Introduction
The impact of health on mental feelings has been the area of much research emphasis for many years. This has ultimately generated interest in the area of psychology. Understanding the psychological or more probably psychosocial aspects of a health ailment is important as it furnishes better insights on the assessment of individuals perception in the society with regard to that specific ailment. The present description is focused on obesity keeping in view its psychosocial aspects.
An alarming rate
Firstly, the incidence of Obesity has increased at an alarming rate in the past 10 years (Bleich et al., 2008). This metabolic disorder is lacking information that involves the role of energy consumption and spent for the increasing trends in obesity (Bleich et al., 2008). Further, the role of factors linking society and economic burden in maintaining the energy levels at an optimum level is unknown. This could require a study to determine the association between high energy intake in the form of calories and low physical activity to obesity in developed countries (Bleich et al., 2008). This study was aimed to determine the effect of high caloric consumption on reduced physical activity with regard to obesity in developed countries by employing two methods of energy contribution (Bleich et al., 2008).This may indicate the societal effect of high calorie intake on obesity.
Socio demographic factors have a connection to high calorie intake
It was reported that the determinants of socio demographic factors have a connection to high calorie intake (Bleich et al., 2008).Hence, there is need to further explore the parameters that strengthened the societal aspects of obesity as far as the etiology is concerned (Bleich et al., 2008). In countries like United States, there are large number of individuals classified as overweight and obese with conditions associated with numerous psychological and physiological health ailments (Bean, Stewart & Olbrisch, 2008). This has turned into an epidemic and has increased the requirement of psychologists and other mental health professionals to take part in the care of obese individuals, while assessing and treating (Bean, Stewart & Olbrisch, 2008).
Available reports have described that social stigmatism is more common in obese individuals especially women. This could potentially influence their educational and marital life in addition to their socioeconomic life.
The adverse consequences may be that obese individuals are very often prevented from taking part in several occupations and severely categorized among others (Enzi, 1994).This was revealed from many surveys undertaken to determine the impact of obesity on educational and socioeconomic progress in obese and even overweight populations (Enzi, 1994).This could be because the association between obesity and social class is stronger. These women hardly had little schooling, low affinity to get married and possess minimum household payments in contrast to women of normal weight (Enzi, 1994). This could indicate the societal effects of stigma on obesity. Therefore, a progress in socioeconomic achievement is less likely to be achieved in obese individuals (Enzi, 1994). This obese individual who receive low perception from the society members is another barrier in the socioeconomic progress (Enzi, 1994). The relationship between obesity and other parameters was reported to influence the psychosocial concept (Rosengren & Lissner ,2008). These include environmental factors, nutritional switch towards refined and fatty foods that produce potential inexpensive energy-dense food, speed approach to vehicles, work modernization and sedentary lifestyles (Rosengren & Lissner, 2008). The impact of these factors vary from individual to individual. For example, high energy consumption and caloric expenditure leads to obesity in some individuals but not in others. Further, obesity was reported to be more common in lower socioeconomic classes (Rosengren & Lissner ,2008). However, there exists wide a difference with regard to the socioeconomic status between several nations at various stages of development and, also in the Western world (Rosengren & Lissner, 2008). This could indicate the societal effects of nutrition, modernization and lifestyle on obesity
Therefore, socioeconomic ascent in relation to obesity is considered heterogeneous and in transition (Rosengren & Lissner ,2008). The feelings of Stigmatization in obese individuals are largely known to influence the several aspects of social status at later stages (Rosengren & Lissner, 2008).This is because obesity is related to mood alterations, inspite of unknown reasons. Depression is also another outcome in the psychological aspects of obesity (Rosengren & Lissner, 2008). Next, obesity was reported to exert various negative consequences for psychological health (Abilés etal, 2008). For example, morbid obese individuals are mostly impulsive, worried, depressed with relatively low self-esteem and altered quality of life (Abilés et al., 2008). The gravity of the above mentioned psychological disorders is associated with the magnitude of obesity (Abilés et al., 2008). This was revealed when a study was undertaken to determine the psychopathological characteristics of obese candidates who have been admitted for bariatric surgery (Abilés et al., 2008). This could indicate the societal effects of obesity on the development of psychological problems.
High levels of stress, anxiety, depression, EBD symptoms, food craving were observed in obese patients in contrast to the normal-weight control individuals (Abilés et al., 2008). Hence, the involvement of psychological disorders in obese patients undergoing surgery has to be understood through studies that emphasize the connection between the variables and weight loss and other parameters of surgery that may ameliorate patient selection and ensure reliable interventions (Abilés et al., 2008).
The influenece of the psychological aspects of individuals
This has strengthened an earlier article on the psychological aspects of individuals with obesity with morbid characteristics. There is a need to recognize the psychological factors related to the weight loss as it could enhance the awareness about behaviors that are essential to overcome failures during treatment (Lykouras, 2008). The obese individuals with morbid symptoms tend to differ from the general population since their self-esteem and impulse control are lower (Lykouras, 2008).
