Essay About Obesity In America

Currently in the United States 1 out of 3 adults are obese and 1 out of 4 children are obese. Making us the second most obese nation right behind Mexico. Obesity is defined by an unhealthy amount of fat in the body. If obesity grows at this rate in 2030 over 50 percent of the population in America will be obese. Forty years ago this was not an issue what has changed in America to create this drastic increase in obesity? Our daily calorie intake a day has increased by 500 calories since 1970. In my research paper I will find information on how fast food has impacted Americans and the causes of obesity. I also would like to find some solutions that are being proposed to decrease obesity in America. Thesis: We are constantly busy with our everyday schedule giving us no time to cook a healthy meal, to that many Americans reserve to fast food restaurants. This causes a chain reaction in obesity since adults are eating so much fast food this means their kids are also consuming the same amounting making both adults and childhood obesity increase across the charts. Asghari, Golaleh et al. "Fast Food Intake Increases the Incidence of Metabolic

Syndrome in

Children and...show more content...

In the book Schlosser focuses the attention of the book on behind the scene of a fast food restaurant. He brings up traps that the industry set up for buyers with their advertisement targeting younger audience. Another point that Schlosser brings up in this book is the quality of food in the industry. A majority of meat that fast food restaurant uses comes from slaughterhouses when slaughterhouses only make money from fast food they are more willingly to mass produce their product making everything much cheaper. This book can show me what happens behind the scenes in a fast food restaurant and what makes it so bad. How fast food is very convenient and inexpensive making it everyone's first

IntroductionAre Americans, where obesity is found to be a major struggle, in jeopardy with the various aspects that may cause obesity, such as poor eating habits, lack of physical activity, etc.? Poor eating habits such as eating processed foods is one reason for weight gain in children and adults. These eating habits are affordable, tasty, and an easy way out when an individual does not want to cook. Obesity is a personal issue that many have struggled with all their life. There are many risks that come along with being obese as well as ways to overcome it. In order to explain this the research report will ask: do individuals who are obese know the various health risks that come along with the constant weight gain and how to lose the weight...show more content...

For many children and adults, those insults that make life uncomfortable cause them to be sad, lonely, and nervous and in some cases lead to suicidal thoughts and attempts. In the case of children, Seeman and Luciani (2011) explain that "obese children, especially boys, are likely to be victims of bullying. Overweight children report significantly more verbal and physical bullying then their thinner classmates" (Pg.13). These risks are very well known in today's society. However, an obese individual may not develop all the illnesses and disabilities that come along with being obese in his or her lifetime. It is likely they will have one out of the nine listed above. Even though they may not develop all the illnesses and disabilities, obese individuals should still look into how to lose their weight so they are able to live an enjoyable, long, and healthy Get

Did you know, it is easier to become unhealthy then it is healthy? Despite the health profession, Yale researchers have discovered the mass of obesity in United States has more than doubled over the past four decades. Addition to the 80 percentage of Americans in the past, that participated in the habits of 'super–sizing' food. There is no denying that obesity is becoming more global & problematic. More than half of people today, struggle with obesity, but also the credited disease, obesity causes. Coronary heart disease, high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes and gallstones are examples of these diseases ("Obesity Disease and Condition"). Despite of researchers and their efforts to overcome this serious problem, obesity is still a threatening...show more content...

The problem is because food is everywhere and people are bombarded and tempted with ads and commercial. For example, three nights ago, my mom and I was driving ourselves home from school. When I happened to noticed that we past numerous of food billboards and during the 30 minutes, I happened to hear someone mention Wendy's new burger. Up to this point, my baby brother started asking to have a Wendy's burger. My brother, not hungry at all, just wants it because he heard how good it

Throughout the long past years, I've mostly learned about the knowledge of healthy and unhealthy food. Many resources have the different definitions or the methods. This can importantly help me to be familiar what is happening in the society about food. Fortunately, I had the opportunity to view the video "Ted talks" about the topic of "Teach every child aboutfood" by Jamie Oliver, who is a chef in Huntington Kitchen, West Virginia. According to the video, Jamie states that people around the world, especially in America, still have the massive problems with the dead that significantly have the main reason from the food and weight. He also thought that America is the unhealthiest country that most of population always eat the food that mostly...show more content...

