Obesity Crisis Essay

Submitted By AndrewGilcrest
Words: 691
Pages: 3

Obesity In America America is accreting in its number of potential threats, whether it is political, social, or economical. Yet, comparing today's society to the way America was in the 20th century, Americans have taken a step forward in terms of hunger and starvation. Presently, new dangers face Americans, namely obesity. For decades, Americans have belittled the thought of being fat or obese, living in a life of levity. But now, it is time to face the truth. A shocking two-thirds of Americans are overweight, and half of those graduated to full blown obesity (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; CDC). It is too late for American adults to change the way they grew up to be, but it is not too late for their children. Obesity can be changed by changing the American market (advertisement of unhealthy food), and regular exercise. An arcane fact, according to CDC, the percentage of children in 1980 aged 6-11 years in the US who were obese increased from 7% to 18%, and adolescents in 1980 aged 12 to 19% who were obese increased from 5% to 18%. With those statistics considered, the percentage of obesity can only go up. This information begs the question, "how did America turn out with an obesity crisis?" The answer lies in American market. Fast-food restaurants, lack of exercise, overuse of hormones in agricultural produce, and commercials that cogently advertise fattening foods create an inevitable scenario for most Americans. Unfortunately, fattening foods are available everywhere. Fast food restaurants are becoming a major threat. Should one eat fast food or stay home and cook? Due to laziness, most Americans choose the first option, then suffer ten-fifteen years from now, and so may their children. Morgan Spurlock starred in Supersize Me, a movie created to deride the fast food industry. According to this movie, eating McDonald's for thirty days straight, can not only lead to obesity, but also to over cholesterol, liver damage, and an addiction to fast food. Regular exercise can prevent obesity. If one kept active, then it would help him/her to maintain a healthy weight, or even lose weight. According to Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH), regular exercise can lower the risk of heart disease, diabetes, stroke, high blood pressure, osteoporosis, and certain cancers, and can also reduce stress and boost moods. Inactive lifestyles do the opposite. HSPH also makes known that obesity results from energy imbalance, which means that there is a much greater amount of caloric intake compared to the amount of calories burn each day. Even as much as walking for an hour every day could help burn extra calories, and would also be a great start for someone who is obese. In conclusion, obesity is a difficult crisis to concord with in terms of politics because many views differ on whether it is the