The United States has been a country known for its marketing and now it is known as the most obese country in the world. People have been consuming tons of unhealthy food and have decreased the amount of usage of the gyms. The epidemic of obesity is increasing through America because of fast food that is ingested daily as well as the lack of exercise. Through the years portion sizes have increased and have gotten cheaper than fresh foods. Thin people used to be America’s overweight society but now weight has extremely increased and has led into having unhealthy lifestyles.
In the 1970s Americans would only prepare home cooked meals furthermore they would walk each day which would complete their daily exercises. Through the years obesity has increased and will continue to increase unless someone does something about it. That someone are young adults, because the only people it would affect would be them, especially the future of their children and the future of America. In order to lessen the obesity epidemic, eighteen to twenty-six year olds should become personally responsible for what they consume on a daily basis, government should fund health education, and establish restrictions for fast food corporations.
During the 1970s many changes have happened from increasing the fast food industry to reducing the usage of gyms. As years passed meals were prepared at home and teens were healthier. Everyday children would consume small quantities of unhealthy foods but, would always go outside and take their minimum exercise each day. Since then there have been severe changes especially the introduction of automobiles and the work jobs for women. Walking daily was an everyday thing, since there were no automobiles. Exercising would not be something that was fit into schedule as of today.
Before women stayed home and cooked home meals, but since new jobs were created they had less time to cook food and the amount of fast food places increased. Jane E. Brody, Attacking the Obesity Epidemic by First Figuring Out its cause, shows what happened after women entered the workforce by stating “As more women entered the workforce, the food industry, noting a growing new market, mass-produced convenience foods with palate appeal”(11). New fast food places were added and new taste came about which were cheaper and healthier options were forgotten.
The lack of home cooked meals rose the fast food industry and made Americans consume more calories than their regular intake. The taste of these foods were very tasty and cheap for Americans to afford which made vegetables and fruits aside. In addition, more and more restaurants were being placed at every block, because of the rise of consummation and the lack of meals cooked at home. About 8 years later, the intake of calories was increasing and the percentage of obese people rose. The amount doubled and there were more and more people that are obese as well as overweight.
During the years in the 70s it was called the “tipping point”, because everything changed from having home cooked meals to consuming unhealthy foods everyday. There was also an increase in technology and less kids and teens were going outside to get their daily exercise. Before there would be no technology that would distract them from going outside and today’s world kids and teens are attached to their phone 24/7 and forget about life as well as eating which causes the body to not sustain a healthy diet.
Brody also stated that “Television watching (through my father’s business, my family acquired an early TV with a seven-inch screen) was mostly a weekend family affair, not a nightly ritual with constant noshing”(7) Brody gives an example in how television was not something many would use as of today’s society. Many today binge watch television instead of hanging out with friends and having fun. Eventually many will start recognizing the effects of just watching TV and not exercising daily. Fruits and vegetables were consumed daily and now sugars along with fats are being consumed daily.
Since then changes have happened such as death coming earlier than people expected because of the lack of healthy foods and exercise. Size 0 today would be considered skinny and back then it would be considered overweight which makes a huge difference to people who are considered overweight today. Young adults should be aware about the consequences of obesity and should be informed more about healthy foods that should be consumed daily. Many parents and teens blame fast food places for their diseases and obesity of their children.
The only person that is responsible for this is the consumers, because they should know what they are intaking as well as buying. In an article in the Sacramento Bee, It’s Portion Distortion That makes America Fat by Shannon Brownlee, a mother who sued Mcdonald’s for her son who weighed 400 pounds stated, “I always believed Mcdonald’s food was healthy for my son”(2). This illustrates the ignorance amongst society. Many believe that all food is healthy, but in reality fast food is affecting health. It should be the person’s responsibility to maintain a healthy diet as well as healthy weight.
Also, everyone should be informed about the consequences and nutritional labels that are labeled on unhealthy food. Government is also responsible for the obesity in teens, because they are the ones establishing more and more fast food restaurants. Restaurants are not placing enough restrictions on the type of food being sold. In addition, government interference is needed since business are not on the lookout for public health. In bad food? Tax It, and Subsidize Vegetables, Mark Bittman informs his readers about businesses seeking profit and disregarding health issues towards society.
