THE CAUSES OF OBESITY AND ITS

EFFECTS ON AMERICA

By Jacob Dauz

What is Obesity?• Obesity is the excess proportion of total body fat.• It is considered obese when one is 20 % or more

above normal weight • An overweight person has a BMI, body mass

index, between 25 and 29.9• A person is considered obese when they have a

BMI over 30• Anyone who has a BMI of 40 or higher, is

considered morbid obese and is sufficiently overweight so severely that it interferes with health and normal day functions (Nazario).

Obesity and it’s Effects

Obesity is the second leading cause of preventable death in the United States

About 130 million adults in America are overweight

70 million people are considered obese 25 % of American children are also

considered obese or overweight (Heller).

Causes of Obesity The amount of calories

intake exceed the amount of calories burned from exercising

Genetics

Age

Gender

Psychological Factors

Medication and Prescriptions

Our Diet and Today’s Food Industry

Gender and Age“Women tend to have a greater chance to become overweight

than men because men have a higher resting metabolic rate. This means that men burn more energy at rest. Therefore men need more calories to maintain their body weight” (Heller).

As we grow older, our metabolism breaks down and isn’t as efficient as it once was when we were in our youth. When our metabolism slows down and doesn’t function properly as fast as it once did, then our body can’t keep up with processing the intake of food and this causes the buildup off at and excess calories (Heller).

Genetics and Diet Obesity or thinness has a tendency to run in the family.

It is actually said that if your mother or father was overweight and heavy, then you have a 75% chance of being heavy yourself.

If your mother or father were thin then vice versa, you will have a 75 % chance of being thin” (Heller, Cindy, 2007).

A diet containing red meat and greasy fast food isn’t a healthy diet to live off of

Our food industry is filled with fast food, processed food, and cheap products to make our food more available and easy to obtain

What our Food Industry is really like in America

(Kenner ).

Fast Food vs. Healthy FoodWhy people still choose Fast Food?

Fast Food Healthy Food

Cheaper Expensive

More available and easy to obtain Not always available in the supermarkets

Taste good Not fast or easy to make or obtain

A lot of variety Not as well known

All around the world Some of the food doesn’t taste as good

We know of the big fast food establishments

Psychological Factors•Lo

w Self-esteem, lack of physical activity

•Sleepy and unmotivated

Depression

•Negative emotions like depression lead to binge eating and eating excessively

•Food and eating brings a sense of happiness

Negative Emotions

•Antidepressants

•Steroids

•Both lead to weight gain

Prescription Drugs and Medication

Work Cited Nazario, Brunilda.(2011, February 9). Obesity.

Retrieved from<http://www.webmd.com/diet/guide/what-is-obesity>.

Heller, Cindy. (2007, September 18). The problem of obesity in america. Retrieved from <http://ezinearticles.com/?The-Problem-Of- Obesity-In-America&id=734292>.

  Kenner II, Robert.(Director) (2009). Food inc [Web].

Retrieved from <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xncooF66lCg >.