The information obviously demonstrated that the principal problem comes from food environments which are in home, school and community. To illustrate, he made the triangle of three sources that mainly cause the problem of obesity in America. He firstly began with "Main Street". This term was talked about the normal food that can easily see in community. There are a lot of fast food and unhealthy food. In addition, these food unbelievably contain a lot of fat and sugar. Then, he focused on "Home" that is the biggest problem of obesity. Home is the main place that does not realize the following result. Most families always cook unhealthy food, for instance, there is no enough fresh ingredient. Due to this circumstance, it is probably because they have no time to do the best food for the kids and they might not think much about the consequence of unhealthy food. Finally, he talked about "School" that could be a place to encourage or to teach the children for interpreting the positive and negative effects. Also, the food in school mostly have the ingredient of sugar, in particular, it could obviously be found in milk. In addition, few children know the name of some food especially

Obesity has been a growing problem in the U.S. for more than a decade. Various reasons and theories are thrown around as to the cause of this severe problem by psychologists, dietitians, and professors trying to pinpoint a single cause. Due to America's vast supply of resources, luxurious living standards, and moral of the country, there is no one cause for obesity contrary to advertisements offering a quick–fix drug. America's obesity problem is rooted much deeper than just cheap fast food and poor choices. Medical conditions, influence of genes, unhealthy lifestyles, and mental illnesses are all contributors towards obesity in any one person. Obesity is a serious problem in America with multiple contributors and one lone solution...show more content...

Cancer is also a long term complication associated with obesity, causing the body to shut down in one area depending on the type of cancer. These irreversible effects will plague a person with constant pain and the possibility of a much shorter life span. Obesity is a sickness that many people choose to have, the only true cure is a choice. The definition of obesity is someone who is grossly overweight. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) defines obesity as: "...labels for ranges of weight that are greater than what is generally considered healthy for a given height" (Causes and Consequences 1). Almost one–third (35%) of America's population falls under the category of 'obese'. Colorado has the lowest statistics of obesity with less than 25% of its population registering as obese. This percentage in the U.S. has been rising steadily since 1986 when the obesity rate registered less than 10% nation wide. This data states that in less than thirty years, the obesity rate has exploded in North America and is still climbing. Many fear the rate might continue climbing to dangerous levels in the near future. A study conducted by the American College of Preventive Medicine (Obesity Forecasts Through 2030) reveals data predicting obesity rates to skyrocket past 50% nationwide by 2030 (Finkelstein 1). This quickly growing rate has many looking to the cause of this epidemic in an attempt to

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Obesity in America Over the years the obesity rate in America has increased significantly. From 1990 to 2016, the average percentage of obese adults increased from 11.1% to 29.8%. The escalating obesity rate in America has made obesity prevention one of the top public health priorities. Being overweight has become the new normal in America. Obesity is caused by eating too much and moving too little, depression, and the input of social media. A lot of people wonder why we are so concerned about the obesity rate in America. Being obese causes terrible diseases and sometimes can lead to death. 18% of the deaths in the United States happened from 1986 to 2006 and were caused by the symptoms that came from being obese, these occurred mostly...show more content...

One of the most important institutions that need to be changed is all the schools in the United States. The best way to stop these bad eating habits is to attack it at an early age. It is very important for the education system to not only focus on the student's academics, but their health and eating habits as well. Schools are going to have to change their physical education system to get kids to like exercising and sports of all sorts. It has been proven that all the playgrounds that have a design to where kids can participate in games that involve constant physical movement have a smaller obesity percentage. With such a positive result in the study the United States Government needs to put more effort into improving elementary school playgrounds across the country. Another institution that will need to be changed are most restaurants. "The amount of food consumed outside of households have increased in America"–K. Glanz. The amount of food people are eating in restaurants has had a negative effect on the American diet as people are consuming more calories

