physical Therapy
• Physician Leadership
• Population Health
• Primary Care
• Professional Well-being
• Professionalism
• Psychiatry and Behavioral Health
• Public Health
• Pulmonary Medicine
• Regulatory Agencies
• Reproductive Health
• Research, Methods, Statistics
• Resuscitation
• Rheumatology
• Risk Management
• Scientific Discovery and the Future of Medicine
• Shared Decision Making and Communication
• Sleep Medicine
• Sports Medicine
• Stem Cell Transplantation
• Substance Use and Addiction Medicine
• Surgical Innovation
• Surgical Pearls
• Teachable Moment
• Technology and Finance
• The Art of JAMA
• The Arts and Medicine
• The Rational Clinical Examination
• Tobacco and e-Cigarettes
• Translational Medicine
• Trauma and Injury
• Treatment Adherence
• Ultrasonography
• Users' Guide to the Medical Literature
• Vaccination
• Venous Thromboembolism
• Veterans Health
• Women's Health
• Workflow and Process
• Wound Care, Infection, Healing

Get the latest research based on your areas of interest.

Others also liked.

• Download PDF
• X Facebook More LinkedIn

Jones-Smith JC , Knox MA , Chakrabarti S, et al. Sweetened Beverage Tax Implementation and Change in Body Mass Index Among Children in Seattle. JAMA Netw Open. 2024;7(5):e2413644. doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2024.13644

Manage citations:

© 2024

• Permissions

Sweetened Beverage Tax Implementation and Change in Body Mass Index Among Children in Seattle

• 1 Department of Health Systems and Population Health, University of Washington, Seattle
• 2 Department of Epidemiology, University of Washington, Seattle
• 3 Department of Economics, University of Washington, Seattle
• 4 Nutrition, Diets and Health Unit, International Food Policy Research Institute, New Delhi, India
• 5 Center for Studies in Demography and Ecology, University of Washington, Seattle
• 6 Kaiser Permanente Washington Health Research Institute, Seattle
• 7 Public Health—Seattle and King County, Seattle, Washington
• 8 Department of Pediatrics, University of Washington, Seattle
• 9 Seattle Children’s Research Institute, Seattle, Washington

Question   Is the implementation of a sweetened beverage tax in Seattle, Washington, associated with a change in body mass index (BMI) among children living in Seattle?

Findings   In this cohort study of 6313 children living in Seattle or a nearby comparison area, a statistically significant reduction in BMI was observed for children in Seattle after the implementation of a sweetened beverage tax compared with well-matched children living in nontaxed comparison areas.

Meaning   These results suggest that the sweetened beverage tax in Seattle may be associated with a small but reasonable reduction in BMI among children living within the Seattle city limits.

Importance   Sweetened beverage taxes have been associated with reduced purchasing of taxed beverages. However, few studies have assessed the association between sweetened beverage taxes and health outcomes.

Objective   To evaluate the association between the Seattle sweetened beverage tax and change in body mass index (BMI) among children.

Design, Setting, and Participants   In this longitudinal cohort study, anthropometric data were obtained from electronic medical records of 2 health care systems (Kaiser Permanente Washington [KP] and Seattle Children’s Hospital Odessa Brown Children’s Clinic [OBCC]). Children were included in the study if they were aged 2 to 18 years (between January 1, 2014, and December 31, 2019); had at least 1 weight measurement every year between 2015 and 2019; lived in Seattle or in urban areas of 3 surrounding counties (King, Pierce, and Snohomish); had not moved between taxed (Seattle) and nontaxed areas; received primary health care from KP or OBCC; did not have a recent history of cancer, bariatric surgery, or pregnancy; and had biologically plausible height and BMI (calculated as weight in kilograms divided by height in meters squared). Data analysis was conducted between August 5, 2022, and March 4, 2024.

Exposure   Seattle sweetened beverage tax (1.75 cents per ounce on sweetened beverages), implemented on January 1, 2018.

