True Story about Obesity in America

Although America is proud to be among the wealthiest and progressive countries of the world the issue of obesity threatens its population’s health.

The great economic and technological power has not made any improvements in eradicating obesity in the country. The obesity epidemic has affected all people regardless of their racial, age, ethnicity, and economic as well as social status. However the prevalence rates are generally higher for people of color and especially those from the lower social economic status.According to Center for Diseases Control and Prevention (CDC) obesity prevalence for adults has increased by approximately 60% in a span of two decades while that of children has tripled in three decades.

According to the American Obesity Association over 190 million people are overweight, obese or severely obese and this is an alarming rate that calls for immediate response both at a societal level as well as at individual levels. Obesity is the second leading cause for preventable deaths as approximately 300000 people succumb to it annually. (www. hpf. org).Obesity refers to the increased weight to a range that is above what is deemed as medically healthy especially for a given height.

(www. cdc. gov). Obesity can also be described as a chronic disease that not only affects one’s mobility but is also associated with many serious health conditions.

It occurs whenever there is an incidence of energy imbalance or when calorie intake outweighs the calories utilized by the body through metabolic reactions like through physical exercises. The extra calories are stored in form of fats in the body.Causes Obesity is caused by the imbalance of energy levels in the body which is precipitated by numerous factors. Behavioral factors by and large contribute to the unprecedented rates of obesity in America. People have increasingly adapted sedentary lifestyles where physical exercises are avoided.

Leisure activities especially for children include watching movies, playing computer games and surfing the Internet all of which involve minimal physical exercises to burn out excessive calories. (www. annecollins. com).

To make the situation worse the children carry out their activities while consuming snacks which have a lot of calories. Again with technology dynamism has brought about the production of labor saving as well as energy saving products further contributing to reduced physical exercises. With the invention of lifts and elevators the chance of exercising in the work place in eliminated. Most Americans prefer to drive even for short distances instead of walking or cycling.

Environmental factors also play an important role in determining if one is to become obese.This is attributed to the fact that people in the same surrounding influence each others behavior and attitudes. People working in the same place could influence ones eating habits for instance they could accompany each other during lunch time to fast foods. Genes are also seen as a contributing factor to obesity.

(Nielsen A and Jebb, 89). Children of obese parents also tend to be obese although the effect can be countered by effective physical exercises. It is also difficult to draw the line between what actually causes obesity in children from obese parents.This is attributed to the fact that they could have become obese due to the environmental factors. Inactive parents in physical exercises may be copied by their parents as children tend to ape their parents. Again, the shared eating habits as well as similar attitudes could be the cause of obesity.

In most homes both parents have tight programs especially because they both work. On getting home from work they prepare ‘quick fixes’ which do not have the nutritional requirements. The rates of consumption of vegetables as well as legumes have by and large reduced as people opt for high fat foods like chips.Portion sizes have also increased and this translates to increased calorie consumption. Pre packaged and refined foods have become the way of life for the Americans.

Such foods contain higher amounts of calories and their over consumption can lead to obesity. Americans flock in fast foods to satisfy their hunger instead of preparing healthy meals. Taste and convenience outweighs the nutritional values or aspects. The number of fast foods has also risen in overwhelming rates and thus increasing the chances of consuming foods that have excess calories.

The human body requires energy to carry out essential activities in the body for instance digestion but when the energy available is excessive obesity starts developing. Psychological factors also contribute to obesity. At times people tend eat in response to their emotional status like some eat a lot when boredom or sadness. Prolonged periods that favor a lot of calorie consumption would cause obesity. Cushing’s syndrome, neurological problems or depression are health conditions or illnesses that precipitate obesity.Drugs like steroids or some antidepressants can also lead to weight gain.

Some types of fertility medication also promote increased weight gain and when this intensifies it can lead to obesity. Obesity in children is aggravated by the increased media advertisement in movies and cartoon shows that favor fast foods which are quite unhealthy. (Ogden L et al, 1730). Effects Obesity is associated with numerous health risks.

