Obesity Vs Freewill

Obesity Vs. Freewill “ You are free to make your choices, but you are not free to choose the consequences” -Unknown The American obesity epidemic has long been blamed on the fast food industry. For decades convenience, advertising and affordability have all been the scapegoat for those who are unwilling to take responsibility for their own actions. I constantly wonder why we demonize the fast food industry without ever once scalding those who choose eat it by their own free will. Free will can be defined as a free and independent choice. Since no one is forcing us to eat what we know is unhealthy for us the reason why some still choose to do so can only be explained by free will. Therefore the fast food industry should not be
held responsible for the reason why so many Americans are overweight. Instead improving our attitudes and perception of food as a whole is a much better and more helpful solution According to an online article written by The NIH (National Institutes of Health) obesity is a disease involving excessive body fat, which can in time lead to more serious health problems. High blood pressure, diabetes, strokes and coronary heart disease are just a few of the possible side effects of obesity. The main cause leading to obesity is often the result of taking in more calories than are burned off through exercise and daily activities. One is medically diagnosed as obese when a person's body mass index is 30 or greater. Three decades ago the obesity rate for adults was 15% today that rate has more than doubled to 35% (NIH). How is it one might ask, that so many Americans are stricken by this problem yet there are plenty who live happy and healthy lives. As I mentioned at the beginning of this essay free will seems to be the main difference. While I do acknowledge that there are those who are preexposed to this disease through genetics and circumstances however those are an entirely separate issue. In one case the person has no immediate control over the situation while in the other they do. In the book “Fat Land” written by Greg Critser a study done by Dr. Campbell of Harvard University is mentioned. While observing people's behavior when told they had a disease, he found that simply being told one was sick had a profound impact on that person's behavior. Without anything to actually physically ale them, he found that the patients were more lethargic and idle. Campbell states “When you tell people that they are victims and that they have no control over their physical condition, you ultimately discourage them from attempting to improve themselves.” The point being that obesity is not a disease and we do have free will. Our very privileged lifestyles would like us to believe that obesity is a disease and society certainly has catered us into believing so.
The fact is obesity is not a disease and classifying it as one is where the problem truly begins. Obesity might cause diseases (as stated above) and there might be an illnesses that makes it easier to become obese, but obesity itself - the condition of having excessive amounts of body fat is not a disease. Calling obesity a disease is like stabbing yourself in the arm, then claiming your bicep wound is an “illness.” Sure, the wound might become infected and cause a disease but the wound itself is simply a result of your
actions. More than we need weight loss surgeries and diet pills we need accountability to help fight obesity. The World Health Organization, WHO, explains in the article “Obesity in America.” Obesity is a growing problem that is only expected to worsen by 2020. Millennials are the first generation expected to live a shorter lives than their parents and this is primarily due to the obesity epidemic. We can begin fighting back by first accepting the truth that we did this to ourselves. We are a fat nation, this is true. But why? Well, because the average American spends over 34 hours a week watching TV (WHO) instead of choosing to be more active. Obesity can not only affects one's own health and lifestyle, but it can also have an economic impact that society then becomes responsible for. In 2010, the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office reported that nearly 20 percent of the increase in U.S. health care spending (from 1987-2007) was caused by obesity (WHO). We must Emphasis on choice. Free will is the ability to make informed choices to live a meaningful life. It gives a sense of empowerment to face the present reality boldly. It is the free will which makes people courageous enough not to accept the failure as a fate and work harder to alter their destiny. This same concept can and should be applied to food and many people live successful and healthy lives this way. We should not just accept that the three McDonald's we pass on our way home are there to make us fat. We should not succumb to the notion that a 15 second ad we saw on tv is going brainwash us into eating a too large burger and fry. We also shouldn’t accept that just because we can buy an unhealthy meal for $3 means we should. This does not mean eliminating fast food all together. It just means simply realizing that the consumption of this food is your decision and no else. I have spoken a lot about free and of my belief that obesity stems from a lack of it.
So how might one exercise free will while eating? The answer is quite simple and portion control is a good place to start. If you are someone who is struggling with your weight challenge yourself to eat less. Research shows that people unintentionally consume more calories when served larger portions (WHO) which can lead to excess calorie intake. Whether you eye-ball or measure your servings, eating smaller portions is an important step to becoming healthier. This is a good exercise of free will because shows the free and independent choice of choosing to eat less even though most Americans are conditioned to overeat. Free will can also be exemplified by simply choosing not to eat so regularly at one of the many the fast food chains that surround the typical American’s environment. Free will does not have to be difficult or a huge sacrifice. By making small yet very significant changes to one’s lifestyle and by choosing not to be a victim in culture that caters to the helplessness and insecurities of others it shows determination and inspires
others. Obesity is a problem, it’s a struggle and it is a hardship, but it isn’t a disease. The Bubonic Plague was a disease. It killed 100 million people, and they never realized that rats and fleas were to blame. Fat is different, fat is not a mystery and you can’t “catch it.” We all know what causes obesity; poor choices and lack of exercise not the fast food industry. Choose not to be a victim every effort, no matter how big or small counts.