Persuasive Essay On Obesity

As years go by American weight struggle has been getting worse. People with diabetes today has more than double since 1994. While there are ways to help bring down obesity, most companies have not taken action. There are many factors to why obesity has only been increasing all these years.

It’s no secret that obesity is a huge issue worldwide; over three hundred million people are clinically obese on the earth. No matter where you go there is bound to be an overweight population; over 30% of New Zealand’s population is obese. In fact, there is an average of above 14% of people that are obese in each country. Fatty and unhealthy foods that are harmful to the human body are served everywhere you go; you just can’t get away from them. Even though obesity can lead to many fatal diseases, it is not a disease by itself. It can harm the body and reduce normal body function, but it can be cured and someone can return to a healthy lifestyle if they have enough determination.

Obesity is a very serious subject that a lot of people take lightly, especially us as Americans. America is the most obese country in the world. Statistics show that 300,000 people die a day in the United States of America due to obesity. This clearly shows that we have a serious problem that is massively underestimated. Obesity is also something that countries all across the world suffer from. For example, Australia is also one of the most obese countries in the world, and 50,000 people die a year from obesity in Australia. That’s 140 people who die per day in Australia. To solve the problem of obesity the prices of junk food should be raised and the prices of healthy food should be lowered and more convenient.

Over one third of the US population suffers from obesity and overweight. According to a study reported by the NIH (National Institute of Health), more than 1 in 3 adults were considered to be overweight, and 1 in 3 adults were considered to be obese. Children are also victims to this growing epidemic, with 1 in 6 children/adolescents anywhere from 2 to 19 were considered to be obese. This is a growing problem, and it has been for the last 20 years in America.

Everybody has their own opinions, but who is truly to blame for children eating street food often? It is a rising problem that children are choosing large meals in comparison to small meals that parents are purchasing for them. People becoming overweight is an issue that has been rising since the 1970s. At young ages, they are experiencing diseases and conditions associated with obesity which was never an issue before the 1970s. Since the 1970s, the obesity epidemic has started rising as an issue due to latch key kids, divorced parents and boxed foods becoming popular for teens to make at home alone. In the 1970s, the only term for obesity was being overweight, then as more children became overweight it was known as obesity by the late 1900s. America's millennials were becoming more introduced to processed foods and supersizing of those foods which made them gain weight rapidly. It is up to the young adults of now to fix the obesity epidemic by changing the way they are eating through educating themselves. They are the future parents and lawmakers that will hopefully decrease obesity in future children and people. Millennials and fast food companies need to take a step forward and reduce the amount of people becoming overweight by taking personal responsibility for the issue and promoting healthier foods.

Obesity is a growing epidemic in the American people, but what is the root of this seemingly unavoidable problem? According to David Zinczenko, it is the failings of the American society, but in the opinion of Radley Balko, it’s the facilitation of the government's support and the failure to take self-responsibility from the people themselves. They both have an opinion as to what the cause of obesity in America, but Zinczenko has the better argument. Through the use of real-life examples, refutation, and sound logic/reasoning Zinczenko writes a more persuasive piece than Balko.

Justin Timberlake, one of the most popular recording artists today, filmed a commercial for McDonald's. A spokeswoman for McDonald's said "the campaign is getting "buzz on the street." The song he sings in the commercial was also to be released as a full length single (MacArthur, 2003, p. 2).

Obesity is a problem in America, one that is continuously growing, with seemingly no end in sight. According to Jamie Oliver in his Ted Talk, Teach Every Child about Food, ¨diet related disease is the biggest killer in the US.¨ To fight the epidemic of obesity in the United States population, young children need to be educated about the difference between what eating a candy bar and what eating an apple can do to their bodies. Children also need to be taught about the immense health benefits that come with exercise. But, there is a debate as to where these teachings should come from. Some people simplify the problem and argue that children's parents can deal with this education. In reality, health and fitness education needs to be integrated into the place where children receive all other education, from the ages of four to early twenties, that place being school. Nobody wants to see the next generation add to the high percentage of already obese adults which “has more than doubled in the last 30 years”(Bittman 77).

America’s obesity problem may not seem like it’s not a big deal to the blind eye, but it’s without a doubt an issue that needs more attention. This epidemic has gotten well out of control, the number of cases has significantly risen, and it’s not going down anytime soon by the looks of our nation's eating habits. Most people would stop and grab a burger, rather than a salad, when knowing the salad is the healthier choice but it’s also more expensive than a burger. Therefore, making the customer opt to buy the burger because it’s a cheaper choice, they’re buying it at the expense of their health, even though consumers are responsible for what they decide to put in their mouths, it’s not entirely their fault, fast food industries and the government also plays a part in the obesity increase. Americans have been lacking the intelligence on how unhealthy the food they ingest really is. Most families in the past had three healthy home cooked meals a day, as to now it is convenient and easier to stop at a fast food restaurant. The public is blaming the consumer, parents, and also blaming the industries. So who is at fault? To prevent the number of people with obesity and other related diseases from increasing people ages 18-26 years old need to take personal responsibility and inspire the fast food industry to provide a healthier nutritional on how to take care of the body.

