Modern Day Obesity

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.

An increases in the number of obese children can be attributed to the growth of both the fast food and technology industries. Fast food has become an attractive alternative to home-cooked meals for many families. Poor economic times has caused many families to struggle making ends meet, making fast food an inexpensive and easy meal. Additionally, technology--video games, cell phones, computers, and tablets-- and social media has also exacerbated the issue of child obesity. These technological and social media outlets have caused many youths to spend countless hours watching television, playing a video game, or browsing the web. The U.S. Department of Health suggests that adolescents should get at least one hour of physical activity everyday. According to a recent study, “over 45% of Americans 12-17 years of age spend more than two hour per day glued to a screen” (Source 6). It is clear that most of today’s generation of teens and adolescents doesn’t get the recommended one hour of physical activity per day. But who is going to help adolescents and their fight with

America, like any other country, has its assortment of problems: immigration, debt, or foreign affairs but one issue that is rather hard to overlook, literally, its obesity epidemic. The extra pounds have become a sight all too common in America’s society, “men are now on average seventeen pounds heavier than they were in the late seventies, and for women that figure is even higher: nineteen pounds.” (Kolbert). Obesity does not just affect adults in this way either, the kid population has been getting bigger, according to the numbers on a scale “the proportion of overweight children, age six to eleven, has more than doubled, while the proportion of overweight adolescents, age twelve to nineteen, has more than tripled.” (Kolbert). This issue has been a major concern to doctors and scientists for decades and in recent years, has even has the American Medical Association recognizing obesity to be a disease (Pollack). That is a highly debatable statement because obesity itself is a preventable lifestyle. Obesity is avoidable and curable to all (or at least most) of its sufferers. For some citizens, obesity is not a choice, rather genetics, but for the majority of the population, obesity is caused by an unhealthy diet and lazy lifestyle, and for these certain individuals, through a lot of work and discipline, the return to a healthy lifestyle is not as impossible as it may appear.

As we intake calories we must work them out. Dr. Michael Omidi, co-founder of The Children’s Obesity Fund. says “However, it is becoming increasingly obvious that the lack of physical exercise in children is the main culprit in the startling rise of childhood obesity, heart disease, diabetes, and all other types of preventable medical conditions.” As we grow up we start our exercise in our schools physical education class. As we become young teens in junior high we start getting fewer exercise because it isn’t mandatory to get a P.E. the whole year. Once getting to high school many states only require to at least have 1 P.E. credit to graduate. It’s unbelievable how the American education system works, how they slowly cut our physical activity leading the young Americans to obesity. If schools provided more physical activity and made it mandatory for kids to have a P.E. credit for every year, our children obesity rate wouldn’t be as high. Our technology has begun to take over many Americans lives, and according to “obesity in children and technology”, “A study published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology in 2014 monitored the habits of 1,003 sixth-graders. The researchers found that kids who spent more time in front of a screen -- whether it was a computer, TV or video game -- snacked more often and ate fewer healthy snacks than children who used

Fed up is a documentary that investigates the recent obesity epidemic; the obesity epidemic is considered “recent” because there has been a steady rise in obese and overweight Americans since the 1980s. This film formulates its analysis of United States’ obesity epidemic by denouncing US politics and the food industry for their immensely adverse influence on America’s overall health. Moreover, there was also an emphasis on the science of obesity and childhood obesity.

The environment of a family has an impact on a person’s health. “Research has shown that families who eat dinner together regularly consume more fruits and vegetables, fewer fried foods, and less soda than those families who do not eat dinner together.”(Dietz, 2001) Families that are stable are often more effective in being their own support system and creating a more stable environment. Families pursue the use of technology, restaurants and fast-paced eating as well as single parenting and parental denial. The media and technology promote sedentary behavior. Technology is prevalent in the cause of childhood obesity. While it is a convenience, and in some cases a form of entertainment, technology should not be replaced with active activities because it is a leading cause in childhood obesity. “The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that approximately 10 percent of preschool age children and 15 percent of 6- to 19-year olds, can be considered overweight. Twice as many are on the brink of the statistic, making childhood obesity a societal epidemic.” (Can, 2011) As sociocultural evolution carries on, the epidemic of obesity increases. Obesity in children also has psychological consequences such as negative physical self-perceptions, lower feelings of self-worth, and in some cases higher incidence of behavioral problems

Obesity, the condition of being severely overweight, is a serious issue in the United States that is gradually beginning to affect more and more citizens. In recent years, the number of Americans suffering from this chronic disease has significantly increased. Researchers have found that nearly one third of the U.S. population is considered overweight and, on average, three hundred thousand individuals die yearly as a result of obesity (Hollands et al. 2). When one participates in little to no physical activity and their diet consists mostly of high fat foods, chances are they will gain weight. If someone becomes obese, they may develop serious health related issues that, in some cases,

The occurrence of obesity has increased tremendously in the United States and is now considered an epidemic. It is a dangerous epidemic, because it increases risks for heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure, breathing problems, and more. It also increases the chance of developing diabetes, which comes with its own list of scary health problems. Obesity is caused by two simple factors, simply consuming too much food, and not getting enough physical activity. Although the causes for obesity may seem simple, it is not quite as easy as it would seem to avoid becoming a part of this epidemic. Eating too much is easy to do. This is especially true in a society where a single serving meal should serve more people based on its nutritional contents, healthy options are often more time consuming and expensive than the unhealthy, yet quick and easy food items, and the option to super-size your meal for a surprisingly cheap price is available at any fast food restaurant, of which, there are an abundance to choose and on every corner.

