Fat Of The Land : Obesity Epidemic

Being overweight, eating poorly, and not exercising are becoming an epidemic in America, especially among college students. Most of the research on it states the same things, however the first research article I found speaks more to the behavior and its current affects on college students’ health. A slew of doctors and Jesse S. Morrell wrote an article about “Risk Factors Among College Men and Women” in relationship to obesity. The opening of this article stated that “an estimated 300,000 deaths each year are attributable to obesity… and young adults have experienced dramatic increases in obesity rates,” (Morrell, 2012, pg. 82). This statistic is what really got the research going and helped the researchers focus specifically on college-aged individuals. Upon diving into their research, the authors found more alarming statistics and related diseases. This included a recognizable relationship between obesity in young people and chronic disease risk, especially diabetes and cardiovascular disease (Morrell, 2012, pg. 82). In fact, CVD was the second leading cause of death in the US in that college-age group showing that our generation is at a greater risk for health problems than ever before due to our lack of exercise and healthy diets. Researchers then took to college campuses to examine students and their habits and provide risk assessments to promote healthier lifestyles and hopefully decrease the probability of CVD and DM through the metabolic syndrome system,

According to the media article, Whose Fault is our Fat? Obesity solely stems from Americans not participating in enough physical activity. On the other hand, Family Stressors and Child Obesity, attributes the stem of childhood obesity to stressors, particularly family stressors. Another possible explanation for obesity, other than Americans not getting enough physical activity or stressors, comes from the movie, watched in lecture, The Weight of the Nation. This movie makes the connection of rates of obesity to living in poverty areas. The movie also firmly believes that Americans are turning to quick, processed, and readily made meals, instead of healthy food options.

In the United States, a crisis is breaking out known as the Obesity epidemic. For the first time in history, it is possible for the children of this generation to have a lower life expectancy than their parents. Millions of Americans are exposed to ads that are luring them into eating the cheap, fast food of billion dollar companies such as McDonald’s. Obesity has established itself as the fastest growing disease in the nation and continues to make an impact on the general population. The issue of Obesity is directly related to todays technology through television, cell phones, video games and all of sorts of new gadgets.

Today in America obesity has become a horrific epidemic and Americans are trying to find the cause and a solution for it. For the first time ever in America obesity has become such a big problem that is said to be big as the dealing of drugs in America. It seems that in America today obesity and overweight Americans have become the new normal.  Diabetes is the 7th leading cause of death in America and type 2 diabetes goes hand in hand with obesity. Obesity causes heart disease, cancer,and high blood pressure which are also some of the leading causes of death in America. Obesity doesn’t just happen to people it happens because of the unhealthy foods being eaten and the lack of exercise on top of that. This obesity epidemic is not only the fault

As Americans we have made food not only a way to live but all help us with life events, whether emotional times or celebratory events we turn to food. However our society has been consumed with unhealthy food options readily available. This has in turn caused a huge medical epidemic in America. Obesity has and will put people at risk of heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and some types of cancer. More than one-third of American adults are obese (Ogden et al., 2012). By looking in depth at the obesity epidemic in America through the three major sociological perspectives (structural functionalist, social conflict, and symbolic interactionist) we are able to better discern this medical issue impacting the health of American people.

The obesity epidemic in America is a very serious and ongoing issue. Many Americans ask themselves what is the difference between obesity and being overweight? What can I do to fix it? As Americans people deserve to know what those differences are, how to prevent obesity, and what the actual causes of obesity are. Citizens also have the right to know the effects of obesity and the solutions to obesity.

Although the food industry does not play a major role in the obesity epidemic in America, it does plays a key one because they produced the food that goes into your mouth. Most people don’t know what goes on in the pre-shipping face of the food that goes on the shelve of a grocery store. American manufacturers, pump their food full of sugar, salt, hydrogenated oils, saturated fats, preservatives, dyes, artificial flavors,

In America, seventy-eight million adults and twelve million children have been diagnosed with obesity (Rossi). Obesity is a disease that means grossly fat or overweight inasmuch as that is the consumers fault for eating imprudently; it also is the food industries fault, especially fast food. Fast-food is inexpensive and it attracts consumers, especially obese consumers, because fast-food is everywhere, nonetheless, Americans are not informed upon what they are eating not only causing obesity but chances of other diseases like heart disease, stroke, and diabetes.

