A war is fought to make the future better, not just the present. The motive is to win the war not just a battle. Without the final win — all the effort, dedication and sacrifice proves worthless.
Worldwide, it’s affecting millions of people’s life; yet we have only delayed the damage, instead of advancement in technology and medical science.
We’re losing the war. The war has no boundaries — each country is going through the war, although; the war is silent. You might wonder, how war can be silent because we highlight even the smallest issues, make a breaking headline, news and a topic of discussion. Even a small issue get huge coverage, why the war (say, the crises) responsible for the loss of millions is silent.
The reason — nobody wants to admit — there is a problem — and therefore we have not taken the first step to solving it.
Consider a bio-attack planned by a terrorist group. The virus spread mercilessly, claiming nearly a million people’s lives around the world. With the passing time the death rate increase. All over the media, press and among people — the topic is highlighted. Media covers every detail and claims it as the biggest problem. We invest huge funds for research. We hunt until we find the terrorist and the antidote. It’s an imaginary threat but people will stand together to fight back against such a critical situation.
Let’s cover a real threat which created a strong wave and headline around the world. It was the Ebola virus outbreak. The virus was first discovered in 1976, yet few were aware (medical practitioner and researchers). Everyone around the world came to know about the Ebola virus when there was a major outbreak in 2014-2016 since the virus was discovered. It also spread between countries, starting in Guinea then moving across land borders to Sierra Leone and Liberia. Among nearly 28,610 Ebola victim there was more than 11,308 death.
The news got highlighted in each corner of the world. Lightning fast news avoided major outbreak and prevented it from spreading. Everyone got the information to tackle the crises, and it made possible to prevent the spread in other countries, which wouldn’t have been possible without everyone’s effort.
The first step in solving a problem is to recognize that it does exist. — Zig Zigler
The outbreak was brought in control — with the help of awareness. Everyone stood; to prevent the outbreak, to create awareness, and even funded treatment and research. With every person’s combined effort we tackled one of the deadliest diseases which had the potential to do more damage.
We have tackled HIV, the same way. To control the outbreak, initiatives were taken to educate people, even teens and adult. The fight against HIV isn’t complete but initiatives are taken and it had slowed down the spread.
Ebola or HIV virus is communicable diseases which have the possibility to spread and cause damage at a quick rate. Along with those there are many communicable diseases which are impacting millions of lives.
The statistics of communicable disease are going down yet the rate of the non-communicable disease are rising. All countries are battling against non-communicable disease yet a majority of the population aren’t aware or don’t consider it as a threat.
The outbreak we are referring to is Obesity, Heart Disease, Type 2 Diabetes and Cancer. These four are the biggest threat to the present and future generation. With every passing minute its ruining thousands of lives.
The growth rate of health problem and the damage to the future’s foundation — both are the concern. With passing decade the grip of health problems will get stronger, so the damage.
Everyone wants a long life. Long life doesn’t mean dependency on medicine and medical equipment to add years to life, we want better health. We want stamina and strength, to see the world rather than waiting for medical help. We want strength so we can visit the place we want or do stuff we had in wish-list, rather than being on medical intervention.
The knowledge and the lifestyle we own will be passed on to the future generation, so the outcome. We want to live a healthy and prosperous life, even want our future generation to get the same. The intention is important but without right action, it won’t matter.
Let’s explore what is the problem, why it manifest and the ways to tackle it. It’s will help to build a healthier future for everyone.
Exploring The Fact
There is an existing health crisis, but no one is speaking about it. Rather than acknowledging the truth, everybody wants to pretend everything is fine. Everybody (the academic research community, doctors, dietitians, the nutritional authorities) pretend that they are doing their work. No one is addressing the problem, therefore, we have not taken the first steps to solve it.
During the period, responsible people’s were ignoring the fact, the health crises got worse — and it will get worse until everyone takes responsibility to fix it.
Obesity
There is a problem and it’s surging with passing years. Worldwide, obesity has nearly tripled since 1975. Still, the fact stays hidden as it’s not considered as a threat. If the current trend continues more children and adolescents will be obese than moderately or severely underweight by 2022, according to a new study led by Imperial College London and WHO.
