Obesity: The Biology, Burden in Canada, and Canadian National Policy

Authors

  • Rehman Jinah McMaster University

Abstract

This expository scholarly paper will focus on the issue of obesity, specifically in Canada. The prevalence of obesity in Canada has significantly increased over the last two decades and is caused by a number of factors which need to be identified to curtail the issue. This paper will explore the physiology and cellular biology with respect to obesity as well as the influence of the neuroendocrine system to understand the micro-scale mechanisms leading to obesity. The burden of obesity and its impacts on health and economy will also be examined. Finally, a policy analysis, utilizing the 3-I Framework, will be undertaken with the goal to assess the influences and contributors to a national obesity policy in Canada. In order to target the problem of obesity, the upstream determinants need to be approached with a preventative and proactive approach required. The objective of this paper will consolidate information regarding obesity and provide analysis regarding policies to combat the issue.

Author Biography

Rehman Jinah, McMaster University

Department of Global Health, Faculty of Health Sciences

Global Health MSc Student

References

1. World Health Organization. Obesity [Internet]. The World Health Organization; 2015 [cited 7 November 2015]. Available from: http://www.who.int/topics/obesity/en/

2. Public Health Agency of Canada. Curbing Childhood Obesity: A Federal, Provincial and Territorial Framework for Action to Promote Healthy Weights. 2010.

3. Swinburn B. Obesity prevention: the role of policies, laws and regulations. Aust N Z Health Policy. 2008;5(1):12.

Vol. 1 No. 1 (2015)

Downloads

Published

2015-12-30

How to Cite

Jinah, R. (2015). Obesity: The Biology, Burden in Canada, and Canadian National Policy. Global Health: Annual Review, 1(1). Retrieved from https://journals.mcmaster.ca/ghar/article/view/1068

Issue

Vol. 1 No. 1 (2015): Global Health: Annual Review, Issue 1

Section

Research Topics

License

Authors who publish with this journal agree to the following terms:

a. Authors retain copyright and grant the journal right of first publication with the work simultaneously licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License that allows others to share the work with an acknowledgement of the work's authorship and initial publication in this journal.

b. Authors are able to enter into separate, additional contractual arrangements for the non-exclusive distribution of the journal's published version of the work (e.g., post it to an institutional repository or publish it in a book), with an acknowledgement of its initial publication in this journal.

c. Authors are permitted and encouraged to post their work online (e.g., in institutional repositories or on their website) prior to and during the submission process, as it can lead to productive exchanges, as well as earlier and greater citation of published work (See The Effect of Open Access).