Volume 1, Edition 11
Ram health
The obesity epidemic in America
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Editor’s Note ........................................................................................... x
Obesity as a Disease State .......................................................................2
Why Can’t I Breathe? ............................................................................. 4
Walk a Mile in My Shoes.........................................................................6
Leave Obesity Behind ..............................................................................9
Five Minute Exercises............................................................................11
© All rights belong to those students who worked hard to produce this final product. This magazine is not subject for individual sale. Any form of duplication will result in an F for this course. Enjoy your reading, peace and love!
Editors’ Note When I sat down to write this month's column, I was a little stumped as to what I was going to write. There are many BIG topics on the minds of young adults today, so many that I know it to be impossible for me to tackle each one, but I will, as always, keep you informed to the best of my ability. This month’s focus is on getting fit and staying fit. Fighting obesity has been on the tip of many people’s tongue as of late, so I feel it’s an issue that needs to be addressed. Never will I claim to be some fitness guru, but I do know how to give some encouragement through the gift of word. Peace and love.
As we brought our ideas together to form this issue, one major question arose, how can we tackle this obesity epidemic that is plaguing millions of Americans young and old alike? If we focus on active lifestyles that so many of us love (not really) and implement healthier food choices that are readily available success could be reached. Instead of turning a blind eye to obesity we should all take a look in the mirror and ask ourselves could there be a more healthier you? I’m not perfect, I do not always make healthy food choices, but maybe if I start small I can accomplish something big. Food for thought (rings bell) DING!!! Order up.
Carissa Manley, Editor
Alyssa Porter, Editor
I have been writing for this magazine for a couple years now and I just enjoy every moment. The articles that we discuss are real life and relateable. I can’t forget the wonderful team we have contributing to the magazines success. Our goal is that our readers are satisfied and we keep you up to date on the newest health maintenance strategies and how to incorporate healthy decisions in your everyday life! Jasmine Beard, Editor
It’s such a joyful experience working with this magazine company! I’ve been one of the magazine editors for quite some time now. Whenever there’s a new topic I get so excited because I get the opportunity to meet and discuss important matters with different people. When my colleagues and myself decided to cover obesity for this month’s magazine issue I was immediately interested because this topic is so important. We want to instill knowledge in everyone about the complications of obesity in hopes to influence a healthier lifestyle. With this informative article I hope we can inform and shed light on one of the most important matters affecting the world. We can’t fix the problem by ourselves but with knowledge and the help of our audience we can strive for progress. Patrice Pearson, Editor
Obesity as a Disease State Obesity, highly and increasingly prevalent, is now considered a pandemic. Recognizing the importance of this issue, one question arises, “Is obesity a disease?” The question of whether obesity is a disease is not new. In fact, a number of government institutions, health organizations, and professional medical societies have already recognized obesity as a disease. Characterization of obesity as a disease has been controversial. Obesity is most commonly caused by excess energy consumption (dietary intake) relative to energy expenditure (energy loss via metabolic and physical activity). However, attributing obesity solely to these factors is an oversimplification. A definition based on BMI may classify athletes and obese individuals similarly, although their body compositions are markedly different. For example, given 2 patients with the same BMI, one may have an appropriate waist circumference and few metabolic risk factors, whereas the other may have an increased waist circumference and show a full spectrum of cardiometabolic risk. Obesity should be measured by waist circumference rather than BMI. Waist circumference specifically measures abdominal obesity, whereas BMI is a measure of total body fat.
Why Obesity Qualifies as a Disease? A disease is “…any deviation from or interruption of the normal structure or function of any part, organ, or system (or
combination thereof) of the body that is manifested by a characteristic set of symptoms and signs and whose etiology, pathology, and prognosis may be known or unknown.” Obesity meets all accepted criteria of a medical disease, including a known etiology, recognized signs and symptoms, and a range of structural and functional changes that culminate in pathologic consequences.
Obesity Has a Known Etiology The etiology of obesity is multifactorial, ranging from lifestyle choices such as excess food intake and insufficient physical activity, to use of medications that have weight gain as an undesirable side effect. Economic and political determinants of available foodstuffs and even social networks may also contribute to obesity. The etiology of obesity is highly complex and dynamic, encompassing genetic, physiologic, environmental, psychological, social, economic, and even political factors that interact in varying degrees to promote the development of obesity.
Obesity Has Recognized Signs and Symptoms The predominant sign of obesity is excess accumulation of fat, or adipose tissue. Establishing a diagnosis of obesity is most commonly accomplished by determining a patient’s BMI, which is defined as weight in kilograms divided by height in meters squared (kg/m2). As described earlier, BMI is
a general measure of overall body fat; however, individuals with similar BMIs can have vastly different body compositions.
