Currently, two problems are standing with their jaws wide-open before the health department of Australia, as teenage girls from affluent families are fast losing weight, while average childhood obesity rates continue to soar higher.
This fact rolled out of a study conducted over 9000 schoolchildren around Australia. As per the findings of this study:
• Obesity rate among affluent backgrounds fell from 4.6 per cent in 2000 to 3.9 percent in 2006.
• Overall rates among children aged six to 18 rose from 5.1 per cent to 6.4 per cent.
Fact that came as a surprise to everyone is that decline in obesity rate was more perceptible among the wealthy class. However, there is quite shocking story behind this decline in obesity among the affluent class, which is delineated by the following facts:-
• One in every five girls admitted to fasting for two-day stretches, while this figure stood at one in 10 in the year 2000.
• The percentage of those, using vomiting as tool to weight loss hopped from 3.4 percent to 8 percent.
• The percentage of those leaning to suppress appetite, in order to bring down their consumption level, rose from 2.4 percent to 8 per cent.
A look at these facts is enough to show, no doubt that obesity level among the affluent classes has come down, but unfortunately, means adopted to achieve this goal, don’t fall into the category of healthy means, which makes this achievement by the affluent class smeared with worries. In fact, this trend is paving the way for different kinds of eating disorders. Expressing concern over this issue, Jenny O’Dea, a researchers from Sydney University who conducted the Australian study, said:
...there was a “moral panic” about obesity, which was fuelling a rise in eating disorders.
However, another side of the coin is also not as eye-catching as it should be, for average obesity rates are continuously on the rise, making the whole situation more intricate. According to experts, if obesity rates go on galloping like this, then 75% of the Australian adults would be overlapped by the rising tide of obesity by 2020.Following figures, creeping out of a survey, prove this:-
• Overall 32.6% of adults were reported as overweight in 2004-05
• 40.5% of males and 24.9% of females were overweight
• Overall 16.4% of adults were reported as obese in 2004-05
• 17.8% of males and 15.1% of females were obese.
However, tilting towards such irrational ways, in order to bring down obesity won’t be right. Moreover, there hasn’t been noticed much rise in obesity in Australia. Therefore, raising much hue and cry over this obesity rise would be just like making mountain of mole hill. Propping this view further Dr O’Dea said:
I don’t think childhood obesity is running out of control. It’s only a 1.3 per cent increase in six years.