Further, these patients were reported to posses’ characters that are of dependent and aggressive types of personality, and problem denial (Lykouras, 2008). The nature of thoughts that develop are generally catastrophic and dichotomous (Lykouras, 2008). Marcellini et al (2009) described that adult population in the middle Ages and those in elderly are more susceptible to obesity. This aspect has several reasons like improper nutrition and diet regimen, psycho-social aspects and sedentary life-style (Marcellini et al., 2009).
This is escalating the problem in conjunction with the world’s ageing society. The relationship between obesity and psychological health can also be assessed by BMI in addition to life-style and psycho-social aspects as per a hypothesis (Marcellini et al., 2009). The study involved nearly 107obese and non-obese patients in the age range of 50-74 (Marcellini et al., 2009). The tool employed was multidimensional assessment, that includes anthropometric, psycho-social and life-style evaluation (Marcellini et al., 2009). This could indicate the societal effects of personality and aggressiveness on obesity.
The parameters that were focused in the structured questionnaire are physical activity, smoking, alcohol and food intake in addition to socio-economic factors (Marcellini et al., 2009). Here, BMI was common in both genders with regard to age and education, socio-economic status and smoking (Marcellini et al., 2009. But, there were differences in Psychological factors for obesity between overweight men and women indicating the two categories are different (Marcellini et al., 2009).
Hence, the rise in the incidence of obesity in elderly subjects may cause disability and age-related disorders (Marcellini et al., 2009). Therefore, much emphasis should be given to the psyhosoial factors that reflect obesity development in order to develop well planned treatment methods and weight-loss prevention strategies (Marcellini et al., 2009).
Earlier, body image and associated obesity perceptions were highlighted where culture bound syndrome was reported as the reason for understanding the sociocultural dimensions of body size perceptions (Wright & Whitehead, 1987). The vital predictors such as perceptions of obesity and overweight are given importance for societal preferences (Wright & Whitehead, 1987).
The growth of body and its dimensions and about weight were examined as a scaffold to gain insights on the impact those social perceptions that have on overeight or obese individuals (Wright & Whitehead, 1987). There were certain negative feelings related to fat body and, stigmatization of overweight people has been the area of considerable research interest (Wright & Whitehead, 1987)Alterations in the body image in severely overweight individuals are considered more common. In contrast, women with normal weight could also develop difficulty in accurately predicting their body size (Wright & Whitehead, 1987). Therefore, the association between body image and weight change is very essential factor to be given paramount importance as far as the socio psychological aspects of obesity are concerned (Wright & Whitehead, 1987). This could indicate the societal effects of body image and its dimensions on obesity.Obese patients have behavior strategies that were adopted during weight loss programmes in order to maintain a new lower weight (Byrne, 2002). They have given up the psychological factors that led to the prolonged use and rejecting of behaviors related to critical weight maintenance (Byrne, 2002). Therefore, there were efforts to recognize psychological characteristics that could be related to weight maintenance and relapse in obesity (Byrne, 2002). This could be due to the fact that the factors could help in assessing the reliability of developed psychological treatments for obesity (Byrne, 2002). This has indicated that psychological factors, like low self-efficacy, poor coping or problem-solving skills and unrealistic weight goals could serve as important parameters to influence the behaviors involved in weight maintenance and relapse in obesity (Byrne, 2002).
This has strengthened another study that highlighted the role of psychological and psychosocial predictors of weight loss and mental health after bariatric surgery (Herpertz et al., 2004).Here, psychiatric comorbidity was considered to be an indispensable determinant for mental and physical hygiene which are the two important aspects of quality of life compared to surgery after weight loss (Herpertz et al., 2004). Whereas personality traits are relatively poor in their prediction of weight or mental state during postoperative conditions (Herpertz et al., 2004). In contrast, symptoms related to anxiety and depression were found to be mutual relationship with obesity and hence serve as positive markers of weight loss after surgery (Herpertz et al., 2004).
This could indicate the societal effects postoperative surgery on the psychological symptoms in obesity.
This due to the fact that the magnitude of symptoms or the disorder is more specific for the result of obesity surgery than for that of the symptom manifestation (Herpertz et al., 2004). In addition, the patients eating behavior like relying on restricted foods containing high sugar content or beverages and general behavior of consuming diet rich in high calories patient’s insufficient conformity or a improper maintenance of energy, are linked to poor weight loss (Herpertz et al., 2004).
There are several limitations and psychiatric load which need to be overcome by obese patients (Vaidya, 2006). Although, the psychiatric morbidity is more common in obese and normal weight individuals, depression was reported to be high in obese individuals with an increased prevalence of 40 -60% (Vaidya, 2006). This indicated the strong relationship between depression and obesity. However, the variations related to stress and depression facilitate metabolic changes that increase the susceptibility to obesity (Vaidya, 2006). The main stigma connected to obesity causes frightening at school level and morbidity of psychiatric conditions during childhood stage (Vaidya, 2006).
