What is Obesity?

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We are here to do a study on obesity as it was one of several topics that Jimma University said they were interested in. After walking around Jimma a little, we were a little concerned at the lack of larger people. When we met with our preceptor he said “I think this is a good study, but what is obesity?” We were like “oh. My. God.” It is true that there are a couple of obese people and it is becoming a problem. How big of a problem? I guess we’ll find that out. My academic response (which will most likely appear in some form in our paper): Many developing countries are going through a process of rapid urbanization where rural people flood into urban areas. Among the many health problems facing these areas is dual burden malnutrition where governments, in effort to feed the population, supply food that is high in energy and calories and low in micronutrients. As a result, mothers become obese while their children are malnourished. As Jimma and Ethiopia are facing these resource pressures, this study will provide base-line information and identify some of the possible risk factors for dual burden malnutrition. This study will allow health professionals to be more proactive in reducing dual burden malnutrition in Jimma now and in the future.

Our study has been approved by our preceptors and we have been given the ok by local health officials to conduct our study at the local health clinic. On Wednesday we will be viewing the clinic to see what an average day is like, Wednesday and Monday are the busy days. As soon as our survey is translated we will begin data collection with the help of a translator.

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Comments

[anonymous]

Obsesity is a real problem in Addis but not sure if that is the case outside of Addis. I thought in the case of Ethiopia, the rapid urbanization effect applies mainly to Addis... where the life style is rapidly changing. All issues from high blood pressure, chloestrol level... others which were not common in Ethiopia before are now major issues. On the countryside though infectious disease remains to be the number one, two and three killer.

[ethiopiadave]

Yeah the 2005 dhs report for Ethiopia showed a large amount of obesity in addis and dire dawa. Jimma seems to be experiencing its own rapid urbanization. I think the city has changed a lot since one of our professors last taught here a couple years ago. Perhaps the university wanted us to investigate dual burden malnutrition because they feel the push. I ran into a man who was living in germany and visiting his parents back here. he was talking about how much jimma has changed.