Eat To Eat In America

Every culture has a different way of “being.” They have different traditions and customs that are passed down from generation to generation. Alongside all of their practices and beliefs, every culture has their set of norms. A norm is an expected standard of behavior and belief within a given culture that is usually implicitly passed from one generation to the next. Today, over two-thirds of adults in the United States are overweight or obese. In order for a person to gain enough weight to be considered obese they must consume more calories than they burn. Cultural and biological factors contribute to the behavioral rate of overweight adults in America. Over eating, lack of movement through out the day, and stress eating contribute highly …show more content…
The less nutritional foods but bigger portions are much cheaper than the more nutritional foods. This discourages people to spend a few extra dollars on nutritious salads and water, and settle for the triple stacked cheeseburger and a large coke from McDonald’s dollar menu. Because it is socially accepted to eat a triple stacked cheeseburger, most people tend to eat it a few times a week. This is so unhealthy for anyone skinny or fat. People tend to forget that there needs to be moderation with everything they consume. In some cultures it is normal for people to turn to eating when stressed or when under any kind of pressure, thinking that they can eat their pain away. “We have it in our head that if we fill our stomachs, we’ll fill our hearts.” It is no secret that people do not only eat when they are hungry. Food has a positive incentive value, meaning people anticipate the pleasures of consuming foods that taste good. People eat just to reward themselves with the taste of something sweet or fatty. Because it is socially for people to binge-eat when they are stressed out, they usually do not do it in moderation. They also tend to turn to the more fatty foods likes chocolate or ice cream rather than a healthier option like a fruit or …show more content…
Biological factors such as genetics or DNA play a role in determining a person’s body weight. People with obese ancestors are three times more likely to become obese themselves with the help of gene flow. Gene flow is the transfer of DNA between populations of the same species. Genetics does not necessarily determine a person’s body weight. There are environmental factors that help genetics make a person obese. For example if a person who is genetically inclined to becoming obese eats a diet of high fat and high-calorie foods they will very likely turn out obese. There also can be mutations or a change in a DNA molecule, which alters the expected result of a person’s body mass. It is also possible for someone who is predisposed to obesity to prevent it by maintaining a healthy diet and