obesity

Obesity and Fast Food Wouldn’t it be nice to all the fast food you wanted to eat without having to worry about gaining weight? Imagine eating cheeseburgers, pizza, and soda without remorse after eating all the fats, sugars, and calories. Reality is that obesity rates are growing in number. The obesity epidemic Americans face today is a growing problem that affects more than half of the population. With growing body sizes and serious medical problems associated with obesity. Advertisement also plays a big role in the obesity epidemic. “Obesity is a medical disorder in which body fat has gathered to such an extent that it may have a negative effect on the overall health condition of a person. People are supposed to be obese when their Body Mass Index (BMI) measurement is greater than 30 and above (Obesity in America).”Are we taking it too far by blaming fast food restaurants for obesity? When is it the individual’s responsibility and when is it appropriate to place blame?
Obesity is a major problem of United States according to Obesity in America, “it affects approximately 44 million Americans; one of every five children are obese or overweight in America and 2 out every 3 adults is obese or overweight.” Only about one percent of obese people are obese because of a glandular problem. For example one the gland disorders associated with obesity is hypothyroidism. According to the National Endocrine and Metabolic Diseases Center, hypothyroidism “is a disorder that occurs when the thyroid gland does not make enough thyroid hormone to meet the body’s needs.” The thyroid hormone regulates metabolism which is the way the body uses energy. The way the body uses energy affects nearly every organ in the body. Without enough thyroid hormone, many of the body’s functions slow down. The lack of thyroid hormone can cause obesity. From the year 1970 to the year 2000 there was 64% increase in obese adults from ages 20-74 years of age (Obesity Epidemic). Unbalanced and unhealthy diet is a major cause of obesity. According to Marion Nestle, Chair of New York University’s Department of Nutrition, Food Studies, and Public Health, “the increased calories in American diets come from eating more food in general, but especially more of foods high in fat meat, dairy, fried foods, grain dishes with added fat, sugar soft drinks, juice drinks, desserts, and salt snack foods”. This means that most of the people are obese because they have high intake of food and less exercise. Buying fast food is so convenient because there are typically a few fast food restaurants in every busy intersection. In the documentary Supersize Me, Morgan Spurlock created an experiment based on where he only eats McDonalds for 30 days, with many rules that he must follow throughout this process. These rules include only consuming things that can be purchased from McDonalds, super sizing meals when asked, eating three meals per day, also he must try everything on the menu at least once. Spurlock cancelled any fitness he would have done to become the typical American. The typical American tries to avoid walking and wants to drive as much as possible. Spurlock underwent a group of medical test before undergoing the experiment. The medical test results proved that Spurlock was in good health. He started the experiment with the weight of 185.5 pounds and at 6’2 his BMI was considered normal with 11% body fat. Spurlock eventually starts to feel sick at 2 weeks into the experiment. Spurlock started to complain about chest tightness, fatigue, and depression. At the end of the experiment Spurlock decided to go to the doctor and get blood work test done. The doctor informs Spurlock that his cholesterol level has increased by 65 points, high blood pressure of 150/100, and a fatty liver, and high levels of uric acid. Spurlock’s health deteriorated after consuming McDonalds 3 times a day for a total of 30 days. This documentary makes one think about the possibilities about eating fast food. The question arises here, what makes Americans eat such poorly balanced food? First of all the life and society has changed in a style, which has affected the family structure also. Nearly one third of all children in America live in a single parent household. Even in the family of two parents, parents do not have time for their children. The pace of society is so fast that they may rush out of work to pick up their kids from day care and on the way home pick up some fast food for dinner because the parents did not have time to cook for their kids. Another group of that is at high risk of obesity is college students. College students are tempted by many different foods that the college sells. These foods are often high in fat and sugars. The average college student spends many hours “sitting down (Phillip B Sparling)”.This changed life style, especially in children with working parents and college students has demanded an increase in the amount of fast food consumed by children and college students. Advertising also played a major role in increasing the fast food popularity in America. According to National Cancer Institute, “Commercial advertisers have learned that a consistent and prominent presence in the marketplace is key to achieving and holding market share”. Statistics revealed that in “2004 the total expenditure of different