An_Investigation_on_the_Increasing_Rates_of_Obesity_in_the_United_States

An Investigation on the Increasing Rates of Obesity in the United States Is America getting fatter' Lately, this seems to be the question on everyone’s mind. From doctors, to insurance workers to government employees, the growing waistline of US citizens is not only affecting a whole population physically but rather economically as well. And that is not it, the issue is affecting people from all social classes and races, all ages and positions. It is disturbing to think about how we have allowed for this. So what went wrong' Basically it is a radical change in lifestyle that has metamorphosized the average American body. No longer are American women considered “curvy cuties”. Their bodies have dramatically changed and there isn’t even a name to call it. A massive access to convenience foods as well as dramatic increase of portion sizes combined with a decrease of physical activities on a daily basis is paying a high price on Americans. Obesity rates are escalating disproportionably and no one seems to be doing much about it. Convenience food is not necessarily the most convenient for Americans. The health of millions of Americans is being threatened by the large consumption of these convenient fast foods found in every corner of every street. In ancient Rome, people lived in apartments with no kitchens, which forced them to eat at street stands. It was cheaper to cook for many than for few. However, this is not the case for Americans at the present date in the 21st century. Work has taken over the lives of people in order to earn money, which does not allow for cooking time, thus driving them to guzzle greasy, saturated, fattening, cheap, and why not mention, tasty food. There is a vast difference between eating a nice home-made dinner with a fresh salad, than processed French fries fried in fizzing, firing, reused grease. These edible foods, if they can actually be considered food, are creating an obesity trend that did not exist fifty years ago. Not only are the nutrients that are going into the stomachs and growing waist lines of Americans what affects them, but the amount of it is alarming. Genetically modified food products are piercing through people’s bodies. Giant tomato’s, imperishable crackers, baseball – sized eggs; all going in without even questioning the harmful effects not only on people’s waistlines but on their genetic makeup as well. Plastic pieces of “so- called food” that tastes like chocolate, strawberries or even meat. Are Americans not realizing that all this fake, convenient, cheap food will pass its bill later on in life' A new lifestyle has been created however not a healthy one. Growing up with eating habits such as “you have to everything that is on your dish” instead of “eat until you feel you are satisfied” affects the body’s nutrition intake. If one is served more than their body actually needs and is forced to eat it all, it is more likely to overeat, which does increase the possibility of becoming overweight and then obese. There is always the temptation of getting more for less money, such as super-sizing a meal for only ten cents. And in fact, it does seem reasonable, people always want to get more for their money however, in this case you could argue that the ten cents you are paying for those extra twenty fries will turn into a ridiculously expensive bill later on in life. This attitude of more for less also lead to ingest more than needed. The sizes of bags of chips and cookies, Coca-Cola cans are much larger than they were twenty years ago. Portions have increase immensely, such that one portion does not account for one serving. An example of this is how twenty years ago, a bagel would count for one serving of bread in a day, while nowadays it counts for three servings, but people consume it as if it were one. Americans are consuming 10% more calories than in the 1970’s. What does this mean' 200 extra calories per day, in other words, 20 pounds per year! Now how does that sound' This also leads to Americans’ lifestyles which have become more sedentary with the passing of the years; the calorie intake in raging up, but there is no increase in physical activity. Technology has invaded the life of Americans, therefore transforming their lifestyle into lazy, inactive and comfortable lives. It is more likely for a person to own a car today, than it was thirty years ago, leading to the decrease of people walking to get to their destinations, therefore, less exercise. It is as simple as walking one more hour that usual per week that would help reduce the risk of obesity. Just as Americans’ schedules and the amount of working hours have led to the consumption of fast foods, driving cars increases due to the same reason. Many Americans drive to the restaurants where they eat instead of walking, which again, takes away from the exercise the body needs. Elevators, which practically are now a necessity instead of a privilege is another, factor affecting this sedentary lifestyle. Going up a couple of stairs is a complete sacrifice, we have lost any sense of rationality, and people are taking elevators to go from floor one to floor two. Internet has also taken away the need for a student to walk to a library to find information. Sitting in a chair with absolutely no effort one can find anything one needs and while in fact it is more convenient it has limited us from being proactive citizens. Children no longer go out and play but are confined to electronic videogames, which involve absolutely no movement. No longer is going to the park a pleasure but rather a hassle. Americans are living as if they were almost paraplegic: moving the bare minimum. So why is it that we are still wondering what went wrong' American have put a shield on the real issue and rather than concentrating on what went wrong and how to change it they are putting on a smile and pretending everything is alright. It is not an issue of performing a gastric bypass but rather of revising our lifestyles, figuring out how we can change, not fix. What is amazing here is that people have turned a blind eye to the situation. Even though the temptation to consume high- calorie foods and avoid physical exercise is almost impossible there is in fact bombarding propaganda and information on the topic and how to fix it. We have all the pieces yet we are afraid to put them together!