Essay on Is Obesity Genetic

I chose the topic of obesity because many people I know and many people in my family are dealing with this difficult disease and I wanted to learn more about it so I could be helpful to the people I love.

According to the CDC, America is in the midst of an epidemic, known as obesity. It is a national crisis, with thirty-five percent of adults (Gonzalez-Campoy, n.d.) and 4.8 million children dealing with obesity (Preidt, 2019). The long-term prognosis according to Hurby & HU is that by 2030, 85% of U.S. adults will be seriously overweight or obese. (2016, p.1). The world at large is also suffering. Hurby & Hu (2015), predict “by 2030, 38% of the world will be overweight and 20% obese”( p.1).

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Obesity is defined as “an increase in body weight beyond the limits of physical requirement, the result of an excessive accumulation of fat.”(Sikaris 2004, p.6). World Health Organization lists a BMI above 30 as obese. Obesity has now been deemed an official disease by the American Medical Association (Gonzalez-Campoy, n.d.), as it causes many far-reaching negative effects on the body. Excessive adipose tissue does not just store extra energy, it behaves as part of the endocrine system releasing adipokines- chemical messengers that alter the body on a cellular and molecular level. Excessive adipose tissue also releases excessive levels of hormone leptine which at high levels, stimulates inflammation that can damage liver and cardiovascular tissues and lead to organ disease. With increased inflammation, there are chemical changes that produce C-reactive proteins which are linked to the development of leptin resistance & leading to increased production of leptin. It is important to note that while normal levels of leptin offer a beneficial feedback loop maintaining the body's metabolism and producing feelings of being satiated, excess leptin does not assist the body in these important ways, instead it increases weight gain which then leads to more cellular/molecular imbalance issues, continuing the chemical domino effect. (Lavie, Milani,Ventura, 2009). Obesity can also lead to Diabetes. There are many substances created in the body that cause someone to become insulin resistant and eventually diabetic but the production of such substances such as glycerol, non-esterified fatty acids, cytokines, and pro-inflammatory substances, are greatly increased with obesity. Non-esterified fatty acids and the implement of B-cell function, caused by obesity, are at the top of the list of substances that create insulin resistance and the onset of diabetes (Karpe, Dickmann, Frayn,2011). From a physiological perspective, the long-term issue with obesity is an avalanche of toxic metabolic responses that cause a chemical cascade leading to serious diseases as seen in diagrams #1 and #2 (Lavie, Milani, Ventura 2009, p.1927).

As human-beings, it is natural that we are affected by our environment. Different factors of the environment are connected to obesity and one factor is overeating poor quality food( Rauscher, 2009). Overconsumption of junk food with high fat and low nutrient content has been cited as a critical cause of obesity. (Hu, 2008). In terms of environment and high rates of obesity, Yale psychologist DR. Browell PhD. describes how humans are affected by our toxic food environment. Browell says obesity is fueled by overexposure to deadly rich and dangerously high-calorie foods. He also connects obesity to the fact that we eat rich foods with little exercise. Browell declares that it is criminal that our food industry markets cheap, easily available, high-calorie processed foods. Browell advocates that such advertising be banned for young children and that schools be legally mandated to provide healthy food. (Arkowitz, Lilienfeld, 2009). Yet the problem of low nutrient levels now found in even “healthy foods” is reason for concern. Discovered by the University of Texas in 2004, its research found disturbing declines in six of the prominent vital nutrients found in 43 different types of produce, between the years of 1950 and 1999. (Davis, Melvin, Hugh 2004). This data begs the question of how diminished nutrients in both “healthy” food & “junk” food may affect the quantity of food people eat.

It is acknowledged that there are also physiological connections to obesity. Two such possible connections; are the gut microbiome and genetics. A study published in 2019, revealed the importance of the gut microbiome; healthy mice with a healthy weight, showed a large number of Clostridia gut bacteria but immune-impaired mice had diminished amounts of Clostridia and were obese, despite dietary restrictions. Yet these same overweight mice acquired a normal weight once they were given Clostridia (University of Utah Health, 2019). From this study it would seem digestive microbes could be an essential part of weight homeostasis and our overuse of antibiotics, known to kill living gut organisms, has perhaps played a role in obesity. Genetics is another, but minimal factor correlated with obesity. According to studies, some forms of obesity occur due to spontaneous mutations in the gene pool, there are 60 genetic markers found to relate to obesity (Hurby, Hu, 2016). No matter what the causes, obesity creates stress on the physical and emotional lives of people who suffer from the disease. Problems include pain, breathlessness, increased sweating, erectile dysfunction, social isolation, depression, anxiety, and even social discrimination. On a disease level, there are serious risks such as diabetes, hypertension, cardiovascular disease, liver disease, osteoarthritis, and even some cancers (Nammi, Koka, Chinnala, Boni,2004).

