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  • In this activity, students use the Futures thinking tool to investigate obesity and the impact it has on the health system.

    Rights: The University of Waikato Te Whare Wānanga o Waikato

    Obesity health problem

    Obesity cartoon showing health problems associated with obesity such as type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, stroke, sleeping disorders and several types of cancer.

    By the end of this activity, students should be able to:

    • define the term ‘obesity’
    • explain how body mass index (BMI) can be used to evaluate a person’s body weight and associated risk of disease
    • describe some of the medical conditions that are more prevalent in people who are obese
    • discuss possible future measures to control obesity in the population having used the Futures thinking tool.

    Download the Word file (see link below) for:

    • introduction/background notes
    • what you need
    • what to do
    • student worksheets.

    Related content

    This article looks at is Obesity: genetic or environmental?

    Read this article to find out more about how scientists identify particular gene variations that might increase a person’s susceptibility to a particular disease.

    Discover a new approach to obesity treatment – designing foods that influence the body’s control mechanisms on appetite and energy intake.

    Activity idea

    In Obesity risk factors students participate in a simulation that demonstrates that both genetic make-up and environmental factors influence an individual’s likelihood of becoming obese.

    Useful link

    Visit the Ministry of Health website to learn more about obesity in New Zealand.

      Published 1 July 2011, Updated 23 January 2018 Referencing Hub articles
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