Being Fat a Big Issue

Being Fat a Big Issue

Daniel Gutierrez

English 1430, Fall 2010, Section 02

Professor A. Hepner

October 14th, 2010

Daniel Gutierrez

A. Hepner

ENG 1300-01

October 14th, 2010

Being Fat a Big Issue

Being fat is one of the biggest issues lately. Our society has created a stereotype of how people should look and it is not exactly a fat boy/girl. People who are fat have suffered every day for how they look and many times our society ignores fat people’s feelings. Obese people have been suffering depression and discrimination for being fat, even though sometimes it is a disease or compulsive eating (eating disorder) that makes them fat, there are also some irresponsible cases of eating unhealthily and it not working out.

Obese people today tend to be discriminated for being fat in our society. Overweight people are not different to us; they are people like you and me, for that reason we should not judge them. They are part of our society and they deserve respect and understanding. Ms. Claudia Gomez said, “It is hard for us when I take the bus and everybody looking us like if we are different or if we are funny, they don’t know how painful it is.” In addition, there are some studies to show that depression can be responsible for overweight especially in women (Overweight and Depression).

Moreover, some obese people have eating disorder like compulsive overeating. Compulsive overeating is an addiction to food in big quantities. People suffering compulsive overeating used to eat to hide their emotions, to avoid what they feel inside or their life problems. As Susie Orbach said in her essay, Fat as a Feminist Issue, “Women suffering from the problem of compulsive eating endure double anguish: feeling out of step with the rest of society, and believing that it is all their own fault….(201)”

Overweight people have a disease which means people having extra body weight from muscle, bone and fat (What are Overweight and Obesity). There are some options to lose weight such as: surgery, diets by a nutritionist, exercise and some medicines. According to Medline Plus one of the common options for very obese people is the Gastric by Pass Surgery. After this surgery the patients will not be capable of eating like they ate before. This is an alternative to lose weight faster but also the patients have to follow a diet and do exercise (Gastric Bypass Surgery).

Furthermore, obese people have not been practicing healthy habits. The most common unhealthy habits among overweight people are: they do not do exercise, they eat too frequently, usually eat more than one time at the same meal, they stay away from lightest activities (like use the stairs or walk a little), and they eat when they are not truly hungry (Frisch).

Likewise, overweight people might be more responsible. Everybody knows what we can do or what we can’t. If I know that I’m gaining weight, I also know that I have to take care of what I eat and do exercise. But many obese people know that they are fat and they still eat unhealthy food and also they do not do exercise. I think this is happening because we like to blame the circumstances (depression, divorce, childhood, etc). But at the same time they also know that being overweight may not be their fault but they are responsible to remain so, because what we do is our choice. Even though there are many advertisements that encourage us to eat unhealthy, nobody is forcing us to eat that food. Also you are the only one who can make the simple decision of taking the elevator or go up stairs.

Being obese or overweight is an irresponsible act that makes people sick and this affects everybody because this is a public health problem that should not be. In his essay, What You Eat Is Your Business, Radley Balko maintains that, “the best way to alleviate the obesity “public health” crisis is to remove obesity from the realm of public health (157).” As he said, here some people would probably say that people should be responsible with their own health because we are the only ones who make the choice of living healthy or not.

On the other hand, some fat people are proud of how they are. Mr. Alvarado who is weighting around 310 pounds describes himself as a big man and he said, “I don’t feel bad because I’m fat, I am happy how I am, a big man. I’m comfortable with my weight, I am healthy and I don’t want to change because the society says that people should be thin.” In my opinion, over the years and following the bad habits that he has, I am not sure if he is going to be healthy. He maybe is proud of how he is but if he does not start to eat healthy and do exercise, he is going to see the consequences in a few years.

In conclusion, being obese or overweight is an issue but it is also a disease. Although, it is unhealthy and unsightly, the hardest is some of them feel like they cannot fit in our society. In my opinion, we should not judge them; we should help them to make the correct decision to have a healthy life and also we have to change the stereotype that the society has showed us. Also, I used to think all obese people were unhappy to be fat. But my recent researches show me that some obese people simply do not care what people say about them and they are happy how they are.

Works Cited Pages:

• “Compulsive Overeating” Something Fishy, Website on Eating Disorders. Web. October 07. 2010. http://www.something-fishy.org/whatarethey/coe.php

• “Gastric Bypass Surgery.” Shabir Bhimji MD, PhD, Specializing in Cardiothoracic and Vascular Surgery, Midland , TX Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M. Medine Plus, Trusted Healthy Information for You. Update Date, May 17. 2010. Web. October 07. 2010. http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/007199.htm • “Overweight and Depression.” Women’s Health Resource, Taking Care of Your Body. Web. October 07. 2010. http://www.wdxcyber.com/overweight-depression.html

• “What are Overweight and Obesity” Overweight and Obesity. Revised March. 2010. Web. October 07. 2010. http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/dci/Diseases/obe/obe_whatare.html

• Balko, Radley. “What You Eat Is Your Business.” They Say / I say with Readings. Ed. Graff, Birkenstein, Durst. New York-London. 2009. 157-161. Print.

• Frisch, Louann. “7 Bad Habits of Overweight People.” Community and Resources. 24 Hours Fitness. Web. October 07. 2010. http://www.24hourfitness.com/resources/weight_loss/articles/bad_habits.html

• Orbach, Susie. “Fat as a Feminist Issue.” They Say / I say with Readings. Ed. Graff, Birkenstein, Durst. New York-London. 2009. 200-205. Print.

Cited: Pages: • “Compulsive Overeating” Something Fishy, Website on Eating Disorders. Web. October 07. 2010. http://www.something-fishy.org/whatarethey/coe.php • “Gastric Bypass Surgery.” Shabir Bhimji MD, PhD, Specializing in Cardiothoracic and Vascular Surgery, Midland , TX Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M. Medine Plus, Trusted Healthy Information for You. Update Date, May 17. 2010. Web. October 07. 2010. http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/007199.htm • “Overweight and Depression.” Women’s Health Resource, Taking Care of Your Body. Web. October 07. 2010. http://www.wdxcyber.com/overweight-depression.html • “What are Overweight and Obesity” Overweight and Obesity. Revised March. 2010. Web. October 07. 2010. http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/dci/Diseases/obe/obe_whatare.html • Balko, Radley. “What You Eat Is Your Business.” They Say / I say with Readings. Ed. Graff, Birkenstein, Durst. New York-London. 2009. 157-161. Print. • Frisch, Louann. “7 Bad Habits of Overweight People.” Community and Resources. 24 Hours Fitness. Web. October 07. 2010. http://www.24hourfitness.com/resources/weight_loss/articles/bad_habits.html • Orbach, Susie. “Fat as a Feminist Issue.” They Say / I say with Readings. Ed. Graff, Birkenstein, Durst. New York-London. 2009. 200-205. Print.