Obesity and the Effects it has on America
Obesity is when a person or persons have excess body fat that can lead to the most
extreme health issues. “About 18.4 percent of 12-19-year-olds are overweight or obese and
childhood obesity often continues into adulthood (“Low-Income Communities More Likely to
Face Childhood Obesity.”). Low income levels and poverty rates are just two reasons as to
why obesity has become an issue in America. Obesity has become a problem in America due
to disadvantaged lives, economic issues, and minimum wage pay. In order to help solve this
problem, people must learn to eat healthier, exercise, and provide those struggling families
with better wages.
Obesity is often a result of disadvantaged lives, meaning it can stem from mental health
issues, physical health issues, etc. “Poor families have limited food budgets and choices, and
must often stretch supplies toward the end of the month, before another check or allocation of
Food Stamps arrives (Lee, Hedwig. “Why Poverty Leads to Obesity and Life-Long
Problems).” Families are often paid by the minimum wage of $7.25 and can’t afford even the
easiest, most healthiest meals for their children. Not only is the food limited, but in certain
neighborhoods where low income is found, healthier foods aren’t in the local grocery store for
those than want and/or need it. “There is evidence of the association between sedentariness,
poor health, obesity, diabetes, other metabolic diseases, and premature death” (Levine, James
A. “Poverty and Obesity in the U.S.”). Unfortunately due to obesity harming disadvantaged
lives, it has made children, especially highly overweight and vulnerable to other health issues.
“The poor activity and dietary habits led to obesity in nearly one quarter of American adults in
2005 and to more than one third of adults by 2008, according to the CDC” (PharmD, Nicole
Van Hoey,. “Obesity.”).
As mentioned previously, families with working adults are often paid by the minimum
wage of $7.25. This is a result of economic issues. Some adults even have economic insecurity,
meaning they have trouble paying bills and often cope by eating sugary, high-fat foods (Lee,
Hedwig. “Why Poverty Leads to Obesity and Life-Long Problems). Income levels and obesity
rates are often based upon race and education levels (“Prevalence of Obesity Among Adults, by
Household Income and Education”). Economic issues have led to obesity by not providing
healthy choices and low income rates, especially to those that need it most. “To correlate
community rates of childhood obesity with lower-income status, the percentage of students who
were overweight or obese was compared with the percentage of students in each district who was
eligible for free and reduced price lunch, transitional aid or food stamps” (“Low-Income
Communities More Likely to Face Childhood Obesity.”). In addition, “In low-income
