Obesity and Self-Esteem Essay - 969 Words

Today obesity is talked about as a major physical health problem. It can cause diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, immobilization, and many other problems. However many articles fail to mention what is one of the most important and most destructive problems. This is the effect of obesity on one’s mental health and wellbeing. Being excessively overweight usually instills in it’s victims a sense of self worthlessness and gives them a very negative self-image. This can lead to an array of problems that affect the person in a way that is much more direct and difficult to deal with than physical problems. While the problem is known to affect men, it strikes women much more often. The models and celebrities in the media that set the†¦show more content†¦Also, she states that more importance has now been placed on how women’s bodies look in the nude because of fashion magazines and commercial images instead of how women look under layers of body enhancing clothing (p.6). â€Å"Obesity is not simply a cosmetic disorder,† state Jeffrey Koplan and William Dietz in their article â€Å"Caloric Imbalance and Public Health Policy† (p.1). These physicians fail throughout the entire article to truly mention the mental effects of being overweight; they just seem to think that being fat is a small problem when it comes to looks. This is just one of many examples that have disgusted people who are experts on mental health and society’s pressures. â€Å"Like other minorities, fat people are seen as throwbacks to a more primitive time,† states Schwartz (p.3). Obese individuals and populations are looked at as inferior, lazy, self-indulging, and out of control. A revolutionary type of assertion is made by Schwartz in his article. He states that if it were a fat society, people would live longer, happier lives because they would be more comfortable in their own bodies (p.5). This completely contradicts what virtually every medical study in existence says, but it may be right. There is one example of how this works in America; in the 1960’s Roseto, Pennsylvania had a population of nearly 1,700 people, almost all of whom were obese, and there is hardly a recorded case of obesity related troubles (SchwartzShow MoreRelatedObesity, Self Esteem, Depression Essay1172 Words   |  5 PagesObesity has been a life long struggle. While myself and fifty percent of adults in the United States are battling obesity, the psychological effects have become larger than the obesity itself. Not only are we forced to deal with the physical effects of being overweight, I, like others have had to overcome the psychological effects as well. Low self est eem has been a challenge and has ultimately fueled my bout with depression. Although obesity, low self esteem, and depression are three separateRead MoreEssay on Impact of Obesity on Self-confidence and Self-esteem1053 Words   |  5 PagesStates, have been gaining more and more weight. Obesity is rapidly becoming an epidemic in our youngsters lives. Whether its all the fast food or lack of exercise, adults and especially children are heavier than ever. This increase in the national girth is giving way to such debilitating and chronic disease diabetes, joint and muscle ailments, and even heart disease. 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As children are growing with obesityRead MoreThe Social Consequences Of Being Obese905 Words   |  4 Pagesperceptions that obese individuals are alone responsible and that the gain or loss of weight is under their personal control. It is al so a misconception that all obese individuals are seen as lazy and lack the value of self-control. This may then reinforce beliefs that the cause of obesity is a result of out-of-control behaviour and impulses (Puhl Brownell 2003). However, this is not a real reflection of reality as obese individuals are not they only people who are unhealthy, has an unhealthy body weightRead MoreThe Psychological And Physical Effects Of Obesity1325 Words   |  6 PagesName: Obesity To determine whether obesity is a kind of disease, we need to understand the psychological and physical effect of obesity. Based on our daily experience, I can find that the effect is obvious and significant. 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