Obesity An Increasing Epidemic Affecting The United States

Obesity is an increasing epidemic affecting the United States in an alarming and negative way. In the past centuries it was rare for Americans to be obese. Today they’re numerous factors contributing to the epidemic but they can be reversed with awareness of the severity of the issue, it’s affect on health, and a willingness to make changes in their daily life. Obesity is a health condition where a persons body weight is heavier than what is considered healthy for a certain height. To determine if someone is obese, a nutritionist measures their body mass index, which correlates with their amount of body fat. If the BMI is 30 or above, their body weight is twenty percent higher than an ideal height weight ratio and considered obeast.†¦show more content†¦It is much more convenient for a working parent to spend five to ten dollars per person at a fast food restaurant such as McDonalds than to drive to a grocery store, buy healthy food, and prepare a meal for their family. Times have been tough when it comes to the economy but fast food franchises stocks are at an all time high. These fast food restaurants make it incredibly easy to get plenty of cheap food but with very low quality. They offer incredibly deals to lure people in while giving them basically â€Å"empty calories†. These calories are from solid fats or added s ugars. Solid fats and added sugars add calories to the food but few or no nutrients. Empty calorie foods give short bursts of energy and hardly fulfill appetites which in makes a person eat much more than if they had eaten food with nutritional value. Little Caesars offers a pizza for 5 dollars while Mcdonalds Mcdouble cheese burger is only a dollar. It’s incredibly sad that you can buy a hamburger for cheaper than buying an apple. Obesity decreases the quality and length of life. In the United Statrd among adults under the age of 70, obesity is second only to tobacco in the number of deaths it causes each year. As stated by the Center for Disease and Control the immediate health effects are cardiovascular diseases- high cholesterol or high blood pressure, higher risk of diabetes,