There are various options for helping people with obesity, from ancient natural cures to modern-day medicine. Natural methods using herbal and nutritional help can be found in the 2,500-year history of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) which is the oldest literate medicine in the world and has treated the largest population on the planet. TCM uses herbal formulas, acupuncture, diet & Qi exercise to help the person achieve homeostasis. No two people get the same treatment because no two people are exactly alike. In the eyes of TCM, obesity is believed to arise from an imbalance in the system that has to do with a weakened digestive system that could be inherited or due to lifestyle issues or even excess stress. According to TCM, acupuncture, herbal treatments, and dietary recommendations help to balance digestion (Xu, Zhao,2018). TCM also believes that excessively sweet, greasy, and cold temperature foods can cause digestive weakness leading to weight gain, as can too much work and too little rest. TCM also recommends Qi Gong exercise, a slow-moving meditation that promotes digestion and metabolism and induces deep internal peace. (Flaws, 1998). Mind, body body-focused treatments for obesity can be very useful by helping the person with emotional, mental, and physical support through professional guidance such as; nutritional guidance from a Registered Dietitian, exercise training, and group counseling. Mindfulness training is known to help build one's awareness of thoughts, actions & motivations. Meditation techniques can offer help to the person with eating addictions to stay emotionally present and make positive choices. Hypnosis has proven supportive for working with overeating patterns and assisting with willpower and motivation (Koithan 2009). Modern Medical treatments can step in when less invasive treatments are not helpful enough. There are various pharmacological medications and medical procedures; Bariatric surgery is a procedure with a mortality risk of 1-2%. It can help greatly with weight loss. Less than .2% of people receive this type of procedure annually. (O'Brien, 2016). Pharmacological medications: current guidelines indicate after 6 months of unsuccessful lifestyle treatments an obese person can be considered for pharmacological medications such as Xenical, which inhibits lipase and decreases the absorption of fat in the G.I. tract. Another medication Qsymia, increases the release of the chemical norepinephrine while decreasing its uptake in the hypothalamus which creates less appetite. While medical treatments can help with weight loss they all have possible negative effects (Kumar, 2017).

As far as addressing preventative measures, childhood obesity has tripled since the 70s and is the number one predictor of adult obesity and early disease complications such as Diabetes. Therefore, it is essential to focus on helping children be healthier. This goal involves supplying parents and schools with the information needed to initiate healthy lifestyle patterns and education for children- the basics being; nutritious/calorie-appropriate foods with an emphasis on, fewer carbohydrates, more whole grains, vegetables, fruit, and protein combined with the necessary amount of physically activity and minimal screen time. (Chan, n.d.).

Obesity is a very complex issue but social constructs about it can be very simplistic. Many societal myths need to be debunked concerning this disease- such as; “fat people are lazy”, “fat people are dumb” it is easy to lose weight” and “just exercise more and you will lose weight”. I believe the science behind the issues of obesity debunks these simplistic constructs and demonstrates that obesity is a multilayer problem that needs a great deal of understanding to address it successfully. I have a hypothesis concerning overeating that speaks to the complex nature of obesity. Hypothesis part A: The proven lack of nutrients in our food supply compels us to eat a greater volume of food to attempt to gain the necessary level of nutrients, thus leading to the consumption of excessive calories and therefore weight gain. Hypothesis part B: In nature the taste of food guides us. We gravitate to the sweetest apple or the most favorable ear of corn, which also happens to have more nutrients than a bland-tasting apple or ear of corn. But in our modern world of processed foods, the most favorable foods, such as candy, cookies, or potato chips, actually have fewer nutrients than the apple or ear of corn. Therefore we can eat a lot of processed foods, acquiring more calories, just trying to get the needed nutrients. In the end, we are a modern society that is calorie-rich and nutrient-poor.