Yampah Mountain High School

Obesity

Breanna Ballesteros
Navigating Arguments
Sonja Linman
May, 2015

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Breanna Ballesteros
Perspectives/ Navigating an Argument
Sonja Linman
April 2015
Obesity
Who would have thought that the effects of carrying extra weight could become so
drastic. Of progressive nations, the United States comes in second of having an incredibly high
rate of obesity. In fact, 31.8% of Americans are obese, believe it or not, that is almost one third
of our population! Mexico is in first place with 32.8% of its population being obese. In 2008,
obesity related health issues cost about ten percent of the annual spending on medical care,
which is about 147 billion dollars. In 2009, it was discovered that obesity was the third cause of
preventable death, right after high blood pressure and smoking. In November 2013, the US
Surgeon General reported that about 300,000 deaths a year were caused by
obesity.(obesity.procon.org)
Being overweight or obese is no easy ride, dealing with the constant stares, the hurtful
words, and even the physical bullying, such as tripping, and pushing. This is only part of this
painful journey, the other part is whats going on with one's health while carrying so much extra
weight. There are so many diseases that come with being overweight and obese, such as diabetes
and heart disease. For years, the world has been dealing with many issues due to food. For
example; lack of food, droughts, malnutrition, and poverty. However, now the problem is too
much food, unhealthy foods, fast foods, and the lack of physical activity. Through the constant
advertising of healthy foods, lowering the prices of healthy foods, and promoting physical

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activity in an enjoyable way, the world can take a stand for obesity, and take control of this
major problem.

Traces of obesity began showing about 12,000 years ago, when historians discovered
statues of large women.(www.livestrong.com/article/359624-obesity-history-in-america/) As the
world progressed, many people were affected by access to food and agricultural technology. The
world learned how to make life easier, and soon enough all the struggles of getting food were
gone, all the struggles of having to walk and include normal physical activity in our daily lives
were gone. All the options for finding ways to entertain one another through outside play were
replaced by TV, movies, cell phones and technology. In 1994, all states had obesity rates of less
than 19%, but by 2010, no states had an obesity rate at or below 19%. what happened during that
time? In 2000, the human race reached a huge imbalance, when the number of overweight
people passed the number of the worlds hungry.(epirev:oxfordjournals.org/content/29/1/1.full)
Technology has advanced throughout the years making life so much easier, but is an easy life
such a good thing?
To begin with, some might wonder what obesity is, Obesity is a condition that is
associated with having excess body fat, defined by genetic and environmental factors that are
difficult to control while dieting.(www.obesityaction.org/understanding-obesity/obesity)
Basically, obesity is a condition that has to do with a person carrying a lot of extra weight, and
leads to many health conditions that could kill a person. Obesity can be measured by two ways,
the first way is called BMI, which stands for Body Mass Index. Adults with a body mass index
over 30 are considered to be obese. The second method, which is less common, is called waist

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circumference, which is the measurement of a persons waist. Depending on personal height and
other factors, waist circumference for females at 35 inches can be considered obese. Males with
a waist at 40 inches are considered to be obese. Obesity is a door to many illnesses that last a
lifetime, and eventually takes many lives each year.
As mentioned before, obesity comes with a bucket full of risks, including high blood
pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, heart disease, sleep apnea, and even certain types of cancers.
The causes of obesity are for the most part preventable. Behavior affects ones overall health, by
choosing what foods to eat, and how much to eat, the amount of physical activity a person
chooses to get, and the effort that one puts in to maintain a healthy body. While most think that
being obese is out of ones control, there are many ways to prevent and control obesity.
Obesity is caused by three main factors, two of which can be controlled and prevented.
The first factor that contributes to obesity was mentioned above, which is a persons behavior,
what foods and how much one decides to eat, to go for a walk, or to go for a drive, and to watch
television or to go outside. All of these are daily decisions that play a crucial role in ones health.
The environment also plays a big role in obesity, for example walking has been replaced with
driving, exercise is replaced with hours of television or playing video games. The last factor that
causes obesity is in our genetics; certain genes in a body can cause disorders that cause obesity.
However, not all people who have this gene become obese. Although these three factors play a
major part in obesity, living a healthy lifestyle can be controlled at some extent even when all
three factors are involved.
Most people believe that losing weight is so easy, but in all reality its not easy at all,
especially for those who have so much weight to lose. Fifteen percent of children six to nine are

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overweight or obese. Over 60% of adults are overweight or obese.

