Mathematical Analysis of an Obesity Model with Eating Behaviors

Abstract

Overweight is a social disease, which is transmitted through social net-works. A mathematical model is proposed to simulate the dynamics of social obesity, where the structures of individual heterogeneity and overeating behaviors are incor-porated. The basic reproduction number of the disease is calculated and is shown to be a threshold for disease invasion. Sufficient conditions for the global stability of an endemic equilibrium is established by Lyapunov functions. Numerical simulations are provided to reveal how interventions through treatment to eating behaviors and eduction to susceptible individuals suppress the progression of the disease.

Keywords

Overeating behavior / reproduction number / global stability / intervention