Large, round, big, fat, however you say it, it still means the
same thing. The politically correct term is obese. And a good 54
percent of Americans are it. If this growing rate continues, in the
year 2040, 96percent of Americans will be obese.
Large, round, big, fat, however you say it, it still means the same thing. The politically correct term is obese. And a good 54 percent of Americans are it. If this growing rate continues, in the year 2040, 96percent of Americans will be obese.
So I mean what is the problem here? I mean, it’s a few extra pounds on a few extra people; is there any real damage? The answer is yes.
First there are the physical effects. Type II diabetes, heart disease, arthritis and much more. But I think it is the why behind the weight that makes this epidemic intriguing.
I think that obesity is a social disease. I mean everywhere you turn there is a McDonald’s, Jack in the Box or Burger King lurking. When something is exciting happens going out to eat seems like the perfect answer. Americans spend more than $3 billion every year on weight loss products yet the rest of the world is starving.
I turn on the television and Oprah is worrying about gaining a few pounds while children are dying of malnourishment as she speaks. This situation can make people from other countries very angry toward Americans. The response to this is usually that it is not our fault.
In some cases this is in fact true. But in most it is not. It is very simple: if you consume more than you use you will gain weight. You must eat semi-healthy and try to be as active as you can. Most people are overweight because they don’t exercise, eat mindlessly or seek food for comfort.
Although I am far from overweight I still have had my own qualms about my weight. I know what it is like to use food to control your emotions and the toll that your body pays for this. But it is having a normal relationship with food that leads to a healthy body and mind.
In the end, I think that you only have yourself to blame for being overweight. It is one’s own fault for not being able to sit in a booth because it is too small for your large stomach. It is your own fault that you cannot run a mile without having respiratory problems.
How do we solve this problem you ask? I don’t have the answer, but I do have an idea. Taking responsibility for one’s owns actions can lead to success. My math teacher once told me that when you point your finger at someone else you have four pointing back at you. I think this can easily be translated to obesity. If you take responsibility for your weight and realize that it is your problem and only yours, Then progress can be made.
The whole issue of obesity is very complex. It is filled with facts and feeling. I don’t know if I will ever understand it completely but it does bother me deeply. I just hope that the growing rate will eventually decrease and awareness will help solve the problem. In the meantime I can just hope for a better tomorrow and please try not to supersize.
Courtney Love Gavin is a senior at Live Oak, is commissioner of spirit for the Associated Student Body. She alternates writing for Teen Perspective with Yasser Elassal and Cindy Hernandez. Contact Courtney at ed******@*************es.com
