'Murica

Are we really fat?

Obesity in America has increased in the US by 71% from 1991 to 2001. After reading that sentence most people instantly revert to pointing the finger at someone else, putting the blame off to save themselves. Well this time we can't, obesity is everywhere and we have to live with it. But it is not because people in America are lazy, obesity has a direct link to poverty, meaning that the only food people can afford are cheap and packed with calories. And this generation cycle of being poor has caused a wide spread mindset of what foods are good, and what foods are bad. This is not only an economic problem, it's a social problem.

Take for example King Curtis , he is a seven year old from North Carolina, and was recently filmed on a reality T.V. show called Wife Swap. His family has the mindset of unhealthy eating choices. His father stated on the show, "If we could find a way to fry a salad we may try it."  Throughout the show Curtis rebels against the 'new mom' and her rules for healthy eating. Curtis even states, "Chicken nuggets are like my family." Children are not born with this mindset, it is taught to them and reinforced with families and their values. Today's America is less concerned with what we put on our body it's what we wear on our body that counts. The after affects of obesity are devastating, going from diabetes, to strokes, heart attacks, high cholesterol, blood clots, and even death.

When will we, as a nation, stop wanting more? When will we say that we are satisfied and need to realize that just because it is 'American' doesn't mean it is awesome. Obesity is a problem that is growing by the day. And will not stop until we get our priorities straight as a nation. Looking at the graph on the left the U.S. is the lowest ranking on 'family budget spent on food' Egypt spends 44% of their family budget on their food while the U.S. spends only 7% of our budget. Why do we not care about what goes into our bodies? Is it that we do not have the time to care? Do we not have the money to care? All of the above? When we try and tackle the problem of obesity we make it an individual problem when it is not, its a social problem. If you make one person lose weight that doesn't stop obesity, a healthy mindset of the public will help reduce obesity, getting people to see what they are really eating and how to change that will help obesity, not one person doing Tae Bo in their living room.  We need to realize that this is not only an economic and political problem, but also a social problem, NOT an individual problem anymore.