Physical Activity and Gain in Abdominal Adiposity

Question: Discuss about the Physical Activity and Gain in Abdominal Adiposity. Answer: Introduction Adult weight in Victoria has increased by approximately 40% over the last two decades and currently there are more than two million obese people (Australian Bureau of Statistics 2013f). Unless interventions at the population level are introduced to reduce obesity, life expectancy may decline which may result in a reversal where youth will have shorter lives than what their parents had (American Heart Association, 2016). In this report the prevalence of obesity in Shire council will be analysed. The prevalence of obesity in men will be discussed with the main factors that have contributed to obesity deconstructed as being low income status and mental health. An iceberg model is used in describing the contributory factors and the steps taken by the council to reverse the situation. The Victorian public health and wellbeing plan 20152019 Platform of Change on People Centered Approach has been proposed for lasting change in the Hindmarsh council. Obesity or overweight as defined by the World Health Organization is the excessive or abnormal accumulation of fat that impairs one's health.(World Health Organization, 2016).The excessive and abnormal accumulation of fat arises from energy imbalance that is sustained over a long period of time when there is excessive energy intake through drinking and eating compared to expending of energy through physical activity. Being obese or overweight increases one's risk of getting chronic disease such as CVD including stroke and heart disease, musculoskeletal conditions, type 2diabetes, some mental health and cancer conditions. The risk of mortality also increases as weight increases (Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, 2016) WHO defines adult overweight and obesity as BMI equal or greater than 25 and 30 respectively. For children under 5 years, the weight-for-height with standard deviation of 2 and 3 above the Growth Standard Median set by WHO is considered as overweight and obese respectively. For children between 5 and 19 years, the SD is set at 1 and 2 for overweight and obesity respectively (WHO, 2016). Recent global estimates made by WHO on overweight and obesity reveal that in 2014, the total number of overweight adults aged 18 and above was 1.9 billion of whom 600 million were obese. In the same year, approximately 1% of the global population was obese (15% of women and 11% of men). 3% Of the population was overweight in 2014 (40% of women and 38% of men). The prevalence of obesity doubled over a period of 34 years in 2014. 41 million children below 5years were obese or overweight. Further, obesity and overweigh has been on the rise in middle and low income countries and more so in the urban settings(WHO,2016). The number of obese and overweight children in 2014 in Africa was approximately 10.8 million which was double the number in 1990 while in Asia close to 50% of children below 5 years were obese or overweight. In addition, mortality rates due to obesity and overweight are higher than those due to underweight. There are more people in the world that are obese than those that are underweight except in Asia and Sub Sahara Africa (WHO, 2016). In 20142015, the report by Australian Bureau of Statistics indicated that approximately 63% of adults (11.2 million) were obese or overweight- those that were overweight were approximately 63% (6.3 million) while 28% (4.9 million) were obese. 27% of children aged between 5 and 17 years were obese or overweight which means 1 in every 4 children (1milllion children) (Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2015). Men had a higher percentage of obesity and overweight at 71% compare to women who were at 56%. The p aged between 65-74 years recorded at 74% (AIHW, 2016). Persons living in high economic areas had a lower prevalence compared to those in lower socio economic areas (58% and 66% respectively). Indigenous adults had high obesity and overweigh prevalence in comparison to non Indigenous in 2011 to 2013(43% and 27% respectively) (AIHW, 2016). Overweight and obesity trends in Victoria The percentage of adult persons that were obese or overweight was 63% in 2014-2015, a rise from 56% in 1995. The increase of average weight was at 4.4kgs for males and females. The BMI has seen a shift in distribution with lesser numbers of people in the overweight and normal categories and more people currently in the obese category (AIHW, 2016). The last two decades has seen adult obese and overweight prevalence increase by approximately 40% with more than two million people currently obese or overweight (Australian Bureau of Statistics 2013b). 10.5% of the country's burden of disease is because of risks that are dietary in nature with 8.5% attributed to high BMI and 4.6% due to physical inactivity (Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, 2013). Dietary risks have also contributed to Australia's diabetes and coronary heart disease at 22% and 79% respectively. Of these, 33% and 71% of coronary heart disease and diabetes burden respectively are attributed to high BMI (Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, 2013). Discretionary foods account for 39% of the total energy intake in children with 12% of children living in Victoria consuming sufficient vegetables and 75% consuming sufficient amounts of fruit (Australian Bureau of Statistics 2014a). 24% of children in Victoria are obese or overweight with 6% and 18% being obese and overweight respectively (Australian Bureau of Statistics 2013c). Of the children aged between 5-12 years, 62% meet the sufficient physical activity guidelines(Department of Education and Training 2015b), while only 26% of Year 11, 8, and 5 children meet the said guidelines (Department of Education and Training 2015a). Discretionary foods make for 35% of adults' total energy intake with 7% of adults consuming sufficient amounts of vegetables and another 47% consuming sufficient amount of fruit (Australian Bureau of Statistics 2015). The adult population that is obese or overweight is 61% with 26% and 35% being obese and overweight respectively (Australian Bureau of Statistics 2013c). Adults that met the sufficient physical activity guidelines were 64% (Department of Health 2014c). Hindmarsh Shire Council From the table above (Hindmarsh MPHWP, 2013, p.12), it can be seen that the number of overweight and obese men in Shire council is at alarming percentages. The total number of male obese population exceeds that of Victoria by