Obesity: Causes and Consequences

Obesity is changing the world we live in. Across a wide range of sectors - from the food industry to clothing design - we see the impact of the world’s growing waistline. Perhaps the biggest impact obesity has is on our physical and psychological health, and the organisations and institutions that care for us. Investigate the causes and consequences of obesity In this free online course, we’ll investigate how modern life is increasing levels of obesity around the world, and the wide-ranging consequences this has on individual lives and society as a whole. We’ll explore the impact of abundant, cheap, high-calorie fast food; sedentary lifestyles; changing modes of transport; and increasing urbanisation. Over four weeks, we’ll ask: How do we define and measure obesity? What are the causes of obesity? What are the consequences of obesity on health? How is research into obesity helping us to understand the issue? Take a multidisciplinary approach to obesity Specialists from the University of Reading’s School of Chemistry, Food and Pharmacy will guide you through the latest research in the field, and discuss how a multidisciplinary approach can help tackle the obesity epidemic. If you’re a healthcare professional, this course will offer you a taste of the University’s Certificate in Obesity Management.

• Angela Alexander