WHO considers obesity as a health problem.
The rise of diet, weight loss products — are they working, or making the things worse. With the rise of the diet book and pills, it got confusing as everyone has their own belief regarding nutrition. Lots of weight loss schemes and even surgeries like lap-bands and liposuction are available but they all failed to make anything better. If those things would have worked efficiently, then there wouldn’t be uncontrolled obesity rise.
To tackle obesity there are quick fixes — list of strategies, diet book, pill, surgeries that creates an illusion of a solution. It gives a belief of backing us in case weight gets out of control but fails to give any positive result.
The problem is not only with the products — there are much bigger problems to solve.
Weight gain — few consider it as a problem, while major don’t even consider it as a problem, or worthwhile to solve it.
The concepts like low-fat, low-sugar, high-protein or even calories aren’t proving worthy to solve the problem. No one is talking about the core problem, just discussing the strategies that can give a temporary result rather the permanent solution.
Type 2 Diabetes
The statistics of Type 2 Diabetes rose from 100 million in 1990 to 425 million in 2017, and will rise to 700 million in 2045, according to the International Diabetes Federation.
12% of global expenditure was spent on diabetes in 2017 ($727 billion).
Type 2 diabetes is a progressive disease. It follows a path — a healthy person moves to the pre-diabetes stage, and finally develops Type 2 Diabetes. Preventing diabetes is possible at the pre-diabetes stage yet there isn’t any accessible and cost-effective technology to test pre-diabetes.
The statistics reflect that there is a horrifying Type 2 Diabetes epidemic. To tackle such epidemic the solution available are to normalize blood glucose. Blood sugar monitor is a handy equipment to test blood sugar but they aren’t effective to prevent diabetes.
With the present diabetes medication to normalize blood sugar, medical professional thinks they have done the work, and the problem is solved. Instead of all the effort to normalise blood sugar, people are dying at the same rate. The blood sugar may be normal but people aren’t getting healthier. They get heart disease and kidney disease at the same rate. Taking insulin and other medications are proving pointless.
There are huge profits to the drug companies, and the doctors got to feel good about themselves, but it has changed nothing.
WE’RE WINNING BATTLE BUT LOSING WAR.
Research has helped us to control the diabetes complication but in the term to make patients healthier, we aren’t able to do it.
The complications have delayed and there is widespread of diabetes worldwide. We have just delayed the damage in diabetes but other millions are falling in the hand of diabetes. With the rising rate of Type 2 Diabetes, there will be a slow but gradual increase in the rate of cardiovascular disease, kidney disease, eye damage, leg amputation and neuropathy.
The rate of rising diabetes cases confirms that the current research isn’t enough to handle Type 2 Diabetes.
Earlier, the claimed reason for Type 2 Diabetes was — increased metabolic load — but new studies suspect that it’s even because of lowering metabolic capacity.
The actual reason for lowering metabolic capacity is not clear, but there is a hypothesis which claims the lack of nourishment before birth and during childhood as the promoting factor.
With the unusual finding, it’s clear we need a Global Research focusing on every aspect to tackle Type 2 Diabetes.
Cardiovascular Disease
The American Heart Association has funded more than $4 billion in research since 1949. It has funded 13 Nobel Prize winners and several important medical breakthroughs, including techniques and standards for CPR, the first artificial heart valve, implantable pacemakers, cholesterol inhibitors, microsurgery and drug-coated stent.
Instead of a huge investment in research, cardiovascular disease accounts for nearly 836,546 deaths in the US, 2018. That’s about 1 of every 3 deaths in the US. About 2,300 Americans die of cardiovascular disease each day, an average of 1 death every 38 seconds.
CVDs are the number 1 cause of death globally: more people die annually from CVDs than from any other cause. An estimated 17.9 million people died from CVDs in 2016, representing 31% of all global deaths. Of these deaths, 85% are due to heart attack and stroke.
The investment in research to treat the condition are proving ineffective. Instead of the advancement, cardiovascular disease claims 31% of all global deaths.
Prescriptions are available, and they protect from heart attack and stroke, but how long, and at what cost. There are many side-effects with continues medication — leaving vulnerable to liver damage, type 2 diabetes, neurological side-effects, and many such side-effects. The medication proves worthy to protect but they aren’t the solution as it’s considered.