a margin of 3.7%. A global trends survey revealed that obesity was the second cause of premature death in Europe after smoking. The study also revealed that men who were overweight had a higher likelihood of dying prematurely compared to women who were overweight (BBC News, 2016). The above tables(Hindmarsh MPHWP, 2013, p.11) indicate the economic state of the people of Shire council. The population earns lesser income per individual and household in comparison to Victoria. The low income status is a contributory factor to obesity prevalence among the adults and more so the males in Shire council. How poverty contributes to obesity Low income households have a limited choice and food budget and often, they stretch their supplies to reach the end of the month when the next check will be in. This results in behaviours that are unhealthy in a number of ways(Lee, Harris, Larsen, 2009, p.505). Families will opt to purchase foods that are high in fat and energy dense such as processed meats potatoes, cereals, and sugars because these foods last longer and are more affordable than fish, lean meats, and fresh fruits(Lee,et al., 2009, p.505). Finally, economic insecurity such as struggling to pay rent and utilities bills lead to stress and the most common way of dealing with stress is through eating sugary, high fat foods (Lee,et al., 2009, p.505) Other contributory factors (besides low income)to obesity among men in Shire council include: Mental Health: This can be classified as a primary cause as seen in the iceberg model. People with depressions or anxiety disorders or depression often tend to deal with their negative feelings by eating foods high in calories (Diamond, 2010). Sedentary lifestyle and physical inactivity: These can be classified as a secondary cause as seen in the iceberg model above. Physical activity is related to many health benefits (Strasser, 2013, p.141) including minimizing the chances of developing a number of chronic illnesses such as obesity (Ekelund, Besson, Luan et al., 2011, p.826),metabolic syndrome (MS)( Hahn, Halle, Schmidt et al., 2009, p.511),and cancer (Friedenreich, Neilson, Lynch, 2010, p. 2593). Poor diet-low fruit and vegetable intake: Studies have shown that increased consumption of vegetables and fruit in combination with other behaviours reduces adiposity among adults that are obe se or overweight (Ledoux, Hingle, Baranowski., 2011, p. 143). Specific Strategy in Shire council This will include raising an awareness on healthier choices of food (through social media) that are available in the community. People's knowledge of healthy food preparation will be increased and healthy meal options will be delivered through Meals on Wheels. Schools will be encouraged to use their programs and regular classes to promote healthy eating(Hindmarsh MPHWP, 2013, p.16). Promotion via social media and newsletters of physical activities offered within Shire. Developing and improving existing and new recreational programs and activities. Creation of environments that encourage engagement in physical activity(Hindmarsh MPHWP, 2013, p.17). Provide counselling sessions that are youth focused for parents and students. Offer support for Wimmera Uniting Cares Rural and Remote Engagement Officer. Support and promotion of Men's shed as a meeting place for men within Shire. Offer counselling and support for assisting hardship from drought/flood/fire as well as other emergencies(Hindmarsh MPHWP, 2013, p.19). Support young people employment and education opportunities: Continue with providing awards to the secondary colleges located in Shire. Identify youth that are not in employment or engaged in education(Hindmarsh MPHWP, 2013, p.19). The aim of preventive health services is the early detection and management of health problems or provision of information to people that will enable them make the right health decisions. These include lifestyle modifications interventions and use of medication where necessary to delay, manage, or prevent disease (VicPHWP, 2015, p.51). By offering culturally appropriate and accessible preventive healthcare services to the populace in Shire council, the administration will make an important contribution toward reducing obesity prevalence. Community health and primary care play a critical role however, it is also recognised that nearly all interactions that take place within health professionals and healthcare services offer an opportunity for preventive advice on a person centred level. This includes health literacy promotion and encouraging healthy behaviours(VicPHWP,2015, p.51). For lifelong health optimisation and also engagement with health system, the Shire populace needs to manage their wellbeing and health through confidence, skills, and knowledge. When the populace is un-informed there are negative outcomes that are bound to emerge including increased hospitalizations, increased emergency care use, decreased use of preventive services such as flu shots and cancer screening, reduced ability of health systems navigation, and reduced ability for individual and family health self management(VicPHWP,2015, p.51). Support of different groups of people across diverse settings is also important . These groups should be encouraged and supported to engage in activities that will allow broader improvement of health, recognise the different challenges that low income populations face, and providing additional support to them(VicPHWP,2015, p.51) Conclusion Obesity is a global health concern and one of the leading cause of premature deaths among adult population. The percentage of men that tend to be obese or overweight is higher compared to that of women both on a global scale and local scale with regard to Hindmarsh council. The need for person centered care cannot be over emphasized when it comes to informing and educating people on making healthy decisions. Fir the levels of obesity to drop in Shire council, the administration needs to take decisive steps in educating its populace on living healthy and provide resources that will enable them do so. References American Heart Association, (2016). Overweight in Children. https://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/HealthyLiving/HealthyKids/ChildhoodObesity/Overweight-in-Children_UCM_304054_Article.jsp#.WO_cM_mGPIU. Retrieved on13th April 2017. Australian Bureau of Statistics, (2013a). 2011 Census of Population and Housing: Country of Birth Profile, Victoria, 2013, cat. no. 2010.2, Australian Bureau of Statistics, Canberra. Australian Bureau of Statistics, (2013b). 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