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Obesity in America has been linked largely to fast food and lack of nutritional knowledge. A study conducted by researchers at RTI International, the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality have shown that the United States may spend as much as $147 billion per year on medical expenses linked to obesity. In most cases obesity can easily be prevented by a simple change in diet. In my opinion, a diet is not something that one 'goes on'; rather it has a much simpler meaning such as: the way a person chooses to supplement hunger. You may choose to eat pizza for dinner every day for a week, or you may choose to have a more healthy and balanced meal such as a small portion of protein, larger quantities of vegetables, and healthy carbohydrates. An example would be one grilled chicken breast, grilled or baked asparagus, boiled and mashed sweet potatoes, and...show more content... This would help to ensure that everyone has a fair opportunity to utilize the resources provided to military members to change their lifestyle and diet. Leadership should make it known that there are specialists for the military whose sole job is to look at military member's current health and body type, and provide information on what would be most beneficial to add to one's diet. Also, they will give information on what a member should avoid eating altogether, and what could be eaten as an occasional treat. These specialists are called Dietitians and/or Nutritionists. Most Dietitians and Nutritionists achieve a Masters or Doctorate Degree in Human Nutrition and Dietetics. Their vast knowledge of the human body and the digestion process has proven to be beneficial in many cases. Some have even weened patients off of medications that physicians said would be impossible to live without just by producing meal plans that help to relieve that patients

Our great nation has become divided by issues such as same–sex marriage, amendments, symbols, and an array of other topics that people constantly debate about. Social media has fueled this division among the American people; one's "wall" or "newsfeed" is where someone can develop an opinion, obtain knowledge, or share facts without any credibility to their statement. I am an American with my own opinions, but I never felt compelled to join the debate on same–sex marriage, gun control, or the confederate flag. I could not sincerely relate to either topic, so I opted out and refused to give my perspective. A recent visit to Australia gave me a reason to examine a growing concern in our beloved country. I was savoring a meal from Hungry Jacks, which is a popular fast food restaurant that resembles Burger King. This meal was the size of a kid's meal and it cost a small fortune. What puzzled me was not the size of the meal or the amount; it was the only size offered that grabbed my attention. No medium, no large, and no supersized meal were available. I was perplexed, but eventually my experience turned into a revelation. Americans did not need meals any larger than the one I was consuming at the moment. The intake of so much fast food...show more content...

It is no coincidence that the obesity rate is higher in poverty–stricken regions of the United States. Author James Levine suggested, "Individuals who live in impoverished regions have poor access to fresh foods. Poverty–dense areas are oftentimes called "food deserts," implying diminished access to fresh food." (Levine) Families of poorer regions of America have no choice, but to eat the cheap, unhealthy fast food. Our society is based upon speed. The fast pace life of Americans do not have time for extravagant meals; they prefer to eat on the go. And the low–income families substitute fresh produce and healthy meat for dehydrated carrot sticks and chicken nuggets from the dollar

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Obesity in America

Good news! We're Number 2! As declared by a 2013 report from the U.N., America has only the second highest obesity rate in the world at 31.8%, second to Mexico with an obesity rate of 32.8%. America has held on to the title of most obese country for over 60 years. From 13% obesity in 1962, estimates have steadily increased right up to 2013's 32.8%. This may sound like good news, but the harsh truth is that America didn't reach the number 2 spot through sweeping diet changes or social conscience or sheer determination of a will to live longer, healthier lives. We made the number 2 spot solely by the fact that someone else had a higher increment than we did. Our numbers increased and are expected to continue to increase to nearly 43% by...show more content...

