Premium Essay

Obesity Epidemic In America

Submitted By
Words 1763
Pages 8
Why is this generation so unhealthy? What is the reason for the insane amount of overweight young adults today? The obesity epidemic is directly affecting young people in America today. This generation is the first to experience growing up with it being “normal” to be overweight because it has become so common. American’s lifestyle has changed and so has eating habits. Many know what needs to be done: eat healthy and exercise. But it can be more difficult than just that. Educating people about how and what to eat plays an important role in this. Many people simply do not know how to eat right, or are unaware of what they are actually consuming. Also, every person has a different body type so different foods and exercise may work more efficiently …show more content…
The obesity epidemic started in the late 1970’s when technology started to arise and life in the home started to change. Many children became latchkey kids because both of the parents worked. Processed food became more and more common when women started to work for convenience. Jane Brody, the author of Attacking the Obesity Epidemic by First Figuring Out Its Cause explains that “the foods were rich in sugar, salt and fat, substances that humans are evolutionarily programmed to crave” (41). This is the reason processed foods became so popular so quickly. Also, processed foods were very cheap. Brody further states, “Americans are not known for resisting such temptations, especially if money is tight”(41). Eating out became increasingly popular and the portion size grew. According to the online article Portion Size, Then vs. Now, the unbelievable statistics showed that, “the average size bagel twenty years ago was three inches in diameter and today’s bagel is six inches. Additionally, a McDonald’s cheeseburger increased in size and weight by 500%.” Expanding portion sizes are a very important contribution to the rise of obesity in America …show more content…
Instead of playing outside until dark, kids stayed inside playing video games. Another factor was walking everywhere to get to point A to point B decreased. Vanity sizing was additionally invented in the 1980’s and this included retailers changing the size of clothing items to accommodate for the weight gain among Americans, especially women. This was a psychological effect on women because it made women think that they were a smaller size at a certain store. By doing this, retailers made women’s self-esteem rise making the consumer wanting to always shop at that store because that woman was a smaller size there than at a different store. This is still done today. That is why mostly in women’s clothing different stores and brands sizes are not the same. This lifestyle of convenience and unhealthy habits starting did not stop and is obviously the cause of today’s weight problem in America. If this way of life does not change, this generation will be the first to be die before the generation before them. Essentially, the young people today will be buried before the their

Similar Documents

Premium Essay

Obesity Epidemic In America

...Obesity in America Rough Draft Jeremy Stewart ENG 122 English Composition II Instructor: Jennifer Chagala October 02, 2014 Obesity in America It is a shame that more people die in the United States from eating too much food, while in other countries people die from not having enough. Obesity is a rising health epidemic across the nation, and it is a duel responsibility of the government as well as society to do all that they can, starting in the individual home to encourage healthy eating in order to reverse this development and preserve the next generation. Obesity has officially become an epidemic in America. It is debatably one the most noticed public health problems that America faces today. In 2009,...

Words: 1506 - Pages: 7

Premium Essay

Obesity Epidemic In America

...healthy by their doctors? Although there could be many reasons people do not hear these words come out of their doctors’ mouths, in America one of the biggest reasons is obesity. Obesity is a health issue that results from a combination of causes and contributing factors that make an individual’s body mass index (BMI) higher than what is considered healthy for their height and weight (Adult Obesity Causes & Consequences) (Ward-Smith 242). In America obesity is a major problem that relates to about 112,000...

Words: 1712 - Pages: 7

Premium Essay

Obesity Epidemic In America

...Obesity is a problem in America today, and it needs to be fixed. It turns out about 50 percent of the American population is considered obese, and its still heading that direction. What might be a perfect explanation as eating too much food and too little exercise might be one of the many reasons, but it turns out obesity is led by many other habits such as; chronic stress, sleep deprivation, laziness, or reason like not having a local grocery store close by can cause high risk of becoming overweight and even obese. There an obesity epidemic in American that can be stopped by affordable life changes that can save a lifetime, by changing diet habits, increasing physical activity having a faster access to fresh food with fewer visits to fast...

Words: 1715 - Pages: 7

Premium Essay

Obesity Epidemic In America

...The black plague has killed more than fifty million people. By conservative estimate, that would be one out of every ten American dead. But that was over six hundred years ago in Europe. Today is the modern world and many people have access to quality health care. America has abundance in food, so much so that people are dying from overeating. The scale of which can be considered unprecedented, very much like the black death. Many organization has called obesity an “epidemic” because a staggering one-third of American adult are obese. In a published study by RAND Health, obesity can be considered worse than smoking or poverty due to the magnitude of health problem it causes. People with obesity is linked to more chronic disease such...

