Internet has revolutionized information technologies and one of the major benefits of easy access to information has been greater health awareness among the general public. This may also has helped create the perception of obesity as a serious health crisis. When asked about the cause of obesity crisis in America, many respondents may blame fast food culture but the reality is more complex than that. Dieting does play a role but there are also other factors that increase the risk of obesity.
One of the causes of obesity, as many suspect, is unhealthy dietary habits and it is true for all age groups including children. If one consumes more calories than he burns, the result is weight gain and over time it leads to obesity. Unhealthy food such as fast food, baked food, and snacks are, especially, undesirable because they are high in calories and low in nutrition and unfortunately, they continue to be quite popular. It is estimated unhealthy food accounts for 27 percent of total calorie intake among American children which is a serious cause of concern . Thus, it is important to consume calories according to one’s characteristics such as gender and age and opt for nutritional food items such as fruits, vegetables, and grains.
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One’s lifestyle may also be a major factor towards obesity. Some professionals sit for a long duration of time due to the nature of their job. Similarly, driving instead of walking and watching TV instead of engaging in a physical activity also result in fewer opportunities to burn calories one consumes through food. Lack of physical activities by individuals result in the energy provided by food being stored as fat in the body. Thus, it is not surprising U.K’s Department of Health recommends at least 150 minutes of aerobic activity of moderate intensity on a weekly basis. Those who may be trying to lose weight would need higher levels of physical activity in addition to burn more calories .
Certain medical conditions may also increase the risk of obesity. Health conditions such as Prader-Willi syndrome, Cushing’s syndrome, and arthritis may lead to biological changes or may cause the individual to engage in lower levels of physical activity, thus, increasing the risk of obesity . Psychological factors may also lead to obesity because emotions may influence one’s eating habits. Some respond to emotions such as boredom, sadness, anger, or stress by eating more. This may also explain why some report the problem of binge eating .
One’s metabolism rate also influences the probability of obesity. Metabolism rate could be understood as the rate at which body burns energy. Women are at a disadvantage as compared to men because men have more muscles than men and muscles tend to burn more calories than other types of tissue which includes fat. Similarly, metabolism rate slows down with age for both men and women due to muscle loss. As a result, the risk of gaining weight only increases with age .
Ethnic factors may also explain why some are at a higher risk of obesity. Some such as Hispanics and African Americans are at a higher risk of obesity than Caucasians and Asians. It is generally true for both men and women from African American and Hispanic backgrounds as compared to their counterparts from Caucasian and Asian backgrounds.
While fast food is often blamed for obesity crisis in America, it is clear unhealthy dietary habits are one of the many factors that increase the risk of obesity. Other factors that increase the risk of obesity include one’s lifestyle, certain medical conditions, psychological factors, metabolism rate, and ethnic background.
- Mayo Clinic. Obesity Causes. 13 May 2015
- MedicineNet. Obesity (Weight Loss). 13 May 2015
