Community Actions
Obesity has reached epidemic proportions globally with 300 million of the people clinically obese. Coexisting in developing countries with under-nutrition, obesity is treated as a complex condition with severe psychological and social dimensions. Due to high consumption of more energy dense nutrient poor foods combined with lack of physical activity, obesity has risen threefold. Effective weight management for individuals is a long term strategy.
Creating a healthy environment to prevent Obesity
Key elements include
- Creating supportive population based environments which support accessibility to low fat and high fiber foods
- Encouraging healthy behaviors to assist individuals lose weight
- Clinical programs and staff training to be certain of proper clinical assistance for overweight and obese patients in hospitals
Location or Activity type |
Impact on Obesity |
Transportation |
Reduced walking and cycling |
Work place |
Decrease in physically demanding manual labor, desk top jobs, lack of movement |
At home |
Reduced manual labor
High junk food consumption
Lesser active recreational pursuits |
Public places |
Lesser walk areas and stairs to climb |
Urban places of residency |
Lesser areas for outdoor activities and limited leisure time activities |
Persons with obesity are associated with more than 30 medical
conditions and scientific evidence has established a strong
relationship with at least 15 other medical conditions.
Behavioral and environmental changes due to economic development,
urbanization and modernization have been linked to the rise
in global obesity.
