Nutrition: After watching this video, What are some of the challenges that were discussed in the film regarding obesity?

Watch this video:

 

https://youtu.be/BmcZRgWBdwQ

 

After watching this video,

1. What are some of the challenges that were discussed in the film regarding obesity?
2. How do these challenges impact health?
3. After watching Part 4, have your thoughts changed regarding personal choice and obesity?
4. Summarize your thoughts after watching Parts 1, 2 and 4 of “The Weight of the Nation” (Don’t worry…we will be getting to Part 3 in a few weeks).

This is the discussion of Part 1 of the videos,

 

The HBO series “The Weight of the Nation” is a riveting look at obesity in the United States, and how it affects all Americans, not just those that are overweight. In part 1 of this series entitled “Consequences”, the filmmakers gathered information as to the depth of the problem, and found that 18% of America’s children are considered obese (Epel, et al2015). The Center for Disease Control (CDC) found that 68.8% of adults are overweight or obese (Hoffman 2012), and that obesity is not just a problem, but an epidemic (Berenson 2012). I was floored by many of the theories and relevant data presented, and learned a great deal about the issue after watching the documentary.

The film shed light on how and why people become overweight or obese, and that no one wants to be in this category, and most don’t know how to combat the disease (Epel, et al 2015). I was especially surprised by the Bogalusa Heart Study (Berenson 2012) that collected data over a 39-year period (1973 – 2012), and found that most of the time, obesity, and a tendency to become overweight, begins in childhood. Furthermore, I did not realize until watching this film that an overabundance of fat cells affects virtually every part of the body in a negative way. This information shows that being overweight may not be a choice, but a condition exacerbated by genetics, poverty, access to healthy food, mental health, stress, and the general environment.

I was encouraged that many of those interviewed felt that this epidemic could be addressed successfully, especially by following the guidelines given that include a healthy diet, physical activity, a lean body mass index (BMI), optimal cholesterol, abstinence from smoking, and normal blood pressure to name a few. The fact that obesity is such a hardship on our health care system, and that it costs Medicare and Medicaid over 150 billion dollars a year to treat the disease, and related illnesses, really blew me away. That fact alone makes it everyone’s problem.

This is the discussion of Part 1 of the videos,

The focus of part 2 of the series was a very thorough look at dieting, how to go about it to keep it off, and why it is easier for some to do than others. The idea that dieters need to exercise not only for weight loss, but also stress reduction, was one I had heard before. But, the idea that each of us has a “set point” (Reiss 1992) that our body seeks to maintain intrigued me, and the evidence provided in the documentary was very compelling. Although it was a bit depressing that the slower you lose weight the more likely the chance you would keep it off, it was a relief to know that creating a new “normal” for your body by the slow and steady diet and exercise method could be achieved with diligence (Harris 1990).

Stress, family history, and economics were addressed is part 2 again, but in a bit more depth. The way that stress affects weight, our organs, our brain, and our lives in general was frightening, particularly when paired with trying to lose weight. Living in poverty was a precursor to obesity, which made sense since food choices can be limited by cost and availability. Because fresh, healthy foods are typically more expensive, it would be much harder to fit those foods in on a tight budget. Plus, money troubles are a huge cause of stress, making it even harder for impoverished people to lose weight. The fact we are constantly bombarded with ads on our phones, televisions, billboards, radios, newspapers and magazines, and social media for sugar-loaded soft drinks, sweets, high-fat foods, and alcohol eventually wear us down and we go for the short-term comfort of binging on these chemical-laden foods.

Mindful eating (Epel, et al 2015) specifically focuses on the link between eating and stress, and helps us differentiate between eating when we are really hungry, and not just because we are bored or stressed. Dr. Epel goes on to show how physical activity can reduce stress levels, therefore reducing stress eating. Exercise also makes us feel better and releases the opioids in our brain that make mindful eating easier to do in the short and long term.

The first two episodes of “The Weight of the Nation” have intrigued me, and I look forward to watching parts 3 and 4 to learn even more about body weight, and how to reach and maintain it. Although not overweight myself, family history, the stress of school, lack of cooking skills and a limited budget make me vulnerable to gaining weight, especially as I get older. I will use the tips in the documentary (Daininck 2006) to make sure that doesn’t happen.