Essay on "Obesity Is Becoming a Huge Problem"

Essay 5 pages (1579 words) Sources: 5

[EXCERPT] . . . .

Obesity is becoming a huge problem in our society. In the past, a number of studies have been conducted in an attempt to determine the exact causes of obesity. Although research on these causes is still ongoing, many health experts and researchers link obesity to the everyday lifestyle choices individuals make.

Obesity: An Overview

The World Health Organization according to Rossen and Rossen "defines obesity as abnormal or excessive fat accumulation that presents a risk to health" (3). It is however important to note that other definitions of obesity do exist. In the opinion of the author, the other common definitions of obesity mainly utilize the BMI in an attempt to identify/determine those who can be categorized as being obese. Basically, an individual's BMI is essentially "the ratio of his or her weight (in kilograms) to height (in meters-squared)" (Rossen and Rossen 3). As I have already pointed out in the introductory section, obesity is becoming a significant health problem in our society today. This is more so the case if the data on the prevalence of the same is anything to go by. According to the Centers for Disease Control -- CDC, approximately 35.7% of adults in the U.S. are obese. In that regard, the need to highlight the actual causes of the epidemic cannot be overstated.

Immediate Causes of Obesity

As I have already pointed out elsewhere in this text, obesity is as a direct result of the various lifestyle choices individuals make. In that regard, physical inactivity tops the list of the causes of this epidemic. We are fast becoming an inactive nation. As Sizer, Piche and Whitney point out, some of us become obese not because we overeat but because our movement tends to be too little (347). The advent of technology has benefited the human race in so many ways. In addition to changing the way we communicate, technology has also made significant contributions towards making work easier. However, in addition to making work easier, obesity has also made our lives more sedentary. At the office, an individual can undertake almost all the duties that he or she is called upon to perform from the comfort of his or her office desk. As we increasingly rely on cars to take us around, regular exercises have taken a backseat. Even the occasional staircases that could have helped us burn some fat have been replaced with escalators. In the opinion of Sizer, Piche and Whitney, human muscle power accounted for approximately 30% of the total energy spent a century ago in both factory and farm work (347). In the author's opinion, only 1% of such energy is spent in those areas today. It is not hard to see why we are fast becoming an obese nation.

Next, the food we choose to eat determines our chances or likelihood of being obese. In this case, a high-calorie intake is usually the main culprit. We are consuming more calories that we did several decades ago. Given that we are not exercising as much, we end up taking in more calories than we burn through exercises. According to the National Institutes of Health, we are surrounded by oversized food portions. Indeed, looking around, food seems to everywhere. In the opinion of the National Institutes of Health, the more we eat, the more we gain weight. Again, this is more so the case when the amount of food we eat is not balanced with adequate exercises. This is yet another indicator that our lifestyle choices are to blame for the increasing obesity rates.

Next, obesity can also be caused by our emotional states. In the words of Nnakwe, "some people overeat because of depression, hopelessness, anger, boredom, and many other reasons besides hunger" (209). This assertion is backed up by the National Institutes of Health. It is important to note that in this case, people may view overeating as a way of calming or even comforting themselves. Others may resort to eating so as to distract their mind from a disturbing or stressing situation. In such a case, such individuals end up eating more than the recommended portions. As the National Institutes of Health points out "over time, overeating will lead to weight gain and may cause overweight or obesity." It is important to note that today; individuals are more exposed to stress factors than they were a couple of years ago. One of the common stress factors today is time pressures. Increasingly, individuals are being bombarded with familial obligations, societal expectations as well as the demands of both the workplace and school. It can be noted that apart from overeating, stress can also trigger or cause lack of sleep. Indeed, lack of adequate sleep is according to the National Institutes of Health yet another cause of obesity. As the National Institutes of Health further points out, studies conducted in the past have clearly demonstrated that the less individuals sleep, the higher their chances of either becoming obese or overweight. For instance, people who spend 7-8 hours of their day asleep have a significantly lower likelihood of becoming obese in comparison to their counterparts who sleep for only 5 hours.

Background/Hidden Causes of Obesity

It is however important to note that apart from the causes I highlight above; there are numerous other causes of obesity of which many people are not aware of. The reason for this has got to do with the tendency of the media to highlight only the primary causes of the epidemic including but not limited to diet choices and lack of physical exercises.

To begin with, some medications as well as medical conditions have been known to bring about obesity. Some of the conditions closely associated with weight gain include Prader-Willi Syndrome and Hypothyroidism (Nnakwe 209). In addition to these medical conditions, medications known to trigger weight gain in the opinion of Nnakwe include but they are not limited to birth control pills and steroids (209). Some of the medications associated with weight gain tend to affect the correct functioning of the body thus triggering obesity. Indeed, according to the National Institutes of Health, apart from increasing the appetite of an individual, such medicines could also slow the body's calorie burning rate. This is what brings about or triggers weight gain.

Genes also have a role to play in the prevalence of obesity. Scientists have according to Nnakwe pointed out that when damaged, some genes can trigger obesity (209). However, how this exactly takes place is largely unknown. What is known according to the author is that individuals whose parents happen to be obese have a high likelihood of being obese as well (209). The reverse is true. This is a finding collaborated by the National Institutes of Health. However, in seeking to explain this finding, the National Institutes of Health points out that there is a high likelihood that overweight parents do not engage in physical exercises. Further, such parents may also be consumers of foods that are regarded high-calorie diets. Given that growing children tend to pick up various habits from their parents, chances are high that a child brought up in such an environment will also embrace unhealthy lifestyle choices and thus increase his or her chances of becoming obese. However, this in my opinion is an area that needs to be subjected to additional research going forward.

It is also important to note that apart form the various causes of obesity highlighted above, the epidemic has also been associated with a number of factors including but not limited to technological and agricultural innovations as well as poverty (Nnakwe 209). The relationship between obesity and poverty seems bizarre. This can however be explained in relation to food pricing. In the words of Sizer, Piche and Whitney, "high-calorie fast foods are relatively inexpensive, widely… READ MORE

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