obesity and social life.

OBESITY AND SOCIAL LIFE.

Body image has increasingly grown into a weapon that many youths can use against others in social media. People glamorize slim bodies of celebrities. Those who are seen to be fat are frequently embarrassed in the social media, which may lead to suicidal thoughts.

 Obesity is a medical condition in which excess body fat is been accumulated to an extent that it may have a negative effect on health. On average, obese people have greater energy expenditure than their normal counterparts due to the energy required to maintain an increased body mass. Certain populations tend to have higher rates of obesity. Overweight and obesity are often accompanied by other chronic health conditions such as diabetes, heart disease, hypertension, certain cancers, and arthritis. Rural populations with a higher risk of obesity include those who are: Age 60 and above.

Discriminating against slim, overweight or obese, people does not help them to lose weight. In fact, the embarrassment, humiliation and stress they feel from such discrimination are likely to cause them to gain weight not to lose weight. Previous research has shown that people who are stigmatized for being overweight are more likely to engage in behaviours that promote obesity, including problematic eating, avoidance of physical activity and a refusal to restrict their food intake.

The analysis found that 5 per cent of the 2,944 participants reported weight-related discrimination. The people who said they had experienced such discrimination tended to be younger and to have lower incomes than those who said they had not. The more they weighed, the greater the likelihood of discrimination. Only 1 per cent of those with a “normal weight” body mass index (BMI) said they had encountered weight-related discrimination compared to 36 per cent of those with a BMI that put them in the “morbidly obese” category. Interestingly, men and women reported similar levels of discrimination.

“Removing prejudice and blame from weight loss advice might be a better route to promote weight control.”

Obesity is a social issue. An overweight person may worry about what others think. When people judge you unfairly, it can make you feel like it’s your fault. Well-meaning parents, siblings, or friends can sometimes make things worse by making “suggestions” about food or exercise. These good intentions may come across as criticism. Some teens that are overweight are teased or bullied. Teasing and bullying can make you feel sad or embarrassed. Fear of being judged or rejected might make you shy away from people. You may stop doing things you enjoy. But the best thing to do is to take your mind — and other people’s — off your weight and back onto you as a person. The most common way to determine if a person is overweight or obese is to calculate body mass index (BMI). BMI is an estimate of body fat based on comparing a person’s weight to his or her height.

So it clearly shows that weight discrimination is a part of the obesity problem and not the solution. So, everyone, including doctors, should stop blaming and shaming people for their weight and offer support, and where appropriate, treatment because when confidence fades and self-esteem takes a beating, it’s harder to stick with a weight loss program.