Science of Obesity

• Disability is an umbrella term, covering impairments, activity limitations, and participation restrictions.
• Impairment is a problem in body function or structure.
• Activity limitation is a difficulty encountered by an individual in executing a task or action.
• Participation restriction is a problem experienced by an individual in involvement in life situations.
• The primary cause for obesity is the genetic predisposition to gain weight to an unhealthy degree: genetics.
• Enzymes/hormonal changes in the body that causes weight gain can lead to Leptin, an appetite-reducing hormone, not working in many obese individuals, which is an impairment in the body.
• Activity limitation is a problem encountered by an individual in executing a task or action.
• Discrimination against obese individuals would require amending human rights legislation, which is considered special treatment.
• Many people view obesity as a matter of laziness or poor life decisions.
• Disability definition: An umbrella term, covering impairments, activity limitations, and participation restrictions
• Impairment: problem in body function or structure
• Activity limitation: difficulty encountered by an individual in executing a task or action
• Participation restriction: a problem experienced by an individual in involvement in life situations
• Obesity is a condition of abnormal or excessive fat accumulation in adipose tissue, to the extent that health is impaired
• Pro argument: Obesity is caused by genetic predisposition to gain weight to an unhealthy degree
• Enzymes/hormonal changes in the body, such as the malfunctioning of the appetite-reducing hormone leptin, contribute to weight gain in many obese individuals
• Obesity can limit an individual's ability to execute tasks or actions
• Obesity can restrict an individual's involvement in life situations
• Discrimination against obese individuals would require amending human rights legislation to provide special treatment
• Con argument: Some people view obesity as a result of laziness or poor life decisions
• Genetics play a significant role in obesity, with children of obese parents being more likely to become obese
• Genetic factors may account for as much as 70% of the variance in body-mass index
• The Western diet promotes insulin resistance in overweight and obese individuals, leading to energy being stored in fat cells instead of being available for use
• Under different environmental conditions, different estimates of heritability of obesity may be obtained