The complexity of obesity

Discussion paper


Drury, T., Whiteman, S. and Duffy, L. 2020. The complexity of obesity. City Fiction.
TypeDiscussion paper
TitleThe complexity of obesity
AuthorsDrury, T., Whiteman, S. and Duffy, L.
Abstract

The challenges to the health and well-being of the United Kingdom’s people, both adults and children, is far greater than COVID-19. There is a tsunami of evidence that the battle is being lost, this despite a range of valiant initiatives in the National Health Service, in Primary Care, in Local Government and the range of charities of varying agendas. It is an exciting development that the Prime Minister is making the fight against obesity a personal mission.
However, collectively, is it enough to overcome what the Department of Health and Social Care refer to as ‘one of the greatest long-term health challenges this country faces’?
Whilst the basic issue can be presented in simplistic (and accurate terms) – obesity is the consequence of excessive fat in the human body – and the remedy – eat fewer calories than you expend to lose weight – is, likewise, practical – the complexities, in terms of physiological, psychological and social dimensions – are truly frightening.
There is no escape from the realities of the situation. Millions of adults and many children have a clinical Body Mass Index (‘BMI’) of over 30 which results in them being diagnosed as obese. The terms are fully described in our brochure, ‘The Obesity Crisis’ as are the possible consequences. The threats to individual health are many. While type 2 diabetes tends to grab the headlines there are many more in terms of physiological wear and tear (the waiting list for hip replacement operations grows ever longer), in circulatory
complications and many more.
The social manifestations are there to be seen. Society is trying very hard to cater for those with excessive weight issues – accesses to public places, seating on planes, improved bed construction and so on.
One of the consequences of the many and regular media presentations on the topic, whether it is a new approach to dietary programmes, a revolutionary slimming plan or encouragement to take more regular exercise, is to emphasise the reality that vast numbers want to lose weight. To do that they must consume less calories than they expend so the body has to call on its reserves and weight is reduced. Simple.
Except it isn’t simple. Overcoming hunger is perhaps one of the hardest challenges a person can face. Some will benefit from the various ideas and aids being introduced. Some will find the motivation perhaps as a consequence of a chat with the doctor. Some will be scared into doing it as the reality of hospital intervention looms. A few will resort to bariatric surgery.
But most won’t lose weight which is why there is a health crisis. [...]

PublisherCity Fiction
Publication dates
Print28 Oct 2020
Publication process dates
Deposited29 Oct 2020
Output statusPublished
Web address (URL)https://stoppingobesity.co.uk/downloads/the-obesity-killer.pdf
LanguageEnglish
Permalink -

https://repository.mdx.ac.uk/item/8926x

Restricted files

Accepted author manuscript

  • 63
    total views
  • 0
    total downloads
  • 5
    views this month
  • 0
    downloads this month

