Obesity in America
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| Assignment Type | Term Paper |
|---|---|
| Subject | Health And Medicine, General |
| Academic Level | Undergraduate |
| Citation Style | MLA |
| Length | 5 pages |
| Word Count | 1,525 |
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Obesity in America
Across the United States, obesity in both the young and in adults has become an epidemic. Associated with the condition is an array of health issues, such as diabetes, heart disease, pulmonary disorders, high blood pressure and so on. Because of these adverse effects of obesity, this condition has become one of the leading causes of death in America. This paper will explore a major contributor to obesity in children, a precursor to the continuation of the issue into adulthood; fast food and the increased consumption of it in America’s youth.
During the past few decades, instances of diagnosed obesity have dramatically risen in America, as well as other related health issues. In connection with this, the occurrences of fast food restaurants across the nation have more than doubles, with at least one in nearly every neighborhood for consumers to frequent as often as they like. With this information, one can deduce that there is a very strong connection between obesity rates in America with the growing number of fast food restaurants within these borders. There has been limited recognition of this link between fast food and the epidemic of obesity; but what recognition it has received resulted in the posting of caloric and nutritional information scarcely available at these establishments. Children and adolescents are now heavier in weight than ever before, with higher BMI data for their age and height. Schools now offer fast food options, due to the fact these choices are cheaper to provide them, and entice the children to eat while at school. As stated above, fast food restaurants are now placed in nearly every neighborhood, which provides families with the option of consuming this food as a substitute for home cooked, nutritious meals because these are time saving options.
Close proximity to convenience stores are also attributed to instances reported of obesity; as these establishments also offer fast, readymade food at affordable prices which appeals to youths. Portion sizes have become larger than ever now, and when compared to those portions of foreign countries, those offered in the United States are immense. With dense caloric intake at large quantities, the body stores these substances in fat cells, which grow and increase with continued consumption of this type of food. The human body uses and burns small amounts of food at a time, with exercise and physical, daily activity. Most individuals, however, do not engage in much physical activity at all. The average worker sits in a car during their commute to work, sits at work most of his/her day, and commutes home to eat dinner and relax. For school children, the physical activities are much the same; school bus, sits in class, sit at lunch, sit in classes, gym once per week and home for homework and indoor activities. The life of individuals has greatly changed from outdoors to indoors, where room to move is indeed, limited. Because of these busy schedules, fast food options are more than attractive, these have become a necessity for saving time, satisfying hunger, a making life easier for the moment.
Fast food chains are opened where demand is anticipated to be increased; this is prevalent in most densely populated areas such as cities and large towns. One need not go too far to find their favorite fast food hamburger establishment, or one which sells ice cream to boot. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner are advertised for most of these places, with “snack wraps” for the in between hunger attacks. Because this food is cheap, such as “dollar menus,” adolescents are enticed. These young individuals can afford to purchase a couple of items each day after school or when out with friends on a near daily basis. The question is, what ingredients are in this food that is so detrimental for the human body to cause such an epidemic?
Within the tasty fast food options, what a person is consuming in these foods is disturbing. Fat, partially hydrogenated oils, sugar in high volumes, caffeine, and other negative elements are placed in the human body at high instances. Without the presence of physical exercise as discussed above, these ingredients are allowed to sit and cause the body profound damage. Fats in high volumes which is not used by the body is stored, and inside these fat cells are toxins which the body is attempting to “quarantine.” When these fat cells are not eradicated by activity which induces the body (muscles) to use them, they are allowed to sit and grow. Once fat cells are formed, they do can only shrink; never to be completely destroyed. It is important to prevent these types of cells from forming in harmful quantities initially. Partially hydrogenated oils can be found in the fat used for frying, because it is cheap for fast food restaurants to purchase. It is found from salad dressings to desserts, to even frosty beverages featuring “ice cream” which is not entirely what it is advertised to be. The buns for the hamburgers have this type of oil, French fries are fried in it, and it is in the dessert pies and cookies. Partially hydrogenated oils store in the liver and render this vital filtering organ unable to fully function. Over time, the buildup of this detrimental ingredient sickens the liver, as this organ cannot fully process this element nor eradicate it. Sugar in fast food is found again in salad dressings, beverages, and in very high volumes of desserts; the sweeter the drink and dessert, the more appealing to the young whom the parents buy for. Caffeine is found in nearly all carbonated beverages, and because of its addictive nature, consumers come back for more. Once has a difficult time purchasing only soda at a fast food restaurant, as food options stare them in the face when they order. It is a cycle which consumers are driven into by the basic sense of hunger; the need to satisfy that hunger, and then the need for more.
