Obesity in America Essay - 2038 Words

It is no secret that the average weight of a person has gone up significantly throughout the last decade or so. While people are becoming more and more overweight, they get closer to being categorized as obese. Obesity is a condition in which the body becomes grossly fat or overweight. It is not the same as simply being overweight, which may just be caused by extra muscle, bone, or water, along with having too much fat. If a person’s body weight is 20% higher than what it should be, then he or she is considered to be obese. If the body mass index, a statistical measurement derived from height and weight, is between 25 and 29.9, a person is considered overweight. If the BMI is 30 or over, one is considered to be obese. Someone who is†¦show more content†¦It is obvious that past generations have been much more fit than how people are now. During the year 1900, the average weight of a college-age man in America was 133 pounds, while the average woman was 122 pounds (St aff, N.p.). These statistics compared to the weight averages today are mind blowing. Today, the average male weighs 180 pounds and the average female weighs 155 pounds (Cutler, Glaeser, and Shapiro 93-118). Because there are so many different factors that have led to the substantial increase in weight, it is very hard to peg what is causing all of this. In the early 1970s, fourteen percent of the population was considered to be obese, and today, the rate is two times higher (Cutler, Glaeser, and Shapiro 93-118). Although there are so many causes that may have been a factor in this epidemic, no one wants to take the blame. One of the most common factors that people tend to blame is the fast food industry. Fatty foods have become so much more accessible and cheap than they were in past decades. Because the food is so cheap, men and women are able to buy large quantities. Unfortunately, however, because the food is so cheap, it is very low quality. It is full of fillers and chemicals that make the food taste better in order to make up for the lack of real ingredients. People are stuffing their faces with calories that have no real benefit to their health; therefore, the body turns it into fat. Another common industry to blame is the soda industry.Show MoreRelatedObesity in America909 Words   |  4 Pages When discussing the issue of obesity in America, it seems to be that there is plenty of blame to go around and most of that blame falls on fast food companies. When searching for a concrete answer to the question used as my title, you will find none because there isn’t one. When asked this simpl e question, it is easy to blame the obesity problem on fast food considering 8 out of 10 Americans consume fast food according to a report done by the Huffington Post. But after doing more research you willRead MoreObesity in America787 Words   |  4 PagesGood news! We’re Number 2! 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