Obesity
By: Jasmeet Singh
Peer Review Reflection
The two revisions that I received from my peers were
the inclusion of a Glossary and revision of my
references to an APA format. I inserted the Glossary
on the first page and changed the format of the
references on the last page.
Introduction
Obesity is a disorder in which abnormal or excessive
body fat leads to an increase in the risk of health
problems. It is a global health issue and can affect
individuals in all age groups. Individuals are classified
as obese based on their body mass index (BMI).
Obesity can lead to various diseases and conditions
such as, cardiovascular disease, type II diabetes, and
early mortality (Haqq et al., 2021). Numerous
pathophysiological pathways contribute to the
development of obesity on a biological level.
Additionally, obesity can be caused by excessive food
intake, lack of exercise, and genetics. Therefore, it is recommended that individuals pay close
Glossary
Body Mass Index (BMI)- a measure of
obesity and underweight that is determined
by dividing a person's weight in kilograms
by the square of their height in meters.
Corticolimbic system- combines emotion
and cognition and generates variable
behavioral output dependent on the
environmental conditions.
Epidemiological- pertaining to the area of
medicine that deals with the occurrence,
spread, and management of illnesses.
Hindbrain- located in the bottom section
of the brainstem.
Hypothalamus- a part of the forebrain
below the thalamus that coordinates the
function of the pituitary and the autonomic
nerve system. It is also involved in sleep
and emotional activity, as well as
maintaining body temperature, thirst,
appetite, and other homeostatic processes.
Obesity- the state of being extremely
overweight or obese.
Pathophysiology- the physiological
processes that are out of balance due to
illness or injury.
attention to their unhealthy personal choices regarding their health. Proper diet, exercise,

medications, and surgery are some ways to manage obesity and increase life expectancy.

Diseases and Conditions

Obesity correlates to various diseases and medical conditions, such as asthma. Epidemiological

research has connected obesity with the onset and severity of asthma in both children and adults,

according to the article Obesity and the lung:

Obesity and asthma (Sin & Sutherland, 2008).

Figure 1 demonstrates the prevalence of obesity and

asthma in adults in the United States. There is a

positive and linear correlation between increased

years and prevalence of asthma. Similarly, there is a

positive and linear correlation between increased

years and prevalence of obesity in the United States.

Pathophysiology
There are many pathophysiological mechanisms involved in obesity’s development and

maintenance. The primary methods for achieving

energy balance are through control of energy

intake and energy expenditure (Gadde et al.,

2018). This figure demonstrates the neural

pathways and systems controlling ingestive

behavior and energy balance. The hindbrain is

primarily in charge of controlling meal size

because it collects sensory information and produces muscular output signals related to food

intake, digesting, and absorption. The emotional, cognitive, and executive support for ingestive

behavior is provided by the corticolimbic system. The impulse to eat is controlled by the

hypothalamus, which also regulates peripheral organs through endocrine and autonomic output

(Gadde et al., 2018).

Psychosocial Health Concerns

In addition to complicated physical health concerns, obesity has immediate and long-term mental

health consequences. For instance, individuals who are obese tend to have a reduced self-esteem,

and depression. These mental health concerns are the result of actions of weight stigma such as,

teasing, bullying, criticizing, harassing, victimization, and social exclusion (Haqq et al., 2021).

This figure illustrates a negative feedback

loop observed in children and adolescents

with obesity. The negative feedback loop

starts with obesity, which leads to weight-

related bullying, poor self-esteem,

depression, unhealthy weight control

behaviors, and finally back to obesity.

Management
The main treatment of obesity consists of weight loss via diet and physical exercise. The article,

Obesity: Risk factors, complications, and strategies for sustainable long-term weight

management, mentions various strategies to help individuals achieve and maintain weight loss.

Lifestyle factors, such as modified food intake, increased physical activity, having breakfast
daily, and obtaining assistance from a weight-loss programs, are some strategies that are helpful

in achieving and maintaining weight loss (Fruh,

2017). This table demonstrates the percentages

associated with different actions taken for weight

loss. The action, modified food intake, has the

highest percentage (98%) for maintaining weight

loss. Whereas, losing weight with the help of a

weight-loss program has a 55% success rate.

Conclusion
Obesity is associated with numerous chronic diseases and conditions. Cardiovascular disease,

type II diabetes, asthma, and depression are some medical conditions that are the result of

obesity. Self-esteem, and social involvement is also hindered by obesity and unhealthy weight-

control behaviors. Therefore, proper diet, regular exercise, medications, weight-loss programs,

and other lifestyle changes are recommended for obese individuals to achieve a healthy weight.

Educating the society about managing obesity is necessary for everyone to have a healthier

future.
References

1. Sin, D. D., & Sutherland, E. R. (2008, November 1). Obesity and the lung: 4. Obesity and

asthma. Thorax, 63(11), 1018–1023.

2. Gadde, K. M., Martin, C. K., Berthoud, H. R., & Heymsfield, S. B. (2018, January).

Obesity: Pathophysiology and Management. Journal of the American College of

Cardiology, 71(1), 69–84.

3. Fruh, S. M. (2017, October). Obesity: Risk factors, complications, and strategies for

sustainable long-term weight management. Journal of the American Association of Nurse

Practitioners, 29(S1), S3–S14.

4. Haqq, A. M., Kebbe, M., Tan, Q., Manco, M., & Salas, X. R. (2021, June 1). Complexity

and Stigma of Pediatric Obesity. Childhood Obesity, 17(4), 229–240.