Obesity rates are rising and it affects people of all kinds. While it is determined by BMI, there is debate around whether obesity is a physical or mental disease. Obesity is a physical disease that leads to many harmful health issues and is linked to secondary conditions. It is influenced by hormones in the body and psychiatric comorbidities like depression. Obesity is also linked to internalizing or externalizing disorders in children as well as high risk behaviors that take attention away from education.

1. Essay #4 Analysis
presentation
By Jackie Gingell

2. Obesity: which type of disease is it, and is it
being diagnosed correctly?
• Rates of obesity are on the rise
• Many contributing factors
• Determined by BMI
• Is it a physical or mental disease?

3. Who it affects?
• Children
• Adolescents
• Adults
• ALL KINDS OF PEOPLE!!

4. Why obesity is a physical disease
• the amount of weight gained and fat being stored is excessive and unnatural
• Leads to many other harmful health issues
• Many factors can influence weight gain
• Obesity in youth vs obesity in adults

5. Behind the scenes of weight gain
• Obesity has a coloration with hormones in the body
• Obesity comes with many secondary conditions

6. Mental factors
• Psychiatric comorbidities
• Depression
• Eating disorders

7. Ramifications (that have shown to be) linked to
obesity
• Mostly shown in children
• Internalizing or externalizing disorders
• High risk behaviors
• Education gets put on the back burner

8. Diagnosis Methods
• BMI
• DEXA scan
• Skin fold test
• Hydrostatic weighing

9. Prevention methods
• Track calorie/macronutrient intake
• Exercise regularly/live an active lifestyle
• Fuel your body, don’t feed it
• Don’t restrict yourself
• Find a balance

10. Conclusion
• Obesity is a physical disease that is linked to mental illnesses
• All around unhealthy lifestyle
• Implement healthy habits at younger ages
• More accurate methods to measure body fat % are hydrostatic weighing and
DEXA scanning