Tuesday, July 03, 2012

Is obesity a problem we can fix?




There are a number of people who try and figure out a way to control or lose weight. Many of them try what I call the quick fix to weight loss, dangerous surgeries or trying the gym but quit. The center for disease control and prevent states:
Obesity is common, serious and costly
* More than one-third of U.S. adults (35.7%) are obese.
                 * No state has met the nation's Healthy People 2010External Web Site Icon goal to lower obesity prevalence to 15%. The number of states with an obesity prevalence of 30% or more has increased to 12 states in 2010. In 2009, nine states had obesity rates of 30% or more. In 2000, no state had an obesity prevalence of 30% or more.
                * Obesity-related conditions include heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes and certain types of cancer, some of the leading causes of death               
* In 2008, medical costs associated with obesity were estimated at $147 billion; the medical costs paid by third-party payers for people who are obese were $1,429 higher than those of normal weight
Obesity prevalence varies across states and regions
                 * During the past 20 years, there has been a dramatic increase in obesity in the United States and rates remain high.
    * By state, obesity prevalence ranged from 21.0% in Colorado to 34.0% in Mississippi in 2010. No state had a prevalence of obesity less than 20%. Thirty-six states had a prevalence of 25% or more; 12 of these states (Alabama, Arkansas, Kentucky, Louisiana Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, and West Virginia) had a prevalence of 30% or more.
    * The South has the highest prevalence of obesity (29.4%) followed by the Midwest (28.7%), Northeast (24.9%) and the West (24.1%).
As you can see from these stats, that overweight and obesity is an increasing epidemic. Do these people want to really lose the weight or just the thought of something that would classify as a quick fix just ease the pain of the weight problem? Do you feel that it is something we can fix, or will this problem get out of hand?
-Christopher H

14 comments:

English student said...

I do not have any comment for your topic. I read few websites about your topic. All I can say is that if one has obesity than it’s his/her choose to lose weight. I really have nothing else to say.
-Nilay

English student said...

Obesity in the country is very out of control. I think it is the overweight persons responsibility to lose weight if they feel the need to. I consider obesity in the same category as the usage of tobacco. We all know being overweight can cause problems down the road, just like if we use tobacco, that can also cause problems down the road. Obesity is definitely something that can be fixed, we just need to will power to do it. Sometimes the circumstances of an obese person is a little unfair that being because the person might be extremely busy with their work and while they are at work all that they do is sit down all day. But with things like this it can still be controlled by eating healthy food and trying to stay active. If people really wanted to lose weight they could. People are just very lazy now a days and want to take the easy way out of something. I personally do not think obesity is a problem in my life, one because I am not obese and two, because the people that are obese in my life are not affecting me in any way because of their obesity. I do think that it is better to be fit than obese because I have been obese before and lost a lot of weight. People that are obese just seem to not be able to live as full of a life, I mean if that is something that a person likes to do, then let them do it. I personally think it's best to live a full, fit life.

John

English student said...

I think obesity is a symptom of our high speed lifestyle. We work 60 hrs a week and take care of our families. There is no time to cook a healthy meal so we order food that is unhealthy and have no time to go to the gym. Also healthy food is not cheap and with the unemployment so high the only choice is cheap processed food. However the stigma that surrounds obesity is so negative it leaves people wanting that quick fix. If we are going to change this healthy food needs to become more assessable and most importantly we need to stop blaming the obese for their problems. Stigmas are very powerful and hurtful. It is also the easiest thing to change.
Rebecca S

English student said...

Obesity can absolutely be controlled but never will be in the United States unless major changes are made. America is one of the fattest counties on earth and is so backwards, the people who have less money have a much high obesity rate. I think the majority of people now days are lazy and have been brought up with the notion they are entitled to whatever they want. If they don't have a job they are still given money for food to continue to be fat. Other are obese and think that they should be able to take a magical pill and years of poor diet/lack of psychical activity will disappear. People think because they drink diet mountain dew rather then regular they are going to lose weight, how about not drinking any soda, or just exercising 2 times a week.

Schnitzel

Schnitzel

English student said...