Parents play a crucial role in the prevention of obesity because they set the stage for their child. When a healthy atmosphere is built, children follow and create healthy lives. At a young age, children follow and adopt the ways of life from their parental roles. Thus, children adopt health habits, food consumption, television screening time, and amount of physical activity from the people they look up to. If parents are eating unhealthy foods and spending numerous hours watching television, children observe these actions and copy them. As toddlers mature and grow, they build personal preferences and actions from their parents habitual actions of unhealthy or active lives. As a parental role, restrictions on video games, computer and cell phone time is essential for the salubrity and well-being of children. An article written by Ron Benaroch states that diet and activity plays the most imperative roles in children’s weight (1). With diet and activity, parents create and set up their child’s routine and patterns. Thus, parents must be an example if they are truly serious about the health of their children. Though it is easy for parents to pick up fast-food after a long and tiring day at work or put their kids in front of the television for their own sanity, parents must be intentional and consistent. Parents must monitor what kids watch and what they

A survey conducted by the CDC, that was composed of 1.5 million people, showed that there was a 50% increase of Americans who were 100+ lbs more overweight from the year 2000 to 2005. With obesity now being considered an “epidemic” in the U.S, the chances of increasing the risk of diseases such as high blood pressure, type II diabetes, coronary heart disease, stroke, gallbladder disease, sleep apnea, respiratory problems, and osteoarthritis are through the roof. Because obesity is becoming an “epidemic,” it can also be found in all age groups, race, and education levels (Budrys, 2010, pp 93). Using the Body Mass Index (BMI), that measures body fat based on weight (in kilograms) divided by height (in meter squared) and is given in a percentage, is a way of calculating if the body fat is in an underweight (<18.5), healthy weight (18.5-24.9), overweight (25-29.9), obese I (mildly: 30-34.9), obese II (moderately: 35-39.9), obese III (morbidly: ≥40). The BMI signifies where our weight is compared to the ‘ideal’ weight based on our height.

Being physically active is always important in maintaining a healthy lifestyle, regardless of your age. Obesity is a prevalent issue in America. According to the President’s Council on Fitness at Fitness.gov, “one-third of U.S. adults (33.8%) are obese” and “approximately 17% (or 12.5 million) of children and adolescents (aged 2-19 years) are obese.” Obesity does not just stop at weight gain either. Studies by the President’s Council of Fitness also show that obesity can lead to even more serious and sometimes fatal health issues. These issues include but are not limited to: High blood pressure, asthma, diabetes, heart disease and even cancer. Not only is obesity a strain on America’s health but it is also a strain on its economy. According

Over the last 15 years the rise in obesity has reached global epidemic proportions (World Health Organisation (WHO), 2015). Obesity is defined as an “abnormal or excessive fat accumulation that may impair health.” Body Mass Index (BMI) is a common tool used to measure a person 's weight in kilograms divided by their height in meters squared (kg/m2) (WHO, 2015). An individual with a BMI greater than or equal to 30 is considered clinically obese (WHO, 2015). However this may not be the most valid way of measuring obesity as it does not take into account muscle which weighs considerable more than fat (WHO, 2015). The National Health Service (NHS) therefore recommends using waist circumference as a more valid measurement of body fat (NHS,

I believe very strongly that our overproduction of cheap grain in general, and corn in particular, has a lot to do with the fact that three-fifths of Americans are now overweight. The obesity crisis is complicated in some ways, but it's very simple in another way. The consumer expect too much on the company that will make everything healthy but demanding to lower the price of the products. The food industry and its nonstop marketing has been tabbed by many experts as a major player in the obesity epidemic. The consumers assume that everything they eat occur to be a healthy one, however; once they know how the food are produced. People see their food as a reasonable way to eat and digest. On the other hand, consumers don’t know that the food

In today’s society, technology has played a big role in everyone’s lives and has taken over. Kids today stay inside and play on the computer, watch TV, play video games, or mess with tablets and smartphones. Several people find other, more entertaining things to do than play outside and be active. Some of the times, physical education in schools is the only physical activity students have on a daily basis (“Obesity”). Kids and teenagers would much rather be wrapped up in a social network than going for a job or going to the gym. Back in the day, playing outside was one of the few entertainments. Parents have no discipline and let their children do what they want to their bodies. Technology has caused people to be less active and not as self-controlled causing them to be obese or overweight later in life.

Obesity is popular in modern society, rising at an alarming speed, which contributes health problems, both physically and psychologically. Poor diet leads to chronic illness, including diabetes, stroke and heart disease. Dietary is one of the most effectiveness treatments for obesity and chronic illness. Thus, it is of great importance in modern society, for both children and adults. There are three main types of learning principles, known as classical conditioning, ope-rant conditioning and observational learning. Each of them plays an important role in shaping diet. This essay mainly talks about the importance of dietary in modern society and application of learning principles in shaping diet.