Causes Of Obesity In America Essay

The Causes of Obesity in America In 1835, Adolphe Quetelet defined the body measurements of the average person based on height and weight. “For an adult to be considered at a healthy weight, their body mass index must be between 18.5 and 24.9. An adult with a body mass index between 25 and 29 are considered overweight, and anyone above 30 is considered obese.” (HBO Documentary Films) Obesity has become a major health issue in many countries around the world. Doubling since the 1980’s, obesity now affects more than 1.4 billion adults and 40 million children worldwide. The United States alone has approximately 70 percent of its adult population with obesity. The main causes are not medical conditions but poor food choices, lack of exercise, and lack of awareness. One of the largest causes of obesity is a poor diet. Many Americans go by the unhealthy eating style known as “the western diet.” (Damaging Effects Of A
Most are not aware of the consequences of being obese. There are many health complications that can result from high body weight. One complication is diabetes. People diagnosed with diabetes have a higher chance of dying from heart related illnesses than the average healthy person. The problem is that Americans are not teaching their children about the effects of high body weight. Another reason people aren’t aware of the consequences of being obese is because people don’t go to the doctor regularly like advised. The documentary, “The Weight of the Nation” contains all this information and much more, but people ignore it instead of learning from it. People do not want to take the time to educate themselves even if it means possibly saving their life. New generations are not aware of the negative consequences that follow unhealthy habits and only ourselves are to