With such a limited understanding of the consequences of obesity, coupled with statistics and the facts mentioned above, it is clear that methods to educate American about obesity have not been effective. Just what is obesity? Obesity is defined as having an excessive amount of body fat. Obesity occurs when a person's weight is far above their ideal body weight. The root cause of obesity is widely debated. An inactive lifestyle, environment, genetics, family history, health conditions, medicines, emotional factors, age, pregnancy, and lack of sleep are many factors that can contribute towards obesity. Many times we can find multiple overlaying factors, for example, we may see a family history of obesity, along with an inactive lifestyle all while in an environment that reinforces overindulgence. Obesity and its cause is a complex issue, but the main causes can be generally grouped into three headings: poor diet, lack of exercise and lack of awareness. Major labor–saving technological changes of the 20th century gave rise to the industrial processing of food. In the 1950's and 60's we saw a rise of supermarkets and the spread of fast–food eateries. The growth of supermarkets and fast–food eateries gave way to a new method of consumption. No longer was food's route from the local farm or ranch to the

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America has always been known as the country with the most powerful military in the world. Not only are we known for that, but we are also known to have the problem with obesity in the Unites States. Obesity is when an individual gains a lot of body fat and leads to other health problems. Individuals that gain a lot of body fat are due to unhealthy foods. Since the 1970's many women had entered the workforce, this cause women to spend less time to prepare food for both the husband and kids. Food industry started to realize this was a good time to make money so they produce unhealthy foods. These products products were fill in with unhealthy chemicals. 70% of people in America are obese. The solution to solve this problem or to reduce the percentage rate of obesity in America is industries around the...show more content...

Parents should be aware that if they let their kids eat fast fastfood or any unhealthy food, the kid would end up being overweight. Parents should teach kids the importance of eating right in order to prevent obesity later in life. Kids usually pay attention on what they eat. They only get distracted by the media and what the media advertise, and all they advertise are usually unhealthy food. The kids often let their parents buy them what they see in the media. Instead the parents should buy snacks which are healthier version. Brody also tates in her article that "for those who become obese by age 10 or 11, he or his co–authors said, family based programs are needed to keep overweight from carrying over into adult hands" (20". This shows that not only adults are eating unhealthy but even the kids are eating junk food that causes them to be overweight. The parents aren't really doing anything to stop the kids from eating unhealthy food. Parents should start to raise their kids in a proper way and feed them healthy food and encourage the kids to go

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Obesity is defined as a medical condition in which excess body fat has accumulated to the extent that it may have an adverse effect on health, leading to reduce life expectancy and/or increased health problems. "The problem of obesity is increasing in the United States. Understanding the impact of social inequalities on health has become a public health priority in the new millennium. Social, political, and economic factors now are acknowledged to be "fundamental" causes of disease that affect behavior, beliefs, and biology." (Goodman, 2003) In the United States today, obesity has become an enormous problem. In the last 3 decades, the number of people overweight has increased dramatically. Obesity has not always been seen as a medical...show more content...

The same interviewer conducted all the interviews and he adopted a consistent approach in attitude and to questions. The guide served as the researcher's checklist, meaning that he looked through it when interviewing to make sure the topics in the guide was covered in the interview. The participants did not receive the exact same questions but all were asked about the same topics, e.g., if the participant was freely talking, only a few questions within the topics were necessary, while more questions were asked if the interviewee needed more guidance on a given subject. Questions were always asked openly, and adjusted to the specific interview. Transcripts and field notes from observations were used equally in the analysis and both types of information are referred to as "data". Although field observations compared to interviews could be interpreted as of lesser importance in the analyses, such data is of great value as it in many ways serve as the basis for the questions asked in the interview. For example, based on the field observations, the researcher could ask about a given observed behavior or relate a participant's answer to an observed behavior. All applicable institutional and governmental regulations concerning the ethical use of human volunteers were followed during this research. All participants were informed orally and in writing about the study, including the purpose of the study, the methods used (i.e., interviews, observations with field

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It is the United States Government's responsibility to value public health and attempt to remedy the problem of obesity. Although obesity is clearly a problem in America, the government has yet to play a key role in being a part of the solution. The government has the power and the resources to improve public health, yet it allows the food industry to continue with harmful and deceitful practices. If the government does choose to impose stricter regulations on the food industry, it will be faced with many challenges. The government must find ways to regulate the food industry that will decrease instances of obesity, without making Americans feel like they are losing their freedom to choose what they want to eat. Obesity is a major issue in America. According to Brownell and Warner, as of 2009,...show more content...

