Should obsity be considered an epidemic?

Essay by MithulJunior High, 9th gradeA-, May 2004

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Should obesity be considered an epidemic disease?

The issue of whether the term 'obesity' ought to be categorized as an epidemic disease has been prompting ardent and every now and then heated discussions. The inquiry "has it been a critical predicament over the past 50 or so years since the initiation of the so-called industrialized world" even more so.

Some would justify themselves by rightly implying that obesity is a medical condition (being "obese") bearing a substantial resemblance to other medical issues like malnutrition. A few would argue that if a person that is affected by obesity has the resolve to get themselves back to a normal physical state, then there is an unambiguous possibility that they will return to normal state through exercise and dieting.

Obesity is caused by a person's energy input being far greater than the energy output. In other words, obesity comes about when a person is eating far greater than what they are expected to and are doing far less work than what they should be doing.

However this is not the only cause of obesity. Others causes include:

ü Genetics - Among other things, obesity can be transferred from generation to generation due to genetic factors.

ü Gender - It can play a small part in obesity. Men have more muscle and less fact than women and vice-versa. Even while resting, men burn 20-30 percent more calories than their female counterparts.

ü Environment also strongly influences obesity. An environment where people eat high fat and high sugar diets and take little exercise, causes more problems with excess weight and obesity than one where people eat low fat diets and get regular exercise. For example, Americans live in an environment that marginalizes the obese while simultaneously creating the perfect environment for weight gain as a...