Obesity In America Essay

“According to the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 65% of the U.S. population is overweight or obese” (Wilder, Cheskin 1). Obese is the usual term for an individual that has accumulated excessive body weight that it becomes harmful to their health. Obesity is growing at a rapid pace among Americans as well as all over the world. Poor diet choices or excessive eating can lead to poor nutritional health and in turn creates health issues that are largely preventable. Obesity is reaching epidemic proportions and is affecting a large portion of American’s, poor diet, and poor nutrition are part of the lifestyle in the 21st century but as time goes on and more Americans are plagued with obesity they become ill and develop diseases that hinder their longevity; to fight this there must be a lifestyle change, a balanced diet and daily exercise.
Obesity develops because of poor diet choices, eating more and expending less energy leads to weight gain and that’s where the energy balance comes into play. ”The …show more content…
While there is evidence that obesity is heritable that does not make it an excuse to not live a healthy lifestyle. While science has proved that genetics play a role in hereditary obesity a lifestyle change can be the answer to counteracting these genetic effects. Everyone has an estimated energy requirement that is based off of gender, growth, age, physical activity and body composition and size (Whitney, Rolfes 239). The energy an individual needs will be different from someone else and can vary greatly based on these factors. Genetics plays a role in body composition and body size but does not influence weight gain. Poor eating habits, poor nutrition and lack of exercise have a greater impact on weight gain than genetics which only effects the stature of someone’s body. Likewise genetics can play a role in hereditary diseases and weight gain can accelerate these