Main Outcomes and Measures   The primary outcome was BMIp95 (BMI expressed as a percentage of the 95th percentile; a newly recommended metric for assessing BMI change) of the reference population for age and sex, using the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention growth charts. In the primary (synthetic difference-in-differences [SDID]) model used, a comparison sample was created by reweighting the comparison sample to optimize on matching to pretax trends in outcome among 6313 children in Seattle. Secondary models were within-person change models using 1 pretax measurement and 1 posttax measurement in 22 779 children and fine stratification weights to balance baseline individual and neighborhood-level confounders.

Results   The primary SDID analysis included 6313 children (3041 female [48%] and 3272 male [52%]). More than a third of children (2383 [38%]) were aged 2 to 5 years); their mean (SE) age was 7.7 (0.6) years. With regard to race and ethnicity, 789 children (13%) were Asian, 631 (10%) were Black, 649 (10%) were Hispanic, and 3158 (50%) were White. The primary model results suggested that the Seattle tax was associated with a larger decrease in BMIp95 for children living in Seattle compared with those living in the comparison area (SDID: −0.90 percentage points [95% CI, −1.20 to −0.60]; P < .001). Results from secondary models were similar.

Conclusions and Relevance   The findings of this cohort study suggest that the Seattle sweetened beverage tax was associated with a modest decrease in BMIp95 among children living in Seattle compared with children living in nearby nontaxed areas who were receiving care within the same health care systems. Taken together with existing studies in the US, these results suggest that sweetened beverage taxes may be an effective policy for improving children’s BMI. Future research should test this association using longitudinal data in other US cities with sweetened beverage taxes.

To date, 7 US cities have implemented excise taxes on sweetened beverages. These taxes were pursued with the goal of improving population health by disincentivizing intake of sugar-sweetened beverages, the single largest contributor to added sugar intake in the US. 1 A secondary goal of these taxes has been to increase revenues, often targeted toward other public health programs. 2

Sweetened beverage taxes have generally been shown to increase prices of taxed beverages and decrease purchasing of taxed beverages. 3 - 10 Studies have reported a net decline in grams of added sugar purchased, suggesting a potential for net reductions in calories consumed. 11 At the same time, the existing literature suggests the association of sweetened beverage taxes with self-reported sugary beverage consumption has tended to be null. 10 However, dietary consumption is difficult to measure, and small studies with inadequate power paired with small expected effect sizes can lead to null findings. 12 Therefore, it remains important to assess whether these taxes have had detectable associations with health outcomes.

There are several reasons to believe that sweetened beverage taxes may be associated with children’s body mass index (BMI; calculated as weight in kilograms divided by height in meters squared). First, US residents tend to consume more sweetened beverages during adolescence than during adulthood, so taxes may more substantially affect their dietary intake. 13 Second, adults with children may change the beverages they provide their children in response to either price changes or health-signaling effects of taxes on goods such as sweetened beverages. Children may change their consumption habits as a result of either mechanism. Finally, the prevention of increases in BMI among children might be more physiologically tenable compared with incurring weight loss among adults. 14

Three previous studies have examined associations between sweetened beverage taxes and children’s weight status. The first study examined BMI among children in Mauritius, and no detectable association between the Mauritius sugar-sweetened beverage tax and BMI was observed among boys or girls. 15 In the second study, investigators found that pass-through of the Mexico sweetened beverage tax was associated with a reduction in obesity prevalence among adolescent girls, but not boys. 16 The third study examined sweetened beverage taxes in 3 cities (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; San Francisco, California; and Oakland, California), and beverage taxes were associated with a decrease in average BMI among all children, but with larger effects among girls. 17 Each of these studies used repeated cross-sectional samples.

In this study, we built on the aforementioned recent work to identify the population health consequences of sweetened beverage taxes. We used longitudinal, measured BMI data from a large sample of children in urban areas, with anthropometrics from electronic health records to assess whether exposure to the Seattle sweetened beverage tax was associated with change in BMI from before to after the tax was implemented. We hypothesized that the tax would be associated with lower gains in BMI.

This cohort study was approved by the University of Washington Institutional Review Board (IRB), which determined that the activities conducted by the research team were nonhuman participant research; therefore, informed consent was not required. The IRBs of Kaiser Permanente Washington (KP) and Seattle Children’s Hospital Odessa Brown Children’s Clinic (OBCC) approved protocols for pulling identifiable data and then sharing a limited, deidentified dataset. The study followed the Strengthening the Reporting of Observational Studies in Epidemiology ( STROBE ) reporting guideline.

