Obesity in America
Is eating fast food a guilty habit of yours? Are late nights and early mornings a routine? Do you find yourself often choosing the elevator over the stairs? These are just a few reasons for the outstanding rate of obesity in America. Over the past two decades, the rate of obesity in the United States has risen sharply. By 1999–2000, 64% of adults aged older than 20 years old were classified as overweight and 30% were classified as obese. Overall, nearly two out of three Americans are considered overweight or obese1. At this alarming rate there are many factors that play a role in these statistics.
Weight is measured by BMI, body mass index. Overweight is defined as a body mass index greater than 25, whereas obesity is defined as a body mass index greater than 30. A sharp increase in the number of massively obese people (BMI > 35) has been observed in certain population subgroups. 3 Bad eating habits, irregular sleeping patterns and general inactivity is causing the obesity rate to raise more and more over years. Because of these bad habits, America is experiencing nationwide weight gain and being overweight is becoming “the norm” rather than taboo.
Lack of good eating habits play a huge part in the reasoning for obesity in America. According to the article “Fast Food Statistics,” forty-four percent of Americans eat fast food once per week and twenty percent twice a week1. In the article “Leading Causes of Obesity in America” they state that the food provided by fast food restaurants are usually high in calories and low in nutrition, which would cause you to gain weight while still starving your body. 4 Healthier food options tend to either cost more or are harder to come by, so the unhealthy options are usually more popular.
Another side of poor eating habits is Americans do not eat nutrient rich diets. “Poor nutrition is a huge precursor to obesity. If your body isn't getting the proper nutrients that it needs, it's going to...