It is no secret that obesity has become a major issue in our country over the past two decades. More than two thirds of US adults are either overweight or obese.
Nearly 36% of those people are obese while 17% of children are obese, which is triple the percent of obese children just one generation ago. Currently, the obesity rate has slowed down but it is still increasing.
With busier schedules and important deadlines to meet, meal-planning often takes a back seat in many Americans’ lives. Our country is all about efficiency and how much we can get done in a short period of time.
Fast food, consequently, becomes an easy alternative. On average, eating out results in more calories consumed. Health experts suggest that people should eat out only one or two times a month. Being obese has many health consequences, as it significantly increases the chances of contracting heart disease, type 2 Diabetes and Asthma.
Not only does obesity take a toll on the health of Americans, but it also takes a toll on their wallets. The price of health care has dramatically gone up because of the increased obesity.
According to a study cited in The New York Times, obese people also spend an average of 42% more for their health care. In addition, the United States has to spend an excess $190 billion on medical related costs due to obesity.
Because America is literally getting bigger, our country is starting to accommodate for bigger people. The fourth largest hospital in the country, at the University of Alabama Birmingham, had to widen its doors, mount the toilets to the ground instead of the wall, and install mini-cranes to help carry obese people out of their hospital beds.
The key factor in stopping obesity starts with the younger generation. A good diet and exercise are essential to stopping this trend. There are many programs in our country emphasizing the importance of exercise. The NFL launched the program “Play 60” in 2007, which teaches young kids to be active for at least 60 minutes a day.
Many advertisements promote Play 60 with NFL players starring as role models for young children. Michelle Obama also started a similar movement called “Let’s Move” with a goal also to get children to be active as well as providing healthier food choices at school.
Obesity has become an epidemic in our country and we are now the most obese country in the world. In order to reverse this trend, we will have to change our lifestyle and adapt to healthier choices.
Obesity seems almost impossible to stop now, but with increased efforts to promote a healthy lifestyle to the younger generation, we may be slowly heading towards the right path for the future.