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Argumentative Essay: Is Obesity A Disease?

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“Take care of your body, it’s the only place you have to live” (Jim Rohn). Whether we consider that obesity is a disease or a social problem, yet our bodies have a right on us and we have the obligation to preserve them in the healthiest way possible. Merriam-Webster dictionary defines obesity as: “a condition that is characterized by excessive accumulation and storage of fat in the body and that in an adult is typically indicated by a body mass index of 30 or greater.” While supporters of the claim that obesity is a disease assert that obesity meets the definition of a disease because it decreases life expectancy, damages the normal functioning of the body, and that it can be caused due to genetic factors inherited by the parents; yet their adversaries argue that obesity is not a disease since it is caused by either eating unhealthy food, leading a sedentary lifestyle, or that it can in some cases help the person overcome other risk factors. Is it a disease? Is it a lifestyle and social problem? Can it be prevented? No matter what the answer to all these questions is, it is always the person in question that suffers the most; therefore, it is only fair that we discuss the causes of obesity, taking into consideration both point of views, and then debate the solutions to come out …show more content…

Whether it is the unhealthy consumption of food, the amount eaten or the bad eating habits, it all comes out to food consumption. Lack of exercise and leading a sedentary lifestyle also help in the negative rollercoaster an obese person undertakes. According to the National Heart Lung Blood Institute, if we follow a simple mathematical procedure we can conclude that an average person with an average activity level needs around 2000-2500 calories a day in order to have a healthy weight; therefore consuming more calories causes weight gain which in return causes

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