Export as

Related outputs

The effect of skill level on darts throwers’ use of different mental skills
Shahabi Haseb, M., Duffy, L., Mehranian, A. and Aminaee, A. 2019. The effect of skill level on darts throwers’ use of different mental skills. International Journal of Motor Control and Learning. 2 (3), pp. 3-12. https://doi.org/10.29252/ijmcl.2.3.3
There's a beautiful game in social isolation [Blog post]
Duffy, L. and Baluch, B. 2020. There's a beautiful game in social isolation [Blog post]. online platform based in the United Kingdom Psychreg.
I just can't let them go: Dartitis is an extremely debilitating disorder [Blog post]
Duffy, L. 2019. I just can't let them go: Dartitis is an extremely debilitating disorder [Blog post]. online platform based in the United Kingdom Psychreg.
Rugby as a rehabilitation program in a United Kingdom male young offenders' institution: key findings and implications from mixed methods research
Welland, S., Duffy, L. and Baluch, B. 2020. Rugby as a rehabilitation program in a United Kingdom male young offenders' institution: key findings and implications from mixed methods research. Journal of Exercise Rehabilitation. 16 (1), pp. 78-87. https://doi.org/10.12965/jer.1938726.363
Defining extreme sport: conceptions and misconceptions
Cohen, R., Baluch, B. and Duffy, L. 2018. Defining extreme sport: conceptions and misconceptions. Frontiers in Psychology. 9. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2018.01974
Personality differences amongst drag racers and archers: implications for sport injury rehabilitation
Cohen, R., Baluch, B. and Duffy, L. 2018. Personality differences amongst drag racers and archers: implications for sport injury rehabilitation. Journal of Exercise Rehabilitation. 14 (5), pp. 783-790. https://doi.org/10.12965/jer.1836350.175
A cross-continental study on children's drawings of football players: implications for understanding key issues and controversies in human figure drawings
Baluch, B., Duffy, L., Badami, R. and Pereira, E. 2017. A cross-continental study on children's drawings of football players: implications for understanding key issues and controversies in human figure drawings. Europe’s Journal of Psychology. 13 (3), pp. 455-471. https://doi.org/10.5964/ejop.v13i3.1237
Effects of physical activity on debilitating behaviours in 13- to 20-year-old males with severe autism spectrum disorder
Duffy, L., Baluch, B., Welland, S. and Raman, E. 2017. Effects of physical activity on debilitating behaviours in 13- to 20-year-old males with severe autism spectrum disorder. Journal of Exercise Rehabilitation. 13 (3), pp. 340-347. https://doi.org/10.12965/jer.1734960.480
Dropout reasons in Iranian youth roller skaters
Heydari, H., Badami, R., Baluch, B. and Duffy, L. 2014. Dropout reasons in Iranian youth roller skaters. International journal of Science Culture and Sport. 2 (4), pp. 89-102. https://doi.org/10.14486/ijscs214
The perception of same gender coaches by Iranian skaters and its influence on sport achievement motivation and commitment
Homayoni Izad, N., Badami, R., Baluch, B. and Duffy, L. 2016. The perception of same gender coaches by Iranian skaters and its influence on sport achievement motivation and commitment. International journal of Science Culture and Sport. 4 (1), pp. 1-13. https://doi.org/10.14486/IntJSCS489
Depressive symptoms in cricketers: the relationship with neuroticism, fear of failure and emotional intelligence
Newman, H. and Duffy, L. 2015. Depressive symptoms in cricketers: the relationship with neuroticism, fear of failure and emotional intelligence. 14th European Congress of Sport Psychology (FEPSAC Congress 2015). Bern, Switzerland 14 - 19 Jul 2015 University of Bern, Institut of Sport Science. pp. 370
Darts
Duffy, L., Dodo, Z., Zekic, J., Jovanovic, M. and Sporiš, G. 2015. Darts. in: Darts Croatian Darts Federation.
Children’s drawings of world cup football players: a cross-continental study
Duffy, L., Baluch, B., Badami, R. and Pereira, E. 2014. Children’s drawings of world cup football players: a cross-continental study. in: The British Psychological Society Developmental Conference Amsterdam BPS.
Social facilitation and individual performance - an investigation of dart players
Duffy, L. and Steinberg, H. 1996. Social facilitation and individual performance - an investigation of dart players. in: British Psychological Society Sport and Exercise Section Workshop BPS.
Factors affecting the structure and acquisition of expert performance in sport: evidence from darts