Children are the greatest victims of this epidemic. Those young individuals who are faced with this condition face numerous health issues and problems, and experience a significant decrease in their quality of life. For children of average weight, physical activity is enjoyed as it should be in youth; opportunities to experience childhood are abundant, and joy is evident in the eyes of a child. For Obese youths, this element of childhood is limited or non- existent. Physical exercise and even basic movements are difficult if not impossible; rendering opportunities to experience childhood pleasures the same. Along with this, visits to the Pediatrician may result in diagnoses of pulmonary issues, cardiac issues, childhood diabetes, and so on. Children with obesity develop heart strain, where the heart works so hard to pump blood throughout the body that, because it is a muscle, it grows to above normal size. This is also a result of hypertension, or high blood pressure, which can lead to heart attack and stroke; even at an early age. The cost to parents for health care can be astronomical to say the least.
Many blame parents for the condition their children are in and the difficult life they face. This is true to a certain degree; parents are indeed responsible for their children’s physical health and nutrition if these can be controlled. Parents today are faced with a severe decline in America’s economy, which leaves them with the need to work longer, harder hours at their place of employment. This leaves parents with little time to cook and provide their children with nourishing meals at home; children are often left to fend for themselves through take- out meals or fast food bought in their neighborhood. Parents also choose these options for a “quick fix” to theirs and their children’s hunger when their busy day comes to a close.
It is unfortunate that children who are obese in their youth will most likely carry their condition into adulthood. There is also a “trickle down” effect to this as well; their own children will not have healthy food options either and will not differentiate between nutrition and available food options. There is another way children are affected by fast food as well; through their mothers during pregnancy. Fast food availability provides these mothers with quick satisfaction to cravings and nearly uncontrollable hungers.
In conclusion, obesity in America has recently become an epidemic, one which affects every citizen of the United States as their taxpayers help to cover these costs. Fast food chains available in nearly every neighborhood provide consumers with quick, inexpensive food choices which have a profound detrimental effect on their bodies and their health. Children are most affected by this readymade food, as they are inexpensive and easy to attain which make the decision to buy quite easy as well as attractive to them. Parents with busy schedules feed their children meals consisting of fast food for time saving and cheaper options to ease their busy schedules. These foods have become a substitute for healthy home cooked meals, and the ingredients within these foods yielding a negative effect.
Professor
Course
Date
Obesity in America
Across the United States, obesity in both the young and in adults has become an epidemic. Associated with the condition is an array of health issues, such as diabetes, heart disease, pulmonary disorders, high blood pressure and so on. Because of these adverse effects of obesity, this condition has become one of the leading causes of death in America. This paper will explore a major contributor to obesity in children, a precursor to the continuation of the issue into adulthood; fast food and the increased consumption of it in America’s youth.
During the past few decades, instances of diagnosed obesity have dramatically risen in America, as well as other related health issues. In connection with this, the occurrences of fast food restaurants across the nation have more than doubles, with at least one in nearly every neighborhood for consumers to frequent as often as they like. With this information, one can deduce that there is a very strong connection between obesity rates in America with the growing number of fast food restaurants within these borders. There has been limited recognition of this link between fast food and the epidemic of obesity; but what recognition it has received resulted in the posting of caloric and nutritional information scarcely available at these establishments. Children and adolescents are now heavier in weight than ever before, with higher BMI data for their age and height. Schools now offer fast food options, due to the fact these choices are cheaper to provide them, and entice the children to eat while at school. As stated above, fast food restaurants are now placed in nearly every neighborhood, which provides families with the option of consuming this food as a substitute for home cooked, nutritious meals because these are time saving options.
Close proximity to convenience stores are also attributed to instances reported of obesity; as these establishments also offer fast, readymade food at affordable prices which appeals to youths. Portion sizes have become larger than ever now, and when compared to those portions of foreign countries, those offered in the United States are immense. With dense caloric intake at large quantities, the body stores these substances in fat cells, which grow and increase with continued consumption of this type of food. The human body uses and burns small amounts of food at a time, with exercise and physical, daily activity. Most individuals, however, do not engage in much physical activity at all. The average worker sits in a car during their commute to work, sits at work most of his/her day, and commutes home to eat dinner and relax. For school children, the physical activities are much the same; school bus, sits in class, sit at lunch, sit in classes, gym once per week and home for homework and indoor activities. The life of individuals has greatly changed from outdoors to indoors, where room to move is indeed, limited. Because of these busy schedules, fast food options are more than attractive, these have become a necessity for saving time, satisfying hunger, a making life easier for the moment.