Words: 357 - Pages: 2

Free Essay

Research Proposal

...Proposal and Outline Research Proposal - Topic: Eradicating obesity in America. Research Question: What are the solutions to eradicating obesity in America, and who is to blame for this epidemic? Working Thesis: In order to combat the obesity epidemic, government needs to revise farm policies to favor production of healthier foods in abundance, and individual families need to re-establish the connection of the environment to the soil and food supply Research Plan - For research, I will be using the DeVry Library database - EBSCO host search. (http://search.ebscohost.com.proxy.devry.edu/Community.aspx?custid=ns123107&authtype=ip&encid=22D731163C4635073776358632253E32385321E33513370331533583&ugt=62E771363C1635273736351632053E7228E361D36513679361E325E338133503&IsAdminMobile=N) I have used information from the following websites in my Position paper Centers for Disease Control and Prevention http://www.cdc.gov/obesity/data/adult.html Food without Thought: How U.S. Farm Policy Contributes to Obesity available at iatp.org http://www.nffc.net/Learn/Fact%20Sheets/Obesity%20and%20Ag.pdf A Natural Solution to the Obesity Epidemic http://primaldocs.com/opinion/a-natural-solution-to-the-obesity-epidemic/ Other research sources will be added as the work progresses. Research outline 1. The introduction will explain the epidemic state of Obesity in America discussing the statistics of obesity among children, teenagers, and adults. I will further explain the...

Words: 513 - Pages: 3

Premium Essay

America's Affluence and Obesity

...AFFLUENCE AND OBESITY America's Affluence and Obesity Cassandra L Thomas American Intercontinental University Abstract The problem of obesity in America has risen to epidemic levels. Congress in 2002 charged the Institute of Medicine (IOM) to find ways to prevent this epidemic. The IOM appointed nineteen experts to handle this issue, experts in health, obesity, nutrition, physical activity, and public health. It has been determined that it is not just up to Congress but also the individual. ("Preventing Childhood Obesity:" 2005). This paper will take a look at how the affluence of America plays a part in this epidemic. (I.O.M 2004). America's Affluence and Obesity America’s Affluence and Obesity Since the beginning of America, folks have lived off the land. Vegetables, fruits were grown on lands free from pesticides and fertilizers. Animals used for food were allowed to eat what the land offered. People grew vegetable gardens, and traded with each other. They made their own preserves, from fresh fruits and vegetables. Fresh foods were in great abundance and there was very little waste. Then there came an educated generation that had no use or respect for the land. New Generation This new educated generation, felt they were much too educated to work the land, they went after the dollar, it became all about making money. Money to buy bigger houses, bigger cars, lusting the glamour, and glitter of Hollywood. The world became aware of what America was experiencing...

Words: 1865 - Pages: 8

Premium Essay

Obesity in Usa

...Presentation on obesity in the USA Good morning everyone. During my stay here in America I have observed the habits of Americans in relation to foods and activity. Obesity is a big problem especially here in the USA. The American population are getting bigger and bigger and the obesity epidemic in the USA has grown over these past fifty years, which cost the USA $150 billion annually. America is a country, were everything is big: the cars, the houses, the menus on the restaurants and the people. One out of three adults in America are obese while one out of six children are obese. The obesity epidemic has grown but which factors have had an influence on the obesity epidemic? And which preventive measures have the companies, communities, schools and the First Lady done to prevent the obesity epidemic to grow even further? One contributing factor of the obesity epidemic is the fact that the eating habits have been changing over the last fifty years. Americans are more addictive to eat out instead of preparing healthy food at home and they continue eating unhealthy food although it may contribute diabetes, cancer and heart diseases. How come the obesity epidemic grown so fast and getting out of control? How come the parents feeding their children with processed foods with higher sugar, fat and calories - Is it the children who decide what to eat? Children are acting on their instincts and if they see an advertising on the TV for McDonalds with the Ronald McDonald clown and...