Hence, there is a need to bring educational awareness in the society beginning from the school to the level of healthcare professionals that might lessen bias and stigma (Vaidya, 2006). This could help the susceptible group of patients to get benefit for their obesity and the associated problems (Vaidya, 2006).There are future implications that obesity would become the top most global health problem in another 15 years, with US in the leading position. Hence, it is essential carry out preventive strategies for obesity with great support (Vaidya, 2006).
Next, the relationship between very-low-calorie diets (VLCDs), the impact of certain psychological factors on response to VLCD treatment play central role in the psychosocial aspects of obesity(Neill & Jarell, 1992). The obese individuals show increase psychopathology symptoms(Neill & Jarell, 1992).This is the case those obese individuals who require treatment, because there were more psychiatric disturbance which is similar to the level of other medical/surgical patients(Neill & Jarell, 1992).There are hardly any reported global personality traits or profiles that are linked to obesity. (Neill & Jarell, 1992).
But obese individuals mostly differ from non obese groups with regard to the psychological and behavioral variables. These include weight and eating and further the obese individuals also show perceptual and emotional body image anomalies(Neill & Jarell, 1992).VLCDs were considered to be posses neutral to positive effects anxiety, depression and hunger(Neill & Jarell, 1992).Hence, it was suggested that VLCDs were more probably connected to the post-treatment underestimation of body size(Neill & Jarell, 1992).This may indicate that the VLCD is ne of the determinant of obesity in the context of psychosocial aspects of obesity. Eating may influenced by the behavior psychology and other societal factors.Thereore, its role in assessing the outcome of obesity and the associated psychological symptoms cannot be underestimated. This could indicate the societal effects of low calorie diet with regard to development of psychological and behavioral patterns in obese individuals.
Quality of life impact
Quality of life is yet another important aspect of obesity. Obese individuals were reported to encounter alterations in the quality of life which is linked with the magnitude of alterations of obesity (Kolotkin, Meter, & Williams, 2001). But this could be alleviated by weight loss programs with the help of various obesity – related instruments (Kolotkin, Meter, & Williams, 2001).It is reasonable to mention that quality of life would influence the psychological aspects as the society may have potential to modulate the quality of life. This was strengthened by another report where quality of life when included in the psychological and behavior change services program offers advantages to severe obese individuals who suffer with anxiety and depression and low quality of life after surgery (Greenberg et al., 2005).
The perception of obesity among teenagers is such that these individuals are very often observed separate from the societal interactions, as they hate body size and become susceptible to anxiety (Wills et al, 2006). But this may vary and also has opposing effect where obese teenagers accept their body size and shape by withstanding the worry of fatness (Wills et al, 2006).
The impact of society on obesity through smoking is huge as it is reported to aggravate the obesity. This could be because the societal expenses of obesity were reported to surpass that of cigarette smoking on alcohol addiction (Baum, 2009). Reducing the taxes imposed on smoking has some implication to induce weight loss (Baum, 2009). This could indicate the societal effects of smoking can modify the psychological symptoms in obesity (Baum, 2009).
Finally, the psychosocial aspects of obesity are also largely influenced by the pricing of food items. This is because of association between the subsidies or taxes and significant changes in the incidence of obesity. However, this area needs to be investigated further (Powell & Chaloupka , 2009).
Conclusion
In view of the above information, it is reasonable to mention that obesity is largely influnce by various psychosocial factors. The above mentioned description is a direct reflection of societal effects from the world like life style, environmental factors, mechanical work etc
The stigma or the stereotypism encountered by the obese individuals needs to be alleviate by the appropriate intervention strategies. Women individuals have considered the problems at a higher degree.Since the beginning of school stages till the progress in social achievements, they more likely to run the risk of altered societal behavior.
Obese individuals with morbid symptoms have become a great challenge in the management These individuals have depression, anxiety as the main symptoms to be worked out. Mood alterations are also frequently encountered by the obese individuals.This could be due to the perceptions in the society that are appearing very fat. Unfortunately, this aspect was taken advantage by the society members who often prevent obese individuals from taking part in social activities. Hence, body image and dimensions play vital role and needs to be given prior importance by the healthcare professionals to alleviate all kinds of misconception existing in the society with regard to the perception of obese individuals.
Obese patients undergoing surgery cannot be overlooked in the society. They do possess certain psychological symptoms to be investigated. Quality of life seems to determine the symptoms of obesity to a great extent. This may in turn depend on various factors prevailing in the environment. Teenagers need to be mentally aware and perceive fatness in order to overcome anxiety or fear. Likewise smoking has a long role to play to influence its effects
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