The Roots Of Obesity : Obesity

In America today one in three adults are considered to be obese. Over the years the rate of obesity keeps climbing up and up. Some people blame fast-food or the environment Americans live in. After all,someone can purchase a chocolate bar at a bookstore nowadays. But, most people are looking at the incorrect factor to blame. Although the food industry is a huge contribution to obesity in America, people are ultimately responsible for their own health.

According to the USDA, at the start of century 21st American people have increased their daily caloric intake by consuming five hundred calories more than in 1970. As cited by Whitney & Rolfes (2011), there are many recognized causes of obesity such as genetics, environment, culture, socioeconomic, and metabolism among others; but the cause most evident

In the United Sates approximately 10 percent adults were recorded to be obese during the 1950s. Helen McClintock noted that, “In 1980, 7 percent of children ages 6 to 11 were recorded to be obese.” In 2011 to 2012, the CDC (Center for Disease Control and Prevention) reported almost 35 percent of U.S. adults were obese. The growth in obesity in American citizens has increased in the last six decades. There are many reasons for the increase in obesity in the U.S. One of the reason is the average restaurant meal is four times larger than it was in the 1950s. “Researchers found that children who watch more than three hours of television a day are 50 percent more likely to be obese than children who watch fewer than two hours”. The unhealthy food

Environment factors, including sedentary lifestyles, high energy intake and social aspects enhance the risk for obesity. A recently published evaluation of the Framingham Study provides an interesting alternative explanation for the worldwide increase in the prevalence of obesity, by demonstrating that the chance of a person to become obese is significantly higher when a friend, sibling or spouse are obese (Christakis and Fowler, 2007). Thus the social net work could be a relevant factor in the obesity epidemic.

Shannon Brownlee, in It’s Portion Distortion That Makes America Fat, provides an example of the increasing portion sizes by expressing,”Mcdonald's introduced its large fries( large being a relative term since at 3.5 ounces the ‘72 “large” was smaller than a medium serving today)”. The quote pulled from Shannon Brownlee’s article gives an example of how much the portion sizes have changed from 1972 to now. With the the portion sizes becoming larger and larger it brings more calories and more fat to the plates Americans are eating. Over the years the portions have become so big the size of plates today look like what a plate serving 2 to 4 people back in the 50’s would like. Also since the 1950s clothes sizes have become bigger. Marilyn Monroe who was a model in the 1950’s was considered a plus size model. In today’s size variety of clothes Marilyn Monroe would be considered 12 sizes smaller than the average person today. Clothing companies in today’s generation have sizes that vary from every single store, if a girl were to wear a size 2 pant at Macy’s she may wear a size 4 pant at Target which means that clothing companies are changing their variety of sizes. Clothing companies are adapting to the new needs of people by making their clothing sizes

We are all guilty of spending five dollars a meal from McDonalds or Burger King instead of taking a little time the day before and making our self our own meal, but let’s keep in mind that just because is made home doesn’t mean is healthy. According to the article “The state of obesity” by better policies of America more than one third of adults (34.9) are obese in the United States. But why is there so much obesity in the United States and who is there to blame? We can go ahead and blame the fast food restaurants or we can blame the people itself. Individuals are the ones to blame for the obesity in the United States because they have this idea of eating fast and easy, but just cause is fast does not mean healthy. Fast food are part of our daily life but is does not forces us to eat it.

As seen during the eighteenth century, the presence of excess body fat was envied and very rare; seen only in kings, the rich, and the wealthy as a sign of power and prosperity. Once food shortage was no longer relevant, the 20th century re-assessed this “sign of power” as a sign of ill health, and was then documented in medical practices as the chronic disease known as obesity. As we look at the roots of obesity today, causes of the disease cannot be attributed to a single origin. However, there are many daily influences that justify our nations expanding waistlines; the most obvious being an unhealthy diet. The role of food in our society has altered the way Americans perceive nutrition. Meal times are advertised as social events; an instance of mindless eating, with little awareness on stopping when you’re full, and overeating as a result. Portion sizes are much larger than nutritionally necessary, and lack in substantial protein, causing you to

Obesity is raging in the United States. America is the fattest country on this earth. It has become a major health concern. It is not only increasing at an alarming rate in adults, but also in children. The risk of obesity is serious; it can cause many problems in the body. In order to cut down on obesity, Americans need to be more aware of what they eat every day, make healthier choices, and get the proper amount of exercise and nutrition.

In addition to the many different causes of obesity, fast food receives much of the blame.

From 1960-62 to 2005-06 the number of obese Americans almost tripled from 13.4% to 35.1% (Weight-control Information Network 2). These two extreme upward trends might make a convincing case that the extra fast food intake has caused the hike in obesity rates, and it may very well be a good indication, but it is far from proof. Too many things have changed over the years, from the way the average American exercises, to the types of other food that people are consuming.