Although adults can view food advertisements critically to diminish their intended effects on their diet, Mello, Studdert, and Brennan found that children do not have this same cognitive ability (2605). They found that children under eight years of age are "generally unable to understand the persuasive intent of advertising" (2601). This means that children aged seven and under may not be able to distinguish the difference between when they are being marketed to and when they are being educated, for instance. This is likely the reason why "children who watch more television than do other children are more likely to identify incorrectly which of two foods is more healthful" (Mello, Studdert, and Brennan 2605). Studies have found that around 50% of "all nutrition–related information in television advertisements is misleading or inaccurate" (Mello, Studdert, and Brennan 2605). The food industry's advertising practices are deceitful and harmful, yet they are not currently subject to legal

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Introduction For a long time, obesity has been one of the notable health concerns that America has struggled with during the last five decades .Obesity as a health concern is not limited to America alone, it is a serious concern among other affluent societies like European countries. A considerable number of Americans spend a significant amount of money trying to lose weight. Obesity become an important focus in the news items during the year 2002.According to research findings, the rate of obesity among the American was at an average of 12% in 1990 and this rate was at 23% in the year 2005(Menifield, Doty and Fletcher 83–8). As obesity continues to persist as health concern within American communities, the question on who is most...show more content...

According to Harvard Health Publications (11–12), the causes of obesity are interrelated. By understanding how these various factors interrelate and eventually how they cause obesity, we can be able to draw a conclusion whether the problem of being overweight is as a result of our own fault or it is a problem that people do not have control over. The factors that interact with one another and result in one person being overweight compared to another include; genetics and the person's weight, influences from the external environment, physical inactivity and the behaviors that have been learned by a person. A person's genetic make up has a significant influence on whether the person will become obese or not. If both parents are obese, the likelihood that their children may end up being obese too is higher compared to a situation where neither of the parents is obese or where only one of the parents is obese. This is particularly so because genetics influence the way the body stores energy and how energy is used. This can be seen in the differences that have recorded in the basal metabolic rates (BMR) among groups of people who differ by age, gender and the make up of their bodies. People who have a low metabolic rate have a higher risk of becoming overweight. The genetic similarities shared by members of one family can explain why people who come form certain families end up being overweight (DeBruyne, Pinna

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The childhood obesity plague in America is a nationwide health emergency. One in every three children (31.7%) ages 2–19 is overweight or obese. The life–threatening price of this epidemic makes a persuasive and serious call for action that cannot go unnoticed. Obesity is anticipated to cause 112,000 deaths per year in the United States, and one third of all kids born in the year 2000 are likely to develop diabetes at some stage in their lifetime. The present age group may even be on a pathway to have a shorter lifespan than their parents. There needs to be change so we don't lose our children. Most people may not know that America is leading with the most childhood obesity issues. People that are obese are more likely to have risk factors such...show more content...

Obesity is preventable. Living with healthy lifestyle habits, such as exercising and eating right can lower the possibility of becoming overweight or obese. I hope to explore in this essay what causes obesity and how we are preventing it in the USA. I have a connection with this issue as a family member of mine has struggled with weight problems for pretty much all of her life. I hope to inform the audience of the great risks of childhood obesity as well as some solutions to this problem. While some people are apathetic towards the problem, I hope this essay will change their thoughts on the matter. I hope that they take a stand against childhood obesity. I have sparked a curiosity as to if there is a higher incidence of obesity within certain cultures or ethnic backgrounds in America. IS this culture truly just unconcerned? There is a vast majority of causes for childhood obesity in America, including fast food restaurants and their advertising, genetic obesity, along with children living a sedimentary lifestyle. Childhood obesity in America can be controlled if a beneficial lifestyle of exercise and healthy eating can be integrated into every child's

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Limitations do ourselves a favor by keeping us away from falling apart. Obesity is an issue Americans can't avoid anymore, our country is falling into a status of healthy warning. Obesity is growing every second, and consumers do not realized the harm they provoke to their bodies when they buy junk food without control.

Making America Healthy is ready to defeat obesity first around theUnited States and, hopefully in the future we can help the whole world. It took many hours of work and sacrifices to came up with effective solutions. Looking towards the future being positive we can assure that our work will be delivered in a professional and honest way.

