Researcher Paper

One of the main contributing factors to childhood or adult obesity is a lifestyle. Eckel (2003) argued that overeating with in a combination with a sedentary lifestyle has been known to contribute to obesity. If you take foods in which a high percentage of calories come from high-fat, refined and sugary foods that will easily make you gain weight and high chances of being obese if you continue with that diet for long without counteracting practices. As more American families consume diets on the go and more people looking for low-cost foods, more people will reach high-calorie and fatty foods and beverages such as fast food.

Preventive Measures of Obesity

One of the preventive measures that can be taken to avoid obesity is changing behaviors which will affect these lifestyle choices. Choosing whole grains such as whole bread and brown rice rather than white rice and while bread. These foods are richer in fiber and nutrients and thus the body absorb them more slowly and therefore will not cause a rapid spike in insulin. Eating less fatty foods will also reduce excess calories in the bath. (Waters, E. 2010) stated that another preventive measure that is recommended is exercising every day, this will help in burning excess calories in the body and thus keeping you physically fit and reduce chances of heart diseases.

Big Fat Globalization Theory

A big Fat globalization theory is a sociological theory that relates to lifestyles as a factor contributing to obesity. According to Kopelman (2010), it has been known that obesity follows a socioeconomic gradient and thus adversely affects the poor. This theory explores obesity as a consequence of globalization factors and lifestyles such as labor market deregulation. The poor are forced to work for long hours and lower job security and low wages and thus have fewer opportunities of burning calories and are also more likely to consume fatty fast-foods. These conditions have led to higher levels of obesity in the poor populations and in countries that adopted neo-liberal labor market reforms in their economic systems.

Literature Review

Obesity is seen as a menace that is increasing slowly in the global society. The United States is considered the breeding ground of this menace. Adults and children are subjected to the obesity due to many reasons. There should be taken a proper care in estimating the causes behind the instigation of obesity and preventive measures should be applied accordingly. Proper measures will lead to a better environment in a society and it will not devour the societies across the world.

It is believed that obesity is such an ailment that harms individuals with its effects along with it incorporates many other diseases which lead to a destruction in life of an individual. Eating too much or by other reasons people might be subjected to obesity. In my community I have seen many obese people, which include a few children and adults. I have seen that a few obese children and teens got subjected to Type 2 diabetes. Type 2 diabetes, in the early ages of a human being, is a very dangerous disease. I saw that a few adults faced detrimental effects due to obesity. Obesity caused a few adults to become prone to diseases such as Type 2 diabetes, abnormal blood fats, and metabolic syndrome. Theoretically speaking, it is researched that adults become prone to several diseases along with above mentioned diseases. These diseases include coronary heart disease, stroke, osteoarthritis, sleep apnea, reproductive problems, gallstones, obesity hypoventilation syndrome and even cancer (“What Are the Health Risks of Overweight and Obesity?”, N.d.). But these diseases are not limited to just the above mentioned. People are seen to have shown symptoms of many other diseases.

There are found many causes of obesity. The primary cause of obesity is lack of energy balance (“What Causes Overweight and Obesity?”, N.d.). Eating food in heavy volume, which contains too many calories and not using this energy to complete any activity primarily causes obesity. Other causes such as high intake of carbonated drinks, junk foods, fast food etc. Also contribute in making people obese. Sedentary lifestyle and binge eating also contributes towards obesity while watching television.

Various preventive measures which include healthy regimes can be taken to reduce the effects of obesity on an individual. I saw a few people getting better day by day in the community using some preventive measures. These preventive measures included healthy eating planning, making healthy food choices etc. One should assess how much calories he needs and accordingly, he should intake that much calories only (“How Can Overweight and Obesity Be Prevented?”, N.d.). People in the community participated in physical activities which limited the use of televisions, computers, and video games, and worked towards burning of essential calories, which further led obesity free life (“How Can Overweight and Obesity Be Prevented?”, N.d.).

As described above, the cause of obesity is often imbalanced food habits. Since food habits very much relate to cultures, as people from United States eat something different than people in India or China, the cause of obesity can be explained using the view of symbolic interaction theory of sociology. According to the symbolic interaction theory, people impose subjective meanings of objects, behaviors and events. It is a fact that people behave based on what they believe, they don’t try to be rational and do not give much importance to the thing that is objectively true (Crossman, n.d.). The American people tend to eat food that includes fast food and carbonated beverages. The American people, accordingly, believe that adhering to such a food culture will connect them to the mainstream American society. This causes them to eat without proper assessment and hence become prone to obesity. Hence, it can be said that culture is a big contributing factor towards obesity. According to (T Lobstein, L Baur, R Vauy, 2004)Obesity in Children is treated differently as in the vase of adults. A general factor is, however, common and ought to be embraced by each family member, that is, weight management program that ensures the designated goals of kicking obesity out are met.

In conclusion, obesity is a major health problem which is gradually assuming the form of an epidemic. Grownups and youngsters are subjected to the obesity due to many causes. In that location should be taken a proper care in estimating the drives behind the instigation of obesity and preventive steps should be used accordingly. Proper measures will contribute to a more honest environment in a society and it will not devour the societies across the Earth.

