Argumentative Essay: Is Obesity A Disease?

David Van Meerten
Mr. Friedman / English 102-D3
16 April 2014
Is Obesity a Disease? Obesity affects millions of the people in the American population. The amount of obese Americans continues to increase, and it is not showing signs of slowing down. “More than half of the adults in America are considered overweight or obese, and about thirty-four percent of the total population in the U.S is either overweight or obese” (Pollack 1). Naturally, being overweight is portrayed as a moral issue. However, there is controversy to whether or not obesity is a disease. Obesity is caused by an unhealthy and sedentary lifestyle, but others disagree with this view, claiming that obesity is a disease caused by genetics and other factors. Many people can
So what causes a person to obtain this body mass index? There are many different ways a person can encounter weight problems, but it is a very fine line to why they face obesity. Many claim they suffer from this problem because it is a disease, when in reality there unhealthy lifestyle is the actual reason. A poor diet, eating fatty and greasy foods, along with little to no exercise will have a serious impact on your health and weight. Should poor everyday health habits be considered a disease? “Obesity does not have characteristic signs or symptoms like diseases typically have. The only characteristic sign of obesity is excess fat, which is the definition of obesity itself” (Heshka 1). Calling obesity a disease may just be an excuse for people to live unhealthily. A majority of these people who are overweight have come to rely on fast food restaurants and having others do things for them. The answer to all of their health issues could simply be to obtain a healthy diet and begin to take part in physical activity, which would solve most of their
There are many causes of obesity, some of which are environmentally related and others are genetically related. “One may argue that obesity is a disease because, like any other disease, it can interfere with the body not functioning properly. An excess amount of fat tissues will cause the overproduction of bodily molecules and mediators which contribute to abnormal regulation of food consumption and energy levels (“American” 1). Hypothyroidism for example, is a condition where the thyroid gland does not produce enough thyroid hormone, which in turn regulates the metabolism. This is a disease that causes men and woman to become obese. Along with physical diseases, there are certain mental illnesses or traumatic experiences that can cause a person to over-eat, and gain unhealthy weight. “According to Andrew Pollack, “The American Medical Association has officially recognized obesity as a disease, a move that could induce physicians to pay more attention to the condition and spur more insurers to pay for treatments” (1). However he then goes on to state, “To some extent, the question of whether obesity is a disease or not is a semantic one, since there is not even a universally agreed upon definition of what constitutes a disease. And the A.M.A.’s decision has no legal authority” (Pollack 1). Obesity can be directly caused due to certain diseases, or genetics, but it varies