Obesity Epidemic Analysis

The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) conducted a health and nutrition survey, the results of which were published in 2012. The CDC determined that 67.6 million Americans were obese and 65.2 million as overweight, based on the body mass index scale. The results show that for the first time that there are more obese than overweight citizens in the country. Societal innovations to having large eating portions as a part of our culture has lead to massive increases in obesity in American society. For instance writer from Washington Post, Ariana Eunjung Cha states, “An analysis published in JAMA Internal Medicine on Monday found that 75 percent of men and 67 percent of women ages 25 and older are now overweight or obese.” (B2) That …show more content…
This is a very upsetting sign that campaigns to get Americans to eat healthier and exercise more are not doing their job. The bad choices Americans have being making these past years has lead to the largest epidemic of obesity in history. American citizens are not taking individual efforts to lead healthy lifestyles. Even though obesity could be genetically predisposed, it is actually caused from the overweight person's actions because of a lack of motivation and societal changes and effects over the years.
Obesity is completely the overweight person's fault through overeating and not getting enough exercise, not through their genetically predisposition to the condition. For instance John Stossel talks about a recent study occurring in this field he states, "A recent study done at California's Lawrence Berkeley National Lab found that people with exactly the same genes — identical twins — could have big differences in their weight. The researchers studied 35 pairs of …show more content…
Although advances are emerging doctors and patients are still having trouble discussing over weight issues. “Patients and doctors beat around the bush about talking over obesity, less than ⅓ of doctors peak to their patients about the weight they are rapidly gaining.” says Patty on NPR radio show (D3). Not only are the doctors avoiding the situation but the patients are also scared to talk to their doctors about the sensitive issue of being obese. “A study about overweight and obese women proved they felt stigmatized by their doctors” says Patty (D3). Citizens are trying to avoid the issue so they do not have to deal with the consequences in reality because they do not want ot have to put in the effort to lose the weight. Patients also are blaming doctors completely from their obesity because they do not inform them on how to eat healthy during their appointments. “It's like saying I didn't quit smoking because my doctor didn't tell me to, everyone knows eating unhealthy is not good for you,” says Dr. Ferrier in his interview with Patty (D3). Obese citizens are upset about their own image and what they have done to themselves to they are trying to blame this problem onto someone else, for instance their

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