The sample was limited to children residing in 3 adjacent counties in Washington State: King (which includes but is not limited to Seattle), Pierce, and Snohomish. Children were aged between 2 and 18 years during the period from January 1, 2014, to December 31, 2019, and received primary care within 1 of 2 local health care systems (KP or OBCC). We limited the sample to children residing in an urban area or cluster (population >2500) as designated by the 2010 US Census. To avoid capturing unintentional weight loss, we excluded children who received a cancer diagnosis a year before or at any time during the observation period; we also excluded children who had undergone bariatric surgery at any time during their history with the health care system. We excluded observations that occurred within 9 months before and 3 months after a patient delivered a liveborn infant. We excluded children who either moved out of our study area or moved between Seattle and the nontaxed comparison areas. We limited the analysis to children who had at least 1 weight measurement in the medical record before and after the Seattle sweetened beverage tax was implemented. To account for potential data entry errors, we excluded children with extreme values for height-for-age z score (≤−5 or >4) or BMI z score (≤−5 or ≥10); we removed individuals with a very large change in BMI, BMI z score, or BMIp95, corresponding to the 1st and 99th percentiles of the distribution of change per year for each BMI metric. After applying exclusion criteria, we excluded children with missing covariates (eFigure 1 in Supplement 1 ).

The exposure of interest was the Seattle sweetened beverage tax (1.75 cents per ounce on sweetened beverages), defined by geography and timing of tax implementation (January 1, 2018). Addresses for children that were linked to each clinic visit were geocoded to determine whether they were inside or outside of Seattle. Due to different geocoding protocols for data from each health care system, we classified children as exposed to the tax for visits after January 1, 2018, if their geocoded address was inside the Seattle city limits for OBCC or in a US Census tract that was inside or touching the Seattle boundary for KP.

The primary outcome was each child’s BMIp95 (BMI expressed as a percentage of the 95th percentile) for an age- and sex-matched reference population according to the 2000 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) growth charts. The BMIp95 is a newly recommended proxy of adiposity in children that is better at capturing change in BMI compared with a BMI z score, which has been shown to not accurately reflect change in BMI at the tails of the distribution. 18 When comparing change in BMIp95, negative values suggest a reduction in child weight status (eAppendix 1 and eFigure 2 in Supplement 1 ). Weight and height were obtained from electronic health records. When weight was measured at a clinic visit but height was not measured on the same day, we imputed height for that child based on a random effects model of height growth over time (eAppendix 3 and eTable 1 in Supplement 1 ). In sensitivity analyses, we examined BMI z scores using 2022 CDC extended z scores and untransformed BMI. 18

Both of our statistical models used statistical weighting techniques to create a well-matched comparison group that aimed to balance potential confounding variables. Weighting is an alternative form of statistically controlling for potential confounding variables, which generally involves up-weighting observations in the comparison group that look most similar to those in the treatment group and down-weighting observations that look dissimilar, with the goal of creating balance between the groups in the potentially confounding characteristics. In the primary (synthetic difference-in-differences [SDID]) model used in this study, the weighting was used to up-weight children with similar pretreatment trends in the outcome to children in Seattle, with the goal to achieve parallel trends. Both models estimated a within-person change and, therefore, controlled for all time-invariant, person-level factors. 19 We additionally included 2 time-varying potential confounders: insurance status (to account for whether an individual changed insurance types from commercial to noncommercial from one point to the next) and an indicator for age group (to capture the general change in rate of BMI growth between ages 2-4 and 5-18 years).