Words: 1301 - Pages: 6

Premium Essay

Childhood Obesity an American Epidemic

...There is an epidemic in America and it is called “Childhood Obesity.” “Obese,” from the Latin word “obesus,” means “grow fat by eating.” (Dalton, 2004) This term’s origin suggests that overeating is the major cause of the obesity epidemic. Teaching obese children to eat less is essential. But modifying behavior is no simple task, and eating too much is not the sole cause of obesity. Other factors play a role and must be understood in order to reverse this epidemic and produce healthier children. The growing number of obese children in America are victims of an epidemic just as surely as if they were infected by a virus. Americans tend to think of an epidemic as an outbreak of a contagious illness. But to physicians the sudden increase in obesity rates that have occurred in the twentieth century is every bit as unexpected as an outbreak of a new infectious disease and has triggered an alarm that might greet the rising of polio. Julie Gerberding, the director of the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), in the fall of 2003, declared obesity the number one health threat facing America. (Okie, 2005) The causes (nature) of this epidemic are complex and include genetic, biological and behavioral factors. These include, but are not limited to poor eating habits, overeating, the lack of exercise, family history of obesity, cardiac, endocrine or neurological problems, life changing events or stress, along with family or peer problems and low self-esteem or emotional...

Words: 1226 - Pages: 5

Free Essay

Gen 499 Week 5 Final Paper Childhood Obesity Childcare Programs Fighting the Epidemic

...GEN 499 Week 5 Final Paper Childhood Obesity Childcare Programs Fighting the Epidemic https://hwguiders.com/downloads/gen-499-week-5-final-paper-childhood-obesity-childcare-programs-fighting-the-epidemic GEN 499 Week 5 Final Paper Childhood Obesity Childcare Programs Fighting the Epidemic Childhood Obesity – Childcare Programs Fighting the Epidemic First Lady Michelle Obama opened the Let’s Move campaign in 2010 by telling us that “Over the past three decades, childhood obesity rates in America have tripled, and today, nearly one in three children in America are overweight or obese” (Let’s Move, n.d.). Rates of childhood obesity continue to rise in the United States. The percentage of young children ages 6–11 years in the United States who was 18% in 2012from 7% in 1980. Additionally, the percentage of pre-teen and teenagers ages 12–19 years who were obese increased from 5% to nearly 21% over the same period. (CDC, n.d.) Even among infants, toddlers and preschoolers the prevalence of obesity is alarmingly high. A large percentage of children ages six weeks old to eleven years old are enrolled in some sort of a child care program, and the amount of time children spend in child care programs each week has increased over the years. Even though parents are ultimately responsible for their children not educators, early childhood educators have the unique position and ability to help reduce the childhood obesity epidemic because early childhood educators spend large amounts...

Words: 412 - Pages: 2

Premium Essay

Obesity

...Running head: OBESITY HAS BECOME AN EPIDEMIC 1 Obesity Has Become an Epidemic Helen Wyatt Strayer University OBESITY HAS BECOME AN EPIDEMIC 2 Lately more and more is being said about a certain “obesity epidemic” that allegedly afflicts a large proportion of the countries of the world and threatens a global health catastrophe. It’s the fastest –growing cause of disease and death in America .Obesity hits children and adults alike. Obesity begins early; obesity in childhood is a strong predicator of obesity in adulthood. Studies on obesity consistently report a higher prevalence of obesity in African Americans and Mexican Americans compared with the white, non-Hispanic population. We have an epidemic of childhood obesity. A study showed that nearly one in every four of the children in public elementary schools is overweight. Nearly two out of every three American are overweight or obese. One out of every eight deaths in America is caused by an illness directly related to overweight or obesity (Carmon, 2003). The definition of obesity is having too much body fat. Obesity occurs over time when one eats too much and moves too little. It is different from being overweight, which means weighing too much. Poor diet and physical inactivity causes overweight and obesity. Some people want to blame the food industry for our growing waistlines. The...

Words: 605 - Pages: 3

Premium Essay

Causes and Effect of Childhood Obesity

...Causes and effect of childhood obesity Introduction: Nowadays the majority of children all around the world suffer from being overweight or obesity. In the United States of America in particular, there exists the highest proportion of childhood obesity in the world. These figures are continuing to grow in this country as well as in other developed and developing countries. In addition, almost 25% of children suffer from being clinically overweight while a staggering 11% of children are clinically obese in the States according to the latest statistics (Dehghan et al, 2005). Obesity in childhood is defined as an excess of fat in the child's body. Body mass index (BMI) can also be used to define obesity in childhood and adults. This sort of measurement can classify obesity into different categories, for example, normal weight, underweight, overweight, obesity, obesity class 1, obesity class 2 and obesity class 3 (Onyike et al, 2003). The major problem of childhood obesity is that is has become one of the most serious nutritional issues in the world.. The obesity epidemic has been spreading since 1971 in both developed and developing countries, especially in the United States of America (Dehghan et al, 2005). In recent years, the obesity epidemic has grown rapidly in these counties. There are several influences which are responsible for the increase in the rate of childhood obesity in the States. For instance, consumption of fast food which contains a large amount of calories...

