Over the last couple decades, obesity as a whole has skyrocketed in the United States. It is currently growing at an overwhelming rate. During the duration of the video, eighteen minutes four people will have died because of a diet related disease (Oliver). Obesity is taking the lives of people in the United Sates; a change needs to be made to create a healthier America. Alongside this dramatic increase has been in the increase in the availability of fast food. Not only is fast food extremely a common and convenient but it is also very cheap. Fast food can be described as any foods which are high in calories, fats, carbohydrates, and typically sugars. Fast food often times is fried and greasy with lots of trans and saturated fats. This high in calorie food is not healthy and should only be consumed in moderation to prevent health issues. The Body Mass Index or BMI which measures the amount of fat on a person in relationship to their height and weight has increased drastically as well. The ratio from the Body Mass Index has been increasing and continuing to increase proving that obesity is an issue. As fast food has become more readily available to the population, the Body Mass Index has increased thus establishing a correlation between the two. The American population’s fat and calorie intake has increased which has led to the rise in obesity. This leads to the question of whether America is aware of their food consumption and how it effects the body. Fast food intake has caused a dramatic increase in obesity in the United States since the American population has increased consumption of fast while they lack knowledge on the possible consequences. 

Diet related diseases have become have become the number one leading cause of death in the United States. Obesity has become a real and very serious issue that requires a lifestyle change. Making the population aware of the issue and the potentially life threatening consequences is crucial for the evolution of the population. In Jamie Oliver’s TED talk, he talks about how the food people are consuming is killing them (Oliver). Fast foods are high in calories, fat, sugar, sodium, and cholesterol. All of these can be consumed in moderation, but fast food has an excessive amount which can easily max out one’s daily intake or even weekly in take in a few meals. There needs to be a fine balance but there is nothing stopping Americans from buying this poison. The average American is consuming fast food about 4.2 times a week (Hamm). This means there are plenty of people who are consuming way more. This is alarming to think about the added number of calories and fats which are being eaten. In order to begin making a change, there needs to be some type of incentive for Americans to make a lifestyle change and buy healthier foods which will help begin the movement to a healthier and less obese America. 

The Body Mass Index or BMI has increased exponentially which provides proof that obesity has become and continues to be an issue in the United States. This index measures body fat in comparison to a person’s height and weight. “BMI is calculated as weight in kilograms divided by height in meters squared” (Rhum 4). The Body Mass Index has been used to monitor and watch the increase in the average person’s body fat. People might not realize this because they are not familiar with how much the average person had several decades ago nor what a target body fat rate is now. People’s Body Mass Index just keeps rising which shows that they are gaining weight and have a high percentage of body fat classifying them as obese. The trends show that more and more people are being classified into obese categories which is alarming. There are no predications that there will be a significant change in the next few years. “By 2020, media BMI is anticipated to be 5.1 percent (1.4 kg/m^2) higher than in 1999-2004 for men and 6.3 percent (1.7 kg/m^2) greater for women. Based on current trends 78 percent of men and 71 percent of women will be overweight in 2020” (Rhum 11). Think about these statistics for a moment. Relatively three fourths of the population will be overweight in a short amount of time.  The Body Mass Index has not recently started increasing but it has been growing over the last thirty years. This increase is indifferent to gender and race. 

 

(Carroll and Fernstrom). This issue cannot be ignored because there are facts showing that obesity has been growing over time. The fact that there is an issue with weight gain in American. The causes of this excessive increase in obesity need to addressed so that American’s are conscious of their actions and are able to make a change.

One of the main arguments for the increase in prevalence of fast food and obesity in the United States is that fast food is extremely cheap. This is food that a large majority of the population can afford. The target consumer is inclusive of all socioeconomic statuses. All social classes have access to fast food and are able to pay for the meal therefore there has been a tremendous increase in the amount of fast food purchased by Americans. “The real price (inflated to 2006 US dollars) of soda and pizza decreased over time; the price of whole milk increased” (Duffey). As a result, people are purchasing cheaper foods which are typically fast foods more frequently. In order to begin to make a change, making healthier foods such as fruits, vegetables, and meats less expensive to customers. If all economic classes can afford these foods, then it could lead to a change. The Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults Study, researched and determined causes of cardiovascular disease. The CARDIA study has received results over the last twenty years validating this statement. Price manipulations on unhealthy foods and beverages have been proposed as a potential mechanism for improving the diet and health outcomes of Americans” (Duffey). There are proven correlations between the cost of food and the food consumed. It is a simple concept; people are not willing to try to eat healthy if they are unable to afford the food. Americans like to live comfortably and spending extra money on foods is not always in the budget for families barely getting by to pay bills. At this point in time, it is difficult for low income families to afford healthy foods (Bhurosy and Jeewon). American needs to as a whole want and work towards a change. Making these food more cost effective could lead to a beneficial change. First, there must be education on the seriousness of the topic. 

Not only is fast food cheap, but it is also extremely convenient and that is a leading factor in the obesity outbreak in the United States of America. Putting economic status aside, Americans are looking for convenience. Take a moment and think about driving down the highway, there is fast food restaurant after fast food restaurant. Anything and everything one could ever dream of eating is readily available within minutes. After a long day at work, it is much easier to stop at McDonald’s on the way home to grab dinner for the family. It takes a lot more time and effort to go the grocery store and prepare a meal for the family after a long day. America has become lazy and is not likely to fix a meal anymore because it just takes too much time and effort. As a result, fast food has become readily available to the population. There is more than likely at least one fast food restaurant within a few miles of a person’s home. In a study conducted on a Virginia school with about two thousand twenty-three students, 48% of the students have a fast food restaurant located within in mile from where they live (Mellor 64). About half of the students live in an extremely close proximity to a fast food restaurant, demeaning fast food restaurants convenient to consumers at all times. Restaurants are located strategically in order to maximize profit, so making them close to homes proves that the population likes convenience. They do not have to travel far to get food and it can be ready to eat within minutes. 