To prevent or to slow down the complication without proper care, we make a way to other diseases like diabetes. Diabetes isn’t good as it increases the risk of heart disease, and also other health condition.
Cancer
From 1950 to 1982 there isn’t any evidence that medical advances had slowed down the rates of cancer or deaths from cancer. In the past 4 decades, the crude death rate other than cancer dropped by 24%, though the cancer cases have increased by 14%. Cancer was indeed getting worse.
A strange fact from ‘The Truth in Small Doses’.
691 breakthroughs = 71 cancer drug approvals = 45 drugs = 12 drugs that barely extended patients lives
We have made many breakthroughs in cancer treatment, yet the rate of cancer is increasing. Death rate has dropped but the rising rate of cancer continues to threaten.
Reason for The Constant Defeat
Whom to blame for the rising health crises?
Blaming is the easiest task, but doesn’t hold power to solve any problem. Searching for the people responsible for the failure, you will find a huge list. The people responsible for the issue can play a lead role to solve those issues. Let’s look at how it spread to find better solutions for the problem. It’s a learning curve and a strategy to find better solutions.
Before beginning consider it;
The health crises we all are going through can’t be blamed to a single entity, each one plays a role — due to action or inaction.
1. Lack of Education
Education (the art of learning) is the foundation of human development. The eagerness to learn and adapt has been a boon to human species. It provided human species with an edge to survive the extinction. The skill to learn and adopt was the trait that kept us ahead and it’s neglected these days.
In the earlier period, people depended on healthy and varieties of food. They didn’t had a deeper understanding of nutrients, but they practised healthy eating rituals which nourished and protected them from health problems. Those basic knowledge and culture degraded with time.
The spread of misinformation sent mix messages, making tough to make healthier decisions. Often, online articles make some bogus claims about food depending on foods nutrients and ingredients. Some claims eating doughnuts to be healthy since it contains fewer calories than a piece of fruit. With such bogus claim, it got tough for people to make healthy food choices.
Looking at such claims, it’s important that everyone should have basic information about nutrition and health basics. Educating people about health absent from the list — the reason behind the gap between people’s health. Better career and health, both are required to enjoy a healthy and prosperous life. A lump sum of money won’t matter if it will end up in medical treatment.
Lack of basic education about health and nutrition is the problem, so the solution, provide necessary educations.
Educating people (children and adults) is the most reliable and powerful strategy to combat future health crises. It’s tough to manage health problems when people don’t know about the problem. Educating will give people the power of making a thoughtful decision.
2. Food Companies
Processed foods are held as the leading factors of major non-communicable health conditions like Obesity, Heart disease, Type 2 Diabetes, and even some of Cancer.
In 2018 Vishen Lakhiani took an initiative to spread the information — unethical practices by Nestle’s Milo products. His campaigns started after explosive expose by the New York Times (NYT). The article headline, “In Asia’s Fattest Country, Nutritionists Take Money From Food Giants”. The target wasn’t just Milo products, or just one company, every hyped product responsible for changed food preference, a fact responsible for ruining people’s health.
Nestle rated their Milo 4.5 star, but the revised rating was or say without milk company rate it 1.5 star. There are many products available in every corner of the world. Health products those filled with claims prove to be worthless when we take a glance over the nutrition chart of the products.
Foods loaded with high sugar (40-80 sugar) are marketed as a healthy and balanced meal. There is no appreciable amount of protein in high protein products, oats in oats products, whole grain in whole grain products.
It’s just a short list of misleading facts. The promise the products makes doesn’t reflect in the nutrition label. People following the claims fall in a belief they and their family are eating healthy.
3. Surging Food Supplies
Food crises — a serious concern in past and still is present. Food crises are a concern in each corner of the world — in developed and developing countries. Instead of food crises, major of health concerns in the past few decades are due to surging food supplies.
These days, it’s normal to consume excess calories. Ultra-processed foods are responsible for the surge in food supplies and calories. These foods are relatively inexpensive, highly palatable and widely advertised.