Duffy, L., Baluch, B. and Ericsson, K. 1999. Factors affecting the structure and acquisition of expert performance in sport: evidence from darts. in: Factors Affecting the Structure and Acquisition of Expert Performance in Sport: Evidence from Darts. V1 European Congress of Psychology.
The nature of gender differences in dart performance.
Duffy, L., Baluch, B. and Ericsson, K. 2001. The nature of gender differences in dart performance. in: Proceedings of the 10th. World Congress of Sport Psychology. World Congress of Spoprt Psychology.
Signing the organ donor card: the relationship between expressed attitude, the actual behavior, and personality traits
Baluch, B., Randhawa, G., Holmes, S. and Duffy, L. 2001. Signing the organ donor card: the relationship between expressed attitude, the actual behavior, and personality traits. The Journal of Social Psychology. 141 (1), pp. 124-126. https://doi.org/10.1080/00224540109600530
Children's memory for television advertising: effects of programme-advertisement congruency
Gunter, B., Baluch, B., Duffy, L. and Furnham, A. 2002. Children's memory for television advertising: effects of programme-advertisement congruency. Applied Cognitive Psychology. 16 (2), pp. 171-190. https://doi.org/10.1002/acp.776
In search of the loci for sex differences in throwing
Duffy, L., Ericsson, A. and Baluch, B. 2007. In search of the loci for sex differences in throwing. Research Quarterly for Exercise and Sport. 78 (2), pp. 71-78. https://doi.org/10.1080/02701367.2007.10599405
Dropout reasons in Iranian youth roller skaters
Heydari, H., Badami, R., Baluch, B. and Duffy, L. 2014. Dropout reasons in Iranian youth roller skaters. International journal of Science Culture and Sport. 2 (4), pp. 89-102. https://doi.org/10.14486/IJSCS214
Human figure drawings by children in hospital and mainstream schools
Nyman, K., Baluch, B. and Duffy, L. 2011. Human figure drawings by children in hospital and mainstream schools. International Journal of Health Promotion and Education. 49 (1), pp. 21-26. https://doi.org/10.1080/14635240.2011.10708203
British and Indian attitudes toward ‘Western’ counselling: a quantitative comparative study
Syed, S., Baluch, B., Duffy, L. and Verma, V. 2012. British and Indian attitudes toward ‘Western’ counselling: a quantitative comparative study. Counselling psychology quarterly. 25 (1), pp. 63-72. https://doi.org/10.1080/09515070.2012.664959
Gender differences in target throwing skills and dart playing performance: evidence from elite dart players
Duffy, L. 2002. Gender differences in target throwing skills and dart playing performance: evidence from elite dart players. PhD thesis Middlesex University Health and Social Sciences
Dart performance as a function of facets of practice amongst professional and amateur men and women players
Duffy, L., Baluch, B. and Ericsson, K. 2004. Dart performance as a function of facets of practice amongst professional and amateur men and women players. International Journal of Sport Psychology. 35 (3), pp. 232-245.
Signing the organ donor card: the relationship between expressed attitude, the actual behavior and personality traits
Baluch, B., Randhawa, G., Holmes, S. and Duffy, L. 2001. Signing the organ donor card: the relationship between expressed attitude, the actual behavior and personality traits. Journal of Social Psychology. 14 (1), pp. 124-126.
Children’s memory for television advertising: effects of programme–advertisement congruency.
Gunter, B., Baluch, B., Duffy, L. and Furnham, A. 2002. Children’s memory for television advertising: effects of programme–advertisement congruency. Applied Cognitive Psychology. 16 (2), pp. 171-190. https://doi.org/10.1002/acp.776
In search of the loci for sex differences in throwing: the effects of physical size and differential recruitment rates on high levels of dart performance.
Duffy, L., Ericsson, K. and Baluch, B. 2007. In search of the loci for sex differences in throwing: the effects of physical size and differential recruitment rates on high levels of dart performance. Research Quarterly for Exercise and Sport. 78 (1), pp. 71-78.
Drawings of self and best friend by children undergoing dialysis
Nyman, K., Baluch, B., Duffy, L. and Shinebourne, P. 2011. Drawings of self and best friend by children undergoing dialysis. Education and Health. 29 (1).
Home field advantage: does anxiety contribute?
Duffy, L. and Hinwood, D. 1997. Home field advantage: does anxiety contribute? Perceptual and Motor Skills. 84 (1), pp. 283-286. https://doi.org/10.2466/pms.1997.84.1.283