food items including fast food restaurants was approximately $11.26 billion (National Cancer Institute).” Companies spend billions on advertisement because they know this is what sells their product. Companies spend big bucks on advertisement each year for example in 2001, McDonalds spent around 1.1 billion, Pepsi 1 billion, and Hershey spends 200 million. (Supersize Me). Fast food items that are advertised usually target children because they companies know that if they can attract their attention at an early age they will be loyal to their products. The six most popular brands that are enjoyed and recognized by children are related to food for example, Cheerios, McDonald’s, Pop-Tarts, and Coke. (Supersize Me). These companies relied on the fact that the children would emotionally connected to these companies even in their adulthood. Advertising and marketing is one of the reasons why obesity is happening more each day. “Basically, we live in a culture that 's engineered to promote obesity,” says Margo Wootan, director of nutrition policy at the Center for Science in the Public Interest, a Washington, D.C. based advocacy group. Being overweight or obese can bring consequences into one’s life. As your body index rises the risk of one developing a health problem also rises. According to the National heart, lung, and blood institute “being overweight or obese isn 't a cosmetic problem. These conditions greatly raise your risk for other health problems.” There are many diseases that develop from all the extra fat in one’s body for example, coronary heart dieses which is a waxy build up that is called “plaque” that builds up inside the coronary arteries. This plaque forms from eating a diet high in fat but sometimes it’s also hereditary. The plaque causes reduced blood flow to the heart because the arteries are either narrowed or blocked by the plaque buildup. The lack of proper blood flow to one’s heart can cause heart failure. When people develop coronary heart disease one of the most common symptoms is chest pain or discomfort. (NHLBI). Another problem that may develop with being overweight or obese is high blood pressure. High blood pressure is when blood pressure is being pushed into the arteries at high number. High blood pressure can damage the heart if left untreated. High blood pressure can also cause complications in other organs because the blood flows. The increase of “plaque in your arteries” can cause rupture, resulting in blood clot. If the blood clot is close to your brain, the blood clot can block the blood flow to ones brain this is known as a stroke. When a stroke occurs the blood clot blocks off oxygen from reaching the brain and the lack of oxygen to the brain can have severe consequences. Some of the consequences are paralysis, brain damage, and even death. Another disease that has been linked to being overweight or obese is type 2 diabetes. Type 2 diabetes is when the body’s glucose level is too high. The body would normally break down food and make it into glucose. The glucose then carries it to cells throughout the body. “The cells use a hormone called insulin to turn the glucose into energy.”(NHLBI). In type 2 diabetes the cells inside the body don’t use inlusin properly because at the first the body will make more insulin and then as time goes by the body can no longer make insulin to keep a normal glucose level. According to the National heart, Lung, and Blood institute diabetes brings many complications for example early death, coronary heart disease, stroke, kidney disease, and blindness. Most of the people who have type 2 diabetes are either overweight or obese. Something interesting is the metabolic syndrome which is a name that used to describe a group of risk factors for example heart disease, diabetes, and stroke. In order to be diagnosed with metabolic syndrome one must have three of the following risk factors, a large waistline which means that one having extra fat stores in the stomach. Having a high number of triglyceride levels, this means to have a fatty liver. Another risk factor is having high blood pressure and diabetes. Finally having a lower than normal HDL cholesterol level, HDL is the good cholesterol that our bodies need in order to protect the heart muscle. (NHLBI). Another health problem that can develop is sleep apnea. Osteoarthritis is another common disease that can develop because of the excessive body weight that the body carries. Osteoarthritis causes joints to wear out causing pain in knees, hips, and lower back. Finally the sleep apnea is also a very common disorder in overweight or obese people. The excess fat that people have around their neck can make the airways in the neck narrow causing pauses in breathing while the person sleeps. It has often been blamed by many that fast food is one of the major causes of increasing obesity in United States. Studies have demonstrated that there is a positive correlation between the fast food and the body weight. According to Science Daily, “Participants who consumed fast food two or more times a week gained approximately 10 more pounds and had twice as great increase in insulin resistance in the 15-year period than participants who consumed fast food less than once per week.” However, there is no actual data available to prove that fast foods are directly responsible