With the rise of inexpensive and highly palatable food, the demand for healthy food is falling. Stores are filled with cheap processed foods, those made from unhealthy food substitutes.
With changing demand, the supply of unhealthy food is rising while healthy food is dropping.
4. Convenience
Convenience is the biggest threat.
Scientific studies suggest that many modern conveniences and luxuries lead to obesity. It’s affecting everyone, children and adult equally.
Convenience foods like sweetened soft drinks and fast foods have become the prime choice. These foods are highly processed, loaded with empty calorie and devoid of healthy nutrients.
Fast food contributes obesity because it’s high in saturated and trans fat — which increases LDL cholesterol, or bad cholesterol — high in sugar and served in large portions. Fast food tends to be low in dietary fiber and antioxidants.
Healthy home cooked meals are replaced with healthy claimed but unhealthy convenience foods. These convenience foods are loaded with high sugar, salt and fat. They turn out to be best for taste buds yet devastating to health.
Habits form the basis of our behaviour. 40 percent of our behaviour is habitual, according to one study published by Duke University in 2006. Building habits isn’t always a bad thing; it’s the body’s effort to save metal energy on daily activity. Once you build habits, very low effort is required to complete those tasks.
The habits building principles are used by the marketers to get you and keep you hooked long enough to build a habit. Once you build a habit, you will follow the same pattern with no intention. When you feel the crave or feel hungry, you would search for those options rather than cooking a meal.
You feel hungry and want something delicious to eat. Most probably you will look for your favourite food outlet on the application or website. The stored memory of a delicious meal from the favourite restaurant, money-saving deal and no effort to cook will remind the earlier decision. As you are continuously exposed to those offers and advertisement — you build a habit to use it frequently. The human biggest threat is the convenience, we are looking for options that can save time and effort, and fall victim to the strategies that provide convenience.
Earlier, to eat restaurant food people have to go outside, now those foods reach at people’s home within a limited time and even with a hefty discount. People get the privilege to enjoy their favourite restaurant’s food and save money. It looks like a win-win deal but they aren’t.
Easy availability of unhealthy food plays a lead contribution to worrying obesity level. It’s just one problem, constant incentives are the next left unnoticed by people or the health care system.
Frequent incentives like quick home delivery, huge discounts, a large portion in low cost, and advertisement promoting imbalanced food as equally tasty and healthy as a home-cooked meal — impact our food choice and health. With the constant incentive, it’s hard to control food intake.
Food business is flourishing, and it’s rare that you may have not come across them. Television, internet and streets are bombarded with food advertisement. Growth hacking strategies are used to lure and keep everyone in the hook.
Taking food choices lightly can be the worst decision. It’s the most important decision that will impact everyone — positively or negatively, deepening on the choice. One should take a better decision for themselves and their families.
5. Children’s Are Victimised
Children are victimised in the race of food products advertisement. Major of food advertisement is geared toward children.
Children are overwhelmed with ads for fast food, candy, sugary cereals and soft drinks.
The advertisement also gets traction because of celebrities backing them.
Look at every popular food products, you will find celebrities promoting those products. The fight against obesity or unhealthy eating doesn’t get a fair chance to win, as role models become the part of manipulation knowingly or unknowingly.
Being an athlete or celebrities they have enough knowledge, about what’s good or not. If someone can’t prefer products for themselves and their family, how one can claim “the products is the secret of their energy.”. Making such claims with unhealthy foods will ruin many children’s health and performance.
Everyone should keep a keen eye on food advertisement where children are victimised — by company, role models, or through another source.
I hold no one responsible for the health crises, but promoting unhealthy products as healthy food is an unethical practice. A lie that can affect millions of children’s eating choice which affects their future. The habit they build today will be passed on their future generation.
Early age is the time to receive healthy nutrients which help to build a stronger health foundation. While those false claims will keep children and parent in illusion — they are buying and eating healthy foods.
The lie robs the chance of a child to develop a healthier and stronger overall body function. The time body requires enough nutrient supply for better growth, it supplied with food void of essential nutrients.
Past few decades marketing has done lots of damage and it needs to be stopped.
