Fast Food and the Obesity Epidemic in America Essay

Obesity is an epidemic in America, greatly impacting youth, the health care system, and economically vulnerable populations. Among all of the high-income countries in the world, obesity rates remain the highest in the US. According to Harvard, US obesity rates have more than doubled since 1980, although they have remained the same since 2003. (Harvard School of Public Health) Approximately 31.9% of children and adolescents from the ages of 2 to 19 are obese or overweight (NPLAN), while roughly 69% of adults fall into the category of overweight or obese. (Harvard School of Public Health) With obesity rates this high, America is facing a huge crisis that could become greater in the future. In order to understand the issue of Obesity in†¦show more content†¦(Gale) However, health issues are not the only challenges an overweight child or adolescent often faces. Obese children often must also deal with many psychological and emotional challenges such as a loss of self-esteem, de pression, anxiety. Not only can obesity in childhood create difficulties with social development and interfere with education, but it can also create the opportunity for the children to become victims of harassment and bullying. In addition, as pre-teens hit puberty, obesity can become especially challenging. (Gale) A girl’s concerns about her appearances increase as her body develops and she becomes more aware of society’s views of the â€Å"perfect body† as portrayed in the media. Obesity also allows pre-teen girls to be more susceptible to developing an eating disorder, such as anorexia, bulimia, or binge eating. Crash diets or over-excercising can also become an option to pre-teen girls facing obesity. (Gale) From physical to psychological consequences, obesity in children can be especially dangerous for their well-being. Although obesity rates in children and adolescents are over half less than obesity rates in adults, many children are still at high risk. The rates can increase if changes are not made over time and for many, it will develop into adult obesity. Obesity in adults is found, similarly to obesity in children and adolescents, throughShow MoreRelatedThe Obesity Epidemic in America Essays1082 Words   |  5 Pages Obesity among Americans has been a growing issue in the United States predominantly over the past decade. Many may argue American’s are obese because of poor food choices, over-eating, genetic disposition, lack of exercise, or the environment which one lives, while others blame it all on fast-food chains and restaurants. Throughout my research I have come to find a lot of facts and statistics about fast food consumption causing obesity. 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