Fast food chains are opened where demand is anticipated to be increased; this is prevalent in most densely populated areas such as cities and large towns. One need not go too far to find their favorite fast food hamburger establishment, or one which sells ice cream to boot. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner are advertised for most of these places, with “snack wraps” for the in between hunger attacks. Because this food is cheap, such as “dollar menus,” adolescents are enticed. These young individuals can afford to purchase a couple of items each day after school or when out with friends on a near daily basis. The question is, what ingredients are in this food that is so detrimental for the human body to cause such an epidemic?
Within the tasty fast food options, what a person is consuming in these foods is disturbing. Fat, partially hydrogenated oils, sugar in high volumes, caffeine, and other negative elements are placed in the human body at high instances. Without the presence of physical exercise as discussed above, these ingredients are allowed to sit and cause the body profound damage. Fats in high volumes which is not used by the body is stored, and inside these fat cells are toxins which the body is attempting to “quarantine.” When these fat cells are not eradicated by activity which induces the body (muscles) to use them, they are allowed to sit and grow. Once fat cells are formed, they do can only shrink; never to be completely destroyed. It is important to prevent these types of cells from forming in harmful quantities initially. Partially hydrogenated oils can be found in the fat used for frying, because it is cheap for fast food restaurants to purchase. It is found from salad dressings to desserts, to even frosty beverages featuring “ice cream” which is not entirely what it is advertised to be. The buns for the hamburgers have this type of oil, French fries are fried in it, and it is in the dessert pies and cookies. Partially hydrogenated oils store in the liver and render this vital filtering organ unable to fully function. Over time, the buildup of this detrimental ingredient sickens the liver, as this organ cannot fully process this element nor eradicate it. Sugar in fast food is found again in salad dressings, beverages, and in very high volumes of desserts; the sweeter the drink and dessert, the more appealing to the young whom the parents buy for. Caffeine is found in nearly all carbonated beverages, and because of its addictive nature, consumers come back for more. Once has a difficult time purchasing only soda at a fast food restaurant, as food options stare them in the face when they order. It is a cycle which consumers are driven into by the basic sense of hunger; the need to satisfy that hunger, and then the need for more.
Children are the greatest victims of this epidemic. Those young individuals who are faced with this condition face numerous health issues and problems, and experience a significant decrease in their quality of life. For children of average weight, physical activity is enjoyed as it should be in youth; opportunities to experience childhood are abundant, and joy is evident in the eyes of a child. For Obese youths, this element of childhood is limited or non- existent. Physical exercise and even basic movements are difficult if not impossible; rendering opportunities to experience childhood pleasures the same. Along with this, visits to the Pediatrician may result in diagnoses of pulmonary issues, cardiac issues, childhood diabetes, and so on. Children with obesity develop heart strain, where the heart works so hard to pump blood throughout the body that, because it is a muscle, it grows to above normal size. This is also a result of hypertension, or high blood pressure, which can lead to heart attack and stroke; even at an early age. The cost to parents for health care can be astronomical to say the least.
Many blame parents for the condition their children are in and the difficult life they face. This is true to a certain degree; parents are indeed responsible for their children’s physical health and nutrition if these can be controlled. Parents today are faced with a severe decline in America’s economy, which leaves them with the need to work longer, harder hours at their place of employment. This leaves parents with little time to cook and provide their children with nourishing meals at home; children are often left to fend for themselves through take- out meals or fast food bought in their neighborhood. Parents also choose these options for a “quick fix” to theirs and their children’s hunger when their busy day comes to a close.
It is unfortunate that children who are obese in their youth will most likely carry their condition into adulthood. There is also a “trickle down” effect to this as well; their own children will not have healthy food options either and will not differentiate between nutrition and available food options. There is another way children are affected by fast food as well; through their mothers during pregnancy. Fast food availability provides these mothers with quick satisfaction to cravings and nearly uncontrollable hungers.
In conclusion, obesity in America has recently become an epidemic, one which affects every citizen of the United States as their taxpayers help to cover these costs. Fast food chains available in nearly every neighborhood provide consumers with quick, inexpensive food choices which have a profound detrimental effect on their bodies and their health. Children are most affected by this readymade food, as they are inexpensive and easy to attain which make the decision to buy quite easy as well as attractive to them. Parents with busy schedules feed their children meals consisting of fast food for time saving and cheaper options to ease their busy schedules. These foods have become a substitute for healthy home cooked meals, and the ingredients within these foods yielding a negative effect.