Obesity In America
Obesity rates in America have sky rocketed more in the past ten to thirty years, than ever before. On average about thirty six percent of adults age twenty and over are obese (as reported from 2009 to 2010) in the United States. However, the percent of adult’s age twenty and over who are overweight (including those who are obese) is at a (estimated) staggering sixty nine percent. The amount of obese American adults is becoming a huge health concern nationwide, but the amount of Americans in general (specifically children) is at a disturbing, unhealthy, all time high. Children who’s norms involve sitting in front of the television watching Netflix while eating a McDonalds happy meal, have quickly raised the national average with a percentage of adolescents (age twelve to nineteen) who are obese, being eighteen, (in increase in 1980’s low five percent). Children ages six to eleven years old have increased eleven percent from 1980’s seven percent. And young children age’s two to five have an obesity percentage of twelve percent. Childhood obesity has more than doubled, and quadrupled in adolescents in the past thirty years, leaving one third of both children and adolescents obese by 2012. Childhood obesity is now the number one health concern in American parents, ahead of both drug and alcohol abuse. The question on everyone’s mind is why are American children overweight and unhealthy? What is different about the 21st century that has caused a spike in obesity? There are multiple theories, reasons and answers to those questions, one being, with rapid technological advances in a fast paced society (increasing as each generation passes) values are replaced and lost. Exercise is replaced by video games, and fruit is replaced by cakes and cookies. Along with genetic factors, the truth is obesity is caused by lack of physical activity and unhealthy eating/eating habits and patterns (or a combination of both). Fast food has no longer become a treat, but an everyday eat