Obesity and People

Fast Food, Fast Calories, and Fast After life Society should consider the physical and emotional problems of obesity in our nation. Obesity is defined as an excess proportion of total body fat. American society has become increasingly obese, characterized by environments that promote increased food intake, unhealthy foods, and physical inactivity. Our nation increasingly has become consumers of a fast food diet. It is so simple to just pick up food on the go and not deal with the hassle of cooking and cleaning up afterwards. What our nation needs to acknowledge is the health risks they will obtain if they do not acquire a healthy life style. Overweight people are affected by physical and emotional health problems. A few of the most common physical problems related to obesity include asthma, hypertension, polycystic ovary syndrome, type 2 diabetes, and sleep problems. Other known risk factors are coronary heart disease, stroke, gallbladder disease, osteoarthritis, and some forms of cancer. These health conditions are becoming more and more common. Society needs to promote this generation towards a healthier life style. Furthermore, schools need to better educate kids on the detrimental factors of obesity beforehand. In addition obesity is also associated with complications of pregnancy, menstrual irregularities, hirsutism, stress incontinence, increased surgical risk and increased mortality. Not only does obesity affect the body physically but also emotionally. One of the most painful aspects of obesity is the emotional suffering it causes. Psychological disorders such as depression are developed as a result of obesity. Emotional health problems include depression and anorexia. In most cases depression affects teenagers who are enrolled in high school. Obese teenagers go through abuse and are put in an image that they don’t belong. Many people are unaware of all the risks acquired with obesity and need to be educated so as to move forward in the fight against obesity. It is unknown what exactly causes severe obesity. However, there are many factors contributing to the development including genetic, hereditary, environmental, and metabolic and eating disorders. Intake of steroids and hypothyroidism also cause weight gain. Some illnesses, including Cushing’s disease and polycystic ovary syndrome, may lead to obesity or weight gain. What lies behind obesity varies from person to person and affects each one differently. Overall, obesity occurs when a person consumes more calories than he or she burns; for most people it boils down to eating too much and exercising too little. Balance and moderation is the key to overcome these factors. Other contributing factors that play a role in obesity include age, gender, and physiological factors. More commonly, demanding careers and stressful lifestyles people face today prevents them from finding the time to exercise and plan nutritious meals. All of these factors contribute to the generating cause of obesity. To determine if someone’s weight has increased his or her health risks, there are various methods based on height and weight or by the measurements of body fat. The most common way doctors determine obesity is a formula based on height and weight, called the body mass index or BMI. The majority of the time this scale is accurate, however, in some cases the scale is inaccurate for individuals with adequate muscle mass or large bone structures. Adults with a BMI between 25 and 29.9 are considered overweight; a person with a BMI of 30 or higher is considered obese; a BMI of 40 or more is considered morbid obese. Another way to calculate BMI is to use the pinch test, in which you pinch certain parts of the human body and measure it with a caliber. A person who is Morbid obese is especially likely to have serious health problems. It is very beneficial to understand individual body mass as it gives a lot of information about your body.
Obesity has increased globally in large numbers over a short period of time. Today, one in three American adults are considered to be obese. Obesity is a growing problem that is getting way out of hand. The large numbers of obesity may be the leading cause of the increased medical care throughout the nation. Obesity is, however, the second leading cause of preventable death in the United States. At young ages children are putting on excessive weight due to bad eating habits. Obesity is a picked up trait, so in most cases the whole family is affected. Obesity affects people of different financial backgrounds; it occurs among the rich as well as the poor. People on a tight budget will eat poorly due to the fact that the food they can afford is mass-produced and industrialized. On the other hand, people with wealth sometimes take food for granted. The statistic numbers have increased more and more through each generation. Our American society places great emphasis on physical appearance. Society equates attractiveness with slimness and muscularity. The images put in magazines and seen on TV show an unrealistic portrayal of the human body. Our society idolizes the perfect body; this pressure put on people to look a certain way causes the majority of people to have a low self-esteem. People who are overweight are sometimes stereotyped as being lazy and gluttonous. They face discrimination at work, at school, while being interviewed for a job, and in social situations. Feelings of rejection, shame, and depression are common to people that have to face the struggles of obesity. Everyday things are a challenge to somebody that is self conscious; it is a struggle to meet people, to make friends, or get out in front of a crowd. One person at a time, society needs to step back from their judging ways and consider the emotional battle these people have to fight. As a result of the discrimination people feel, they will do almost anything to change their appearance. Unfortunately, there are many unhealthy diets out there to assist people in getting off that unwanted weight; in desperation people will try almost anything to put off the pounds. People don’t know what path to take with all the dietary supplements, diets and surgeries. The most healthy and simple way to get to a healthy weight is to just simply eat right based on variety and moderation while doing some type of exercise each day. Obesity is a struggle with many obstacles to overcome. Being overweight impacts how people feel about themselves. People that struggle with their weight are more likely to keep to themselves about it, but the hurt is still there. The emotional issues of obesity consist of depression, anxiety, irritability, distorted body image, binge eating disorder, shyness, and the motivation to not give up. A person that is overweight commonly feels isolated and secluded. People are very sensitive to the way people perceive them; if people are treated as if they are worthless or a disappointment they will in turn think that they are and act accordingly. If people were not singled out for their weight by society, it may change the effects of obesity. Society needs to be educated on the effects of the choices they make so they can alleviate themselves from the serious physical, emotional and social consequences in the future. The good news is that even modest weight loss can improve or prevent the health problems associated with obesity. Our society is responsible to prevent our next generation from becoming obese at the beginning, because once the onset of obesity has come; it is a negative cycle that is difficult to break. For example McDonalds have changed their happy meals that now have lower calories and fat. They also provide side servings of fruits and vegetables. Society needs to stress and prioritize healthy choices by having more family dinners and making healthy snack choices to keep our nation healthy. Furthermore, fitness classes should be an additional class required to graduate from high school although this might be very controversial. The initial focus is to enable people of all backgrounds to direct their path towards a healthy life style. We need to acknowledge the efforts currently being made to provide quality services that identify, refer, advise, and treat those at risk. All things considered, if society would just make the extra effort and go that extra mile to moderate their diet; they would, overall, suffer fewer consequences.

Works Cited
Tavernise, Sabrina. "Obesity In Young Is Seen As Falling In Several Cities." Editorial. New York times. N.p., 10 Dec. 2012.
Bakalar, Nicholas. "Obese Children Less Sensitive to Taste." New York Times 1 Oct. 2012
Ambinder, Marc. "Beating Obesity." The Atlantic May 2010: 112. Web.

Cited: Tavernise, Sabrina. "Obesity In Young Is Seen As Falling In Several Cities." Editorial. New York times. N.p., 10 Dec. 2012. Bakalar, Nicholas. "Obese Children Less Sensitive to Taste." New York Times 1 Oct. 2012 Ambinder, Marc. "Beating Obesity." The Atlantic May 2010: 112. Web.