Controversies in Obesity


Book Description

This book explores the pathophysiology, clinical assessment and management of the obese patient in the context of serious chronic disease, as well as the political and environmental aspects, including prevention. The book's approach of arriving at an exploration of these issues through the vehicle of assessing the controversies is unique and interesting, attempting to debunk the myths and explore the genuine science whilst demonstrating areas where healthy debate is rife.




Childhood Obesity Prevention


Book Description

Childhood obesity is an international public health concern, with a high profile in both the media and government policy. Controversial issues in the prevention of childhood obesity need to be considered early in the development of school, clinical or community prevention programs, as these issues are often the ones that promote the success or failure of attempts to ameliorate the problem at hand. This book combines health education theory, research, and practice to guide researchers, students, educators, community health workers and practitioners in the prevention of childhood obesity and the promotion of child and adolescent health and well-being. It examines controversy in childhood obesity, including the link with poverty and the difficulty of addressing obesity whilst also tackling the issue of eating disorders. The prevalence of childhood obesity is covered, with international chapters examining the importance of factors such as social class and ethnic differences, and global and local trends are identified. Approaches to prevention are presented, and the book concludes with the successful outcome of various interventions, demonstrating how the whole school community can collaborate to promote health among young people.







The Challenge of Treating Obesity and Overweight


Book Description

The Roundtable on Obesity Solutions of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine held a workshop in Washington, DC, on April 6, 2017, titled The Challenge of Treating Obesity and Overweight: A Workshop. The discussions covered treatments for obesity, overweight, and severe obesity in adults and children; emerging treatment opportunities; the development of a workforce for obesity treatments; payment and policy considerations; and promising paths to move forward. This publication summarizes the presentations and discussions from the workshop.




Energy Balance and Obesity


Book Description

Understanding the relationship between energy balance and obesity is essential to develop effective prevention programs and policies. The International Agency for Research on Cancer convened a Working Group of world-leading experts in December 2015 to review the evidence regarding energy balance and obesity, with a focus on low- and middle-income countries, and to consider the following scientific questions: (i) Are the drivers of the obesity epidemic related only to energy excess and/or do specific foods or nutrients play a major role in this epidemic? (ii) What are the factors that modulate these associations? (iii) Which types of data and/or studies will further improve our understanding? This book provides summaries of the evidence from the literature as well as the Working Group's conclusions and recommendations to tackle the global epidemic of obesity.




Weight Bias


Book Description

Discrimination based on body shape and size remains commonplace in today's society. This important volume explores the nature, causes, and consequences of weight bias and presents a range of approaches to combat it. Leading psychologists, health professionals, attorneys, and advocates cover such critical topics as the barriers facing obese adults and children in health care, work, and school settings; how to conceptualize and measure weight-related stigmatization; theories on how stigma develops; the impact on self-esteem and health, quite apart from the physiological effects of obesity; and strategies for reducing prejudice and bringing about systemic change.




XL Love


Book Description

With two out of every three Americans overweight or obese, it’s all hands on deck--scientists are studying how excess fat changes physical and mental health, demographers are calculating how it’s shortening life spans, and economists are debating the impact it has on America’s productivity and global competitiveness. But how weight affects intimacy and sexuality is barely discussed. Yet it’s a question of high importance for the tens of millions of Americans who are overweight or obese and having difficulty sexually and romantically. It is changing and complicating the mating game and married life alike; stunting the ability of young people to find happiness; and tipping some heavy, but otherwise happy, couples into divorce. For many, a larger body has meant a more troubled mind: a decline in sexual quality, an increase in self-loathing, and a tendency to let these factors stand in the way of love. In XL Love, Varney travels the country and tells the personal stories of men and women who are experiencing what millions of others feel every day, along with the stories of those who are in the business of helping them: physicians, researchers, scientists, psychologists, sociologists, and more. Analytic and immersive, personal and eye-opening, XL Love tackles the question: How is sex changing in America as the shape of Americans changes?




Anesthetic Management of the Obese Surgical Patient


Book Description

The global obesity epidemic is growing in severity, affecting people of every age and costing healthcare providers millions of dollars every year. Every day, anesthesiologists are presented with obese and morbidly obese patients undergoing every type of surgical procedure; the management of these patients differs significantly from that of normal weight patients undergoing the same procedure. Anesthetic Management of the Obese Surgical Patient discusses these specific management issues within each surgical specialty area. Initial chapters describe pre-operative assessment and pharmacology; these are followed by detailed chapters on the anesthetic management of a wide variety of surgical procedures, from joint replacement to open heart surgery. Essential reading for anesthesiologists and nurse anesthetists worldwide, Anesthetic Management of the Obese Surgical Patient and its companion work by the same authors, Morbid Obesity: Peri-operative Management, enable both trainees and practised professionals to manage this complex patient group effectively.




Controversies in Public Health and Health Policy


Book Description

This unique text engages students in learning about public health and health policy through a study of current controversies. The textbook uses a structured format to examine each controversy, with discussion questions, and additional learning resources. Many issues connect public health and health care, an important perspective given the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act and health system changes at the state level. To get to the root of the controversy . and gain insight as to what must be done to advance the health issue, learners must grasp the breadth and scope of the issue and evidence-base for prevention, dissect out root causes and barriers, then propose strategies for progress. Some of the topics covered include: the acceptance of obesity as a cultural norm; e-cigarettes; binge drinking on college campuses; prescription drug abuse; antibiotic resistance; gun control; preventing concussions; climate change; and more. -- Publisher.




Food Addiction, Obesity, and Disorders of Overeating


Book Description

This book is written for providers of broad training backgrounds, and aims to help those who care for people with EDs, overweight and obesity provide evidence-based care. The goal of the book is to provide these providers with a straightforward resource summarizing the current standard of care. However, it goes further by also introducing the concept of food addiction (FA) as a model to understand some forms of overeating. This book discusses the pros and cons of embracing FA and reviews the evidence for and against the validity and utility of FA. By doing so, the chapters convey a “middle ground” approach to help people with obesity, BED, and bulimia nervosa plus FA symptomatology who also want to lose weight. The text discusses FA by reviewing several of the main ongoing controversies associated with the construct. It reviews both the clinical and neuroscientific evidence that some individuals’ eating behavior mirrors that seen in substance use disorders (SUD), such as how their relationship with food appears to be “addictive”. Chapters also discuss how many of the mechanisms known to underlie SUDs appear to drive overeating in animal models and humans. Finally, the text argues that the similarities between the brain mechanisms of addictive disorders and overeating behavior has the potential to open up new avenues for current treatment and treatment development. Food Addiction, Obesity and Disorders of Overeating: An Evidence-Based Assessment and Clinical Guide is suited for both medical and mental health practitioners, including physicians in primary care or psychiatry, nurses, psychologists, social workers, medical students and medical residents. It could also be utilized by researchers in obesity and ED fields, stimulating ideas for future research and study design.