The results Making American Healthy has gathered together follow our solution, we have...show more content...

Now overweight is a sign of health problems. Obesity is a huge problem that has been around for over 30,000 years to our prehistoric ancestors, it was believed that obesity caused fertility, huge statues were made with the images of obese women and other small images could have been carried around, this could have been the ancestors of the playboy magazine. For many years overweight was rarely seen among people and no one certainly studied it. In some countries obese people were recognized for their condition. Although at one point the ancient greeks starting noticing about the effects of obesity and its contribution to Get

When talking about obesity in a country like America, where the problem and issue is more critical we need to consider the most probable causes and the factors of obesity. According to statistics from the Center of Disease and Control in 2013 over 35.7% of Americans are obese. America is the most obese country in the world because we rely too much on technology and on other things. We also lack of physical activity and the main problem is that we have very bad eating habits. You may be asking yourself, what causes people to be obese? Well that's obvious because it's the huge amount of fast food places in America. There's literally a fast food place in every corner. As americans, we all have very bad eating habits since we would rather buy a 25 cent soup then some organic nutritious food. Also lacking on physical activity due to how busy we are at work and with family and yet still being lazy to cook something healthy or to eat anything healthy we would rather go buy something since it's so much easier. All of this is because of what the American culture is becoming with technology and...show more content... We seem to think a glass of orange juice, watered down from concentrate and flavored with artificial sweeteners and stuff does the trick. But this is far from being true. As dietitians inform that we are suppose to eat five different fruits and five different vegetables a day as a requirement for healthy development (Parker 56). The key is to eat a variety of fresh, garden–grown products. In the United States, there are few places where fresh, recently–picked and naturally–grown fruits and vegetables are sold at local markets. Fruit and vegetables from a supermarket, like Walmart or Safeway, Fry's etc.. do not supply us with even half of the valuable nutrients compared to fruits and vegetables from one's own garden, picked right

Pound for Pound the BIG Problem in America "Obesity happens one pound at a time, so does preventing it"("Why Obesity..."). Though is does not seem like a big deal, gaining just a few pounds a year can have a huge toll on life. Preventing obesity can lead to a happy, long, and healthy life. The average American does not get enough exercise or eat the proper amount of nutrients that the body needs. These days most people eat unhealthy, processed, and sodium–filled foods that, according to the Daily Mail, are shortening American citizens' life spans with every new generation ("Being Overweight at 40..."). Because America looks at fast food as an easy and quick option, people eat excessive amounts of this unhealthy food. Because of this, Americans...show more content...

There can be many solutions to this issue. Is a solution to this epidemic putting laws on the consumption of fast food? Michael Bloomberg, Mayor of NYC, says it is. He says, "The increase in sugary drink consumption is the largest single cause of the rise in calories in the American diet in the last 40 years. Many studies show consumption of these beverages is linked to weight gain and obesity, and more recently, diabetes and heart disease." Mayor Bloomberg has passed a law prohibiting sugar–rich drinks in more than 16 ounce bottles to be sold ("Combating Obesity"). He has a point, proportion size limiting might help, but it is not necessarily a solution. The consumers of these products think they need more. They are not going to be stopped from getting their XL soda! Instead, they could just get two 16–ounce bottles. If this epidemic is to come to an end, the American population needs to be taught to change their ways of life and choose better options that would not only prolong their life, but also enhance the way they live and the way they

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Obesity is growing problem within the United States and the developed world. Around 35.7% of American adults are classified as obese. There are various conditions that are associated with obesity which include diabetes, stroke, variants of cancer, and heart disease. By 2030, it is predicted that 42% of Americans will be obese and 11% will be severely obese. It is predicted that another thirty million Americans will become obese during the next eighteen years. The impact of obesity will effect everyone including your wallet. Within the next 18 years, medical care will increase by $550 billion due to obesity. Transpiration costs will increase due to the added weight which decreases fuel efficiency. Companies will be forced to invest in larger...show more content...

