Prof. Ray
English 1101
26 March 2013
Let’s Get in Shape Why are over two-thirds of the adults in the country obese? The rate of obesity in the country has increased over 10 percent in the last decade. This has caused the rate of child obesity to increase also. There are many factors that have caused this to happen. The cost of healthy food has increased; meanwhile the amount of unhealthy items on the dollar menu has also increased. Technology has also played a big factor in the drop of the amount of time that people spend doing outdoor activities. The crash in the economy has also made people make some sacrifices, which include living a healthy lifestyle. This has led to people having obesity-related conditions, which include heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes and certain types of cancer. This can be easily changed by increasing exercise level and making better food decisions. “In 2008, medical costs associated with obesity were estimated at $147 billion” [Health Affairs 28, no. 5 (2009): w822–w831]. All of these costs would not be needed if people were healthy. Exercise is always needed to maintain a healthy lifestyle. There are many benefits that come with exercise; reduces the risk of dying prematurely, reduces the risk of dying prematurely from heart disease, reduces the risk of developing diabetes, reduces the risk of developing high blood pressure, helps reduce blood pressure in people who already have high blood pressure, reduces the