Every parent should know when their children’s are victimised by advertisers or their role model. A quick response will help to turn the event, just as cigarette ads did. Parents should take interest in the children’s food choice and the ingredients, to find out what their children are eating.
6. Ignorance
Education isn’t always the barrier. In today’s time, major people are aware of the health problem and the cause. Instead of being aware, major fail to take essential steps.
Looking at a personal case.
A friend of mine, dealing with high cholesterol level wanted a suggestion to tackle the issue. He was on medication and looking for better options to lower his cholesterol. After going through his lifestyle change, the culprit found was his changed lifestyle. The transformation from a healthy lifestyle to unhealthy was the root cause of his increased cholesterol level. The main issue was his dependency on processed food and an inactive lifestyle. I recommended to make changes in his eating preference and to get little active. The effort and time to guide him fall into the deaf ear and he made no changes.
If you review the case, can we put complete blame on any company?
It’s seen that people tend to follow things at their will and their preference.
Instead of being aware of the fact still major fall into an avoidable situation. We set ourself free and live the most only for that moment without considering the impact of the present act on future.
The lifestyle we own will be followed by other family members, leaving them susceptible to the same risk.
If the head of a family responsible to guide others to build healthy discipline let loose, other members will follow the same path. It will affect the family and will be passed on to the coming generations.
Even the companies produce the most addictive products, we own the power to choose, when and how much to eat. They may release thousands of tasty and addictive products, it won’t impact our family’s health until we let the guard off. We own the power to choose, no one can take it away from us — select the best and it will grant you with a healthy family.
Complaining won’t do anything, but active decision and action will turn the wheel on your side.
7. Journalism
Google is not a dietician, doctor, or a medical expert. Don’t believe everything on Google.
On Google, major of the contents are designed to meet user’s search demand and Search Engine’s keyword demand. With the list of criteria, it’s tough to dedicate time on content that would genuinely help people.
The Internet has created a path to access data at a fingertip. We can learn anything just with one click — one click and you’re exposed to lots of information. Beware — information can be sugar-coated to make something wanted.
Looking at the case.
Suppose thousands of people search for a particular term, “Lemon to lose weight”, there will be thousands of article dedicated on lemon and weight loss, even though it won’t provide negligible benefits for weight loss. The article creation process depends on the demand and supply — until there is a demand there will a supply.
Look at green tea, it provides a very little benefit in weight loss. Since the demand is high, you will find thousands of article focusing on green tea and weight loss. Although green tea is healthy it’s only promoted as a weight-loss elixir.
There’re also good things on the internet and you need to search for them. Beware of a quick fix or complicated practices. There is no result without effort. Every quick fix leads to an unpleasurable situation, so it’s best to avoid them from the beginning. On the path to a quick fix, we only lose hope, self-confidence, energy, strength and health.
I don’t want to hold anyone responsible, but as a consumer, you should be aware of the quick fix claims. A healthy lifestyle is the only proven strategy until now.
Studies result changes — it approves a new and disapproves the strategy we thought to the best. The process will continue and nothing can be done. Nutrition science and our body’s function is complex; we just started to explore in the past few decades. It will take time and only things proven is a healthy lifestyle.
8. Prevalence Among Lower-Income Families
A link has been found between obesity and lower-income, with lower-income women being more likely to be obese than higher income ones.
Childhood obesity among preschoolers is also more prevalent among those from lower-income families, according to the CDC.
It is thought to be linked, at least in part, to limited access to affordable healthy foods, such as fruits and vegetables.
Looking at another study…
Studies in Denmark showed that failed diets and dropouts of weight-loss programmes are less influenced by economic and demographic factors than by the degree of social support.
9. Government
Moving toward the last contender in the list — government.
Are they responsible for rising obesity and other non-communicable health problems?
If yes, then how much and where they lack in the effort.
First Problem: Lost control over the food policies
Nestle’s Milo controversy is just a single case. There are many food companies who have gone through such criticism. These companies are in controversies for adulated, cheap quality, or even unhealthiest products.
Instead of an ingredient banned in a country, it’s sold in other countries. The company don’t take effort to change their products even a country claims it to be harmful to health.
Leaving those irresponsible companies, it’s important that the government play the role of gate-keeper. It should have control over the ingredients used by food companies.
