OBESITY IN WORKPLACE

Obesity in Workplace

Obesity in Workplace

Abstract

The stigmas and discrimination due to excessive weight are frequent challenges that many obese individuals face. Obese individuals have serious consequences for their personal and social well being and emotional health. Negative perceptions of obese people exist in all types of environments. Research studies have shown that stereotyping occurs in today's society, by obese employees being viewed as lazy and lacking in self-discipline by other co-workers and employers.

Introduction

In recent decades the prevalence of obesity has increased sharply in both developed countries and urban areas of developing countries. Excess body weight is now recognized as a major contributor to the global burden of disease. Epidemiologic studies have quantified the impact of overweight and obesity on premature mortality, cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, certain cancers, liver and gallbladder disease, osteoarthritis, respiratory disease, reproductive complications, and health-related quality of life (Bassuk & Manson, 2008). The prevalence of obesity has increased markedly during recent years with the burden of obesity higher in minority groups in the United States. Rates of obesity vary according to age and employment, although the effect by socioeconomic strata is diminishing. (Boardley & Pobocik, 2009)

Literature Review

The severity of this problem begins at a very young age with bullying in school and being harassed about being overweight. Many young children especially in elementary school have negative attitudes towards overweight classmates. This is being associated with children who are brought up with obese peers that have characteristics of being mean, stupid, ugly, unhappy, lazy, and have very few friends. Stigmas have negative implications for emotional well-being in children. Research about this topic states that children who are targets of a weight stigma have negative attitudes and engage in self-blame for the negative social experiences that they confront. As a young child in school, I had to face these tough difficulties of being harassed and teased about my weight. I was the only one to blame because I had done it to myself and took the path of making wrong choices with my nutrition. These negative attitudes, towards obese youth, may develop in children as young as three years old. Negative attitudes in children may have multiple negative characteristics towards overweight peers.

The excess weight in children and adults is now a significant factor in both morbidity and mortality developed worldwide and some emerging countries. Children have fewer weight-related problems than adults. However, overweight children are at a higher risk of becoming overweight adolescents which may lead into their adult life. Excess weight issues from childhood to adulthood are becoming a public healthcare priority. There is much stigmatization amongst all ages of obesity. Young children are facing discrimination in school and diminished self-esteem because of the effect that our young children have on our society. In an article from Nutrition Action in 2010, Jacobson stated that “children's stigmatization of obese peers, as compared to their stigmatization of peers with other physical disabilities, has increased over the past 40 years, despite the threefold rise in the prevalence of childhood ...