Obesity basically means having too much body fat. Not being overweight for your height, having too much muscle, or water in your body. What exactly is obesity? “Obesity is a condition that is associated with having an excess of body fat, defined by genetic and environmental factors that are difficult to control when dieting. Obesity is classified as having a Body Mass Index (BMI) of 30 or greater. BMI is a tool used to measure obesity. Obesity increases your risk of developing related conditions such as diabetes, hypertension and sleep apnea, to name a few. Many individuals are affected by obesity and are not aware of it” (O.A.C, 2016). Causes of obesity vary from person to person, but most are from the same reasons. Taking in more calories than your body can burn leads to obesity because your body stores the unused calories as fat. Typical causes are eating too much food than your body can use, drinking too much alcohol, and not getting enough exercise. Many obese people who lose large amounts of weight and gain it back think it is their fault. They blame themselves for not having the willpower to keep the weight off. Many people regain more weight than they lost. Today, we know that biology is a big reason why some people cannot keep the weight off. Some people who live in the same place and eat the same foods become obese, while others do not. Our bodies have a complex system to help keep our

Common sense might dictate that eating foods in small portions or controlling the calorie intake of each food will help stabilize weight gain, but most food found in these establishments push past the limit of daily calorie intake per day in just a single meal. “According to Consumer Reports and the Nutrition Action Health Letter, Burger King 's Triple Whopper contains 1,160 calories, 75 grams of fat, and 1050 mgs of sodium; McDonald 's Crispy Chicken Bacon Clubhouse Sandwich has 750 calories, 38 grams of fat, and 1,720 mg of sodium; Hardee 's 2/3 Pound Monster Thickburger hefts 1,330 calories, 66 grams of fat, and an astounding 1,990 mg of sodium; Taco Bell 's Cantina Burrito-Steak carries 750 calories, 28 grams of fat, and 1,940 mg of sodium.” (Ansello) From the data above, one could suggest that regularly eating these in the standard three course fashion would surpass the daily average calorie limit (2000 calories for both men and women.) The average person eats not only the sandwich alone, but consumed along with a side dish and a carbonated beverage. These meals also play a part in the lives of our children, and are the main reasons for underage obesity. To contrast the high saturated fat diets with a leafier or organic substitute, the average American has to drive further to obtain, and also pay a higher dollar cost for the diet. For example, the cost of a “Crispy Chicken Sandwich” at Wendy’s establishment is approximately one dollar, while the

Several studies have shown that the increase in fast food restaurants over the past few decades has resulted in a negative impact on the already outrageous obesity rate.According to the National Bureau of Economic Research, the number of fast food restaurants over the past thirty years has tripled, which equates to about three hundred thousand establishments in the United States alone. During this time the number of children, ages six to nineteen classified as obese, has risen from five percent to seventeen percent. The percentage of adults classified as obese has risen from half to two-thirds the population. Although fast food restaurants may be a contributing factor to the increasing obesity rate in the United States, people are

Another negative effect that is contributing to food related diseases is the fact that our society consumes large portions of food in one sitting. When someone looks at their plate piled high and wide, they will most likely eat the whole thing. So many people today do not understand how to control their portion sizes and that is why they overeat. Just as home cooked meals can be better for you, in that you can personally monitor it, the same goes for portion sizes (Elliot). One way to do this is by purchasing single portions of snacks or ordering half or smaller sizes of meals, versus a full or “biggie” size. Also, attempt to snack on more fruits and vegetables, as this will decrease your chances of developing a food-related disease (Living smart). When dining out, portion sizes are predetermined, and most people choose to eat it all rather than waste it or take it home. Research has shown that people unintentionally consume more calories when faced with larger portions (CDC). Compared to years ago, the portion sizes have increased dramatically, and with increased portions come an increase in waist sizes (CDC). Good tips to try when ordering is: don’t be afraid to take home what you can’t eat in one sitting. You can always make a second meal out of it versus overstuffing yourself; or only order what you can eat in one sitting. Don’t let your eyes be bigger than your mouth!

Obesity is a condition in which the over accumulation of adipose fat tissue causes the weight of a person to increase abnormally. Their weight exceeds by 20%, as a factor of their ideal body weight. According to recent analysis, statistics show that more than one third of the world’s population is targeted by obesity. Research shows that overweight and obesity kills more people than underweight. Obesity occurs greatly amongst adults who are 18 years or older. An estimated 600 million adults were obese out of the 1.9 billion that were overweight, around the world in 2014. One in three adults in Mexico, New Zealand and United States are obese, and one in four adults in Australia, Canada, Chile and Hungary are obese. In contrast, rates of obesity are much lower in Asian countries, where approximately 2-4% of adults have obesity. In countries such as Mexico and the United States, Latino and Africans have the highest rates of obesity amongst all the individuals. However, along with adults, statistics show that the rates for obesity are also high among children within and below the age of 5. As calculated in 2013, the number of children across the world that were either overweight or obese was 42 million. Since then, the rates have increased by 30% more in in low- and middle-income countries than in developed countries. Due to the fact that this condition continues at higher rates across the world, several organizations, such as the World Health Organization, are working with and