WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION (WHO)

WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION (WHO)
The World Health Organization (WHO), whose headquarter is in Geneva, has as
World Health Assembly as its main body, which is composed of delegations from all
WHO Member States. The Assembly has power to create institutions it believes
appropriate, to develop regulations for health agencies, advertising, pharmaceutical,
among other measures. Its main objective is “the attainment by all peoples of the
highest possible level of health” (WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION, 2006).
Topic A
The role of industries in the fight against obesity and eating
disorders
Obesity and eating disorders are problems that affect a large number of people
worldwide. According to WHO (2008), about 12 % of the world's adults were obese
in 2008, and this number is expected to increase, both in adults and children. The
eating disorders such as anorexia and bulimia are attracting the attention of the
medical community, since its prevalence in the world is increasing (MAKINO et al.,
2004). These problems are not restricted to developed countries, since there is a
growing incidence in developing countries.
Currently, not only metabolic or genetic problems are pointed out as causes of these
diseases, but people's own lifestyle in general that is based on physical inactivity and
terrible eating habits. As a result, WHO emphasizes the importance of industries in
the fight against these diseases. In the case of obesity, the quality of food products,
which has little nutritional value and high calories, already presents itself as a major
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cause of obesity. The pharmaceutical industry, with high profits from remedies
designated to the treatment of obesity and other diseases related to it, such as
diabetes and hypertension, brings a new dimension to the problem. Regarding the
eating disorders, the discussion of imposing an unattainable standard of beauty and
consumption by the global culture industry calls for an effective measure, as it also
features economics factor behind it.
Image 1 – A comparation between obesity and the actual standard of beauty
In this context, the delegates, addressing economic, cultural and social factors of
these epidemics, will need to examine the situation of obesity and eating disorders in
the world. In the end, they will write a report, which must address effective measures
to contain and resolve these problems, as well as an analysis of what could be
concluded about them.
Topic B
Media and young health promotion
In order to accomplish its primary objectives, the WHO creates campaigns for the
promotion of young people health, aiming to inform them of routine practices that
can be harmful. Among the main problems that affect the health of young people is
the use of tobacco and alcohol; the HIV infection, which affected 820,000 people in
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2011; unsafe abortions, performed by 3 million women between 15 and 19 years in
2011; among others (WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION, 2015).
For the organization, those practices could be prevented through effective
educational health measures and programs aimed at increasing awareness and warn
young people about the harms caused by an unhealthy lifestyle.
Image 2 – “We are beautiful” – Dove’s campaign to raise young women self esteem
However, many of these problems that affect young people are stimulated by
standards of consumption, food, hygiene, among others, often encouraged and
propagated by the media and the advertising industry. This is the case of modern
eating patterns, based on the consumption of food with low nutrients, and with high
levels of sugar, preservatives and calories, the so-called junk food. The current
standard of beauty, for example, is unreachable due to the use of software that
shapes the body of models and generates severe psychological problems to men and
especially women. There is also a behavior pattern, which stimulates consumption
of alcohol and tobacco, toxic substances to the human body, especially of young
people.
In view of this, delegates will write a report, which must contain efficient measures
to solve these problems while making a critical analysis of the use of the media and
propaganda, addressing also how their presence is essential in this context, since it
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allows greater dissemination of knowledge about healthy habits that WHO aims to
spread.
REFERENCES
REFERENCES
MAKINO, M; TSUBOI, K; DENNERSTEIN, L. “Prevalence of Eating Disorders: A Comparison
of Western and Non-Western Countries”. In: Medscape General Medicine, no. 3, vol. 6,
2004,
pp1-19.
Available
at:
<http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1435625/>. Accessed on: January
23rd, 2015.
WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION (WHO). “2008-2013 Action plan for the global strategy
for the prevention and control of noncommunicable disease”. In: Website Oficial da
Organização
Mundial
da
Saúde,
2008.
Available
at:
<http://whqlibdoc.who.int/publications/2009/9789241597418_eng.pdf>. Accessed
on: 23. jan. 2015.
_____. “Constitution of the World Health Organization”. In: Official Website of the World
Health
Organization,
2006.
Available
<http://www.who.int/governance/eb/who_constitution_en.pdf>.
Accessed
at:
on:
January 30th, 2015.
WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION (WHO). “Women’s health”. In: Official Website of the
World
Health
Organization,
2015.
Available
at:
<http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs334/en//>. Accessed on: January
30th, 2015.
Sources of the images
Image 1 – “SOBRE padrões de beleza”. In: Femmefutile, February 18th, 2014. Available at:
<http://femmefutile.com/sobre-padroes-de-beleza/>. Accessed on: December 18th,
2014.
Image 2 – SCHWANKE, Daniela. “Dove e o seu “adesivo da beleza””.. In: Danischwanke, April
11th, 2014. Available at: <https://danischwanke.wordpress.com/2014/04/11/dove-eo-seu-adesivo-da-beleza/>. Accessed on: December 17th, 2014.
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