Obesity in America

Obesity refers to the condition when there is excess body fat in the body of an individual. This fat leads to increased health problems, as well as reduced life expectancy. The body mass index is a measure of an individual’s health with regard to their weight to height ratio. The body mass index of a healthy person should not exceed 25. Those individuals with a body mass index as high as 32 can be considered to be obese. In America, the main contributor to cases of obesity is the intake of fast foods. These are foods that can be prepared, as well as served quickly. They are considered to be the main cause of obesity in America.

Fast foods do not necessarily cause obesity. It all depends on the individual. Besides, most Americans prefer these foods. The reason for that is they are cheap and available. When a person is busy, he/she has no time to cook food. Therefore, a person may choose to go to fast food restaurant. This is a normal case in the life of most people, therefore, the intake of fast foods cannot be ruled out. The only thing that can be done is a reduction of the intake. The food that an individual takes may contribute to this condition. However, there are many other factors that can cause obesity (Deangelis 46). Fast foods are just on the list. There are many people who take fast foods, and they are still healthy. It is important to take them with caution and moderation. Some people exercise to make sure that their bodies are fit.

However, fast foods are the main contributors to obesity in America. Most people with the obesity condition attribute it to fast foods. In recent decades, obesity has been cited as one of the greatest health issues in America. These cases were seen in many other countries too. However, America is one of the countries with numerous health issues. Since 1997, the estimates have constantly increased. The major cause of this is the eating habits. Some of American’s favorite foods are: hamburgers, doughnuts and French fries. These are some of the foods that have been named to cause health problems. Health analysts claim that people should reduce their intake of fast foods if they wish to keep fit. Despite the research findings, the people of America still continue to consume these highly discouraged foods. This is the reason as to why there have been increased cases of obesity in the nation.

Fast foods are remarkably easy to prepare. Mostly, they are deep fried. Most of them are prepared from cooked ingredients. This makes fast foods easy to prepare. They also contain an extremely large amount of sugar. This is the reason why they are the loved by so many people. The accessibility of these foods makes Americans go for them. Formal meal time does not exist in America today. Americans have been absorbed in many other activities. Therefore, there is no time to cook food at home. To add to this, other healthy foods are expensive when compared to fast foods. For this reason, they are a choice of many Americans. In addition to the cheapness and accessibility of these foods, stress is also another factor that causes increased intake of fast foods. When individuals are stressed by work, families, business and many other stressors, they relieve the stress in restaurants. There are numerous fast food items offered in these restaurants. These are the foods that Americans go for as often as they are stressed.

Fast foods can have adverse effects on the health of an individual. Most of these fast foods have a high fat content. Therefore, the continuous consumption of fast foods leads to accumulation of fats in the body. It is these fats that cause obesity of individuals. Fast foods slow the rate of digestion in the body of a person. They cause fermentation in the body. When one eats fast foods, they should do a lot of exercise to burn the calories. The reason for that is the presence of excessive fats in the bodies of an individual means that their life expectancy will be shorter. Therefore, organizations should organize campaigns to educate Americans on the importance of nutrition to a person’s health. One should not spend a whole day without having a nutritional meal. This can go a long way in improving the general health of the people.

This does not mean that people should not consume fast foods. They should only regulate their intake to a healthy extend. Alternatively, people should balance their intake of fast foods with adequate exercise. This ensures that an individual keeps his/her normal weight. It also causes the utilization of these fats. When one engages in exercise, his/her body demands for more energy (Daynard 2003). As a result of this, more foods have to be broken down. This means that the fats are broken down when one does exercise. Therefore, exercise reduces the accumulation of fat in the body of an individual. It causes them to be muscular instead. Therefore, an individual might be overweight but healthy. This can be the result of regular exercise.

Conclusion

There are numerous advantages that come with fast foods. They are easily accessible, sweet and cheap to acquire. However, they have one main disadvantage; they have the potential to cause obesity for an individual. As the essay above illustrates, it is the leading cause of obesity in America. Therefore, one should take these foods in a limited manner, as well as with caution. This can help to solve future health problems.