(stanfordhealthcare.org/medical-conditions/healthy-living/obesity/prevention.html#) There are
many little lifestyle changes that could be done to prevent future obesity. For example when a
child is born, change eating habits and the amount of physical activity, so that the child can grow
accustomed to that type of lifestyle. Reducing the time spent on electronics not only makes one
more connected with their surroundings and others, but it also brings on other options instead of
playing with technology. Drinking water the majority of the time instead of sugary drinks,
flushes out all the toxins in the body and keeps a person hydrated. Regular exercise is also a
main way to lose weight and keep in shape, only getting an hour of exercise five days a week
keeps the body from gaining
weight.(www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/obesity/basics/prevention/con-20014834)
Lastly, being healthy doesnt mean never eating favorite foods again, there are endless ways to
make a favorite dish a whole lot healthier. By adding healthier variations such as low fat, low
calorie, low sugar, and whole wheat products, one can still enjoy those favorite foods. Being
healthy shouldnt be a torture, it should be a commitment to keep the body healthy, and there are
so many advantages to keeping the body healthy.
Not only does obesity create difficulties in remaining healthy, it can result in serious
diseases and illnesses where some are actually incurable. One of the biggest problems that a
person can get while being obese would be heart disease, or other heart problems. The heart is
the main organ in a persons body, so having problems with the heart is a serious condition that
can be prevented, and taken care of. Carrying around extra weight makes it more likely to

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develop high blood pressure, and high cholesterol. Just losing 5-10% of body weight can greatly
reduce these risks and get the body so much healthier.
Type two diabetes is also another illness which is incurable, having type two diabetes is a
disease that lasts a lifetime, and comes with many struggles. Most people who have type two
diabetes are either overweight or obese. Simple everyday changes can be taken to reduce the risk
of getting type two diabetes. For example, getting exercise, a good nights sleep, and eating a
well balanced diet. Although there are many diseases out there that an obese person is more
prone to, there are simple steps that can be taken to prevent and control the many diseases.
The list for possible diseases goes on and on, theres so many things out there that exist
and these illnesses want to feed on the unhealthy, so carrying extra weight makes a person more
likely to develop a disease because the body is unhealthy, and having an unhealthy body means
the immune system is also unhealthy. Since human life began, getting enough food was always
the problem. Now tables have turned and the new problem is too much food, unhealthy food, and
the lack of physical activity. Obesity is not just becoming a problem for the United States, but it
is becoming a worldwide epidemic.
Many people believe that the obesity epidemic can be controlled, but some believe that
obesity is out of hand. As the numbers of obese people increase each day, people start worrying
about the future and what is going to happen. With the future of this planet riding on its people,
and its people becoming obese, many people are finally taking notice.
Through out the years, technology has became the key to progressing, and moving
forward with the planet. However some inventions were not all that successful. The Big Mac,
supersized beverages and combos, the remote control, and the internet in some ways have done

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quite a bit of damage. What do all these inventions have in common? They may be some of the
leading causes to why the planet has extreme numbers of obesity. Because of this technology,
people are not getting the right foods, people do not have to get up to change the channel, so by
just making a few daily changes easier, people do not have reasons to remain healthy. Some
believe that as technology keeps progressing, that the fight against obesity has no hope.
Many have heard that children need at least an hour of exercise a day to stay healthy, but
what activities are being done to replace that hour? The video game industry is booming with
many games that are not only addicting, but are taking over the amount of physical activity
children are getting. The television is also replacing physical activity, but what is worse is that
television commercials are promoting fast food, video games, and not promoting enough healthy
eating, and physical activity. These companies want children and adults to stay inside, and eat
unhealthy, which is causing childhood obesity. In a nation that wants obesity to be controlled, a
person would think that they would be advertising health and not trying to make things worse.
Now that America can get food easily, by not having to harvest it or go looking for it,
Americans are eating more calories than they are burning with exercise. The human body is not
made to hold more fat than it should, or to hold as much food as people are putting into the body.
So, what could be some solutions to these problems? Obviously some believe just to start
exercising and to eat less, but that is only the easy part. The hard part is getting people used to
this new lifestyle, imagine a person who has been eating junk food all their life and not
exercising to one day drop all that; it is a very difficult thing for a person to do, and that is why
many diets and exercise plans fail. It is up to a person to change. Planning to cut down on
calories and starting a workout plan and actually doing it are two very different things, as

