Counterintuitive Spring 2023

There Is No Getting Out of This

Obesity is not the only cause of cancer and intake of food and lack of exercise is not the only cause of obesity. It would be incorrect to blame caloric intake for all or even the majority of cancers. It is difficult to assess how much obesity can contribute to cancer. For example, the evidence shows that physical activity can prevent cancers, mostly colon cancer for men, and breast cancer for women, even more obviously for postmenopausal women. We can not blame obesity for the risk of getting cancer. It is not the only cause of cancer.

Tobacco is the leading cause of cancer and next is obesity, the second most common cause of cancer. Though they are the top two causes of cancer does not mean that everyone who is obese and uses tobacco will get cancer. For example, in Tobacco and Cancer, an article written by the Cancer Council in Western Australia states that “decades of research has proven smoking causes cancer, but this doesn’t mean every person who smokes will get cancer and every person who doesn’t smoke will remain cancer-free. Smokers are more likely to get cancer than non-smokers, and their risk of many other negative health effects is also increased.” This is the same for obesity. Noncancer events are playing an important role as the cause of death among individuals with specific cancers.  In a previous study, the CDC identified that an increased risk of death from non-cancer events among patients with cancer had longer survival, but data on specific noncancer events were limited. 

Obesity could be a cause of death but that doesn’t mean everyone who is obese will die. For example, an NFL football player typically weighs 224.97 pounds. That is considered obese in terms of BMI. However, they are active and in shape. Their activity status outweighs their size and risks of cancer. Society views an obese person as someone who is lazy, a person who unfortunately ate too much and a person who has hardly exercised. An NFL football player is obese and society does not view them as an embarrassment. In the last five years, only 5 out of 1,696 have been diagnosed with cancer. Two out of the five were not considered obese and the other three were considered obese. There is no evidence that obesity caused these cancers but there also is no evidence that obesity did not cause these cancers.

Cancer can develop due to previous health conditions but that is not always the case. Society would view almost any athlete as healthy. If this is the case, then why have 10 Olympic Athletes developed cancer. Very Well Health stated that, “gold medal-winning gymnast Shannon Miller was diagnosed with an ovarian germ cell tumor after healthcare providers discovered a baseball-sized cyst on her ovary.” She had no previous health conditions and still developed cancer. Studies have shown that obesity can cause cancer. Obesity is a health condition. In the Irish Times article, Why Obesity is Not a Choice, studies have shown that Europe has been “recently criticized for having the lowest EU level of public treatment for obesity, the cost of treating obesity-related diseases in Ireland is significant. It is estimated to reach an annual cost of €2.1 billion in five years, according to The Irish Society for Clinical Nutrition and Metabolism, as the links between obesity and heart disease, mental ill-health, cancers, respiratory problems, type 2 diabetes, and musculoskeletal conditions are well established. More than a million of us are living with a treatable disease.” The psychological perspective of this statement is to address the policy and to practice and research the priorities.

The way society views how someone gets obese is controversial. The majority of society views it as an effect of a person’s life decisions. Although too much food and laziness could make you obese, just being born can easily make you obese as well. Obesity can run through genes. Obesity is hard to turn around. Once past the point of obesity, you are usually stuck. Cancer has many causes other than obesity. Being obese can cause cancer and trying to reverse obesity can also cause cancer. Researchers discovered that weight loss pills will increase your risk of cancers. Obesity can be caused by hereditary genes, exposure to radiation, improper sleep or care of the body. Many cases of radiation cancers and unidentified crises in the world. For example, in Kyiv Oblast, Ukraine, where the Chernobyl nuclear power plant exploded and caused mass radiation across the city. This caused many to get cancer and till this day, that same radiation is in the ground. A group of expert psychologists states that obesity is a complex problem that needs an understanding of the factors that can lie beneath the condition. The psychological impact of weight gain can determine whether treatment will be a success or failure.

Studies have shown that with improved cancer survivorship, cardiovascular disease (CVD) and other noncancer events compete with cancer as the underlying cause of death, but the risks of mortality in competing-risk settings have not been well characterized. Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is a group of conditions that involve the heart and blood vessels. Common complications include heart attack, chest pain (angina), or stroke. The number of individuals living with a history of cancer has continued to increase. CVD deaths are varied by first cancer site, indicating increased risks after the first diagnosis of lung cancer, hematologic malignancy, and urinary tract cancer. For individuals with all cancers combined, CVD was the leading cause of competing mortality in both male and female patients with cancer. CVD can be caused by obesity. Men are more likely to be more active than women. Heart disease and weight loss are closely linked. Your risk for heart disease is associated with your weight. If you are overweight or obese, you may be at higher risk for the condition. Medical experts consider obesity to be major risk factors for both coronary heart disease and heart attack.

This article, Social and Environmental Factors Influencing Obesity, published by NCBI states that, “the extent of the information on individual, environmental, and social hierarchy constraints on obesity development, it is important to understand how these can merge with clinical care. It is evident that no one simple solution and effective care requires knowledge of these complex relationships and integration between the health system and the surrounding community.” The evidence for social and environmental factors that contribute to obesity is often underappreciated. Obesity prevalence is significantly associated with sex, racial-ethnic identity, and socioeconomic status, which creates complex relationships between each of these characteristics. Food availability remains an important factor of obesity and it relates to differences in prevalence seen across areas and higher rates of obesity within low socioeconomic status individuals.

Overall, the causes of cancer are undefined. Obesity is not a choice. Obesity can be a cause of cancer but that goes along with everything else in the world. Being obese can cause cancer but that does not mean that every obese person gets cancer. That statement goes along with every other health issue in the world. Many other factors can lead to cancer. There needs to be a cure for cancer.