It is associated with hypertension, diabetes and respiratory diseases.Obesity increases the risks for many health conditions like high blood pressure, osteoarthritis, dyslipidemia, diabetes 2, coronary heart diseases, stroke, gallbladder diseases and some types of cancers like endometrial, breast and the colon. Obesity is also associated with psychological problems as it can cause depression. Obese children could face brutality from their classmates and this would lower their self esteem. Overweight children are seen to have both bone and joint problems. (www.

mayoclinic. com). They can also experience breath shortness making it difficult to walk or conduct other essential physical exercises.Their chances of developing asthma are also higher compared to normal weight children. Sleep related problems are also a common thing with the obese children and this is a big issue as it affects their growth and development rate. Obesity in children is associated with faster growth.

It is also established that obese children especially girls experience irregular menstrual periods and they experience fertility problems later in life. Generally obesity reduces the quality of life in the sense that it reduces one’s endurance and reduces mobility. www. mayoclinic.

com)Through the many illnesses or diseases linked with obesity it can be seen as a cause of many deaths. It also negatively affects the quality of people’s lives as well as their mental health. Health complications associated with obesity cause or rather translate to increased expenses and it therefore suffices to say that obesity causes economic costs not only to individuals involved but also to the government at large. The federal government has experienced additional expenses courtesy of the effects of obesity.

It has been forced to increase the dollars spent on Medicaid and Medicare programs as the levels of chronic conditions have increased due to obesity. (www. nhpf. org). Recommendations or solutions for curbing obesity Solving obesity especially for children would be the parent’s role as well as other institutions like the school. Parents determine the food to be consumed in their homes and they should play the role of providing nutritious foods for their families.

Instead of feeding their children with fast foods they should create time to cook fresh foods for their children.Children should eat more fruits, vegetables and whole grains especially because they are in a crucial stage of growth and development. In addition to this parents should encourage their children to also participate in physical exercises for instance riding and swimming instead of specializing in sedentary leisure activities. America must work promptly to solve the problem of obesity especially among the children who determine its future. Fruits, vegetables and whole meal grains should be consumed by all as they have positive effects compared to the fatty and sugary foods.Grains are essential as they provide energy needs for the child and include whole meal bread, cereals and pasta.

Parents should encourage children to only consume the amounts of foods that they need by setting examples for them. Overeating should be thoroughly dealt with as it leads to weight gain. (Flegal M et al, 1725) Physical exercises should be practiced by all as it ensures that excessive calories are burnt down. They are very critical in reducing one’s chances of acquiring illnesses like diabetes and high blood pressure.

Although obesity is associated more to an individual’s behavior and attitudes societal influences are vital in not only reducing the prevalence rates but also in enabling the already affected to easily adjust in society. Programs to effectively accommodate them would reduce the impact of the adverse effects that obesity is associated with for instance depression rates. Change of behavior is very essential if obesity is to be a thing of the past in America. In addition to being active in terms of physical exercises and strict adherence to healthy diets, dissemination of information about the health risks associated with obesity is also vital.Children should know from a critical age that fatty foods as well as processed or refined foods are unhealthy. Parents on the other hand should stop rewarding their children with such foods as the implication would be that such foods are appropriate.

If one is traveling for short distances they should walk or ride a bicycle as that would have a positive effect on their health. Again adopting leisure activities that involve physical activities for instance swimming will go a long way in promoting good health and adverse effects of obesity will be avoided.Accurate labeling and nutritional requirements can be effective in ensuring that consumers have available information at their disposal and can consequently make effective decisions. Current public policies in dealing with the issue seem inadequate especially because the rates of obesity seem to be rising beyond controllable levels. There is therefore urgent need for swift proactive as well as innovative policies to solve the issue.

Schools should not only be keen in enhancing physical education where adequate time is spent on physical exercises but they should also provide healthy or nutritious meals for them. (Poston C and Foreyt P, 207).