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mentioned before it takes willpower and determination to be able to stick to being healthy,
because being healthy is not just a one time thing, but a lifetime choice.
As technology has advanced, the way things used to be are now being replaced with even
more time saving ways to do things throughout the day. For example, why would someone walk
a mile to take their kids to school, or to go check the mail when they have a car that they can
drive to go places a whole lot faster than walking. Also, why would a child come home from a
long day at school and go outside and play soccer or football, when they can just play the same
sport without having to move on a video game system. Throughout the years, the most simple
everyday things have been replaced with even more simpler ways to get things done. The
progression of technology is not a bad thing, but it becomes a bad thing when used too much.
The place that people go to learn, and get information to better our knowledge is being
blamed for obesity. This place is better known as school. Schools are being blamed for not
teaching students how to take care of their bodies properly, for not offering healthy foods, and
for cutting down on the physical education programs. For example, sodas are being sold during
lunch, and schools have vending machines that are loaded with unhealthy foods, in addition,
school lunches are not healthy anymore. Classes are not taking enough time to teach students
about the effects that unhealthy eating and lack of exercise will do to the body, and perhaps, the
biggest problem is that physical education classes are being cut out of the program, or the time of
the classes are shorter, or the physical activity in those classes is not really physical activity.
Schools are being blamed for not advertising, and for not doing anything to make a difference
with this major problem. The responsibility for schools is to educate students not just about the

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curriculum, but how to grow to be successful, and well rounded adults. However, without the
proper funding, schools can not be the only ones put to blame.
Although people disagree that obesity can be fixed and prevented, the reasons that these
people have are actually very informative, and most have to do with people themselves. A person
can have many opportunities to make a change, but if the person is not ready to make that change
then no progress can be made. What the human race needs is motivation, motivation to live a
happy and healthy life, but it cannot be done without the advertising of healthy food and
exercise. In addition, the food industry is intentionally creating addictive products to hold people
in the cycle of obesity. This needs to stop, the human race needs to know the truth behind what is
in our food.
The worst part of being obese is all the health problems that a person is exposed too, and
later get. However another major downside is all the attention a person gets, and that is not the
kind of attention a person wants. Bullying is a very serious issue, and although bullying targets
our differences, being obese, or overweight is a big one that makes both children and adults get
bullied every day. As if carrying extra body weight isnt enough, now people are getting
harassed for this serious problem.
Although bullying mostly affects children, adults go through it too, at work, at
restaurants, or walking out in the open, they the weird looks, and eyes following their every
move. Bullying can be anything from stares, to whispers when a person passes by, to tripping,
hitting, or pushing. Bullying also has many effects to a persons health. As an adult, bullying
makes a person feel self conscious about themselves not allowing a person to do the things they
should be doing. Bullying in adults is so much different than bullying in children. Bullying for

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adults could be a simple joke about weight, feeling discriminated by co workers, getting told
things when eating at a restaurant, and so much more. Bullying based on a persons size or
weight has many harmful effects no matter what age.
When children are being bullied, it looks different than with adults. Children are already
going through so much at such a young age, their bodies are going through drastic changes, and
bullying them because of their body shape makes things a lot worse. With children, bullying
involves constant name calling and other types of teasing. It may even lead to the child being
pushed or tripped. Bullying has a harsh effect on children, about 37% of children who get
bullied, are bullied for their body shape, and weight. The numbers are increasing every day.
Bullying is unacceptable, and causes both physical and mental problems, adding even more to
the main problem of obesity.
The effects of bullying within children could lead to depression, eating disorders, self
harm, and could eventually lead to suicide. Some may believe that all this could happen just by
saying a hurtful word to someone. Bullying is no joke, not just for those who are overweight, but
for anyone who does not meet the definition of normal. One third of girls and one fourth of
boys report being teased based on their weight while they work out. With the many effects of
bullying and the health problems on top of all that, a person can undergo many serious events
because of their weight.
As technology progresses, some believe that the future for obesity is that more and more
people will become obese as the years pass. Others believe that with help of diets, weight loss
pills, weight loss surgeries, and other unhealthy ways to lose weight, that the human race can be

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saved from obesity. However, quick reactions are not sustainable, and most weight is then
regained, unless there is a significant lifestyle change.
Weight loss pills are pills that help a person lose weight, either they kill cravings, they
suppress ones appetite, they burn more calories. All of this sounds like a dream come true, what
person would not want to just take a couple pills each day and watch those pounds fly off?
However, most of the weight loss products that are out there are made with harmful substances
that cause even worse problems than carrying extra weight. Some weight loss pills could be
helpful, only combined with diet and exercise. Without both parts, weight loss pills become
dangerous and sometimes even addicting. Also, weight loss pills come with a list of side effects
and some are severe. Out of all the prescribed weight loss pills made and sold, only two weight
loss pills have been approved by the FDA, which are Meridia and Xenical
(life.gaiam.com/articles/dangers-weight-loss-pills).
Diet pills are in every drug store, which gives access to anyone, children, teens, adults,
elderly to buy diet pills. Diet pills are very dangerous, they are made with large amounts of
addictive substances. Which means that someone could become addicted to diet pills easily. Not
only can diet pills become addicting and are dangerous, but the results do not last from these
pills. Another fast way to lose weight would be crash diets, crash diets are diets where a person
eats or drinks things that lead to rapid weight loss, an example of a crash diet would be the
Atkins Diet where a person does not eat any carbs, which leads to rapid weight loss. Crash diets
are unhealthy because a person is not getting all the nutrients that they need, and the results do
not last after the diet stops, a person gains back all the weight they already lost and even more.

