OBESITY

According to CDC, overweight and physical activity account for >300,000 premature deaths annually. In addition to this, among the various ethnic groups; African-American, American-Indian and Hispanic-American women have the highest risk of becoming overweight whereas Asian-Americans have a lower rate of obesity compared to the general population. Genes are not the only ones solely responsible for obesity…lifestyle choices also play a very major role in making a person obese. We are progressing into a technologically advanced world, where there is a short cut to do even the most simplest job. However, our progress and success is sometimes acting as a hindrance to other aspects of our life. We are subconsciously becoming more and more sedentary to such an extent that it would take a real effort on behalf of everyone to fight the battle of obesity. As we discussed in the class, culture does have a major role in determining obesity. In such instances it would be appropriate to get to the roots of the issue and be culturally sensitive rather than just addressing it in a generalized manner. In my opinion it is not just enough to have physical education classes in schools but to carry forward that trend in adult life as well. Every work place must have frequent nutrition counseling and physical activity classes atleast thrice per week. Since nowadays people are very competitive in every field, they must be given incentives which would make them addicted to stay healthy rather than considering it as a mandatory act. Ideas and efforts from people who really want to look at a changed world will definitely reduce the burden of obesity in this world.