PUBLIC HEALTH CONSIDERATIONS REGARDING OBESITY

Course overview

OBESITY IS AN ALARMINGLY INCREASING GLOBAL PUBLIC HEALTH ISSUE. SEVERAL COUNTRIES WORLDWIDE HAVE WITNESSED A DOUBLE OR TRIPLE ESCALATION IN THE PREVALENCE OF OBESITY IN THE LAST THREE DECADES, PROBABLY DUE TO URBANIZATION, SEDENTARY LIFESTYLE, AND INCREASE CONSUMPTION OF HIGH-CALORIE PROCESSED FOOD. THE ALARMING INCREASE IN CHILDHOOD OBESITY FORESHOWS A TREMENDOUS BURDEN OF CHRONIC DISEASE PREVENTION IN THE FUTURE PUBLIC HEALTHCARE SYSTEMS WORLDWIDE. OBESITY PREVENTION IS A CRITICAL FACTOR IN CONTROLLING OBESITY-RELATED NON-COMMUNICABLE DISEASES (OR-NCDS), INCLUDING DIABETES, CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE, STROKE, HYPERTENSION, CANCER, AND PSYCHOLOGICAL PROBLEMS. THIS ACTIVITY REVIEWS THE PUBLIC HEALTH CONSIDERATIONS IN OBESITY AND HIGHLIGHTS THE ROLE OF THE INTERPROFESSIONAL TEAM IN DEVELOPING PUBLIC HEALTH STRATEGIES FOR THE MANAGEMENT AND PREVENTION OF THIS CONDITION.