Obesity is of particular importance for the study due to the large spread of this disease. Only in Ireland, statistics show that “six out of ten people (37% overweight and a further 23% obese) are overweight or obese” (4). These data do not represent consolation since every year, there are only more sick people. Therefore, it is essential to study obesity as a medical condition, which becomes a significant problem in the provision of medical services.
Physical Issues
Obesity itself is a rather complex disease. This is due to the fact that it negatively affects many aspects of individuals’ activities, significantly reducing the body’s ability to work productively and deal with possible problems. Among the most apparent characteristics of obesity is a “lack of energy, breathing problems, skin irritation, difficulty sleeping, and back and joint pains which can affect mobility” (1). One of the leading causes of obesity in the population is not following the rules of proper nutrition, which also causes eating disorders. In many cases, the causes of weight gain are hereditary diseases or severe treatment, which involves taking medications that affect the appearance of the patient.
Obesity is a relatively severe area of medicine to study, as it has several difficulties for healthcare providers. First, it can put a person at risk for the occurrence of such serious diseases as diabetes mellitus or problems with the cardiovascular system. Thus, overweight people getting to the hospital can be diagnosed with even more abnormalities. Consequently, they will need the help of more specialists, research, and ongoing medical treatment. Diabetes is dangerous for a minor organism since its presence can negatively affect its development (5). The occurrence of this disease can have the same serious consequences as for adults, which only worsens the situation and requires finding ways to limit it.
In addition to the cardiovascular system and the development of diabetes, obesity can negatively affect patients’ joints and increase blood pressure. Because of the first, individuals lose the ability to move normally (3). In the most critical cases, patients are required to receive treatment at home. Regarding blood pressure, obese people experience it because of the need for the heart to pump blood to the body faster. This also poses a serious risk for both the patient and the doctor, as healthcare providers must take into account the multiple side effects of drugs and treatments prescribed to individuals.
Mental Issues
The main mental problem of obesity is the occurrence of depression. Research stated that “resulting metabolic and vascular dysfunction, including inflammation, insulin and leptin resistance, and hypertension, have emerged as key risks to depression and anxiety development” (2). Thus, individuals suffer from low self-esteem, social isolation, and discrimination because of which they lose themselves. In more severe and critical cases, patients refuse to leave home, which causes a problem for medical professionals and puts patients at an even greater risk of complications.
Conclusion
In conclusion, obesity is an urgent and serious problem for both patients and health care providers themselves. This is due to the fact that increased body weight can affect the occurrence of such issues as diseases of the cardiovascular system, diabetes, joint abnormalities, and high blood pressure. On the side of psychological well-being, obesity exposes individuals to fall into the risk group of depression, which can further affect the course of the disease.
References
- Knott, L. Obesity and overweight [Internet]. Patient; Web.
- Fulton, S., Decarie-Spain, L., Fioramonti, X., Guiard, B., and Nakajima, S. The menace of obesity to depression and anxiety prevalence. Trends Endocrinol. Metab; 33(1): 18-35.
- Health risks linked to obesity [Internet]. WebMD; Web.
- Key facts [Internet]. HSE; Web.
- Childhood obesity [Internet]. Mayo Clinic; Web.