Obesity in the American South - Essay Example

Obesity in the American South Obesity is a condition of storage of excessive fats in the body leading to a negative impact onthe health of a person. Hence, obese people have a Body Mass Index of above 30. Obesity is a chronic illness that could get any person in the society despite the age, ethnicity, and social status. According to the Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, statistics indicated that more than a third of Americans are obese (Web). Moreover, more than 50% of the American South people suffer from obesity with Mississippi being the leading state with more 30% of people being obese (Trust for American Health Web). The problem of obesity especially in American South highly relates to the daily lifestyles of people both socially and economically. Hence, the study will focus on the causative analysis on the increase percentage of obesity problem among the American South. Poverty is one of the causative factors of obesity among people living in the American South states. Poverty has a great relationship with the likelihood of a person becoming obese. This is because the poor people mainly focus on eating cheap affordable food despite the food being of low nutritional value and high fat content (Trust for American Health Web). Moreover, most food spots in American South states sell high fat and processed foods. Since such types of food are cheaper as to healthy food budget, most poor families in the South prefer buying fatty foods. Notably, the daily unhealthy consumption of fatty foods increase the fat deposit in the body that may lead to obesity, Lack of exercise significantly contributes to the level of obesity among children and adults in the American South. Remarkably, the low economic standards, most families lead working extra time to meet the daily requirements in the family hence giving the breadwinner almost no time to spend in physical exercises. Moreover, the limited space and playground for children in some of the American South state may also be a contributing factor to lack of exercise among children and adult. Additionally, children from poor families are likely not to participate in organized sports because of lack of funds to cater for transport and expenses incurred during the sporting period. Thus, the unattractiveness of a playground, lack of space and strained budget may lead to lack of exercise among American South people contributing to obesity. Bad eating habits also contribute to the trend of obesity problems experienced in America. Today, people prefer consume sugar-sweetened beverages, food with high calorie density, and processed and fried foods to healthy food (Trust for American Health Web). This is because most healthy foods are more expensive and less accessible in most food stalls. Therefore, studies indicate that most of American consumes twice the amount of calories daily than the body require. Thus, this poses a threat to getting health related diseases like obesity. Moreover, overeating is an eating disorder that may lead to obesity. For instance, eating too much of carbohydrates and fatty food pose a risk to a person developing obesity complications faster than a person who takes a balanced diet. Therefore, eating disorders may be a contributing factor to obesity trend in most American South states. Genetics is another causative factor that may lead to high rate of obesity problem in American South people. Research has indicated that obesity could be inherent in family because of the functionality of gene deposition. American Association for the Advancement of Science postulates that when two parents are obese, the child is six times likely to become obese and if one parent is obese, there is a double chance for the child to be obese (22). Moreover, most babies born with weight above ten pounds are twice likely to become overweight when growing up. Thus, such statistics could explain on the increased trend of highest obesity conditions in American South states. Since research indicated that more than 50% of the American South people are obese therefore, there is a higher likelihood of American South children becoming obese out of genetic influence. Lack of proper sleep is an attribute that contribute to the increase level of obesity. Notably, most people that do not sleep for approximately six hours in a day are at a higher risk of being obese. Moreover, lack of proper sleep interferes with the body biochemical and metabolic mechanisms. As a result, the body may not use up the required amount of fats when one is a sleep hence, rendering a person to the likelihood of becoming obese. Additionally, being awake for a long time accelerates the level of which a person consumes calories from food, which could be a risk to becoming obese. Thus, with almost half of the American South people living with a low-income budget most take up more than two jobs, which may mean a person, may sleep at most three hours in a day. Ideally, adding lack of sleep to the unhealthy eating and poverty level, such factors highly spring up the chances of a person in American South becoming obese. Food advertisement in the media may also contribute to the level of obesity in the American South people. The purpose of advertisement is to increase the demand level of the commodity to the people. Although, the advertisement may meet the aim by enticing people to buy junk related foods, a habit may develop among people in viewing junk products as fit for their health. Notably, such advertisement affects most children and teenagers. Hence, end up valuing unhealthy processed and fatty foods to healthy ones in the market (Trust for American Health Web). Moreover, the media adverts on goodness of junk food and increased selling of fried and processed foods in the American South food junctions will automatically lead to increased consumption of unhealthy food hence leading to obesity. Hence, this may be a limelight to address the issue of increased rate of obesity in American South people. Medication and influence of metabolic reactions in the body may contribute to the increased number of obese people in the American South states. There some prescribed drugs that may cause weight gain as part of the drug side effects. For instance, anti-depressants, anti-convulsions, hormonal drugs, diabetic drugs, and corticosteroids may potentially contribute to obesity. Furthermore, some of the drugs administered may increase a person appetite towards food leading to the person consuming a larger proportion of food than the required amount. In addition, some medication prescribed may affect the normal body metabolism leading to release of some of the enzymatic compounds that could induce weight gain in a person (American Association for the Advancement of Science 20). For example, anti-depressant causes a person to crave for high energy foods. Moreover, some drugs activate endocrine disruptor hence manipulating the hormone that control weight gain. Therefore, medication and interruption of metabolic reactions may also be a contributing factor to obesity level among American South people. In conclusion, obesity is a disease complication that is relates to people lifestyle and economic standard in the American South states. Moreover, there several causative factors that may likely to increase the percentage of people suffering from obesity problem in American South. For instance, poverty, lack of exercise, eating disorder, lack of sleep, genetics influence, and medication are some of the discussed factors that may directly contribute and explain the increasing trend in the obesity level in people in American South. Notably, obesity is a disease that may increase the chances of a person to get the other health related diseases such as diabetes, hypertensions, and heart attack. Thus, obesity is one of the conditions that need good attention in prevention and treating awareness among the American South states to reduce the rampant increasing in the number of people ignorantly becoming obese. Works Cited “Analysis of Obesity Rates by State.” Trust for America’s Health August 2012. Web. 25 Otober 2013. . “Obesity: The Science Inside.” American Association for Advancement of Science 2006. Pdf. 25 October 2013.. “Overweight and Obesity.” Centre for Disease Control and Prevention 16 August 2013. Web. 25 October 2013. . Read More