Human Development- Psychological and SocialConsequences of Obesity Term Paper

Human Development- Psychological and SocialConsequences of Obesity - Term Paper Example evelopment, this study will first discuss basic information about obesity followed by discussing the psychological and social consequences of obesity. After discussing the factors that contributes to high rate of obesity, some of the recommended ways on how obese individuals can effectively control their weight will be tackled in details. Obesity is defined as â€Å"an excess of body fat that frequently lead to a significant impairment over a person’s health and longevity† (House of Commons Health Committee, 2004). In general, a normal weight is computed using the Body Mass Index (BMI) wherein the normal range for an adult should be between 18.5 to less than 25 (BMI 18.5 to 25 kg/m2). BMI measurement between the ranges of 25 to less than 30 (BMI 25 to 30 kg/m2) is considered overweight and BMI measurement that exceeds 30 (BMI ≠¥ 30 kg/m2) is considered obese. The application of BMI method is computed based on the height of a person and age including the waist circumference. Based on the computation result, obesity can be classified either as: (1) Class I (BMI 30 to 34.9 kg/m2); (2) Class II (BMI 35 to 39.9 kg/m2); and (3) Class III (BMI ≠¥ 40 kg/m2) (Berg, 2003; NHLBI, 1998). (See Appendix I – Body Mass Index on page 20) There are quite a number of techniques that can be used in measuring body fat. Among these techniques include the use of bioelectrical impedance, dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry, and the total volume of the body’s water content (Berg, 2003). Since these methods are quite impractical to use, medical practitioners simply adopt the BMI method. Aside from the use of BMI method, medical practitioners can also use the formula â€Å"weight in pounds divided by height in inches squared multiplied by 703 or weight in kilograms divided by height in meters squared† (Berg, 2003). Obesity is a serious health problem since it could lead to negative affects related to a person’s physical health, emotional well-being, and psychosocial functioning