Lifestyle choices and obesity epidemic in modern America

Obesity is becoming a huge problem in our society. In the past, a number of studies have been conducted in an attempt to determine the exact causes of obesity. Although research on these causes is still ongoing, many health experts and researchers link obesity to the everyday lifestyle choices individuals make.

Obesity: An Overview

The World Health Organization according to Rossen and Rossen "defines obesity as abnormal or excessive fat accumulation that presents a risk to health" (3). It is however important to note that other definitions of obesity do exist. In the opinion of the author, the other common definitions of obesity mainly utilize the BMI in an attempt to identify/determine those who can be categorized as being obese. Basically, an individual's BMI is essentially "the ratio of his or her weight (in kilograms) to height (in meters-squared)" (Rossen and Rossen 3). As I have already pointed out in the introductory section, obesity is becoming a significant health problem in our society today. This is more so the case if the data on the prevalence of the same is anything to go by. According to the Centers for Disease Control -- CDC, approximately 35.7% of adults in the U.S. are obese. In that regard, the need to highlight the actual causes of the epidemic cannot be overstated.

Immediate Causes of Obesity

As I have already pointed out elsewhere in this text, obesity is as a direct result of the various lifestyle choices individuals make. In that regard, physical inactivity tops the list of the causes of this epidemic. We are fast becoming an inactive nation. As Sizer, Piche and Whitney point out, some of us become obese not because we overeat but because our movement tends to be too little (347). The advent of technology has benefited the human race in so many ways. In addition to changing the way we communicate, technology has also made significant contributions towards making work easier. However, in addition to making work easier, obesity has also made our lives more sedentary. At the office, an individual can undertake almost all the duties that he or she is called upon to perform from the comfort of his or her office desk. As we increasingly rely on cars to take us around, regular exercises have taken a backseat. Even the occasional staircases that could have helped us burn some fat have been replaced with escalators. In the opinion of Sizer, Piche and Whitney, human muscle power accounted for approximately 30% of the total energy spent a century ago in both factory and farm work (347). In the author's opinion, only 1% of such energy is spent in those areas today. It is not hard to see why we are fast becoming an obese nation.

Next, the food we choose to eat determines our chances or likelihood of being obese. In this case, a high-calorie intake is usually the main culprit. We are consuming more calories that we did several decades ago. Given that we are not exercising as much, we end up taking in more calories than we burn through exercises. According to the National Institutes of Health, we are surrounded by oversized food portions. Indeed, looking around, food seems to everywhere. In the opinion of the National Institutes of Health, the more we eat, the more we gain weight. Again, this is more so the case when the amount of food we eat is not balanced with adequate exercises. This is yet another indicator that our lifestyle choices are to blame for the increasing obesity rates.

Next, obesity can also be caused by our emotional states. In the words of Nnakwe, "some people overeat because of depression, hopelessness, anger, boredom, and many other reasons besides hunger" (209). This assertion is backed up by the National Institutes of Health. It is important to note that in this case, people may view overeating as a way of calming or even comforting themselves. Others may resort to eating so as to distract their mind from a disturbing or stressing situation. In such a case, such individuals end up eating more than the recommended portions. As the National Institutes of Health points out "over time, overeating will lead to weight gain and may cause overweight or obesity." It is important to note that today; individuals are more exposed to stress factors than they were a couple of years ago. One of the common stress factors today is time pressures. Increasingly, individuals are being bombarded with familial obligations, societal expectations as well as the demands of both the workplace and school. It can be noted that apart from overeating, stress can also trigger or cause lack of sleep. Indeed, lack of adequate sleep is according to the National Institutes of Health yet another cause of obesity. As the National Institutes of Health further points out, studies conducted in the past have clearly demonstrated that the less individuals sleep, the higher their chances of either becoming obese or overweight. For instance, people who spend 7-8 hours of their day asleep have a significantly lower likelihood of becoming obese in comparison to their counterparts who sleep for only 5 hours.

Conclusion

In conclusion, it is important to note that although most of the causes of obesity are largely preventable, a number of others are not. This is more so the case when it comes to the epidemic's genetic causes. However, based on past findings as highlighted in the text above, a majority of the causes of obesity are as a result of our own lifestyle choices.