We
live in a society immersed by food. Whether it is through billboards or through
television commercials, the advertising business enforces the consumption of
unhealthy products. Along with that, in a city such as Chicago, people are all
surrounded by restaurants each with its own dining experience. However, we need
to consider the obvious negative effects of constantly being surrounded by food.
As stated by Matt Richtel in More Than 10 Percent of World’s
Population Is Obese, Study Finds, we can see that obesity is a widespread
epidemic, affecting more than 10% of individuals worldwide. Along with that,
the rate of obesity has increased at faster rates in children than it has with
adults.
Not
only is this narrative unfortunate, but it is crucial to note that obesity
affects some ethnic groups more severely than others. These issues are
important to note as we see that obesity is not only a result of
overconsumption of food but has genetic origins. According to the Center for
Disease Control and Prevention, the Hispanic community, followed by the
non-Hispanic black community, are the two groups which are more prone to become
obese. Furthermore, Hispanics are three times more vulnerable to become obese
than the non-Hispanic Asians. Therefore, the Hispanic community is more
susceptible in developing health conditions relating to obesity. This includes
things such as hypertension, diabetes, certain cancers, and heart disease.
It
is obvious that once acquired, these conditions would have a high financial
burden. Additionally, the ones who are more genetically prone in acquiring
obesity are also statistically more likely to face financial burdens. This
discussion on obesity in different socioeconomic levels is crucial to consider
as the solutions for obesity always revolve around a well-balanced diet and
high fitness levels. However, those who cannot afford the foods needed to have
a well-balanced diet are clearly going to turn to the more cost efficient
option: the unhealthy foods. Along with that, the neighborhoods which are more
financially deprived are the ones where more fast-food restaurants and less
health-food stores are seen. Furthermore, certain ethnic groups are struck
within a cycle of disease and financial burdens.
Furthermore,
as rates of obesity have increased as a result of genetic and socioeconomic
factors, so have the studies concerning obesity. Among these studies in one led
by Dr. Jen Beshel, where the aim is to understand obesity linked behavior in
Drosophila through the proteins upd1 and upd2 found in the leptin pathway. As
the study progressed, it was noted that depletion in the upd2 protein led to
loss of weight in the fly. However, the upd1 protein was crucial in its
homeostatic function. Additionally, this homeostatic function was what
prevented the fruit flies from over-eating, but once removed, the flies exhibited
signs of obesity. Therefore, this study is critical as it shows how slight
alterations can lead to overconsumption of food, which then leads to obesity.
Although this study was manifested through Drosophila, it can lead to more
evidence to cure the obesity epidemic worldwide.
It
is important to conclude this is saying that every country has faced
consequences from the obesity epidemic and no country is doing anything to find
a solution. For that reason, it is important for us all to advocate for
ourselves and figure out a solution which can effectively treat those
struggling with obesity.
Works Cited
Beshel, J, et al. “A Leptin Analog Locally Produced in the Brain
Acts via a Conserved Neural Circuit to Modulate Obesity-Linked Behaviors in
Drosophila.” Cell Metabolism., U.S. National Library of Medicine, 10
Jan. 2017, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28076762.
Overweight & Obesity. (2018, August 13). Retrieved from
https://www.cdc.gov/obesity/data/adult.html
Richtel, M. (2017, June 12). More Than 10 Percent of World’s
Population Is Obese, Study Finds. Retrieved from https://www.nytimes.com/2017/06/12/health/obesity-study-10-percent-globally.html
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