Health, Economic, and Social Consequences of Obesity
Health, Economic, and Social Consequences of Obesity
This chapter examines the health, economic, and social consequences of obesity. Being overweight or obese carries multifaceted consequences, both obvious and hidden, for individuals, families, communities, and society. These conditions are important not only because they influence our physical appearance in a society that worships “thinness” but also because of the effects of excessive weight on our quality of life. Obesity actually goes far beyond being considered a public health condition. The costs and consequences of excessive weight have a profound impact on all spheres of daily life. These consequences manifest a range of severity levels depending upon a host of factors such as socioeconomic status, age, neighborhood characteristics, race, and ethnicity. This chapter assesses the magnitude of obesity's health costs, financial costs, and social costs to individuals, families, communities, and the nation from a multifaceted perspective, along with the implications of such costs for the social work profession.
Keywords: overweight, obesity, excessive weight, health costs, financial costs, social costs, families, communities, social work
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