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Lynda Humaran, MPH, Nicole Marie Headley, MPH, Hazel Emily Hooker, MPH, Chandria Denise Jones, MPH, and Janice Lachhman, MPH. Robert R. Stempel School of Public Health, Florida International University, 11200 SW 8th Street, VH 216, Miami, FL 33199, (305) 348-4903, lhuma001@fiu.edu
Obesity all over the world is increasing at astounding rates resulting in serious health consequences. The global prevalence of obesity exceeds 300 million persons. A comprehensive review of the current literature has identified several factors implicated in the rise of the obesity pandemic: changes in societal structure of developing nations such as globalization of the food market, increase in urbanization, and economic restructuring. In addition to these findings, our research recognized trends in obesity as they relate to the global burden of disease with implications suggesting that public health professionals change focus from an individual to a population-based community-intervention program aimed at the primary prevention of obesity. Programs need to focus on health promoting activities to raise awareness of the risk factors for obesity among healthy people. The results from our research will facilitate the creation, improvement, and implementation of programs for the prevention of obesity. Moreover, we have identified a number of areas where our understanding of obesity needs to be improved. Novel approaches to the management of obesity and assessing the impact of obesity in terms of direct health costs and indirect costs should be examined in future research.
Learning Objectives:
Keywords: International Public Health, Obesity
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.