Abdominal obesity, particularly visceral fat, is a better predictor of increased risk of CVD and insulin resistance than overall body fat. Measurement of abdominal obesity by waist circumference correlates well with the amount of visceral fat. In addition to abdominal obesity, other signs and symptoms of obesity include insulin resistance, increased glucose levels, increased blood pressure, elevated cholesterol and triglyceride levels, decreased levels of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, shortness of breath, and back pain.
Management of Obesity Option for treating obesity include lifestyle modifications (dietary changes, increased physical activity, behavior modifications) and, for the morbidly obese, surgery. Lifestyle modification is rarely successful over the long term; therefore, addition of pharmacotherapy should be considered for obese individuals who have difficulty achieving and maintaining weight goals with lifestyle modifications alone.
Why Can’t I Breathe? Obesity is defined as a body mass index (BMI) greater than 30 kg/m2. Over 1.6 billion adults worldwide are overweight, of which 400 million are obese. The obesity epidemic is a global problem, which is set to increase over time. However, the effects of obesity on the respiratory system are often underappreciated. Many obese patients have breathlessness on exertion, however, the influence of obesity in respiratory diseases is complex and goes beyond the obvious mechanical and physical consequences of weight gain. The site of fat accumulation is crucial in determining the effect of obesity on respiratory system mechanics. BMI alone does not provide sufficient information about the bodily distribution of fat mass (FM).
Obesity can be distributed throughout different parts of the body causing different manifestations. The accumulation of excessive adipose tissue can be to the central region of the body or to the peripheral area. Fat to the central part of the body is distributed to the chest wall, abdomen and organs. These patients would suffer primarily from complications pertaining to the lungs and of the respiratory region. Patients that have excessive distribution of fat to the peripheral areas of the body present with complications unrelated to lung noncompliance because its fat distribution is
located primarily to the peripheral areas of the body. One of the major complications that centrally obese patients suffer from is difficulty breathing. Due to the increased distribution of adipose tissue to the abdomen the body must work harder than normal to provide adequate oxygenation throughout the body. As a result the respiratory muscles cannot work efficiently enough because of the compression in which the fatty adipose tissue places on the organs that aid in the process of breathing. The excessive fat in the abdomen region effects the movement of the diaphragm causing a reduction in lung volume. As a result the muscles that facilitate breathing tend to become stiffer due to the alteration of the chest and lung compliance. With increased weight and excessive abdominal girth there is alteration in gas exchange. Lung compliance is impaired by the excessive adipose tissue pressing against the vital organs, causing the patient to have more rapid and shallower breaths to compensate for more oxygen. With a more forced approach to rapid shallow breaths this increases the likelihood of tiredness. Since this effort is a continuous process the patient often develops shortness of breath. Breathing complications can arise at rest as well as with activity. Some patients may also suffer from breathing issues while sleeping. Obesity presents with various respiratory problems and is associated with many medical comorbidities. Despite the evidence demonstrating additional health risks and reduced quality of life, the rate of obesity is still increasing globally. It is highly recommended for patients suffering from morbid obesity to make lifestyle changes to prevent potential complications. The best approach is to seek professional help from a health care provider to determine what needs are obtainable for you.
Walk a Mile in My Shoes Shining some light on what it’s like living with obesity. Q: Can you tell me a little bit about yourself and what brought you to the emergency room? A: I’m a happily married 56 year old man with 3 kids. I currently work at Dairy Fresh. I used to work at Hanes Hosiery making cotton socks until I developed Brown lung disease or Byssinosis. Q: Speaking of sickness, I recently heard that you had a stint in the hospital. Can you tell me about that stay? A: I was admitted to the hospital on October 23, 2014. For the last month, I’ve been having increasing shortness of breath, but no fever or chills. Just hard to breath. Q: Did you take anything while at home to help with your breathing, or did you suspect something more insidious was occurring? A: Well not until my wife made me come to the emergency department and I was told that my oxygen saturation in my blood was 82% on room air. Like I really know what that means, but aye, that’s what the doc said. I thought I just had a little trouble catching my breath, but it was more serious than that I guess. Shortly after, I was admitted with pneumonia and then they came in the next day and told me I had obstructive sleep apnea, I had no idea! And to think it all has something to do with my weight!! Q: Okay, now let’s back track a little. What is Brown lung disease is? A: Oh, it’s all textbook. Brown lung disease is a lung disease caused by environmental
exposures to dust from cotton processing. The small airways become blocked, severely impacting lung function. It is almost completely limited to workers who handle unprocessed cotton. Exposure to cotton dust can cause an asthma-like reaction if continuing to work in the environment; symptoms will persists until occupation is changed. Blame it on Hanes Hosiery! Q: You mentioned your weight as being one of the causative factors of your health issues. How much do you weigh exactly in comparison to your height? A: I’m 6’2” and I weigh 424 lbs. The doctor told me that my BMI was 54.04, which I assume isn’t that good from the charts and stuff they showed me. My weight and height just aren’t proportional. By the health professions standards, for somebody that is 6’2” I should be weighing 194-225 lbs. I’m actually considered morbidly obese. Q: Morbid obesity is on the rise in the United States do you think that you can make the lifestyle adjustments necessary to reduce your weight and get your life back on the healthy track? A: I’m going to try walking small distances every day, but I really love food!! Especially that good ol’ southern fried food and barbecue “you know the food that makes you happy” that’s going to be the hardest thing to change. I’m pretty much the image of health, despite my weight though. No diabetes or hypertension. I even quite smoking. I just need to make a few changes to get things under control.
