Page 386 - Encyclopedia of Nursing Research

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Obesity is an emerging health care epidemic
Obesity affecting virtually all age and socioeconomic
groups (Meetoo, 2010). According to Li and
Hooker (2008), childhood obesity has been
Obesity is a chronic metabolic disease and is identified as the foremost predictor of obesity
characterized by an accumulation of excess in adolescence and is linked to adult obesity.
body fat caused by increased caloric intake There is clear evidence that if both parents
and decreased energy expenditure (Lazarou are obese, 80% of their children will be over-
& Kouta, 2010). It is a relatively new phenom- weight, with this risk being reduced to 40%
enon that has increased dramatically over if one parent is obese and if neither parent is
the past two decades and represents a rap- obese this is reduced to less than 10% (Dina,
idly growing problem to the health of popu- 2008). This trend suggests that this genera-
lations. It is influenced by a myriad of factors tion will enter adulthood already obese or a
and the primary modifiable contributors to risk of developing obesity-related diseases.
obesity are often attributed to fast food con- They may have a shorter life expectancy
sumption, sedentary lifestyles, and excess than their parents because of the impact of
energy consumption (Sargent & Moore, multiple health complications. Challenges
2009). Other contributing factors that have affecting pregnancy have been documented
been identified as causative links are genet- and maternal obesity affecting pregnant
ics, gender, aging, and environmental factors women contributes to a higher morbidity
(Burns et al., 2009). The primary reason obe- and mortality for both mothers and babies
sity is relevant to nursing practice is its rela- (Irwin, 2010). Prevalence of obesity among
tionship to health behaviors. Nurses have a older people is increasing and presents many
vital role in health promotion and continue complexities for the obese elderly (Flood &
to be in a key position to empower individu- Newman, 2007). In addition, it will become
als to take control over their health (Balsdon, a larger problem because of the rapid growth
2009). This is the goal of health promotion and of the elderly population worldwide.
is considered an implicit part of nursing. The The literature is filled with discussion
majority of nursing research on obesity has on the serious consequences of obesity and
focused on children, adolescent, and adult the impact it has on health-related qual-
populations although there is a small body ity of life. Obesity is associated with an
of research undertaken on the older adult. increased risk of several chronic diseases
The prevalence of obesity is continuing and life- threatening physical, social, and
to rise at an alarming rate in many parts of psychological health problems (Kremers
the world and is a major challenging pub- et al., 2009). Gooren (2008) suggests that 80%
lic health issue. The latest projections of the of obese adults have at least one associated
World Health Organization (2010) indicate disease and 40% have two or more asso-
that globally in 2005, 1.6 billion adults were ciated diseases, such as diabetes mellitus,
overweight and 400 million were obese, and cardiovascular disease, gallbladder disease,
that by 2015, 2.3 billion will be overweight respiratory diseases, sleep apnea, and cer-
and more than 700 million will be obese. tain forms of cancers (endometrial, breast,