References

Walsh, Geraldine. “Why Obesity Is Not a Choice.” The Irish Times, The Irish Times, 4 Dec. 2019, https://www.irishtimes.com/life-and-style/health-family/why-obesity-is-not-a-choice-1.4095580. 

Lee, Alexandra. “Social and Environmental Factors Influencing Obesity.” Endotext [Internet]., U.S. National Library of Medicine, 12 Oct. 2019, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK278977/. 

2015-05-08-DL-TOBACCO-and-CANCER.pdf – \U201CI only smoke socially am I still at risk?\u201d how do we know information in this brochure is from the following: Course hero. 2015-05-08-DL-TOBACCO-and-CANCER.pdf – \u201cI only smoke socially am I still at risk?\u201d How do we know Information in this brochure is from the following | Course Hero. (n.d.). Retrieved November 30, 2021, from https://www.coursehero.com/file/67073359/2015-05-08-DL-TOBACCO-and-CANCERpdf/.

Help Is On It’s Way

Although there has been a recent surge in deforestation directly associated with the growing/harvesting of coffee beans, the Fairtrade Certification, and more importantly the Rainforest Alliance, are willing to fight for the betterment of the world. The Rainforest Alliance standards are meant to protect the environment in the aspects of growing and harvesting. The Fairtrade Certification offers support to farmers and workers who are directly funded by the consumer. These two corporations offer the consumer plenty of environmentally friendly coffee brand alternatives to help the world in its quest for a better present and future.

The formula for a better environment must start with the production of coffee, or the more important efforts will fall short as well. Coffee may do a lot for our lives, but if the consumer fails to help the efforts in conjunction with Fairtrade along with the Rainforest Alliance, those attempts will be just that… attempts. Firstly, the ventures of the Rainforest Alliance and Fairtrade must be laid out to understand what we must do in return. 

Fairtrade Certified coffee directly impacts the lives of the farmers and workers, supplying them with a healthy lifestyle through “fair prices, community development and environmental stewardship.” Pulled from the same article by Grounds For Change titled, Fair Trade Coffee, “Fair trade coffee farmers market their own harvests through direct, long-term contracts with international buyers, learning how to manage their businesses and compete in the global marketplace. Receiving a fair price for their harvest allows these farmers to invest in their families’ health care and education, reinvest in quality and protect the environment. This empowerment model lifts farming families from poverty through trade, not aid, creating a more equitable and sustainable model of international trade that benefits producers, consumers, industry and the Earth.” Being fortunate enough to be granted a fair price is something many farmers can’t obtain. This cycle of unfair prices causes a domino effect across the whole market. Unable to obtain secure and reasonable prices for their coffee beans, farmers are forced to cut production costs. Choosing the cheaper options for everything results in questionable practices, thus hurting the environment. All of the environmental decay from coffee farming is a direct result of the farmers not being able to support their families. Desperation and distress are a dangerous combination when it is affecting your family. 

The Rainforest Alliance standards are meant to protect the environment and the rights of workers. In an article published by EthicalCoffee.net titled, Rainforest Alliance Certification, the author details how the Rainforest Alliance targets “Farms that coexist with natural forest cover, like coffee farms, are required to maintain 40 percent canopy coverage” while growing their beans. This requirement helps lessen the reach of deforestation on many coffee farms throughout the “bean belt.” “Farmers are not allowed to alter natural water courses. While they can use chemicals, such as pesticides, they must maintain buffer zones of natural vegetation between the crop areas and areas used by humans, including public roads. The standards also prohibit such activities as trafficking in wild animals, destruction of ecosystems, dumping untreated wastewater, and other harmful practices.” These requirements, in theory, should produce a healthy environment.

If you are willing to buy coffee brands with the Fairtrade and Rainforest Alliance Certifications, then you must commit yourself to helping the environment in similar, yet helpful ways. Although the efforts by Fairtrade and the Rainforest Alliance are out of reach for the average consumer, you must commit yourself to helping in ways that are convenient and helpful within your realm. To endorse Fairtrade/Rainforest Alliance you must buy coffee brands with either of their certifications. Next step is to invest in an eco-friendly coffee maker to help one of the biggest impacts we have on the environment. Lastly, the need for a reusable coffee cup cannot be understated. Using disposable cups is our greatest impact on the environment when it pertains to coffee consumption. 

Funding each association will increase their reach, thus affecting the more crucial environments, while simultaneously helping the “big picture.” Both the Rainforest Alliance and Fairtrade are non-profit organizations, any donations towards their cause will undoubtedly help them continue their fight to make the world a better place. 

In conclusion, the Coffee Industry and their eco-friendly qualities are pointing to a more successful future. From the hard work proven by non-profit organizations such as the Rainforest Alliance and Fairtrade, to the sustainable improvements by Starbucks, Dunkin’, Maxwell House and Keurig, and lastly environmentally friendly alternatives adopted by the consumer, all in conjunction will produce a successful future for generations to come. I can acknowledge that’s a lot to ask for, but ultimately perfection is what we can all strive to achieve. The world is in good hands if we can all band together and save what’s most important; our future.

Works Cited

Fair Trade Coffee. Grounds for Change. (n.d.). Retrieved December 7, 2021, from https://groundsforchange.com/blogs/learn/fair-trade-coffee

Rainforest Alliance Certification. What is Rainforest Alliance certified coffee? (n.d.). Retrieved December 7, 2021, from http://www.ethicalcoffee.net/rainforest.html