For starters, people need to learn that there isn’t a quick route to lasting satisfaction. Normally, those quick fixes are rather unhealthy and dangerous, especially when it comes to weight loss. Whether it’s good grades, a job promotion, or weight loss, all good things come at the price of hard work and take some time to achieve.
I feel that the majority of people who are using the “quick fixes” to lose weight are doing it less for the health aspect and more to for their overall physical appearance. The key to losing weight is realizing the impact of your lifestyle, and taking actions to fix that in a healthy manner. For example, if eating fast food and lack of exercise got you there, then you might want to cut back on the Big Macs and hit the gym or find some sort of exercise routine that works for you. Another important thing is that you have achievable to goals when working on weight loss, because it’s better for someone’s self-esteem to take manageable steps, than focusing on one outrageous goal.
Currently, I feel that obesity in this country is out of hand, because we are so in love with idea of the quick fix and instant comfort food. The standard American diet promotes poor health and obesity. Once we realize that we have to actually do some work for what we want and we become less dependent on instant, fatty meals that lack nutrition, we will be able to deal with the weight problem.

-Sam

English student said...
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English student said...

Honestly, I think obese people should just disappear. They can’t do anything since they are so fat. Not only do they not contribute to society, but they eat a lot. Wait, that’s not the worst part. The worst part is, they receive federal aid because they are so fat, THE GOVERNMENT HELPS THE FATTIES AND THEN THE FATTIES EAT MORE. Diet cannot save obese people, unless they have no job—because they have to be extremely dedicated to lose weight. What the government should do is pay for surgery to remove the fat. Each person can only use this opportunity once, it is up to them to maintain their new weight. The government should not help obese people in any other way, since that would be a true waste of money.

-Charlie

English student said...

In my eyes obesity is taken into your own hands. Unless a serious health risk credits someone of obesity, than I think it is up to that person to gain control over their weight and make a decision to lose weight or not.
-Samantha

English student said...

Being overweight is not always an option. Some people have medical conditions that have them stay overweight, no matter what they eat or do. I think that if people really want to fix it and they have the motivation to do so, they will. If not then there really isn't much other people can do in order to motivate the other person. It's their choice to lose the weight.

Katherine

English student said...

Obesity is clearly a problem that is out of hand even though it's 100% fixable and preventable. I do support things like liposuction and tummy tucks and gastric bypass even though it's the "easy way out." I would definitely do that stuff if my weight got out of hand. Of course not everyone can afford plastic surgery so diet and excercise is the only way to fix it and people aren't willing to put in that time and effort. I do think it's fixable, but it's just up to the person.

Andi

English student said...

I think some people really want to lose weight, but then I think some people are “too busy” or “don’t have time.” – In other words, I think those people make themselves too busy, or won’t make time, so they don’t really care enough to lose weight. Honestly, I think obesity has become such a huge problem in the United States that I don’t think it can ever be controlled again. The government has decided to take physical education classes out of the school systems more and more, which sends the message to children that they don’t really need to be active. They are also cutting the public athletic programs in schools, which sends the same message as well. Technology has also spun out of control by creating game after game, and that makes kids want to stay and inside and sit on their bottoms playing, rather going out and being active. The problem of obesity is starting at a young age nowadays, which is making it harder to control, and that makes me believe the problem will be everlasting.

Chelsey

English student said...

Obesity shouldn't be seen as a national crisis, its a personal thing effecting a nation of poeple. Fat people, and please don't be offended when i call them fat, nothing meant by it, aren't hurting anyone directly its just...their fat, that's their choice in life nothing that will be fixed by setting stricter school exercises or national weigh-ins, not that that was being considered. obesity cant be fixed by man but something much more drastic called natural selection. its just nature the fat and weak will die faster then the fit and strong will live.in the mean time the problem is when we look at obesity and we say the "nations fat, fix it". Fat people hear that and go "thank god someone is going to fix it" like they believe the nation is going to come together to help. We would have to go to these poeple and say "your fat, fix it" cause its a personal problem their to lazy to pursue to stop. we cant get the nation to stop eating and exercise, through attainable and reasonable actions, but we can get the individual too and promote it in hopes the idea will spread. it all depends on whether that person is willing to stop eating so much and workout.

English student said...
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English student said...

I don't have much of an opinion on this; I'm not very fond of telling people how they should live their life. That being said, obesity causes many health problems, and if excessive doctor visits are a result of this, the person should be ready to handle many of the fees associated with somewhat of an avoidable health issue themselves, because of that whole 'avoidable' part. This is the only issue I've seen regarding this subject that has stuck out as somewhat legitimate to me.

Addison