Obesity takes the lives of 300,000 people each year and each person was someone's child, someone’s mother, someone’s loved one, or someone’s friend. Today 66% of Americans are considered obese while only 2% of Americans were considered obese in the 1970s. In the 70s, Americans were not worried about being obese and getting obesity related diseases because there were fewer divorced families, fewer working moms, and fewer fast food restaurants. The increase in the number of divorced families, working mothers, and expansion of fast food restaurants has contributed to our current obesity epidemic. Obesity occurs when human beings become extremely overweight by consuming an enormous amount of calories with a limited amount of activity. Americans who are between the ages of 18 to 26 years old, will play a huge factor in America's future health due to the importance of the millennial’s role in America's society. Fast food companies, as well as the government, should be held accountable, but individuals also need to take responsibility for making healthier choices. To end the obesity epidemic and obesity related diseases in America, the government needs to become more involved in regulating farmers and businesses on product pricing and food selections, as well as educating people, specifically millennials, about food choices and taking personal responsibility for the future health of America.

How hungry have Americans become? Obesity has become such a common problem for all Americans ranging from the youngest to the oldest person. Ever since the 70’s obesity has been on a steep increase and it has not stopped. The problem with obesity is that it does not only add on more pounds, it also leads to more serious diseases such as diabetes and high blood pressure. Because of this it is crucial that the 18-26 year olds fix this widespread disease for the simple fact that they will save the fate of America. This is an issue that has been pushed aside because it is such a controversial topic in part because people don’t know where to place the blame. Some agree that the individuals need to take personal responsibility while others say it is all the fast food industry's fault. On the other hand, many believe it happens because people don’t know how to balance what they are eating and that obesity is just in their genetics. Despite where the blame lies obesity is still on a killing spree and action needs to be taken towards it. In order to fix the epidemic of obesity as well as obesity related diseases people need to start taking more personal responsibility, but the fast food industry's also need to make some changes.

Obesity effects 37.9 percent of American adults over 20 today. The annual medical costs for obesity in the United States is $147 million annually. (CNN Library) Not only are adults affected and uneducated by this problem, so are children. Because obesity raises many compelling health risks and concerns across America, and is continuing to rise, government policies should enforce regulations and monitor the nutrition of our nation before the problem becomes worse.

According to the government, the minimal requirement for exercise in youth is 60 minutes of physical activity. Not only is this not achieved, but obesity is coming into play, which leads to health problems and mental illnesses. Children in Canada (under the age of 17) were surveyed, which determined how much physical activity they do in a week. Reviewing the survey observing how many hours’ children partake in fitness allows others to analyze why obesity is a reoccurring issue, and how we can prevent it. The survey that I have created surveyed a total of 32 high school students at Cardinal Newman and 20 students at Our lady of Fatima to determine if it is true that there is not enough exercise in the average Canadian child/teen. The limits in this experiment was only 4,455,800 children were surveyed, meaning that nearly 1,293,600 children were left out in this survey, which could influence how accurate this survey essential is. Another limit is that the survey was conducted in 2015. Considering I conducted a survey with only 32 high school students, and 20 elementary students, my survey will be inaccurate as well since it is not a full representation of the population, and considering it is about daily exercise, there could be false answers to make an individual feel better about themselves or to make themselves look good. We must prevent such acts because if trends continue, children today could be the first generation to live shorter, less healthy lives than their parents.

In a time where obesity rates are the highest they've ever been, and scientific research is being done to prove the effects of eating healthy on the human body, it is more necessary than ever to change the diets of American people in order to reduce the "obesity crisis". This is due to the processed food industry. The processed food industry loves adding sugar and fats to their products to make it more craved by the consumer and even save them money. For example, trans fats help preserve a product's shelf-life and are also easily portable. Although the use of these items may save the manufacturer's money, they also cause many medical issues, cost tax payer's money, and affect children most of all. While many Americans believe that their fundamental rights are being violated as the government begins to regulate how much they eat, it important for the government to put regulations in place so that these issues do not progress further.

Many may know obesity is having too much body fat. To be exact, a BMI of over 30 is considered obese. BMI is calculated by dividing your weight by your height. Obesity has become a lot more common here in America compared to other countries. Now more Americans are increasing their chances of life long health problems. Obesity can cause stroke, diabetes, cancer, heart disease, and many other health issues. To fix such a neglected problem, it has been brought to attention that Americans could be paid to eat less and forced to exercise. Paying Americans to do such a thing would not only bring down the obesity rate but save tremendously on health care.