for obesity. Most of the research conducted to identify a link between obesity and fast food emphasized more on total level analysis instead of individual analysis. Due to their focus on total level analysis, studies have found that there are more fast food restaurants in low income group areas which have high chance of obesity. Another study showed that the direct link between fast food consumption and obesity has focused on individual level and it did not find any proper link between fast food intake and obesity. Such study found that “children who eat more than three times a week in a fast food restaurant have 37 to 40% more calories intake which ultimately leads towards obesity. Soda is usually an integral part of fast food. Statistics depicted that during the period from 1977 to 1996 soda consumption has increased 75% for boys and 40% for girls, among the adolescents from 12 to 19 years of age. One can of soda increase the likelihood by 1.6 times for a child to become obese (French et al 2001).”
Now that we know how advertisement plays a key role in fast food consumption and the many problems that develop from being overweight or obese is there anything that the consumers can do to prevent these health problems? Eating fast food should be made the number one reason of obesity in the United States. Everyone can make different choices when it comes to healthier eating out. Many fast food industries have taken into consideration and now have healthier alternatives. For example, McDonalds now offer the number of calories on the menu and have new salads, sandwiches, and oatmeal. According to McDonalds, “You told us you 're trying harder to be more nutrition-minded for yourself and for your family. We listened. That 's why we have been accelerating our efforts to serve food you feel better about eating and to help you make informed nutrition choices.” I believe that although it may be hard to walk into a fast food restaurant and opt for the healthier choices but in the long run it will benefit you. Maybe even starting with small changes for example cutting back on the sugar drinks we often drink with our meals. Another good alternative stay away from fried foods because of the levels of fats. One of the most important steps in preventing obesity is to develop an exercise program. According to the National heart, lung, and blood institute, “by getting active, you 're using calories you store up from everything you eat over the course of a day.” Everything you eat and drink is stored in your body as energy. If the energy is not used, the energy can turn into fat and cause weight gain. The physical activity we get the better it because we can use most of the energy that is stored in our body. For example, parking your car in further parking lot and walking more to the store can help. Another helpful tip is to take the stairs instead of the elevator. Finally the National heart, lung, and blood institute recommends at least 30 minutes of physical activity. One can trick their mind into sometimes they like to in order to get one motivated and off the coach. One should look for an exercise that they enjoy doing for example swimming, dancing, hiking, skating, and walking. Developing an exercise plan has many good advantages besides weight management. One of the many great advantages is relieving stress and improving your sleep. Exercising also helps make your bones and muscles stronger. Another great advantage is energy that exercise can give your body; even after exercising for a period of time exercise give your body good energy to continue through your day. Another good advantage is making you feel good about yourself because you can motivate yourself to keep working out. One can also exercise with one’s family and give your family something to do when they are bored. Exercise can also help to encourage kids and parents not only to stay fit but also spend quality time together and bond. Fast food restaurants should not take all the blame for the obesity epidemic because people can make different choices when it comes to food choices and physical activity. I believe that weight management requires to eat a well-balanced diet and to engage in at least 30 minutes of physical activity each day. Even though fast food is convenient we should do our research before planning to eat fast food often. We should also be aware of the advertisement that is involved in the fast food marketing. I used to fall in the obese rang category because of BMI. My BMI was over 30. I was about 16 years old when I decided it was time for a change in my eating habits and my lack of physical activity. I changed the way I ate and I started to make smarter food choices. I gave up drinking soda, fried food, candy, and red meat. I also started walking 3 miles a day. I have dropped a total of 50 pounds in the past 10 years. I used to eat at least 3 times per week at a fast food restaurant 10 years ago and usually order a whole meal and I would make it large and get the big soda and fries and big hamburger. I can now go in the same fast food restaurant and make smarter food choices. I now order a grilled chicken sandwich, salad, and a water bottle. I believe we can all make different choices in our lives and we have the control to make smarter healthier food choices when we visit fast food restaurants.