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Weight loss surgery is for severely obese people which is a surgery to cut down the
stomach size so that a person eats a little. Although this surgery has saved many lives and is not
that bad, there are some people who take it for granted and continue to eat the foods they used to
eat before. Therefore, they stretch their stomach out again. Weight loss surgery should not be the
first option, it should be the last option because using this method does not guarantee a lifestyle
change, and it could also be dangerous.
Although a persons behavior and choices play a crucial role in obesity, the food
industries are contributing to this worldwide epidemic. Food industries are using a variety of
methods to keep us addicted to fats and sugars, by not having to list the full ingredients in the
food we eat, and by being able to market junk foods as healthy. All those low sugar, no sugar,
low fat, and low calorie foods are nothing but a lie. Most of these products are the same as the
original product or even worse for a persons health. Food industries swear they are making
healthy foods and are committed to help with the whole problem of obesity to help and lower the
obesity rate. However, since the food industry has helped, the numbers of obesity have
skyrocketed up, and at an even faster rate.
As the world has progressed, who would have imagined that sugar can be as addicting or
even more addicting than cocaine. Doctors are teaming up with Coca Cola, and are trying to
convince us that soda has no effect on a person or contributes anything at all to obesity. Food
industries are targeting their victims as young as they can get, and with the help of Ronald
Mcdonald, Captain Crunch, the Flintstones, and many more kid friendly characters, food
industries are advertising unhealthy food. Food industries use these characters to make their food
seem fun and attracting to children, knowing the future harm it will cause. Food industries also

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use celebrities and other people that people look up to, to promote their products to their fans,
and to make it seem like it is okay for a person to eat those foods since their idols do. However,
you never see Beyonce or Ronald Mcdonald doing a commercial on healthy food. Food
industries need to start putting the full list of ingredients on the food labels. Food industries need
to stop trying to attract children to unhealthy foods. Lastly, food industries need to stop getting
celebrities and important people to promote their unhealthy products.
Food industries have made foods with many chemicals and additives in their food to
increase addiction to these unhealthy foods. Now it is extremely difficult for a person to just
give up eating the foods they have eaten their whole lives. People needs to stand up and demand
to know every single chemical that is being put into the foods we eat every day. Nutrition labels
should be truthful and include all the ingredients, and the total amount of fats, sugars, and
calories. Food industries should also include the daily percentage value of sugar on the labels,
because as one could see that on every food label, none have the daily percent of sugar. Health
classes should start teaching nutritional concepts at an early grade, and as young as they can to
prevent children from learning what is in their food until they are seventeen years old. Small
changes in food can create a major outcome in the world of obesity, save many lives, and help
educate the human race about what food industries actually do to the foods we eat everyday.
The only safe way, to get lasting results would be to make a lifestyle change, with eating
healthy and getting exercise daily. The key to the future of obesity is this just simply eating
healthy and getting exercise. However, most people just want to see results and not work for
them. So the future of obesity is in the hands of the people itself, it is only people that can decide

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to make the change, with help from advertisements, lowering the price of healthy food, and
lowering the prices of joining a gym, the future for obesity can have a positive outcome.
Obesity leads to much more than just carrying on those extra pounds, As one can see that
there is so much more to being obese or overweight, it comes with handfuls of illnesses, most of
which are irreversible, it comes with being bullied for looking different than others. The future
for obesity is in our hands, it is not too late to reverse this, however if nothing is done, more than
half the worlds population will be obese in a few short years. Obesity is an actual problem that
lasts a lifetime, and it can not get better by itself. About 66% of the worlds population is already
overweight or obese, people are living shorter lives, getting more medical conditions, and
spending more money on healthcare. Being healthy does not have to be something that everyone
dreads, being healthy should be a reward and the human body should be treated like a temple
because it is all a person has. With small everyday changes such as advertising healthy foods and
exercise in an enjoyable way, making healthy foods accessible to everyone, and getting the
human population educated about obesity and the effects it can do to a person, the world can take
care of this world wide epidemic.

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