It is said that an obesity epidemic is sweeping the country and that the numbers are astronomical. Approximately 31% of all adults and 15% of children, ages 6-19 are obese. Obesity is also severe in a variety of ethnic groups. For example, 50% of non-Hispanic black women are obese. Many researchers believe that the trend in obesity as a lot to do with cultural, economic, and environmental factors.
Simply stated I think it can be attributed to genetics, portion size as well as food available and cost, and laziness. Obesity can run in your family. For instance, if one of your parents is obese you are three times more likely to become obese than if you had parents of a healthy weight. Also the way your body responds to food is genetically linked. Food intake and activity patterns reflect the influence of genetic factors. Genes can also influence how calories are used, how efficiently your body uses calories determines how much fat will be stored.
However, genetics can only determine the tendency you have to be obese. Eating right and exercising regularly will be what actually determines if you are overweight or not. Another reason for obesity becoming so prevalent in our society can be blamed on portion size and food available as well as its cost. Food chains and companies compete with one another by increasing portion size. As the portions increase so do our waistlines. Also, our mile a minute lifestyles make it hard to sit down and enjoy a nutritious meal.
Much too often we run through a drive-thru to grab a cheeseburger, fries, and a coke. A lot of times I will run through a drive thru and look at the menu, trying to be health conscience but when it only cost $1 for a hamburger and the fruit bowl is $5 which do you think the broke college kid if going to pick? Four dollars is not a huge deal to me but personally it doesn’t make sense to me why healthier food should be more expensive. Fast food chains should be encouraging a more healthy menu, after all a majority of obesity can be blamed on fast food. In addition to genetics and food, laziness can also be credited to the obesity epidemic. Physical activity uses calories, the fewer calories you use the more likely you are to put on weight.
Often times when I am at work people won’t even take their own items out of the shopping carts, I’d say a good 99% of the time these people are obese. Physical activity doesn’t have to be jogging or going to the gym it can be something as simple as washing your car or playing with your children. Many problems allow us to just stop, but for many people “stop eating” is not a feasible alternative. There is no easy way to cure obesity. It is a lifestyle change. If America could eat healthier and increase their activity level I think we could all look forward to a healthier, longer future..