If the government doesn’t control what goes inside the food, the manufacturer gets total control to manipulate people and the economy.
They should have strict policies so that customers can’t get manipulated.
Second Problem: Negligible amount of health budget is spent on prevention
Every country is under the burden of health treatment budget. Instead of allotting huge fund on treatment, why major of countries losing health fight?
The short and simple reason: Virtually no money is being dedicated to preventing illness before it occurs; it’s all funnelled into the treatment end.
“Prevention is better than cure.“, a pearl of golden wisdom is neglected.
In the face of a looming health crisis, many countries lack the sustained, comprehensive, strategic approach, adequate funding, and coordination.
The same situation is with Australia, India and many other countries. A better plan is required to tackle the health problem.
Most of us are overweight or obese, but if we introduce effective health policy within 10 to 15 year, everyone will be lighter, happier and healthier.
We could have avoided an enormous amount of heartache and pain if an effective policy would have been introduced earlier, but still, there is a chance for a better change.
Investment on prevention will keep people out of hospitals and the burden of healthcare.
Each country’s government, educational institute, corporate office, and parents’ efforts to learn and spread the message will be a powerful force against the health problem.
The Loss We’re Bearing
Losing war cost a great deal of loss, some are visible and some aren’t as we never gave thought to it. Let’s explore the loss we’re bearing.
1. Future Generations Will Bear the Burden
The childhood obesity rate is increasing leaving a thought of concern for the coming decades. When these children are middle-aged and overweight, or obese they will have the highest risk of type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease and many types of cancer.
Childhood obesity generally sets the trend for adulthood as well, with obese children more likely to be obese as adults.
Obesity increase the risk of developing:
- obstructive sleep apnea (60% of obese children)
- musculoskeletal problems
- asthma (40-50% increased risk)
- orthopaedic complications (due to the excess stress on bones and cartilage)
- higher incidences of cancer, specifically kidney cancer
- increased cholesterol levels and high blood pressure (cardiovascular disease)
- Type 2 Diabetes
Type 2 Diabetes can cause blindness, kidney failure, strokes and heart disease. It’s estimated that diabetes shortens a person’s life by 10 to 15 years.
CDC estimates that 1 American in 3 born in 2000 will develop type 2 diabetes, as they grow older; some while they’re still young. In the past, people weren’t usually diagnosed with type 2 diabetes until they were in their 50s or 60s.
Childhood obesity isn’t only the case, overweight or obesity at any age increases the risk of a health problem.
2. Surging Economic Burden
Obesity increases the risk of health conditions, and the economic burden. With rising obesity, the economic burden will rise.
Direct costs — physician visits, outpatient costs, hospitalisation costs and prescription medications.
Indirect costs — premature mortality, disability and increased work absence.
Worldwide, lost productivity accounts for between 54 and 59 percent of the obesity-related economic burden. There is an increase in the absence and reduced productivity compared to employees of normal weight.
Type 2 diabetes is a costly disease. It was the leading contributor for inflation-adjusted health care spending among Medicare beneficiaries in 1997–2006 in the U.S. The number of people with type 2 diabetes and complication are rising so the cost.
The consequences of obesity and obesity-related complications are leaving a negative mark and will spread in the future.
3. Pain And Suffering
Who wants to be obese?
Who wants to follow a strict diet because of type 2 diabetes?
Who wants to accept the fact they have cardiovascular disease?
Who wants to go through harsh chemotherapy?
No one wants to go through any health problem. Everyone wants a healthy and energetic life where they live life at their own term — no rule’s, regulation and prescription.
Being overweight or obese changes not only the look, but it also makes life tough, although it doesn’t change suddenly.
When weight gain progress, the person goes to an unwanted transformation, it may be a health issue or lowering confidence. There will be a changed perspective towards food; food would be blamed for the situation leading eating disorder or skipping events to prevent overeating. Lots of decision keep running in the mind leading to decision fatigue.
The people going through social pressure, constant failure, and surging difficulties can only realise the struggle.
Leaving those struggle, one will get a huge blow with the news of Type 2 Diabetes or Cardiovascular Disease.
