Obesity Is an Inevitable Consequence of Technological Progress
- Submitted by: archana11a
- Views: 1047
- Category: Science
- Date Submitted: 03/13/2011 05:46 PM
- Pages: 7
- Report this Essay
Obesity is an Inevitable Consequence of Technological Progress
The prevalence of obesity has risen so dramatically worldwide that it is now being referred to as an epidemic. According to the World Health Organisation, in the year 2005, approximately 1.6 billion adults and 20 million children under the age of 5 years were overweight and at least 400 million adults were obese (WHO 2006). WHO further projects that by 2015, approximately 2.3 billion adults will be overweight and more than 700 million will be obese. The obesity rates have increased significantly in the recent decades. In Australia alone, the obesity rate has increased from 9% to 17% in men and from 8% to 20% in women within a span of twenty years between 1980 and 2000 (Dixon & Walters 2003), and the trend is continuing. Obesity is directly linked to high blood pressure and insulin resistance, which leads to fatal diseases such as heart attacks, stroke and type 2 diabetes. Obesity is also a culprit in other health problems, such as respiratory illnesses, musculoskeletal problems, infertility and certain types of cancers (WHO 2006). This crisis must be due to the combination of facts that people are eating more, eating un-healthy food and doing less physical activities. Health experts are examining whether technological progress is leading people towards bad lifestyle choices.
There are claims that obesity is a result of certain disorders in the immune system and perhaps even a consequence of infection (Rogge 2002). Immunisations are usually administered parenterally and not through the digestive tract. They bypass the body’s natural defences and provide immunity from diseases such as polio and hepatitis. Antibiotics have altered the way individuals overcome immunity challenges. People are further exposed to more immunogenic substances that are consumed as food additives, as well as antibiotics and hormones used in food production. Dr.Rogge believes that the resultant inflammation in the adipose...
The prevalence of obesity has risen so dramatically worldwide that it is now being referred to as an epidemic. According to the World Health Organisation, in the year 2005, approximately 1.6 billion adults and 20 million children under the age of 5 years were overweight and at least 400 million adults were obese (WHO 2006). WHO further projects that by 2015, approximately 2.3 billion adults will be overweight and more than 700 million will be obese. The obesity rates have increased significantly in the recent decades. In Australia alone, the obesity rate has increased from 9% to 17% in men and from 8% to 20% in women within a span of twenty years between 1980 and 2000 (Dixon & Walters 2003), and the trend is continuing. Obesity is directly linked to high blood pressure and insulin resistance, which leads to fatal diseases such as heart attacks, stroke and type 2 diabetes. Obesity is also a culprit in other health problems, such as respiratory illnesses, musculoskeletal problems, infertility and certain types of cancers (WHO 2006). This crisis must be due to the combination of facts that people are eating more, eating un-healthy food and doing less physical activities. Health experts are examining whether technological progress is leading people towards bad lifestyle choices.
There are claims that obesity is a result of certain disorders in the immune system and perhaps even a consequence of infection (Rogge 2002). Immunisations are usually administered parenterally and not through the digestive tract. They bypass the body’s natural defences and provide immunity from diseases such as polio and hepatitis. Antibiotics have altered the way individuals overcome immunity challenges. People are further exposed to more immunogenic substances that are consumed as food additives, as well as antibiotics and hormones used in food production. Dr.Rogge believes that the resultant inflammation in the adipose...