Pet Cobra strikes: deadly obesity

Hilda Ming, Contributor

Pet Cobra appears delighted to perform the simple tricks. One of which includes coiling itself around its master's neck and tucking its head under the coil; quite appealing to the audience and the pride of both master and servant. Very soon the master was making great wealth by this weekly heroic feat. But reality strikes!

One day the natural instinct of Pet Cobra took over and the audience watched as the master struggled to loosen himself from that deadly coil. No one dared to assist. Pet Cobra's fangs were dancing around and then it lodged beneath its coil in its master's neck. Pet Cobra's alias is fluffy or chubby. Sounds soft and cuddly like a pet? It is not!

In a subtle way this has dulled the senses and left us unprepared for the consequences of its impact. It is deadly! It is overweight in its youthful stage and when fully developed, obesity. It glides and slithers, looking for its victims.

The killer obesity

Dr Michael Boyne, senior lecturer in endocrinology at the Tropical Metabolic Research Institute at the University Hospital of the West Indies revealed that obesity with its related co-morbidity is the number-one killer. Co-morbidity refers to the cardiovascular diseases, diabetes and hypertension. He said that about half of women in Jamaica are overweight and another one-third are obese.

Jamaicans are slowly accepting Pet Cobra's companionship. And, even more, the youth are being lured into its lair!

Dr Marvin Tulloch-Reid's findings in 2009 revealed that "overweight occurs frequently among Jamaicans 15-19-year-olds and is associated with increased consumption of sweetened beverages". We need a shift in the education paradigm to deal with Pet Cobra.

The media can help

The media must help. Bombard the youths' minds with images of healthy lifestyles. Insert it in advertisements, school challenge quizzes and other competitive events. Imagine seeing a child on television sitting at a table proudly and humorously enunciating the nutritional value of a simple meal in reference to his or her growth, as opposed to a child poking and stuffing food in his or her mouth to grow fast.

Come on, Jamaicans, we can unwrap this deadly coil. Use the culture to reverse the mindset of the nation. While we do not want to cause any unnecessary mental stress on those who are feeling the effects of the fangs, we need the commitment of everyone to rid this country of that serpent. This nation must rise up in unison. Treat obesity like an epidemic. Pet Cobra is not a teddy bear!

Hilda Ming, PhD, is a nurse educator at the University Hospital of the West Indies, St Andrew; email: yourhealth@gleanerjm.com.