Introduction
Currently, the problem of obesity is acute, and it calls for effective measures. Doctors are trying to identify the factors that trigger this disease. To my mind, the cause of obesity may lie in eating disorders and lack of physical activity. Xu and Xue state that obesity among children is caused by “excessive food consumption and drinking of high-calorie sweetened beverages” (p. 16). Hence, developing healthy eating habits could be a possible solution to the problem.
Main body
Personally, if I had a friend coping with obesity, I would advise them to seek medical care and go to a nutritionist. I would also recommend them to be more active, do sports, and spend more time in the fresh air.
I believe that genetics is not the only factor that influences people’s weight. I agree that it may play a significant role in some cases, but the importance of a healthy and active lifestyle should not be disregarded. This can be underpinned with the statistics that show that since 1980 the level of adults suffering from obesity has increased greatly (Rampell, 2010). Some researchers believe that this happened because people started spending more time watching television. Moreover, the appearance of fast food and its growing popularity also contributed to the level of people facing weight issues. It means that the situation has changed, and genetics cannot be viewed as the only reason for high obesity rates.
Conclusion
From my perspective, this problem requires urgent measures, and we should think about ways of lowering rates of obesity. The US has one of the highest levels of obesity, and it needs special programs for the prevention of this disease (Rampell, 2010). I consider it a good idea to establish organizations that could support people with weight problems, both physically and emotionally. Moreover, schools and colleges should educate students on the dangers of obesity and provide information on the importance of healthy eating and physical activity. It will also be beneficial if federal programs that provide nutrition benefits to disadvantaged citizens place restrictions on certain items and encourage the buying of healthier food. These measures may lead to a lower rate of Americans suffering from weight issues.
References
Xu, S., & Xue, Y. (2016). Pediatric obesity: Causes, symptoms, prevention and treatment. Experimental and therapeutic medicine, 11(1), 15-20. Web.
Rampell, C. (2010). The world is fat. The New York Times. Web.