By Davian Koren
The obesity epidemic is a significant public health concern that affects millions of people around the world. According to the CDC, 73.6% of Americans over the age of 20 are either overweight or obese.¹ Being overweight leads to serious health problems such as diabetes, heart disease, and even stroke. It can even make you more at risk of developing certain types of cancer.² Understanding the causes and consequences of this problem is crucial for finding effective solutions.
What does it mean to be overweight or obese?
According to the World Health Organization, being overweight or obese is defined as “abnormal or excessive fat accumulation that presents a risk to health”. A body mass index (BMI) over 25 is considered overweight, and over 30 is obese.³
However, having some fat is healthy. Women need more essential body fat than men, meaning women require slightly more body fat for good health. Essential body fat is important for the protection of internal organs and hormone regulation, especially for a healthy pregnancy.⁴
How does this happen?
If you consume high amounts of energy and do not use all of it through physical activity, much of the extra will be stored in the body as fat.
One of the main reasons for the rise in obesity rates is our lifestyle. Many people are inactive in their day to day life, spending hours sitting at desks, watching television, and/or excessively using electronic devices. Physical activity has decreased, while access to unhealthy and highly processed foods has increased. Fast food and sugary snacks are more available than ever, making it easy for people to have unhealthy diets.
Ultra processed foods are highly processed dishes that often contain a lot of sugars, fats, hydrogenated oils, preservatives, and/or artificial coloring or sweetener. Examples of these foods are frozen meals, soft drinks, fast food, packaged cookies, cakes, and salty snacks such as chips. These dishes are severely lacking in nutrition and are highly addictive, leading to excessive consumption.
Why is it bad to be overweight/obese?
Being overweight makes you more at risk of heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, some cancers, as well as many other health issues.² It also makes it harder to perform physical activities, such as running and lifting heavy objects, as well as other strenuous tasks. Your muscles and tendons are also straining because of the extra weight they weren’t designed to hold, making them weaker and putting you at a much higher risk of injury.
This is important for many reasons.
According to the CDC, 1 in 3 young adults (aged 17-24) are too overweight to serve in the military. (This age range accounts for 90% of U.S. military applicants.)⁵ This means we have a smaller/weaker army to defend our country with.
It also increases your cost for healthcare. Since you’re more at risk of all kinds of medical problems you’ll have to put more money towards your healthcare in the way of doctor’s visits. This can also drive up the price of your health insurance.
What can we do about it?
Since obesity is often caused by a poor diet and/or lack of sufficient physical inactivity, you can combat this by exercising regularly and eating healthy foods.
You can keep your body in shape by being more active, spending less time on screens, and cooking your own healthy meals: include more whole foods in your diet, such as fresh fruits and vegetables, eggs, meats, as well as fermented foods (unsweetened yogurt, sauerkraut, kimchi). Avoid highly processed/fried foods and foods with added sugar. (I’ve put a link in the sources section to one of my Pinterest boards filled with healthy recipes.⁶)
Exercising regularly is also a great way to build up muscle and stay in shape. Getting moving helps regulate your weight (burning off extra calories) and combats various health conditions and illnesses. This can mean going for a walk or run, playing a sport, or doing a full-on workout. You don’t even have to go to a gym to be active, a lot of this stuff you can do at home.
In Conclusion
Obesity is a preventable ailment that you can and should fight.
You can take steps to combat it by eating healthy and exercising regularly.
Start small and work your way up. Cut down on how many highly processed foods you’re consuming. Cook from scratch as often as you can. Get outside and take a walk.
Together we can work towards a healthier nation.
Sources:
1) www.cdc.gov/nchs/fastats/obesity-overweight.htm;
2) www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/weight-management/adult-overweight-obesity/health-risks
3) www.who.int/health-topics/obesity#tab=tab_1
4) www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/body-fat-percentage-chart#women
5) www.cdc.gov/physicalactivity/resources/unfit-to-serve/index.html
6) www.pinterest.com/DavianKoren/healthy-meals/
Davian Koren is a Fillmore County home school student, one of 15 area students participating in the Journal Writing Project, now in its 26th year.
Leave a Reply