We must learn to love ourselves and realize that our sedentary lifestyle is not natural or healthy. We can stop this crisis much like we stopped the smoking crisis, but we're going to have to make radical life changes. Our grandparents and great grandparents had to give up smoking. Now, we have to give up on over–consumption of food and lack of exercise. It is recommended that an average person exercise around an hour a day. With an hour of exercise everyday, it can allow you to live longer and healthier. It can help prevent you from getting fatal heart diseases. It also has the ability to improve your sleep ability. It can relieve depression and anxiety. There are also many more benefits that exercise can provide. You'll also have to watch what you eat. People eat too many calories and a lot of people don't even realize it. The recommended amount of calories that a person should get is around 2,000. It should be noted that this number fluctuates with your height and amount of physical activity. You should try to consume fast food less often. Fast foods are unusually high in their fat content. They also have an unhealthy and excessive amount of sodium contained in them. Fast food is also rich in trans fat which has been heavily correlated with diabetes

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According to report of survey of 2007–2008 by National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) by Ogden (2010) approximately 32.4 percent of adult population of US above 20 years of age have a basal metabolic interest (BMI) over 25 which indicate that they are overweight. About 33.8% of adults above 20 years of age are obese (BMI>30) and 5.7% are extremely obese (BMI > 40). These figures are alarming and obesity is of serious health concern. Americans are less physically active. The price of food in America has declined significantly due to changes in technology which have improved the effectiveness of food production and its distribution. Additionally, technology has reduced the requirement for physical activity during work or for movement. For most Americans, doing physical exercise requires a conscious dedication to exercise, which comes...show more content...

The figures on walking are not good for the United States. Thus unhealthy food habits have been developed by Americans in reaction to the low cost of food, especially calorie dense foods, and the small relative cost of driving a car for transport. Also Americans under utilize healthy foods like fruits and eat more calorie dense foods like meat and poultry. They also depend on eating fast foods like burger, pizza, etc which contains high amount of calorie. Thus bad food habits and lack of physical activity make Americansoverweight people. Obesity can also lead to diseases like angina, heart failure, anaemia and arthritis. The best way to control the obesity is to lose weight by dieting and exercise. Cut down on carbohydrates such as bread, cakes, biscuits, sweets and sugar and fats, oils and fried foods. Obesity can be prevented by eating healthy and nutritious food, increasing physical activity and by cutting down of fatty food substances. Obesity is also increasing among American

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One of the most commonly discussed issues of America in the last few decades has been obesity. It remains one of the biggest problems in American society and requires a careful, systematic but also immediate solution. Obesity is a term used to describe body weight that is much greater than what is considered healthy. Today, 65% of adults in the U.S. are overweight and half of those are obese. The rates for children are smaller but they are not satisfying either: 15% are overweight and another 15% are headed that way (Lemonick). Besides the aesthetic problems for many people that this condition creates, it is most importantly known as the main cause of serious health problems as well. There are many causes that contribute to these high...show more content...

There is scientific proof that obesity is linked to many serious health conditions of our time. Cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, sleep apnea, high blood pressure and osteoarthritis [(National Institutes of Health) (Haslam)] are just some of them and were responsible for almost 400,000 deaths in America in 2004 alone (Goldfarb). These conditions even if they do not cause death, are serious enough to significantly decrease the quality of an individual's life. The aesthetic effects of obesity, on the other hand, are known to cause depression and low self–esteem. Unfortunately, the criteria that most people are judged and evaluated today are based on the stereotypes created by advertisements and lifestyle in general. A thin, fit person has more chances of being likable and preferable than someone who is overweight, in many aspects of everyday life, including the workplace. All these situations create a very negative impact on the mentality of an overweight person. Obesity is extremely expensive, too. The nutrition choices that obese people make not only decrease their health levels, but also create a strong impact in American economy. In 2003 Americans spent 75 billion dollars in medical treatment for issues connected to obesity (CDC). Half of those costs were covered by Medicare and Medicaid or, in other words, by the taxpayers. In addition, it is worth mentioning the entire industry that has been created as a result of the need to fight

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