Annotated Bibliography
The Endocrine Society. "Obesity In America." Obesity In America. The Endocrine Society, Apr.- May 2008. Web. 03 June 2013. A website that the endocrine society of the United States has created to inform the public about the dangers of obesity.
Mantel, Barbara. "Do Americans Face Too Many Obstacles to Healthy Eating?" Preventing Obesity. N.p., Sept.-Oct. 2010. Web. May-June 2013. This journal provided information about the different steps to choose in order to keep a healthy weight.
Greenblatt, Alan. "Can Americans Change Their Self-Destructive Habits?" N.p., 31 Jan. 2003. Web. 3 May 2013. This journal provides statistics on the amount of obese people in the U United States.
"What Are the Health Risks of Overweight and Obesity?" - NHLBI, NIH. N.p., 12 July 2012. Web. 04 June 2013. On this website I found the many diseases involved with obesity.
"Nutrition Choices." :: McDonalds.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 04 June 2013. I used this website to look at the calories in their menu.
"15-Year Study Shows Strong Link Between Fast Food, Obesity And Insulin Resistance." ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 19 Jan. 2005. Web. 04 June 2013. This article has information about a study related to junk food and obesity.
"Worksheet: French SA, Story M Et Al, 2001." Worksheet: French SA, Story M Et Al, 2001. N.p., n.d. Web. 04 June 2013. This journal explains a correlation between fast food and obesity.
"National Endocrine and Metabolic Diseases Information Service." Hypothyroidism. N.p., n.d. Web. 04 June 2013. I found information about hypothyroidism.
Super Size Me. Dir. Morgan Spurlock. Perf. Morgan Spurlock. Cameo, 2004. DVD. In this documentary Spurlock experiments with fast food and quickly gains weight and his health deteriorates.

Bibliography: The Endocrine Society. "Obesity In America." Obesity In America. The Endocrine Society, Apr.- May 2008. Web. 03 June 2013. A website that the endocrine society of the United States has created to inform the public about the dangers of obesity. Mantel, Barbara. "Do Americans Face Too Many Obstacles to Healthy Eating?" Preventing Obesity. N.p., Sept.-Oct. 2010. Web. May-June 2013. This journal provided information about the different steps to choose in order to keep a healthy weight. Greenblatt, Alan. "Can Americans Change Their Self-Destructive Habits?" N.p., 31 Jan. 2003. Web. 3 May 2013. This journal provides statistics on the amount of obese people in the U United States. "What Are the Health Risks of Overweight and Obesity?" - NHLBI, NIH. N.p., 12 July 2012. Web. 04 June 2013. On this website I found the many diseases involved with obesity. "Nutrition Choices." :: McDonalds.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 04 June 2013. I used this website to look at the calories in their menu. "15-Year Study Shows Strong Link Between Fast Food, Obesity And Insulin Resistance." ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 19 Jan. 2005. Web. 04 June 2013. This article has information about a study related to junk food and obesity. "Worksheet: French SA, Story M Et Al, 2001." Worksheet: French SA, Story M Et Al, 2001. N.p., n.d. Web. 04 June 2013. This journal explains a correlation between fast food and obesity. "National Endocrine and Metabolic Diseases Information Service." Hypothyroidism. N.p., n.d. Web. 04 June 2013. I found information about hypothyroidism. Super Size Me. Dir. Morgan Spurlock. Perf. Morgan Spurlock. Cameo, 2004. DVD. In this documentary Spurlock experiments with fast food and quickly gains weight and his health deteriorates.