But the intensity of blow is unimaginable is with news of Cancer. It can break people even with immense willpower. Even it’s said few types of cancer are treatable but the fear and pain the person suffering can’t be narrated by others.
The life they wanted to live, the Wishlist, and other dreams — slips out of hand.
Living life with deadline turns to be a living hell. With passing day, the fear of death will leave people powerless.
Everyone wants to live a long life without knowing when they would die. Being unaware of death makes life better, as we can focus on the good. Knowing the time when we would die will build up the fear and it would be a hurdle in happiness till we live. It leads to off-track — from counting happiness to counting days.
The pain and suffering don’t stay only with the sufferer, it spread among family members.
4. Obese People are Often Ridiculed
One of the biggest problem with obesity — obese people are ridiculed. It is one of the reasons they aren’t able to talk about their problem so they don’t get access to the right solution. The external pressure makes them obsessed, to make changes which motivate them to take an unusual decision.
Like other health problems like diabetes, cancer or heart disease — obesity is also a health problem. Yes, even WHO consider it a health problem. We won’t ridicule any people with diabetes, heart disease, or cancer; then why ridicule obese people.
The reason behind their obesity are external factors, and they and their body are struggling to lose weight. They are trying their best, and everyone should motivate others to achieve and maintain healthy instead of mocking on someone’s struggle.
5. We’re Damaging Our Planet
Obesity or other health complications attributed by lifestyle and dietary choice also contributes to climate change. Diet high in meat is associated with an increased risk of obesity and other health complication, which also influences climate change.
High meat diet is proving unhealthy dietary choice for our health and our planet’s health.
Instead of bulking meal with meat, limiting the intake will cut unhealthy fat intake. While lowering meat you will focus on nutrients dense food like vegetables, beans, grains, fruits, and other plant food sources. With the varieties of food in the meal, you will improve your diet and health. By this simple act, you will improve your health and save the planet.
Steps To Win War
If we eliminate major risk factors for noncommunicable diseases — around three-quarters of heart disease, stroke and type 2 diabetes would be prevented; and 40% of cancer would be prevented.
It’s possible to prevent major of noncommunicable disease and it depends on the action we take in the present moment. It’s possible to build a healthier future by preventing the progress of health problems.
One day, no one wakes up and get obese or get heart disease, type 2 diabetes, or cancer. It’s a progressive disease, and it processes slowly. With every unhealthy lifestyle decision, the disease builds, and it takes years. The health problem will be silent but it will reflect by other means like changing weight, strength and energy loss, and other small unnoticeable changes.
Things are changing at a quick rate, the intensity of damage in going high, but still, we have an opportunity to make positive changes.
1. Start The Change With Children
Start the change with children. Experts agreed that our kids could be the first generation to die younger than their parents because of the adult-like diseases that go along with childhood obesity.
With passing year there is an incremental transition in lifestyle, food choice, and food availability. The change is impacting food choices which reflect on children’s health.
Children’s eating habits changes with food advertisement, food environment, friend circle and parent. They can’t make healthy food decision so they need proper guidance. Educating and taking enough care of children’s nutritional choice will nourish and protect them.
Childhood obesity and type 2 diabetes are common which was an adult disease.
Childhood is a stage where children learn about healthy food choice, adopt healthy foods taste & choice and build healthier habits. A gap while developing a healthy lifestyle will leave the child susceptible to the health problem.
Looking at the fact of Type 2 Diabetes…
Type 2 Diabetes (Type 2b) — It’s due to physical inactivity, dietary factors, impaired insulin function.
Type 2 Diabetes (Type 2a) — Few studies have found that the South Asian Population instead of lower BMI had reported a case of Type 2 Diabetes and cardiometabolic disease. According to the hypothesis, it’s due to lowering metabolic capacity. Some factors considered responsible for the risk of Type 2 Diabetes are early nourishment before birth and during childhood. Nourishment is essential for the healthy development of the body, which might be the possible factors.
There are many studies to be done, but for now, everyone should focus on better nourishment.
2. Healthy and Balanced Diet
Food isn’t the part of the problem, in fact, it was and will be part of the solution.
Looking for the nutrient that will make you fat?
