by Michelle Wilkinson

Created on: November 06, 2008   Last Updated: March 15, 2010

In our society we are always looking for someone or something to blame for our problems. We seem to want to avoid taking responsibility for our actions and their consequences. Of course genetics plays a role in fuelling obesity, but by asserting that genetics is the predominant factor in a person's obesity, we are relieving such individuals of the need to take action. They become passive victims of an incurable disease.

It comes down to the old nature versus nurture debate. Obese children tend to have obese parents, who themselves often had obese parents. Is this because of poor genetic make-up, or the fact that obese parents make poor choices which they inflict upon their children who do not know any better, and then go on to consider such choices as being the norm?

Genetics influences how likely a person is to gain weight, how easy it will be for them to lose weight, how fast they burn calories and how likely they are store to fat. However, the genetic make-up of the human race has not changed so dramatically in the past few centuries as to account for the huge increase in obesity which has beset the western world.

More significant to the rising obesity levels of the West is the environment in which people are raised. If individuals are fed a rich, unhealthy, highly calorific diet and take very little exercise, then they are likely to end up overweight. It is hard for parents to make the right choices for their children when they cannot even make the right choices for themselves. Consequently, overweight children become obese adults, believing their lifestyle an appropriate one because it is all they know. This is not helped by fast-food outlets which have gradually increased portion sizes so that people have a completely distorted of what constitutes an appropriate-sized meal.

Obesity breeds obesity in that living with overweight people makes it easier to regard being overweight as normal, which only adds to the difficulty of getting fitter and healthier by losing weight. Indeed, surveys have conducted in which people underestimated their weight, not even realising they were overweight (using Body Mass Index as an indicator). Everything from clothes to hospital beds to toilets are being adapted to fit larger people, instead of dealing with the fundamental issue of obesity.

This is not surprising, as weight tends to be a sensitive issue for most obese people, and losing weight requires a complete lifestyle overhaul for most people. People who have weight problems are likely to continue to have psychological issues with their weight, regardless of how slim or fat they are. We live in a society which has a very narrow definition of what is regarded as acceptable, particularly when it comes to weight. With so much emphasis on being skinny, it is no wonder that many obese people have low self esteem, which in turn, increases their reliance on food as an emotional crutch.

Such issues have nothing to do with genetics, but rather the society we live in. People should be encouraged to take personal responsibility for their actions and realise what they put into their mouths and how much exercise they do contributes to their health and well-being. It is not simply a matter of weight, but rather being healthy and feeling good about yourself.

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