For the secondary models, the variables used for weighting were at the individual and neighborhood levels. These variables included the following: age (continuous), sex (male or female), race and ethnicity (self-reported in categories and combined into the following options: American Indian or Alaska Native, Asian, Black or African American [hereinafter, Black], Hispanic, Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander, White, other race or ethnicity [ie, any not listed], or multiple races or ethnicities), insurance type (commercial or other), pediatric medical complexity category (complex chronic conditions, noncomplex chronic conditions, or without chronic disease), US Census tract racial and ethnic composition (proportion of American Indian or Alaska Native, Asian, Black, Hispanic, Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander, White, other race or ethnicity [ie, any not listed], or multiple races or ethnicities; continuous), proportion in the tract living in poverty (continuous), population density (people per square mile, continuous), proportion of the tract who have moved in the past year (continuous), proportion with a bachelor degree or higher (continuous), and interactions between individual race and ethnicity and population density and proportion with a bachelor degree or higher. Race and ethnicity are socially constructed categories that were included in this study because they are associated with both where people live (the exposure) and a multitude of other factors that influence BMI (the outcome). All tract-level variables were from the 2010 to 2014 American Community Survey 5-year estimates.

The SDID model combines aspects of synthetic control models 20 and difference-in-differences models. 21 The SDID method allows for individual-level repeated-measures data and for multiple treated units. 21 - 23 It involves weighting to achieve balance on confounders; specifically, it reweights the sample to optimize matching children on parallel pretreatment trends in the outcome. In this study, the SDID method improved confidence that any differential change from before to after the policy was implemented was due to the tax. The models additionally used child fixed effects, which controlled for time-invariant, person-level confounders. 19

The SDID model required a balanced sample; these models included only children who had at least 1 anthropometric measurement per year for every year of our observation period. For those who had more than 1 BMI measurement in a year, we used the mean of their BMIp95 measurements in each calendar year. Standard errors were estimated with a cluster bootstrap at the child level. 21 , 22

Initial models indicated that observations from the earliest year in our observation period (2014) were not contributing substantially to the model weights. Therefore, we excluded 2014 from the SDID analysis and included children who had at least 1 measurement each year between 2015 and 2019. We additionally ran stratified versions of this model to assess whether the associations between the tax and BMIp95 were similar for subgroups by sex, age, race and ethnicity, insurance status, health care system, neighborhood poverty, pediatric medical complexity score, and baseline overweight. In sensitivity analyses, we examined BMI z scores and untransformed BMI.

Because the synthetic control models were restricted to the balanced sample and because children who stayed in the same health care system and had at least 1 visit per year may be different from children who did not, we ran secondary models that were less restrictive and included any child who had at least 1 weight measurement before the tax and 1 after the tax was implemented. We used fine stratification-weighted, within-person change models, which are easier to interpret and allowed us a precise way to handle the fact that there was a varying amount of time that elapsed between measurements for each child. The fine stratification average treatment effect (FSATE) weights 24 aimed to balance the sample characteristics between Seattle and the comparison area (eAppendix 2 in Supplement 1 ).

We used the BMIp95 value from the visit closest to, but not after, the last day before the tax (December 31, 2017) for the preperiod BMIp95. Then we subtracted this value from the BMIp95 measurement closest to, but not after, the last day in the posttax period for this study (January 1, 2020), and we divided this by the number of days between the measurement dates. We multiplied this value by 365.25 days in a year to create an annualized BMIp95 within-person change measure. We modeled annualized BMIp95 change as a function of Seattle residence or nonresidence, using FSATE weights to control for baseline confounders and adjusting for time-varying insurance type and age group.

All final statistical analyses were performed in Stata, version 18 (StataCorp LLC). Statistical significance was set to an α of .05 with 2-sided hypothesis tests. Analyses were conducted between August 5, 2022, and March 4, 2024.

The primary SDID model included 6313 children (3041 female [48%] and 3272 male [52%]) with at least 1 BMI measurement per year for all 5 years. Of these children, 1794 (28%) lived in Seattle and 4519 (72%) lived in the comparison area. The final sample in the FSATE-weighted change models included 22 779 unique children. Most children in the primary model were aged younger than 14 years at the first visit, consistent with the inclusion criteria, with 2383 (38%) aged 2 to 5 years ( Table 1 ). The mean (SE) age of the 6313 children was 7.7 (0.6) years. In terms of race and ethnicity, 23 children (0.36%) were American Indian or Alaska Native, 789 (13%) were Asian, 631 (10%) were Black, 649 (10%) were Hispanic, 51 (0.81%) were Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander, 3158 (50%) were White, 349 (5.5%) were of other race or ethnicity, and 663 (11%) were of multiple races or ethnicities.