Fingers are raised on each nutrient, it may be carbohydrates, protein or fats.
If you eat too much of any or all of these nutrients, you’ll gain weight. There’s nothing magical about low-carb diets, the glycemic index, or excessive amounts of protein.
A diet should be rich in complex carbohydrates, healthy fats, lean protein, and plenty of fruits and vegetables.
It should discourage refined carbohydrates, sugars, trans fats, and saturated fats.
Eating varieties of produce will supply macronutrients, vitamin, minerals, and photochemical. These combinations of nutrient intake will support healthy growth and protect from health problems.
Instead of criticising food and nutrients, befriend them. They are weight loss and health’s best partner — the result depends on how you plan to use them.
3. Early Realisation of The Struggle
There is nothing better than good health, unconditional energy supply and strength.
Getting diagnosed with any health problem is the point of realisation how one feels sick with the feeling of sick and tired. There will be a constant struggle to make drastic changes in lifestyle. The struggle to deal with the health problem. The struggle to see the hard-earned money slipping out of hand, while unaware whether it will completely solve the problem.
Life is full of struggle while a health problem intensifies it. It zaps energy and motivation to enjoy life like earlier day, or at least till they recover completely.
Until everyone doesn’t realise early it’s not possible to bring a massive change. To make positive change they should know the struggle while health problem. With the early awareness of the struggle, we would change people’s perspective towards prevention, thus they will be motivated to make changes in their family and friends life.
4. Success Depends on Each One’s Contribution
Our Unity Is Our Strength & Diversity Is Our Power. — Kamal Harris
The war against Obesity, Heart disease, Type 2 Diabetes, Cancer, or other health problem — it can only won by working together.
Obesity-related health problems have created an economic burden, we can hardly afford the cost today, let project the costs 10 years from now.
Everyone needs to work together to fight obesity and obesity-related health problem.
Each one of us needs to take responsibility for our own or our family health.
Parents need to teach their children through a good example. School should focus on educating and building a healthier environment at school.
Restaurants and food companies should act responsibly about advertising, and encourage consumers to choose healthier foods that are competitively priced.
Commitment to a lifetime of healthier habits is the crucial step to win the war. Today weight control is not just about education; it’s about commitment to take action.
Most of us know, the road to better health is through a nutritious diet and regular exercise; but ultimately, what one chooses is a personal choice. No one can force anyone but it’s important to make everyone realise the fact.
There is a gap between education and action.
Now, we need to do it — and to get our friends, family, and neighbours to join us in the fight against obesity and unhealthy lifestyle.
If someone is overweight or obese, they should seek help. Blaming themselves or their genes won’t help. Learn healthy practices and commit to it.
Achieving a healthy weight and health isn’t limited to high-income countries. Studies in Denmark showed that failed diets and dropouts of weight-loss programmes are less influenced by economic and demographic factors than by the degree of social support. In other words, we have to work together to fight obesity.
Footnote
- A special thanks for the Idea to Why we’re losing the war (on obesity, type 2 diabetes and cancer) for the Idea
- “Ebola Virus Disease” on WHO
- Diabetes Statistics by International Diabetes Federation
- Heart Disease Statistics by American Heart Association
- 10 truths about statins and high cholesterol
- Statin Adverse Effects: A Review of the Literature and Evidence for a Mitochondrial Mechanism
- Look At Your Muffin Top. That Ain’t Cos Of Milo by Ellia Pikri
- Habits — A Repeat Performance by David T. Neal, Wendy Wood, and Jeffrey M. Quinn
- HOW AUSTRALIA IS LOSING THE HEALTH FIGHT by Professor Rob Moodie
- Australia’s health: being accountable for prevention by A Rob Moodie, Penny Tolhurst and Jane E Martin
- Public Health Challenges in India: Seizing the Opportunities (India’s expense on prevention) by Jai Prakash Narain
- Obesity and Type 2 Diabetes in Children: Epidemiology and Treatment by Elizabeth R. Pulgaron and Alan M. Delamater
- Type 2 Diabetes: Why We Are Winning the Battle but Losing the War? 2015 Kelly West Award Lecture by K.M. Venkat Narayan
Leave a Reply