The essay “Are you responsible for your own weight?” describes the min problems and causes of obesity and obesity-related diseases in America. The author states that obesity is a direct result of unhealthy eating and eating disorders. As western pop culture is shipped abroad to sell western commodities, the problem went as well like unwanted freebies that are stuck and taped around a product. Some Black, Asian, and Hispanic individuals are plagued by unhealthy eating habits because they simply wish to achieve the same physical attributes of celebrities they idolized. Food industry and irresponsible government actions have led to epidemics of obesity and overweight problems among all social classes and age groups.
The fast-food lifestyle is dangerous because it results in a disbalance of nutrition and causes eating disorders. All fast food contains high cholesterol levels which is the primary cause of obesity. Limited physical activity worsens the problems of obesity. “Governments collude with industry when they shift attention from conditions promoting poor diets to the individuals who consume them” (Balko page 2). Many researchers underline the impact of school nutrition programs on child obesity epidemics. Most of them are heavy eating who pay no attention to the quantity of food. Most of them eat three times more than an average person which results in obesity problems. Most obese people suppose that fitness programs do not help them preferring to blame society in low morals and advertising agencies for misleading information. Most researchers parallel child obesity epidemics with the development and growth of the fast-food industry which became a distinctive feature of the American lifestyle (Kulick and Meneley 43).
In the past several decades, obesity has not been as high as the CDC reports (61%) because Americans’ lifestyle habits before were associated with more physical activities. For example, Americans would walk to work or school since these buildings were built close to residential areas. Americans today have sedentary lifestyles and spend hours surfing the internet, playing computer games, or watching TV. In addition, a large number of Americans middle class now live in suburban areas, so they usually have to commute to work. Advanced technology allows some people to get their work done on computers without leaving home, adding to the sedentary lifestyle. Still, Balko admits that: “personal responsibility is a trap. The argument is startlingly similar to the tobacco industry’s efforts to stave off legislative and regulatory interventions” (Balko page 2). As a consequence of sedentary living habits and poor diet, a person’s physical condition or endurance is relatively poor, and so he or she often feels lazy. Researchers find that several genes may be responsible for human obesity. Adults and children should be educated with free counseling and advice on obesity and obesity-related issues. There also should be more emphasis put on teaching adults to keep a balanced diet and nutrition when cooking for their families. Understanding how to prevent this disease and why it is so dangerous and unhealthy is the key to eradicating the problem. Putting the information out there will not necessarily solve the problem. People do not always do what is best for them even if it involves such a harsh health risk. Many people become set in their ways and are reluctant to change (Gard 65).
In sum, the government and food industry are the main institutions responsible for obesity problems. for this option to work, people need to not only have access to the information but put it to use as well. Many people have unhealthy eating behavior caused by consuming fat-saturated food with high caloricity levels. Limited physical activity and a sedentary lifestyle worsen this problem leading to obesity and obesity-related problems.
Works Cited
Balko, R. America’s Obesity Crisis:Are You Responsible for Your Own Weight? Time. 2004. Web.
Gard, M. The Obesity Epidemic: Science, Morality and Ideology Routledge; New edition, 2005.
Kulick, D., Meneley, A. Fat: The Anthropology of an Obsession Tarcher (2005).