As long as businesses are making the profit they will refuse to be held accountable. They expect their customers to know what they are eating. Therefore, lawsuits against them are perceived as a lack of personal responsibility. Young adults should be held responsible for their own eating habits and not businesses. How will they have personal responsibility? By taking hold of their own actions. There can be many changes that can be changed such as eating habits and being informed more about the causes of obesity and how it is affecting society.
Many perform daily routines such as exercising, but the problem is America has the most gyms yet, not all use gyms which money goes to waste. By educating young adults more will be informed decreasing the amount of obese people which would improve lifestyles for better. Classes should be given to students to maintain a healthy lifestyle and boost self motivation to work out. Many may say what is the purpose in maintaining a healthy body. There are many responses depending on a person’s morals such as believing that people should take care of their body as god took care of his temple.
Others may say having a healthier body they live longer as well as having fewer chances in getting diseases. As for the government, they should reduce the amount of fast food restaurants that are located at every corner of the streets. Millions of fast food restaurants are located in America and about 150,000,000 of consumers consume a month which is more than a person that goes grocery shopping to buy fresh vegetables and fruits. Since the amount of people consuming unhealthy foods is increasing society should be informed about the consequences that it can lead into especially young adults, because it will only affect their generation.
The future of America will either change for the best or for the worst. The only people who can change this epidemic of obesity is ages from eighteen to twenty-six which are college students. Furthermore, college students are expanding the percentage of obese people in the world. Hence the future generation will suffer for the lack of unhealthy decisions that are made today. Many consume fast food daily, because many do not know how to prepare home cooked meals, which makes it difficult for college students to consume healthy foods.
For future generations not to suffer there should be special classes that undergraduate students should offer younger learners about living a healthy lifestyle and healthy weight. It is up to this generation to fix the problem of unhealthy living, because this will only affect their future children as well as the future of America. Students should reunite and help decrease the amount of unhealthy food that is being intaken daily as well as government helping fund educational programs to help decrease obesity in the United States.
By decreasing the amount of unhealthy eating less people will be affected in the future and more people will be living a healthy life and maintaining a healthy diet. Fast food chains would decrease making America the healthiest place. Changing unhealthy lifestyles would take personal responsibility as well as government to fix the problem. Some changes that individuals can do are having a weekly budget that can be used for instance spending only about ten dollars a week of fast food dining.
Trying to find special cooking classes that can help consume healthier foods also having dishes that keep portion sizes smaller to become healthier. Other goals that can be set are walking 10,000 steps a day which can complete a daily exercise. It has been said that exercising reduces stress and anxiety which can help many students in college who might be stressing about upcoming exams or essays. For example, the Google Company requires their workers to workout everyday for an hour, because statistics show that after working out their mood boosts overall.
Individuals believe they look better and therefore they feel better. Government should reduce the amount of fast food restaurants and provide educational funding programs to inform the public about obesity especially the younger generation. Having eighteen to twenty-six year olds instill personal responsibility, educate society, and hold the government accountable for the lack of restrictions placed on fast food industries are solutions to the lessen the obesity epidemic. During the 1970s, kids and teens consumed healthier foods due to the fact foods were cooked at home and exercise was placed as an everyday thing.
As years passed by women sustained jobs and less time was provided at home which rose the fast food industry as well as technology which affected the usage of going outside. After, people were intaking an overload of calories than their normal diet and made consumers forget about their health and the rise of obesity rose amongst each other without knowing the consequences. Society started blaming businesses for their health issues instead of realizing the effects of consuming unhealthy foods.
Young adults should be held responsible for their own actions and should recognize the decisions that they are making which can later affect the future of their children and the future of America. Decreasing the amount of fast food that is digested would decrease the amount of obese people which would make America the healthiest country. College students and the government should cooperate to inform society about diseases that can be caused when eating unhealthy and provide information in how to maintain a healthy lifestyle.