Leave Obesity Behind Limit Unhealthy Foods/Beverages A healthy diet must be incorporated into your everyday lifestyle. Although many of us find it hard to step away from fried and fast food, they’re some of the main causes of obesity. We tend to eat a lot during one sitting, rather than in moderation, which will help us start out on our healthy journey. Instead of eating the foods full of fats and carbs, try picking up a salad or some fresh fruit as substitutes.
Increase Physical Activity
carry out daily tasks. Without the adequate amount of sleep, your body may begin to shut down, and eventually crash. I know that we all have busy schedules and are always on the go... but we need to find time to rest so that our body can remain useful and healthy.
Reduce Stress Stress is a major component of weight gain. When your stress levels rise, it may cause you to eat even if you don’t want to. Stress is not healthy for the mind or body it can actually cause many problems. So how about we limit the stress in our lives and take it day by day!
We are all aware that fitness is a major part of being healthy. But why is it so hard to do? We should be exercising at least 3 times a week for at least 30 minutes. Being sedentary leads to weight gain which can in turn lead to obesity. After we eat, we tend to sit around and watch TV, but this bad habit is how we gain that extra weight. Flipping through the channels does not help us burn those calories, but exercise will and exercise will also help our heart grow stronger.
Limit TV Time The best feeling after a long day of work or school can be catching up on your favorite TV show. Despite how comforting it can be, we can find that same comfort by being active. We can go for a walk or run with some friends, play some music and dance, or even vacuum around the house. Anything is better than just sitting in front of the television, right?
Improve Sleep Sleep is important in allowing your body to burn calories as well as stay healthy and active! Your body needs sleep in order to
Obesity is a worldwide issue that makes it hard for people to go about their daily lives. Anything you can do to help protect yourself and others is well worth it. A healthy lifestyle leads to a healthy life!
Five Minute Exercises For those who are morbidly obese, exercise is a necessary, but challenging undertaking. The usual exhortations to exercise for 30 minutes a day may seem overwhelming at first and, in some cases, physically impossible. In these cases, starting out small can lay the foundation for a successful move toward better health. Short, five-minute exercises can be motivating and achievable.
Dog Walking Take your pet for exercise while getting in some needed exercise yourself. Take twicedaily walks around the block or up and down your street. The walk will feel like it has a purpose and you'll get the instant positive feedback from a grateful dog. A dog can also help you make this exercise a regular undertaking as many pets will eagerly beg for walks, especially when it starts to become a routine for them as well as you.
Climb Stairs If you live in a multi-story house, set aside five minutes a day to climb up and down your stairs. Look for places where you can climb stairs instead of taking an elevator or an escalator. Remember to breathe deeply while climbing the stairs, to minimize fatigue and provide your muscles with necessary oxygen. Plan certain times during your day where you know you will have the opportunity to take stairs.
Park in Back Build in extra walking opportunities by parking in the back of a parking lot whenever you go shopping, to work or anywhere else with a large parking lot. Make this a habit wherever you go. Keep an umbrella in your
car so that bad weather doesn't discourage you from getting in those extra steps toward a healthier body.
Static Muscle Contractions Being morbidly obese can lead to other health problems that may make even such simple exercises as walking or climbing stairs difficult or impossible. Static muscle contractions work the muscle without requiring the joint to move. Do these by pressing up against a wall and letting your muscles hold your weight. Otherwise, sit and contract every muscle in your body one at a time. Hold it tight for 30 seconds and then relax it for 30 seconds. Work your way from your head to your toes.
Body Movement Any movement is better than no movement at all. Take time at your desk or in your chair to do five minutes of movement. Lift your legs, hold them and lower them for five minutes. Do neck circles or arm circles. Stand up and twist at your waist for five minutes. Stretch up and touch the top of a door frame and then lower your arms, repeating this motion for five minutes.