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Overweight or Obese

The numbers do not lie, according to the National Institute of Diabetes 68% of America is either overweight or obese. By definition, a person is obese when their body has enormous proportions of fat, concentrated mainly around the abdomen. Obesity has continued to plaque the United States year after year. Obesity increases a persons risk for diabetes, high blood pressure, stroke and cardiovascular diseases. Obesity has no preference when it comes to color or gender. Age is not a factor either, because of technology and other outside factors, child obesity has increased at alarming rates.

Although the United States has the largest obese population in the world, the daily convenience of the American lifestyle causes this condition because of the affect that fast food has on the body, the lack of physical activity and the lack of knowledge concerning a healthy way of life. When it comes to food, convenience is not always a benefit but a hindrance to your body. As children, we were taught the four basic food groups: fruit, Legumes, whole grains, and vegetables. The United States Department of Agriculture as implemented a food pyramid. The new food groups are grains, vegetables, fruits, oils, milk and meat & beans.

It is recommended to consume these foods in certain portions but with the fast pace life that most of America leads eating according the food pyramid is easier said than done. With the high pace lives that Americans lead, cooking duties have been relinquish to line cooks at restaurants like McDonalds, Hardees, and Carls Jr. All of which offer a large variety of foods, from cheeseburgers to salads. The daily recommend caloric intake for an adult is about 1940 calories for a women and 2550 calories for a man (plus or minus 200 depending on activity level) depending on your resource.

The process of burning these calories is very complicated. To sum the process up, the body only needs the recommend about of calories, the excess is stored as fat, which can lead to obesity. If a person were to have a cheeseburger meal at Hardees for lunch, which includes a cheeseburger, large fries and a large Coke-a-cola the amount of calories consumed would total 1350 calories. For women, that is more than their caloric intake for the day and for a man its more than their caloric intake. That does not include breakfast; dinner or any snacking that has been done.

Children fare no better then their parents when it comes to fast food. For children ages 4 to 6, their daily caloric intake is 1800 calories. Feed a child a cheeseburger Happy meal from McDonalds and they have consumed 710 calories in one meal, that is nearly their daily intake. Remember the body processes what it need the rest is stored as fat. The nutritional value of fast food may contribute to obesity, but a persons activity level plays just as big a role in this epidemic. Technology has changed the way the world operates. With the invention of the Internet, anything a person desires is just a click away.

From grocery shopping, to writing letters, if a person has a computer it can be done. Television, video games and other electronic devices have replace imagination and outside activity for both adults and children. Child obesity rates have increased year after year because children no longer go outside to play after school, instead they stay inside and play Xbox or Play Station for hours, or they sit and watch television shows such as Sponge Bob. Technology has affected adult activity levels as well, social chat rooms, online gaming and surfing the internet as taken the places of interaction with their children.

Families no longer go to parks and play; they stay inside and remain inactive. It is recommended that a person take part in at least 30 minutes of physical activity every day to remain healthy. This activity can include walking, running, jumping; anything that increases your heart rate. Physical activity can reduce excess body fat caused by overeating; reducing the chances of obesity. The reduction of excess body fat increases the chance of a longer healthier life. Not only can physical activity help to decrease the number of obese Americans, just the basic knowledge about a healthy lifestyle is just as beneficial.

Although there are hundreds maybe even thousands of informative books, magazines and web sites about healthy eating and exercise, most people find them intimidating. The pictures of the perfect models, the complicated formulas used and the acrobatic exercise moves needed to stay healthy can leave a person feeling less then capable of what they read. This also increase a person chances of becoming obese because. The information that is available on healthy lifestyles is complicated and plentiful but is necessary to maintain a healthy life and reduce obesity in America.

The lifestyles of Americans have contributed to the alarming numbers of obese people in the Unites States. The want for convenience has caused a decline in the activity levels of parents and children alike. The lack of knowledge pertaining to the affects of fast food consumed, the specifics of physical activity and an overall knowledge of a healthy lifestyle all contribute the obesity epidemic. If Americas do not find a way to control their lifestyles, health care cost will increase to an uncontrollable amount.

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