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Obesity In America Essay

2069 Words9 Pages

Obesity in America has always been a major health problem because of the risks and dangers associated with this chronic disease. Obesity is defined as “Weight that is higher than what is considered as a healthy weight for a given height” (CDC). Despite the attention obesity has garnered from health professionals, the media, public, and numerous educational campaigns about the risks and dangers associated with excessive weight, it is still continually rising, and with it, comes acceptance. However, obesity is a serious problem that society must address instead of tolerating it. Obesity not only brings forth various diseases such as diabetes and coronary heart disease, it also affects the economy drastically, forces individuals to live in a highly consumerist way, and changes the …show more content…

Not only would it create a healthier future for everyone, but it would also pave the way to a stronger economy. An unhealthy diet brings about a plethora of diseases, which includes obesity. According to the Food Research and Action, obesity rates have doubled since the 1970’s and is the leading public health problem in the U.S. Nearly two-thirds of adults are obese. The increased prevalence of obesity in America is believed to be related to “the typical Western diet-frequent, large meals high in refined grains, red meat, unhealthy fats, and sugary drinks” (HSPH). In the simplest sense, obesity occurs when the amount of calories taken surpasses the amount of calories burned, because the extra calories are then stored by the body as fat. Nowadays, the general population of America is constantly living the consumerist lifestyle. Americans lead lives that require heavy demands, thus eradicating time that can be spent towards being more healthy. Thus, it is no surprise that Americans resort to fast food restaurants as their source for nutrition. In fact, according to NPR,” everyday, about 1 in 3 kids in the U.S. is chowing down on fries, burgers, pizza or other fast-food

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Obesity has become a major issue in the United States today. The number of people who are overweight has increased dramatically. A study done by the Centers of Disease Control showed that since 1980, one third of our adult population has become overweight. America is known as the richest nation but also we’ve become the fattest nation as well (Rutten). There was a time when Americans went crazy over being fit and healthy they dieting, jumping onto the treadmills, and buying prepackaged non-fat foods.

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As obesity rates in the U.S. increase, people look at someone to blame for this epidemic. The most obvious perpetrator is the fast food industry, as its influence on American society is negative beyond doubt. Even though certain individuals would be looking to blame themselves for this issue, itś the fast food corporations that are causing the epidemic on today’s society with its convenience, low prices of foods and unhealthy choices are what makes fast food such a menace to today’s society. Food has transitioned from the kitchens and dinner tables of America’s homes to the everyday fast food restaurant. Causes of this include convenience, as most Americans now are working more and are leaving less time to cook and prepare food at home.

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The American tradition mastered the art of quick meals, microwavable dinners, frozen pizzas, mac and cheese, and kid cuisines. In other countries they consider fast food for their creative pizza to rice burgers we wish this kind of food can come to America (Nazario). Even the snacks we eat are way different in other countries we eat more salty, cheesy, and sugar drenched goodies than the world (horovitz). “It becomes the perfect scapegoat for our nation’s obesity crisis. With the consumption of burgers, fries, soda, nuggets and pizza, in the simple drama unfolding about obesity the role as the villains is currently being played by Burger king, McDonalds, and other vendors who can quickly serve up tasty, cheap, and calorically dense food.

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In America, a lot of us love food! Food is essential because it gives us nutrition and energy for our bodies to properly function. However, the biggest problem that we as Americans face is obesity. Obesity is a disorder that involves excessive body fat, and can lead to health problems such as diabetes, heart disease, stroke, cancer, and death. In order to lower the number of people affected by obesity, many programs are now implemented.

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Childhood obesity has more than tripled in the United States of America. With a statistic like this it is no surprise that there is so much research on connecting the fast food industry with childhood obesity. “Fast food consumption has increased to make up about twelve percent of daily calories for children and adolescents”(Reimann). The amount of consumed calories from fast food by the average child in the U.S throughout the period of one year can add up to six pounds. “Recent data suggest that nearly 15 percent of U.S. youngsters and almost one-third of adults are obese”(Holguin).

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Food is something that drives the lives of many individuals across the nation. From the little girl sitting down to dinner for the first time in a while to the starving college student, to the overworked businesswoman on her 30 minute lunch break. The choice whether to eat healthily or not is a question that many Americans are faced with every day. Sadly, the common answer to the dilemma has become stopping by the Mcdonald’s drive-thru or quickly going through the assembly line at Subway. While these establishments may offer a convenient solution to daily hunger, the effects that may result from the consumption of fast food may not be worth the existence of fast food chains any longer.

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Obesity is a major problem in the United States, and with all the special privileges given to its people, America has become very lazy. With portion sizes rising and physical activity decreasing, it is easy to see how the rates on obesity has risen over the years in America. Obesity is a major problem that needs to be resolved because it affects all people of every gender, age, and race are at risk of being obese. Obesity rates in America have nearly doubled rather tripled within the last twenty years due to the many privileges that the American people have before us. Something must be done to overcome decrease the

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It is brought to the attention of people all around the world that unemployment rates of citizens in the United States as well as the percentage of those who are obese, continue to drastically increase. The CDC reported that at least seventeen percent of children in the US from the age of two to nineteen are obese. In 2010, it was also reported that the rate of obesity has remained steady for five years for men and nearly ten years for women and children. “...about 34.9 percent of US adults, or 78.6 million people, are obese and that obesity-related conditions, such as heart disease, stroke, and type 2 diabetes, are some of the leading causes of preventable death. ”(Opposing Viewpoints)

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Fast food and unhealthy living are all problems with today’s society. We need to hunker down on obesity or it will drastically decrease our quality of life, increase our insurance costs, and our nation’s overall health. “How Obesity is affecting the World around YOU.” American Adult Obesity, 8 May 2011, americanadultobesity.wordpress.com/mark-public-argument/. “How Does Obesity in Adults Affect Spending on Health Care?” Congressional Budget Office, 4 Aug. 2015, www.cbo.gov/publication/21772.

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