The Obesity Epidemic

Editor: Justin Healey
ISBN 978 1 921507 03 8
Year 2009

Price: $20.95

  

The Obesity Epidemic
Volume 293, Issues in Society

Australia has become the fattest nation in the world. According to the latest figures, 4 million Australians (26% of adults) are obese, and another 5 million are considered overweight. Another report concludes that 17% of Australian children are overweight, and 6% are obese. What are we doing to counter these alarming trends? The health consequences of obesity are many and varied, and include cardiovascular disease, cancer, diabetes, and hypertension. This book presents a detailed study of obesity in Australia and includes: the latest overweight and obesity statistics; the Body Mass Index (BMI) and measuring weight; the health risks of obesity; tackling overweight/obesity among children, including unhealthy food and beverage advertising aimed at them; and presents a range of approaches to maintaining healthy weight through diet and exercise.

Chapter 1  Overweight and Obesity Trends in Australia
Overweight and obesity in Australia, Australia now world's fattest nation, How do I measure myself?, Fat lies mask full extent of obesity, What is causing the rapid rise in overweight and obesity in Australia and around the world?, Fat: where we fit in the big picture, Obesity risks higher than thought, Nation in state of denial on obesity, Overweight and obesity in adults.

Chapter 2  Child Obesity
Childhood obesity has stabilised: expert, Pattern in 'overstated' child obesity, Children's nutrition and physical activity, Childhood weight (5-12 years), Adolescent weight (13-19 years), Physical activity/screen time, Obesity obsession a fat lot of good, Overweight and obesity in childhood, The power of pester, Living well to avoid childhood obesity, Fight childhood obesity, Food and beverage advertising to children escapes ban.

Chapter 3  Tackling Obesity: Diet and Exercise
Being active, Eating well and feeling good, Tips for getting active, Tools and tips for being healthy and active, What can I do to increase my chances of losing unwanted weight and keeping it off?, Obesity in Australia: a need for urgent action, Curbing the obesity epidemic, Skinny folk can't rest easy, Something funny about one figure.

Glossary; Fast Facts; Web Links; Index



fast facts
FAST FACTS from this volume
  • Around 20-25% of Australian children in 1995, aged 7 to 15 years were considered to be overweight or obese. This is double the prevalence recorded in 1986.
  • In 2004-05, some 41% of males and 25% of females were classified as overweight (BMI of between 25.0 and 30.0). 18% of males and 17% of females were classified as obese (BMI over 30.0). When compared to results from 1995, the proportion of adults classified as overweight or obese has increased substantially. In 1995, 38% of males and 21% of females were classified as overweight and 11% of males and 11% of females were classified as obese. For both males and females, increases have been recorded in both the overweight and obese groups across all age groups.
  • There are no perfect measures of overweight and obesity. Body Mass Index (BMI), which is calculated by dividing weight in kilograms by height in metres squared, is used most often – particularly in assessing overweight and obesity at the population level. At the individual level however, BMI does have some limitations in that it can be influenced by age, gender and ethnicity.
  • A person’s waist circumference may be a better predictor of health risk than BMI. Having fat around the abdominal organs and enlarged waist circumference, regardless of your BMI, means you are more likely to develop certain obesity-related health conditions. Fat predominantly deposited around the hips and buttocks does not appear to have the same risk. Men and post-menopausal women are at greater risk of excess fat in the waist region.
  • While there are many factors involved, an increase in body weight results from an imbalance between energy intake (food) and energy expenditure (metabolism, thermogenesis and physical activity) over a sustained period. An increase in body weight can also result from an increase in muscle mass. This is a consideration for people who participate in regular weight training and does not reflect unhealthy weight gain.
  • In children, there is evidence that factors early in life have the potential to contribute to the development of obesity later in life. These factors include genetics, poor foetal nutrition, low birth weight and absence of breastfeeding as well as levels of physical activity and diet in childhood.
  • For adults, the health problems and consequences of obesity are many and varied, including musculoskeletal problems, cardiovascular disease, some cancers, sleep apnoea, type 2 diabetes, and hypertension to name a few. Many of these health problems are preventable though a healthy and active lifestyle. In particular, regular physical activity reduces cardiovascular risk in its own right and also improves levels of cardiovascular risk factors such as overweight, high blood pressure, and Type 2 diabetes.
  • Once a child is overweight or obese it is unlikely that they will spontaneously revert to a healthy weight, predisposing them to the health concerns listed above for adults. Obese children and adolescents also suffer from an increase in medical conditions. For example, the prevalence of type 2 diabetes is increasing in children and adolescents. Other problems associated with excess weight in children and adolescence include the development of sleep apnoea, heat intolerance, breathlessness on exertion, tiredness and flat feet. Some research suggests that obese children (particularly older girls) also tend to exhibit decreased self-esteem and a significant proportion of children use unhealthy dietary practices for weight control.
  • The latest figures show 4 million Australians – or 26% of the adult population – are now obese compared to an estimated 25% of Americans. A further 5 million Australians are considered overweight.
  • For most people a waist measurement higher than the following is associated with increased risk of chronic disease. Increased risk = men: more than 94cm, women: more than 80cm. Greatly increased risk = men: more than 102cm, women: more than 88cm.
  • The obesity epidemic may be worse than previously thought with new research showing men and women underestimate their weight and add centimetres to their height when answering health surveys.
  • Throughout the world, about 1.6 billion people aged 15 and over are overweight and at least 400 million are obese, the World Health Organisation says. Those figures are expected to rise to about 2.3 billion adults overweight and more than 700 million obese by 2015.
  • It has been estimated that obesity and its associated illnesses cost Australian society and governments a total of $21 billion in 2005.
  • An analysis of 27 Australian studies of childhood-weight status, conducted from 1985 to 2007 and taking in about 70,000 children, by Prof. Timothy Olds, revealed a “clear plateau” in obesity prevalence over the past five to 10 years, with obesity now affecting 5-6% of the child population while 23-24% were obese or overweight.
  • The main health risk for obese children was developing type 2 diabetes. A study by Jenny O’Dea showed more than 17% of children from a Middle East background were obese, 8% of Aboriginal children and 7% of those from a southern European background. This compared with 5.7% of Anglo children, and about 4.6% of those from an Asian or Indian background.
  • Findings from the 2007 Australian National Children’s Nutrition and Physical Activity Survey include: 72% of children surveyed were at a healthy weight; 17% of boys and girls were classified as overweight; 6% were obese; and 5% were found to be underweight. The children surveyed demonstrated a low level of observance of the Dietary Guidelines for Children and Adolescents in Australia, which contains the recommended intake of foods from each of the five main food groups (fruit, vegetables, dairy, meat and meat alternatives and cereals). On the days surveyed, 69% of the children met the National Physical Activity Guidelines (at least one hour of moderate to vigorous activity each day).
  • The National Physical Activity Guidelines for Australian children aged 5-18 years recommend at least 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity and no more than 2 hours of screen time (for example, watching television or using a computer) per day.
  • The average Australian child sees over 20,000 TV ads per year. A study of 13 developed countries showed that Australia had the highest number of television food advertisements per hour (higher than the USA and the UK). Most food ads push foods that are high in fat, sugar, or salt and of low nutritional value.