Home
>
Weight Loss
>
Obesity ? The Underlying Historic Causes

Obesity ? The Underlying Historic Causes

The scourge of obesity has reached such gigantic proportions across the world that it is now termed as globesity. The obesity is now accepted as a global epidemic and governments are pouring in money and resources to fight this menace, which is quietly swallowing the economic gains of a country.

Obesity is a relatively a new disease which has become widespread only in the past 50 years. Research in US indicates an increase of 1 % obesity levels every year for the past 20 years and this rate 100 % of US population would be overweight by the year 2040. Rest of the world is not far behind what with globalization. The work culture, global fast food chains, carbonated colas and beverages having spread across every country in the world corrupting the good food habits of the world.

One must understand the underlying historic causes and trends that have brought about obesity to combat it effectively individually as a society.

What are the trends that have resulted in obesity to reach such proportions?

The changing work culture:

Industrial revolution ushered in the automation and assembly line cultures where people were required to perform tasks with the least waste of movement, assembling maybe a single part or piece of an equipment or product possibly throughout their working tenure.

Extra and unwanted movements were strictly controlled even to the extent of limiting breaks for rest and restrooms. This resulted in low physical activity.

The 9 to 5 fixed work culture with strictures on leaves and holidays further brought about a reduction in social interaction to the minimal. Performing mechanical tasks for most part of the day, the employees were mentally tired with no social outlet. To make up for an uninspiring and mechanical work environment people began to find snacking and watching endless soap operas and sporting events as an alternative.

Improvement in Transportation

Improvement in the mode of transportation speeded up life to an extent that people spent more time working and commuting longer distances to find work. There is little need to walk distances. The improvement in transportation from cars to subways to flying sometimes even on a daily basis leading to insufficient physical and metabolic activity. The pace of life became accelerated thousand fold compared to the laid-back 18th century lifestyles. This resulted in high stress leading to an increased craving for carbohydrates and high-energy foods. This slowly created the high calorie high-energy fast food culture, which though provided instant gratification and energy was however devoid of nutrients. Such a fast food culture created increasing weight and high levels of obesity

Development of Technology

Technology has affected the way we live and work. From cooking to computers, everything is just at the touch of a button involving very little physical activity. This sedentary lifestyle resulted in low metabolic activity and calorie burning. Physical activity has been reduced to exercising in gyms or at home again with equipments, which may not really exercise all parts of the body uniformly resulting in the increasing weight and obesity.

Role of Information Technology

Information technology has again influenced the work culture. No more the need to visit customers or prospects and business associates for meetings. You do everything using computers, internet and intranet, video conferencing and teleconferencing. You do not even need to walk down to your boss to hand over a file or discuss issues regularly. You do everything through the computers or intercoms. Even commuting to work is now being dispensed with telecommuting and work delivered to your home. Technology has even enabled the work to be outsourced to different countries with no physical contact needed. The trend is only likely to accelerate creating less physical movement and accumulation of bigger waistlines.

Fast food business model

The fast food business model has affected our lives like nothing else before. The fast-paced technology driven lifestyles created an extremely stressful work culture, displacement of family, low physical activity all resulting in the inability of the body to break down sugar has lead to an increased craving for instant and quick absorbing, cheap energy foods. Fast foods and sugared beverages quickly emerged to take advantage of this evolving need and rake in the moolah at an immense economic cost to the individuals, the governments and society. These fast food companies glamorized and spread the fast food culture worldwide as the cheap alternative to time consuming home cooking. By the time realization dawned of the ill effects of the junk food being dished out, it became too late. The fast food industry has now developed adequate financial muscle to even buy legislation favoring it especially in economically weaker nations. The generation X is now totally sold over on these fast food (if they can be called food at all) with all the advertising glitz and glamour.

The wheel has come full circle. If we need to escape the scourge of the technological advance, we need to redesign the way the planet earth lives. Technology has to be an enabler of better health and lifestyles and not be the source of destruction of the humankind. People have to start going back to the basics in at least in matters of diet, physical activities and spend more time in pursuits, which will result in better health. Obesity and overweight needs to be tackled by designing a new lifestyle that will integrate technology with natural living.

This article is copyright ? of R.G. Srinivasan a Certified Trainer, Small Business Consultant, Writer and Author. He is a strong proponent of a holistic lifestyle and alternate health practices. Check out his site at http://globalhealthnetwork.tripod.com

recurring maid service Buffalo Grove ..

In The News:

The iconic Mary Kay pink Cadillac goes electric with the Cadillac Optiq, available only to the company's top 1% of sales force performers.

Cybercriminals abuse trusted Intel driver to gain kernel access and shut down Windows Defender, enabling undetected malware deployment since July 2025.

Using email aliases for online shopping and subscriptions can protect your privacy by preventing companies from linking your activity across websites.

New research shows AI overlap does not equal job replacement, with knowledge-based roles seeing most integration while physical jobs remain least affected.

Scammers target seniors who avoid social media by exploiting public records like obituaries and real estate filings to steal personal information and money

Recovery team in Italy use AI-enabled drones to detect missing hiker's red helmet, leading to successful recovery after months of ground searches

Google Salesforce system breach exposes business data while scammers use incident to target users with fake security calls and phishing attempts.

Google announces Pixel 10 lineup with Tensor G5 chip and Gemini Nano AI, introducing Magic Cue, Pro Res Zoom up to 100x and satellite emergency support features.

C San Diego study reveals 86% of school safety companies monitor students 24/7 on personal devices, raising privacy concerns.

Users can now add their favorite outlets' coverage to the Top Stories section of Google search results by utilizing the 'preferred sources' feature. With just a few clicks, you can add Fox News.

Stay up to date on the latest AI technology advancements and learn about the challenges and opportunities AI presents now and for the future.

Interstellar object 3I/ATLAS shows an unexpected frontal glow that Harvard's Avi Loeb says cannot be explained by sunlight reflection or standard cometary outgassing.

Receiving order confirmations for purchases you never made could mean your email address is being exploited in fraud operations targeting multiple retailers.

First wireless brain implant works with Apple's official protocol, enabling hands-free control of iPhones, iPads and Vision Pro through thought alone.

Data brokers sell personal details that scammers use to target retirement funds through fake financial advisor calls and convincing phishing attempts

Ten innovative tech solutions from gait sensors to smart pill dispensers help adults 65+ track fall risks and prevent injuries before they happen.

Meta AI internal documents revealed chatbots were allowed to flirt with children and engage in romantic conversations until the company was exposed by Reuters.

ChatGPT will avoid giving direct mental health advice under new OpenAI rules following instances where the AI model provided harmful or misleading responses.

Your phone tracks you in more ways than that little GPS icon suggests. Here’s how to find and clear hidden location logs on iPhone and Android.

Authorities in France and the Netherlands have been notified. Meanwhile, impacted customers are being told to stay alert.

Apple just rolled out a redesigned Blood Oxygen feature to specific models, following a recent victory in a legal dispute.

Kidney dialysis provider DaVita experienced a ransomware breach by the Interlock gang affecting 916,000 people in the second-largest U.S. healthcare attack of 2025.

A Chinese-made Unitree R1 robot walked Manhattan streets and shopped for shoes as part of KraneShares' $28 million AI robotics fund promotion campaign.

The ShinyHunters cybercriminal group breached Google's Salesforce system through vishing attacks, stealing business contact details and customer data.

Stay up to date on the latest AI technology advancements and learn about the challenges and opportunities AI presents now and for the future.

Obesity ? The Underlying Historic Causes

Weight Loss