Obesity should not be an unknown term to the majority of the Americans as a significant percentage of the American population is obese. As the number of obese people skyrockets annually, obesity tends to be a major threat not just in America, but globally. The number of obese individuals has doubled in past four decades, probably by practicing the art of super-sizing (Marks). Obesity is a complex physical problem in which a person weighs 20% or more in addition to his normal body weight for given height and age and Body Mass Index (BMI) which includes those of 30 and

A problem that is plaguing America and needs to be addressed with a policy change in school systems across the country is obesity. Obesity in America has been declared an epidemic, and the most alarming rates of obesity exist in younger demographics, which generally dictate that these children will continue into adulthood as obese adults (Jacobson, Kim, & Tortolero, 2009). This will add to the massive costs to society that obesity contributes from loss of employee hours to hospital care from the many diseases that are developed as a result of obesity. Therefore, this issue needs to be addressed early in life with school-aged children as it is far more difficult to stop obese adults from engaging in negative behavior that facilitates or worsens their obesity while legislative action can be taken to develop rules and regulations that can be implemented in school districts across the country.

A full-scale epidemic is currently sweeping over the nation of America. This plague is infamous for causing diabetes, heart diseases, cancer, and numerous other ailments. It affects one in four Americans and approximately 400,000 people die from it each year (“Obesity”). This disease that I am referring to is unbiased, as it is capable of affecting anyone and everyone, even children. Today, obesity is the leading cause of a multitude preventable deaths. There are many consequences of obesity, from medical to psychological ones. In order to conquer this growing problem, one must first understand what causes it.

The film Fed Up is an American made documentary that examines the obesity epidemic, as well as, the food industry in an effort to uproot the underlining causes of exponential growth rates of obesity in America. The main objective behind the documentary is to educate and expose the current threat of obesity and the associated health complications in an attempt to motivate viewers to reevaluate and alter their current food choices. Fed Up utilizes data gathered through various professional interviews conducted with medical and food industry personnel to propose and support various claims. The film also includes personal stories provided by various children who are confused about and struggle with their obesity as an effective way to establish

Adapted from his book “Salt Sugar Fat: How the Food Giants Hooked Us”, the article “The Extraordinary Science of Junk Food” presents famed Pulitzer Prize winning author Michael Moss’s chronicle of how the junk food ‘giants’ developed techniques to hook the population of the country onto their products by using addictive ingredients, expansive product lines and seductive marketing techniques. Since an initial spark of interest, Moss has interviewed over 300 former and current members of the processed food industry. From C.E.O.s to Scientists. From Marketers to Whistle-blowers. Over four years of research was conducted by Moss to figure out why startling health facts were not enough to change the Public’s bad diet. Nine of these interviews were

Did you know that two- thirds of adults and one-thirds of children in the United States are obese or overweight? (USA Today) According to Webster, obesity is defined as condition characterized by the excessive accumulation and storage of fat in the body. Body Mass Index (BMI) person weight in kilogram divided by the square of a person’s height in meters. I view obesity as a life style disease that does not discriminate. Obesity is more prevalent today due to inactivity and poor eating habits. No one has to remain obese; with proper diet, exercise and life style changes the weight will come off and stay off. I am speaking from experience; I suffered from obesity at a very young age and it carried over into my adult life.

I have noticed that you have gained a tremendous amount of weight over the last couple of years and it has caused a great deal of health problems in your life. As a young woman I believe you should always stay physically fit. Physical Activity is vital to stay healthy, reduce risk of getting diseases, high blood pressure and helps with longevity. According to National Center for Health Statistics, the least active group in our society is African-American women and I do not want you to be another statistic. From your recent visits to the doctors it sounds as though you are developing a disease called “ Creeping Obesity”, which is excessive fatness that develops slowly through adulthood (1995). Most weight gain occurs between twenty-five and forty-four, it’s sad to say, but you fall right in the middle of the age group. Creeping Obesity is only one of many diseases that will happen from an unhealthy diet. Exercising will decrease your medical issues starting with your immune system, which will improve the more you work out (1995). A person’s cardiovascular system is affected by physical activity determining whether you will be healthy or not. I am not saying any of this to scare you, but I do want you to be aware of the path you are slowly but surely going down.