When children in Seattle were compared with children in the comparison area in the primary SDID models ( Table 1 ), the populations in Seattle were slightly younger, had a somewhat higher percentage of Black residents, had a lower percentage with commercial insurance, and had a lower proportion of children with complex, chronic conditions. US Census tracts of the Seattle sample had a lower proportion of Hispanic residents and a higher proportion of Black residents, higher population density, higher poverty levels, and a higher proportion in the tract with a college degree or higher ( Table 1 ).

The FSATE weighting ( Table 1 ) balanced well the moderate differences between the unweighted full sample for Seattle and the comparison area. Modest differences in child age and at the individual and tract levels remained.

The pretax mean BMIp95 in the Seattle sample was 83%, meaning that, on average, children’s BMI values were 83% of the BMI values at the 95th percentile using the CDC reference population ( Table 2 ). All BMI metrics were higher in the comparison area. eTable 2 in Supplement 1 presents BMI metrics for a secondary sample.

The SDID model created a sample with parallel trends in child BMIp95 during the pretax period between Seattle and the comparison area samples ( Figure ), as evidenced by the only very slightly increasing difference between the 2 groups in the pretax years. This difference increased substantially in the first year of the tax (2018) and grew in the second (2019) ( Figure ). These results suggest that the tax was associated with a greater decrease in BMIp95 for children in Seattle compared with the comparison area (SDID: −0.90 percentage points [95% CI, −1.2 to −0.60]; Table 3 ). Sensitivity analyses revealed that the findings were of similar direction and significance when using BMI z score and BMI as outcomes ( Table 3 and eFigure 3 in Supplement 1 ). Findings from the FSATE-weighted change models of the association between the tax and BMIp95 were of somewhat larger magnitude compared with the SDID (β = −1.16 percentage points [95% CI, −1.91 to −0.41]; Table 3 ).

The stratified SDID models suggested that for many demographic groups, the direction of the estimate of the association between the tax and BMI was negative; that is, children in Seattle gained less BMIp95 than children in the comparison area from before to after implementation of the tax ( Table 4 ). This finding was statistically significant for males and females, for younger and older children, both insurance types, for the KP health care system, for some racial and ethnic populations (ie, Black, White, or other race), for high-poverty and low-poverty neighborhoods, and for all levels of pediatric medical complexity. The association was large and negative among patients with baseline overweight.

In this study, the Seattle sweetened beverage tax (1.75 cents per ounce on sweetened beverages) was associated with a statistically significant reduction in children’s BMIp95. Additionally, statistically significant reductions in BMIp95 were observed for many subgroups, and decreases in alternative BMI outcomes (BMI z score [extended] and BMI) were also observed. These findings are consistent with our expectations given the modest scale of the tax and the complex social and behavioral mechanisms hypothesized to underlie current obesity trends and with outcomes suggested by modeling studies. 25

The SDID model derived a weighted sample of comparison area participants who had similar pretax trends in the outcome as those in Seattle. This approach increased our confidence that any association could be attributed to the tax rather than to preexisting, unobserved factors. We selected it after our prespecified approaches inadequately controlled for factors creating different BMIp95 trajectories in the pretax period, whereas the SDID model eliminated those pretax differences. 26 Thus, it was important to choose a model that prioritized matching on prepolicy outcomes to up-weight children in the comparison area who were experiencing the same longitudinal trends in BMIp95 before tax implementation as those in Seattle.

Our findings are consistent with those of previous studies. Flynn 17 investigated the combined areas of Philadelphia, San Francisco, and Oakland and reported an average decrease in children’s BMI from before to after beverage taxes were implemented. Additionally, a study from Mexico 16 reported an association between Mexico’s tax and decreased BMI among girls. Whereas these studies had repeated cross-sectional designs, our study used longitudinal data from the same children over time, used measured height and weight, and implemented methods to robustly control for pretax differences in trends; thus, our study builds on and adds rigor to the evidence. Our findings are also consistent with findings of net reductions of 22% of volume sold of taxed beverage and net reductions in added sugar purchased from beverages in Seattle and Philadelphia, which, if uncompensated, would be expected to result in improved BMI. 11 , 27 , 28

Our results are less consistent with findings from our previous longitudinal cohort study of taxed beverage consumption among lower-income children in Seattle and the nearby nontaxed comparison area. 29 In that study, we found no greater reduction in reported consumption for Seattle children vs those in the comparison area. 29 However, dietary consumption is difficult to measure, 30 and multiple studies often have no evidence of decreases in self-reported consumption in places where substantial decreases in sweetened beverage purchasing were seen.

