America one of the most obese nations in the world today. Roughly two thirds of adults in the US are overweight, and half of those are considered obese, meaning they are twenty percent above their ideal body weight. Some people claim that obesity is in fact a disease and it is a condition that cannot be helped. Others argue that it can easily to prevent and control, so it should not be under the classification of an illness. However, people on both sides need to consider multiple issues when deciding whether obesity is a disease such as the health problems that result of obesity, genetic disorders that cause weight gain, and the self-esteem problems that come with being overweight. People that have become obese are put at risk for many serious …show more content…
There are “more than 70 associations between body mass index or obesity and common genetic variants…” (Lyon). While this theory states that certain types of obesity cannot be helped and are in fact, a disease, there are faults in the argument. According to others, “there was no known gene that would make people veer off into the McDonald’s drive-through lane or direct them to choose whole milk over one percent milk” (Ablow). Despite the fact that genetic coding can give people a tendency to gain weight quickly, that doesn’t mean they have to become overweight. If they can make good choices and make themselves live a healthier lifestyle than the average person, obesity can easily be avoided. Keeping active and choosing the right foods can be the difference from living a normal life and having your life at risk because of your …show more content…
An eating disorder commonly known as binge eating is consistent overindulgence in food, which leads to a serious weight gain. Since obesity is often discriminated against in our society, “the low self-esteem and sense of isolation that results may contribute to the person’s eating disorder, setting up an endless cycle of overeating, gaining more weight, feeling worthless and isolated, then gorging again to console oneself” (“Eating Disorders”). However, even though overeating can become an emotional bad habit, that doesn’t mean obesity is a disease. There are plenty of other ways to deal with sadness, anxiety, and stress that don’t put a toll on your body. Breaking the cycle takes self-control, and that is not something any doctor can