Words: 632 - Pages: 3

Premium Essay

Obesity In America Essay

...America is a fat country and that is a fact. One third of adults and roughly 12.7 million children are obese in the United States of America ("Overweight & Obesity.", Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 2015). Furthermore, the numbers of obese people are rapidly rising at an alarming rate. America’s excessive food consumption and lack of exercise is catapulting the obesity epidemic in America to reach new heights. The word “obese” describes an individual who has too much body fat in which 25 percent of the body weight is from fat (Mosby's Dictionary of Medicine, Nursing & Health Professions 2012). On the other hand, obesity is a condition in which the body has accumulated too much fat. This condition occurs when there is excessive...

Words: 622 - Pages: 3

Premium Essay

Obesity in America

...Research suggests obesity in America is an epidemic because of people’s diet, lifestyle, and genetic inheritance. Obesity is a chronic disease that can and will seriously affect one’s health. Health professionals agree that obesity has now reached epidemic status in our country. Over one third of American adults are obese. Obesity also affects children and is more prevalent now than in previous years. And the numbers are increasing. Diet and nutrition play a major role in the United States epidemic of obesity. Although it is very complex especially when Americans are sent mixed messages on what to eat and how much they should eat. On one hand, you have packaged processed food, bigger portions and fast food meals that are marketed as all American. The food is delicious and filling but fast and cheap. On the other hand, Americans spend almost twenty billion dollars every year on the newest weight loss fads, from weight loss drugs to books on the newest weight loss diet to weight loss surgeries like gastric bypass, lap-bands and Hollywood’s favorite, liposuction. Everyone is looking for everything fast. Fast-food, and fast weight loss options. We spend more time at work to pay for all the fast stuff in our lives instead of spending time at home and in our own kitchens cooking nutritious meals for our whole family like our parents did fifty years ago. (Overeaters Anonymous, 1980) This crazy relationship Americans have with food is easy to explain in terms of schemes in marketing...

Words: 2708 - Pages: 11

Premium Essay

Fed Up: Let's Move Campaign

...Obesity is an extremely dangerous factor that is continuing to grow within America. Obesity has been proven to lead victims to higher chances of cancer and heart disease, which happen to be two of the leading factors of death in America. Due to these negative effects, many agencies, organizations, and other outspoken activists continue to try and battle this epidemic within America. Although many of their campaigns and ideas are effective, obesity rates are still drastically rising in America. Contrary to most campaigns and movements, instead of trying to present a positive approach to this problem, like Michelle Obama’s “Let’s Move” campaign, or just solely presenting pieces of evidence and statistics against the food industry, like Fast Food Nation, a documentary titled “Fed Up” tries to focus on showing the negative effects that this disease leaves on it’s victim and his or her family. While the other types of campaigns and movements were effective to some extent, “Fed Up” does a better job with making the viewer re-evaluate his or her food choices and become an advocate against obesity....

Words: 537 - Pages: 3

Free Essay

Gen 499 Week 5 Final Paper Childhood Obesity Childcare Programs Fighting the Epidemic

...GEN 499 Week 5 Final Paper Childhood Obesity Childcare Programs Fighting the Epidemic https://hwguiders.com/downloads/gen-499-week-5-final-paper-childhood-obesity-childcare-programs-fighting-the-epidemic GEN 499 Week 5 Final Paper Childhood Obesity Childcare Programs Fighting the Epidemic Childhood Obesity – Childcare Programs Fighting the Epidemic First Lady Michelle Obama opened the Let’s Move campaign in 2010 by telling us that “Over the past three decades, childhood obesity rates in America have tripled, and today, nearly one in three children in America are overweight or obese” (Let’s Move, n.d.). Rates of childhood obesity continue to rise in the United States. The percentage of young children ages 6–11 years in the United States who was 18% in 2012from 7% in 1980. Additionally, the percentage of pre-teen and teenagers ages 12–19 years who were obese increased from 5% to nearly 21% over the same period. (CDC, n.d.) Even among infants, toddlers and preschoolers the prevalence of obesity is alarmingly high. A large percentage of children ages six weeks old to eleven years old are enrolled in some sort of a child care program, and the amount of time children spend in child care programs each week has increased over the years. Even though parents are ultimately responsible for their children not educators, early childhood educators have the unique position and ability to help reduce the childhood obesity epidemic because early childhood educators spend large amounts...

Words: 412 - Pages: 2