Obesity Reasons Essay

Obesity is a condition characterized by the excessive accumulation and storage of fat in the body (Merriam).

Obesity is a disease than can be prevented, or if you are obese it can be treated and you can become healthy once again.

Obesity can be broken down into 3 subcategories that are mildly obese, moderately obese, and morbidly obese.

Being over the ideal weight can lead to many health problems including death.

Better transportation options also mean Americans walk less than in the past, said Holly Lofton, the director of the weight management program at NYU’s Langone Center. In the past they would be “playing things like dodgeball, and they’re playing on an i Pad now,” she said.

Still, simply increasing exercise isn’t a cure-all, Ochner said, since those who exercise often then compensate by consuming extra calories. Income Americans in some lower-income demographics struggle more with obesity because consistently eating healthy and fresh foods can be more expensive than fast food or packaged foods, Ochner said.

Living far from locations that sell produce and other healthier foods — in areas known as “food deserts” — also contributes, Lofton said.

More than 23 million Americans live in these areas, according to the United States Department of Agriculture. “When you have a very busy schedule, and when you have other important social and financial problems, eating right probably becomes a secondary point,” Burguera said.

Communities should work to build safe play areas for children, Burguera said, and those in the medical profession should increase their efforts to inform the public about the health risks associated with weight gain.

Lofton also said she would like to see changes in the ways certain foods are marketed, including clearer nutrition labeling that is easier to understand.