This study has some limitations. Data were not available for sweetened beverage consumption, so our sample was not limited to these consumers. Thus, the associations are diluted relative to what would be expected in a cohort restricted to those who consumed any sweetened beverages at baseline. Other limitations include our use of medical record data with limited information about individual household economic status or other characteristics. However, we used child-level fixed effects or differencing, which compared children to themselves over time and controlled for all time-invariant child-level confounders. The SDID model required that all children had the same number of outcome measurements. The trade-off for the smaller sample and lower generalizability was an internally valid estimate of the implications of the Seattle sweetened beverage tax on children’s BMIp95. The fuller sample model demonstrated a similar pattern of results. The BMIp95 is cumbersome to describe and interpret. We cannot rule out that an unknown confounder might account for the differences between the pretax and posttax periods; to explain the difference, this unknown confounder would have to be similarly timed with the tax.

The results of this cohort study suggest that the Seattle sweetened beverage tax was associated with a decrease in BMIp95 among children, as evidenced by larger decreases from before to after implementation of the tax among children living in Seattle vs the nearby nontaxed comparison area. Taken together with existing studies in the US, these results suggest that sweetened beverage taxes may be an effective policy for improving children’s BMI. Future research should test this association using longitudinal data in other US cities with sweetened beverage taxes.

Accepted for Publication: March 9, 2024.

Published: May 29, 2024. doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2024.13644

Open Access: This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the CC-BY License . © 2024 Jones-Smith JC et al. JAMA Network Open .

Corresponding Author: Jessica C. Jones-Smith, PhD, Department of Health Systems and Population Health, University of Washington, 3980 15th Ave NE, Office HRC 444, Box 351621, Seattle, WA 98195 ( [email protected] ).

Author Contributions: Dr Jones-Smith had full access to all of the data in the study and takes responsibility for the integrity of the data and the accuracy of the data analysis.

Concept and design: Jones-Smith, Knox, Mooney, Godwin, Chan, Saelens.

Acquisition, analysis, or interpretation of data: All authors.

Drafting of the manuscript: Jones-Smith.

Critical review of the manuscript for important intellectual content: Knox, Chakrabarti, Wallace, Walkinshaw, Mooney, Godwin, Arterburn, Eavey, Chan, Saelens.

Statistical analysis: Jones-Smith, Knox, Chakrabarti, Godwin.

Obtained funding: Jones-Smith, Chan, Saelens.

Administrative, technical, or material support: Wallace, Walkinshaw, Mooney, Eavey, Chan.

Supervision: Jones-Smith.

Conflict of Interest Disclosures: Dr Jones-Smith reported receiving grants from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation outside the submitted work. Dr Godwin reported having a contract with the City of Seattle outside the submitted work. Dr Arterburn reported receiving grants from the NIH, grants from the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute, and nonfinancial travel support from the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery outside the submitted work. No other disclosures were reported.

Funding/Support: This work was supported by the City of Seattle (Drs Jones-Smith, Knox, Wallace, Walkinshaw, Mooney, Godwin, Arterburn, Chan, and Saelens) to conduct an evaluation of the Seattle sweetened beverage tax.

Role of the Funder/Sponsor: A review team consisting of Seattle City Council member staffers, City Budget Office staff, the Office of the City Auditor, and Finance and Administrative Services participated in the conduct of the study by approving our evaluation plans. The City of Seattle team was provided draft reports of findings and the scientific evaluation team addressed their questions about methods, findings, and interpretation. The City of Seattle and the review team had no role in the design of the study; collection, management, analysis, and interpretation of the data; preparation, review, or approval of the manuscript; and decision to submit the manuscript for publication.

Data Sharing Statement: See Supplement 2 .

• Register for email alerts with links to free full-text articles
• Access PDFs of free articles
• Manage your interests
• Save searches and receive search alerts