The Obesity Epidemic
Nearly two out of every three Americans is classified as overweight or obese – and that number is growing by the day. Obesity is the 2nd leading preventable cause of death in the United States, smoking being the 1st. Without strong action to reverse the obesity epidemic, for the first time in our history, children may face a shorter lifespan than their parents.
So what’s causing the epidemic? Not surprisingly, everyone agrees that it stems from two things: eating too much and exercising too little. The differences are in the specifics.
Although people may toss around the idea of genetics in obesity, genes can’t really explain what’s happening. While a person may have a genetic predisposition toward a certain body type, the fact that each succeeding generation is heavier than the last proves that changes in our environment are playing the key role.
Experts believe the culprit may be a decrease in our physical activity, arguing that because of shifts in how we live and work, we don’t get as much exercise as previous generations did.
According to Marion Nestle, PhD, MPH, chair of the department of nutrition and food studies at New York University, exercise is important, but she lays more stress on eating habits. In her book Food Politics: How the Food Industry Influences Nutrition and Health, Nestle argues that recommendations about healthy eating are overwhelmed by the hundreds of billions of dollars worth of advertising for junk foods that we’re subjected to at home and even in public schools. And as fast food companies and chains compete with one another by increasing portion sizes, our waists are increasing proportionately.
The Numbers
Despite the new attention paid to obesity by doctors, researchers, and the media, no discernable progress has been made in fighting obesity. According to most experts, it looks almost certain that obesity will get worse before it gets better.
Cynthia Ogden, PhD, a CDC epidemiologist, published the results of a study of weight in the United States that she conducted with other experts. The results were startling: 31% of adults are obese and 15% of children and teenagers age 6-19 are overweight. The proportion of obese people has been growing steadily for the last few decades. Although Ogden stresses that obesity is a problem for all groups and genders, it is particularly severe among certain ethnic groups. For instance, 50% of all non-Hispanic black women are obese.
To read more information on this disease, please visit the links below.
Click on the following links to see more information about obesity:
Centers for Disease Control (CDC)
The World Health Organization (WHO)
The Obesity Epidemic and Alabama Students
The Obesity Society