2 minute read
WEIGHT LIFTING
The world is getting bigger. And bigger. And even bigger still. Carefully examined data has recently led to the disturbing prediction that a little more than a decade from now, more than half the world’s population will be obese. We’re not that far removed from a time when mass starvation (or at least severe malnutrition) was a major concern for the world’s healthcare community. Ironically, that era gave birth to this one.
How did this happen?
An extremely complex set of circumstances are all factors, but one of them is closely related to the scarcity and/or unaffordability of healthful and nutritious food. When people cannot afford those healthful foods (and poverty affects hundreds of millions of people worldwide) they resort to less expensive, less salubrious options. It’s the old “Coke is cheaper than milk” syndrome. The less expensive choices are often calorie-dense processed foods with little nutrition. A steady diet based on such foods can even result in the paradoxical combination of obesity and malnutrition. Beyond the direct food factor, experts point to a frustratingly long list of culprits that will not be easy to fix. Examples: a changing culture where parents don’t allow their children to play outside due to fear of crime, and the design of cities, towns and neighborhood that discourage walking.
The World Obesity Federation, the organization that released the projections, emphasize that solving the world’s obesity problem is nowhere near as simple as telling people to eat less (or healthier) and get more exercise. It’s far more complex and challenging than that.
The stakes could not be higher
A world where half of the population is obese would be a world that would tax the medical community and the world’s economy to the breaking point. Healthcare costs would run into the trillions of dollars, and many of the recipients of care are living at or below the poverty level, wherever they may live in the world. What conditions would be treated? Overweight and obese individuals are at much higher risk for high blood pressure, stroke, and heart failure; they are more likely to suffer from diabetes, whose rates are exploding, especially in Western cultures; nearly 10% of all cancers are linked to obesity; obese people are more likely to be afflicted by asthma and sleep apnea; obese people are statistically 25% more likely to have chronic depression; obese children are 200% more likely to develop multiple sclerosis; obesity is linked to osteoarthritis and joint pain and surgical replacements A problem with so many causes and so many repercussions can easily result in complete inertia: it’s so huge that nothing I or my organization or even my government can do will make even a tiny improvement. So no one does anything. That is the exact opposite of the correct recipe. Instead, everyone needs to do their little part, whether they are living in a gated community or on welfare, whether they don’t vote or they’re a governor or a senator. It’s really everyone’s problem and everyone’s solution.