These clauses are linked up to the overweight and obesity and how it is directly influenced by the food chain market of America. As according to the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES 2003-2006 and 2007-2008), over two third Adult of United State of America are overweight or obsess and over one third are obsessives. In that respect is neither any particular causes nor any special treatment for overweight and obesity. But in general, there are lots of genetic, environmental, behavioral and socioeconomic factors that contribute to overweight and obesity. But it is also true that expansion of food chain restaurants also contributed in increasing the rate of overweight and obesity of Americans. From 1971 to 2000, the obesity rate has increased from 14.5 % to 30.9 %. Now it is observed that 67 % population of the USA is overweight (NHANES, 2003-2008).

The two surprising things which I learnt from the articles are that the USA is spending $39,030,000, 000 in obesity related medical expenditure. That is the huge amount for any country to spend on medical expenditure and especially on one major health related issue. The second surprising fact is that American is on top where the people are consuming the highest number of calories per day. On average, Americans are consuming 3760 calories per day and they are burning only 1850 calories per day. We can see that there is a large gap in consumption and burning out of the calories that results in high rates of obesity and overweight.

Yes, it is true that if someone will take poor diet like less nutritious or less quantity or more junk food are very prone to the overweight and obesity because sometimes poor diet becomes the reason of another disease like heart diseases, blood pressures or any other health related issues. So poor diet also contributes directly or indirectly in increasing the obesity and overweight types of health problems. Sometime cultural difference can also contribute in increasing the obesity and overweight. For example - when the kids and adults eat more meats and other non-veg items, they are very prone to have these types of health issues because of high consumption of oil, high calorie food and alcohol, etc. Besides it, the environment and living of the standard also an effect on the health issue of a person. If a person is able to have balance between his consumption and burning out of calories, he would be able to overcome the issue of obesity and overweight.

It is true that Studies and research are showing the results that Americans prefer to eat more junk foods rather than veg and nutritious food. Junk food has high levels of saturated fat that influence negatively on the body and contribute in increasing the overweight and obesity. There is no doubt that junk foods are directly linked to the diseases like high Blood pressure, diabetes, cholesterol and other major diseases due to high intake of fat, oil, sugar and less nutrients required for a body. It is easy to observe how the junk foods are impacting our body negatively through regular observation, continuous checking the body weight, feeling the other changes in the body like dullness, insomnia, less stamina and other major changes that discourage us to work actively and efficiently because it reduces our productivity and efficiency of performing the task.

These articles are related to the overweight and obesity and how it is directly influenced by the food chain market of America. As according to the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES 2003-2006 and 2007-2008), over two third Adult of United State of America are overweight or obsess and over one third are obsessives. There is neither any particular causes nor any particular treatment for overweight and obesity. But in general, there are lots of genetic, environmental, behavioral and socioeconomic factors that contribute to overweight and obesity. But it is also true that expansion of food chain restaurants also contributed in increasing the rate of overweight and obesity of Americans. From 1971 to 2000, the obesity rate has increased from 14.5 % to 30.9 %. Now it is observed that 67 % population of the USA is overweight (NHANES, 2003-2008).

The two surprising things which I learnt from the articles are that the USA is spending $39,030,000, 000 in obesity related medical expenditure. That is the huge amount for any country to spend on medical expenditure and especially on one major health related issue. The second surprising fact is that American is on top where the people are consuming the highest number of calories per day. On average, Americans are consuming 3760 calories per day and they are burning only 1850 calories per day. We can see that there is a large gap in consumption and burning out of the calories that results in high rates of obesity and overweight.

Yes, it is true that if someone will take poor diet like less nutritious or less quantity or more junk food are very prone to the overweight and obesity because sometimes poor diet becomes the reason of another disease like heart diseases, blood pressures or any other health related issues. So poor diet also contributes directly or indirectly in increasing the obesity and overweight types of health problems. Sometime cultural difference can also contribute in increasing the obesity and overweight. For example - when the kids and adults eat more meats and other non-veg items, they are very prone to have these types of health issues because of high consumption of oil, high calorie food and alcohol, etc. Besides it, the environment and living of the standard also an effect on the health issue of a person. If a person is able to have balance between his consumption and burning out of calories, he would be able to overcome the issue of obesity and overweight.

It is true that Studies and research are showing the results that Americans prefer to eat more junk foods rather than veg and nutritious food. Junk food has high levels of saturated fat that influence negatively on the body and contribute in increasing the overweight and obesity. There is no doubt that junk foods are directly linked to the diseases like high Blood pressure, diabetes, cholesterol and other major diseases due to high intake of fat, oil, sugar and less nutrients required for a body. It is easy to observe how the junk foods are impacting our body negatively through regular observation, continuous checking the body weight, feeling the other changes in the body like dullness, insomnia, less stamina and other major changes that discourage us to work actively and efficiently because it reduces our productivity and efficiency of performing the task.

The following illustration reflexes on the BMI is considered to be obese:

Body Mass Index (BMI) is a person's weight in kilograms divided by the square of height in meters. A high BMI can be an indicator of high body fatness.  BMI can be used as a screening tool, but is not diagnostic of the body fatness or health of an individual.

· If your BMI is less than 18.5, it falls within the underweight range.

· If your BMI is 18.5 to 24.9, it falls within the normal or healthy weight range.

· If your BMI is 25.0 to 29.9, it falls within the overweight range.

· If your BMI is 30.0 or higher, it falls within the obese range.

Note: At an individual level, BMI can be used as a screening tool, but is not diagnostic of the body fatness or the health of an individual. A trained health care provider should perform appropriate health assessments in order to evaluate an individual's health status and risks.

See the following table for an example.

Reference