Assignment #3
Due May. 02, 2012
The causes of being overweight and obese Being overweight is a growing problem in the western society. There are more obese and overweight adults and children than it was a few decades ago. Although there are many reasons for obesity, there are three significant causes of being overweight and obese: poor diet, Lack of exercise, and the western world lifestyle.
One of the most obvious causes why people are overweight is their poor diet, in other words bad eating habits. Many people preferred to eat junk food in fast food restaurants, or heat up prepared meals at home. When people eat outside usually they eat fast-food: Pizzas, hamburgers, hot dogs, etc. This kind of food is considered high calorie food. Similarly the prepared meals that offered in supermarkets usually have high calorie content. The recommended daily calories are different for women and men. Women should consume about 1600 to 2100 calories a day while men should consume about 1800 to 2500 calories a day; the range is dependent on height and body structure. If women or men consume more calories than they waste, the extra calories turn to fat tissues. For example, if a woman eats a Croissant and drinks a Latte for breakfast, a hamburger with French fries and a pop for lunch, and a slice of Pizzas and a can of pop for diner, it is obviously contains more than 3000 calories; it is more than the daily recommended calories for women or men. In that case the body produces fat tissues from the extra calories and gains weight. It is only a matter of time until the person will be overweight or even obese. Therefore it is very important to pay attention to eating habits so people would not get overweight and obese.
Other cause which contributes to overweight and obesity is the lack of physical activities, such as exercise. Exercise is very important to maintain and reduce body weight. Without having exercise people will gain weight. Especially