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KEEPING AN EYE ON OBESITY
Obesity is arguably becoming a problem in Guyana, but fortunately it has not overtaken our society, at least not yet. But there are more than a few persons in our midst who are obese, and who have been or are advised to exercise on a regularly basis and reduce their daily intake of fatty foods in order to reduce their size and improve their health.
Obesity is commonly thought to be a problem only in the rich and developed countries where people habitually over-eat and consume the foods most dangerous to their health. The United States, for instance, has earned the nickname of the number one ‘Fast food nation’ in the world, mainly because of its citizens’ massive consumption of excessive amounts of ‘junk’ food from fast food restaurants and outlets.
Ironically, though, obesity is also a major and growing problem in lower income groups in both rich and poor countries. In Guyana, almost half of the population between the ages of 18-74 years is obese by accepted health standards. The problem is most prevalent among women. The vast majority of obese women are in the lower income groups, which suggests that the problem is not the consumption of excessive amounts of junk food, but a diet of the wrong types of foods. According to medical text, to know if someone is obese, the circumference of their waist should be half that of their height. In other words, if a person is six feet or 72 inches tall, his or her waist should not exceed three feet or 36 inches. If on the other hand the person’s waist is 40 inches or more, he or she is considered to be obese. The solution is exercising and dieting.
Persons should know that being obese is detrimental to their health. Further, studies have shown that obesity poses a major risk to one’s health because it increases incidence of chronic non-communicable diseases, including diabetes, cardiovascular disease, hypertension, stroke, and certain forms of cancer. Over the years, there has been shift in mortality from communicable to chronic non-communicable diseases which now account for a high percentage of deaths in Guyana.
These statistics are extremely worrying, but what is most alarming for our society is the fact that children as young as ten years old are exhibiting an increasing rate of obesity. More than 10 percent of our children between 10 and 15 years old, and close to 30 percent of youths between 15 and 18 years, have been classified as overweight or obese.
The problem gets worse as these children approach adulthood, because almost 60 per cent of children who were overweight between the ages 10 and 15 years were obese adults at age 25. If a person is obese in early adulthood, when they are most physically active, then it is almost inevitable that they will be obese for the rest of his/her life.
In Guyana, children are fed with too much sugar, salt and starch. In fact, most children between the ages of 10 to 15 years old consume sugary soft drinks and starchy foods almost every day. These kinds of bad eating habits during their childhood continue into their adult life. While some believe that parents must be held accountable for their children being obese, others are of the view that the Ministry of Public Health should develop a comprehensive and sustained education campaign to inform the nation about the dangers of being overweight or obese.
Guyana is blessed with a wide array of fruits and vegetables, therefore, those who are obese should be encouraged to embark on a diet filled with such healthy foods, and consume less packaged, processed, canned and junk food. The time to start is now.
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“KEEPING AN EYE ON OBESITY.”
Too late,too late shall be the cry.
KFC and Pizza joints are already a big-hit in the land replacing Taste Like Home dishes which made us as fit as a fiddle.