Americans lack of education on the foods which they are consuming and how bad they really are for their bodies. There is a disconnect between the food consumption and knowledge and reality of the negative consequences these foods have on the body. Jamie Oliver discusses the leading cause of death in his TED Talk. He states the single highest cause of death in the United States is heart disease (Oliver). Heart disease has been proven to be a direct result from poor diet. Obesity is literally killing America. There must be education in order to stop this disease from killing the American population. Be aware of the foods that are consumed and how they affect and change the body. Do Americans truly know what is going into their body? The average American’s daily calorie intake is roughly two thousand calories. When consuming fast food, it is not hard to hit this amount or a majority of it in one meal. A McDonald’s Big Mac, large French fry, and large coke is 1340 calories and 52 grams of fat (McDonald’s). This is 67% of the daily recommended calorie intake in a single meal. All fast food restaurants are required to have the nutritional value of their menu available to customers. Customers need to be concerned with their own well-being and utilize the resources available to them. A simple search can really educate and open up the eyes of consumers to realize what they are placing in their body. Since Americans are not using this information or going out of their way to learn about it, it could be beneficial to require the nutritional values to be posted on the box of each food. This would be just like any other food which is bought at a grocery store. There are simple ways to change eating habits of Americans with a little education. 

A way to educate parents and children on food and start to make a change in the increase in obesity is to teach them about food portions. A lot of fast food restaurants are not only high in fat and sodium, but their portion sizes are much larger than normal which is continuing to pack on calories. As if portion sizes at fast food restaurants are not large enough, there is typically an even large size which employees encourage consumers to purchase. Consumers are easily fooled and typically order the larger meal making the most of their money. The issue with this is that they eat the entire thing in one sitting without thinking twice about the situation. “Supersizing has been suggested as one of the key factors associated with increased energy intake during a period of increased obesity among U.S. children” (Piernes and Popkin). There is no portion control. Children and often times adults are unaware of how much people should consume in each food group daily. Some of this is unintentional which is why awareness needs to be brought to this topic. An easy way for Americans to be more aware of their consumed foods is through an app. There are countless apps available for free which will simply keep track of exercise and food consumed. If people are keeping track of the foods, they eat then they are more likely to eat healthier because the information is right in front of them and they can see quickly calories and fats add up. Using an app makes Americans more conscious of their food consumption. They are no longer able to justify their poor eating habits. It is good for the overall evolution and well-being of the population. The environment shapes these habits. 

 If parents are not educated on portion sizes and the importance of healthy eating, then their children are more than likely not going to either. This obesity cycle will never be broken as a result. Children are exposed to eating habits almost immediately at birth. It is important for parents to teach their children to eat foods in moderation and have a healthy diet. Certain foods send different chemical signals to the brain creating or satisfying cravings (Morris). It is crucial for parents to harp on the importance of healthy eating habits so that their children have cravings for food which will fuel their bodies in a positive way. The chemical signals being sent from the brain need a behavioral change to stop occurring. If a parent no longer allows their child to eat unhealthy, then the change in behavior leads to a change in habit. If a child does not have access to unhealthy foods, they will eventually no longer crave it as the chemical cravings of the body have been reinforced and changed. This is a direct result of parenting; it is in the hands of the parent to counteract these behaviors which will ultimately benefit their child endlessly in the future. All these factors work together and are extremely important to working towards a change in obesity for the United States. 

While the increase in fast food has been proven to be causing a large increase in obesity there can be other things to blame such as chemicals and hormones which have altered the genetic make-up of the body. The endocrine system which is responsible for the regulation of growth and development is no longer affected by diet and exercise because of a mutation. Chemicals and hormones which are used on everyday foods including fruits are attacking the endocrine system. When this happens, a mutation occurs leading the malfunction of the endocrine system, no longer allowing diet changes to result in weight loss. Foods such as apples, are one of the most affected foods (Hurlock). The chemicals and hormones that each individual places into their body are causing obesity and putting the human population at harm. Organic foods which do not use chemicals or hormones, can be consumed as an alternative. It is time to educate the population about what they are placing into their bodies and create a change for the health of America. 

Obesity in the United States has grown to an alarming amount which has been caused as a result of the increase in fast food, convenience, and lack of education. The increase in the Body Mass Index has increased by so much which has been used as proof for this obesity crisis in America. People want fast food, which is why there are located everywhere if people stop eating so much fast food due to increase in prices then they will start to go out of business. Not only will this help the increase in fast food consumption, but also make it less convenient because it is not so readily available. All of these factors work together and are a result of the other, making one change will cause a chain reaction combatting the obesity crisis. Download an app to track food consumption to see a change in eating habits while encouraging others to do the same. Create competitions within the app to see who can eat the healthiest. Be the change America needs for evolution and health. Do not be the one to contribute to a diet related disease being the highest cause in death. Gain education on the foods placed in the body, it is crucial to one’s health. 
