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Madison Wooden

Prof. Pettay

ENG 112

21 March 2024

Rogerian Essay

Obesity is an undoubtedly massive issue that affects countless people globally every day.

Nevertheless, a solution is not merely acknowledging the problem but instead understanding the

fundamental issues and approaching a balanced and humanistic solution that values health and

empowerment over blame and shame. Obesity is related to several health problems, such as

cardiovascular problems, type 2 diabetes, some cancers, and psychological problems. The

healthcare costs imposed by obesity and obesity-related illnesses are massive, from an economic

standpoint — obesity and overweight are among the leading reasons for death.

The classification of obesity as a disease has been a topic of heated controversy

among the medical and public health community. While proponents argue that the categorization

of obesity as a disease can afford the recognition and help people affected by it deserve, others

believe that calling obesity a disease is too reductionist and may have unforeseen consequences.

For some, labeling obesity as a disease is an excuse that ‘devalues discipline, sound nutrition,

and physical activity’ and turns people with weight problems into disease victims . “The

relationship between health and body weight is not as simple as our society might like to hear,”

(Kelvas) researchers claim. While mobility patterns and the consumption of more calories than a
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body uses are commonly cited as underlying reasons, it is clear that the sources of obesity are

deeper. Genetics, socioeconomic conditions, cultural determinants, food availability, and other

factors profoundly influence the outcome of body weight. Thus, the classifying of obesity as a

disease is an incomplete argument that does not shed light on the full extent of its origins. Not all

obese patients have lethal problems, which further weakens the claim that obesity is a universally

harmful state. Indeed, research has shown that regular physical activity and lifestyle changes can

reduce most of the hazardous impacts of obesity among obese patients. In fact, several

apparently healthy people have “metabolically healthy obesity” – meaning that they do not have

an adverse impact on chronic diseases. Thus, an exclusive focus on weight does not provide the

full range of variation in its health effects. Rather, the classification of obesity as a disease

requires a critical look in the future. However numerous health consequences of obesity, it is a

complex and multifaceted problem.

The American culture of personal responsibility and individual choice as it relates

to health has also been studied in sociological contexts. That is the topic of a 2020 study that was

published in the Perspectives in Psychological Science: “The United States suffers high rates of

preventable lifestyle disease despite widespread calls for people to take responsibility for their

health” . Viewing obesity as a medical condition may only further promote the stigma and

discrimination of people who suffer from it. The notion of obesity as pathological normalizes

negative stereotypes and bias which results in passive discrimination among the general public,

in healthcare and workplace conditions, and even in families . In addition, obesity as a disease

reiterates the language of personal responsibility and blame, which is often supplemented with

shame and guilt . Stigmatization may also counteract the claims of managing obesity, as it

promotes disordered eating behavior.

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My opinion is that obesity does not result from eating and exercising too much.

Obesity is a disease with genetic, environmental, socioeconomic, and psychological components.

This perspective opens the door to greater and more detailed investigation and much more

coordinated treatment than increasing revolving credit and specialist support for weight

reduction. Because people with obesity are so harshly penalized and stigmatized, it is even

harder for them to seek medical care and find a way to approve them. Studies have indicated that

obesity causes hormonal, metabolic, and neurobiological differences that lead to excessive

weight gain and the inability to maintain much weight reduction. Genetic predisposition is the

most significant factor in determining who is vulnerable to obesity. This suggests that effective

therapies and prevention strategies need to be tailored to fit people genetically motivated to be

obese. Obesogenic conditions in the neighborhood, extreme impecuniosity limiting access to

normal fused nutrition foodstuffs, and local community environments all affect obesity in

sub-groups. Treating obesity as a malfunction and believing that as soon as wellness is achieved,

the duty for obesity willpower and embarrassing conservation will disappear.incare is left to the

patients. The obesity epidemic will not prevent its continuous rise, or the fiscal and coercive

costs associated with its complications, unless it is formally described as a malfunction and

properly treated. Understanding obesity as a malfunction and prioritizing both scientific and

environmental factors enables us to develop more accessible abolition and support strategies.

Together, we prioritize kindness and comfort the more politically acclimated fabric for a

courteous and comprehensive association for all body clothing.

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The proposal I have develop works to explore the issues of complexity when it

comes to classifying obesity but also make a stand that addresses all the facets of the issue, from

the multifactorial background ability of obesity to the implications of labeling it either a disease

or a condition to the other potential frameworks that could be used to understand and address

obesity. There are similar things that physicians and healthcare workers need to do in order to get

there. First, compare and finalize different ways of addressing the classification of obesity, which

can include disease model, social determinants, and weight-inclusive frameworks, conducting a

comparative analysis of each, and implication-based learning for the public health workers .

Second, conduct work with multiple stakeholders who can have an impact on the classificational

issue, the field of work should include healthcare and public health professionals, people who

used to have obesity or are having it now, policymakers, and special interest groups. Third,

review all the existing literature related to the issue, be it based on the research or policy .

Fourth, synthesize all the findings into a conclusive recommendation that will consider all the

learned facets and covers. Therefore, I work for: A holistic health model: a way of thinking, seen

from the model type, but often focusing on all the aspects of the patient's well-being, rather than

disease reduction. Equity decisions: as an approach to policymaking that is based on the premise

of fair outcomes and closing the gap between social groups. Social justice issues: an underlying

premise of addressing the structural problems as a way to improve the social condition. Because

obesity is a multifaceted issue in both the background and implication, health, and social issues,

holistic approaches that see well beyond the medical process limitations, and boundary-restricted

assumptions can provide real, new better balanced ways of addressing the challenge.
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In conclusion, obesity is to be recognized as a disease based on its physiological

intricacy, impact on systems, and severe consequences for individual health and society as a

whole. Diseasing obesity recognizes its multifactorial cause and prioritizes multilevel approaches

to prevention, treatment, and control. Recognition of obesity as a disease eliminates the stigma

and promotes awareness and empowerment for lifestyle change and medical attainment. Efforts

to address obesity as a disease are the only way to overcome its harmful health outcomes and

improve the lives of people and communities globally.

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Works Cited

Kelvas, Danielle. “Why Body Weight or BMI Isn’t an Indicator of Health.” Why Body Weight or

BMI Isn’t an Indicator of Health, Within, 19 Aug. 2023,

withinhealth.com/learn/articles/why-body-weight-isnt-an-indicator-of-health.

“Why Obesity Is a Disease: Unpacking the Controversy and Causes.” Obesity Medicine

Association, 30 Dec. 2023,

obesitymedicine.org/blog/why-is-obesity-a-disease/#:~:text=It%20opens%2C%20%E2%80%9C

The%20United%20States,to%20parks%20and%20recreation%20departments.

Blūher, Matthias. “Metabolically Healthy Obesity.” OUP Academic, Oxford University Press, 4

Mar. 2020, academic.oup.com/edrv/article/41/3/bnaa004/5780090#.

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