In the United States, obesity has become an epidemic. In the last thirty years, the amount of overweight people has drastically increased. It affects the lives of not only adults but children as well (Overweight and Obesity in the U.S., 1). For a nation that has many options of diet and exercise, it’s unfortunate that the numbers continue to rise. The focus on obese people is now in the spotlight. It has been said this is the “plague of the 21st century” (Hickman, 1). America has become so politically correct it’s extremely difficult to discuss this current issue in true depth. The statistics for obesity are underestimated, and people are content believing it’s not a true issue. There are three major aspects that must be considered when looking at the obesity epidemic in America. These are the physical, mental, and socioeconomic side effects. Obesity in America is having a detrimental effect on the country and needs to be addressed.
There are over a hundred health problems that are associated with obesity. Some include heart disease, high blood pressure, and diabetes. These are just a few of the things common among people who are overweight but can be extremely dangerous and life-threatening. When the BMI (body mass index) of an individual rises, the risk for the condition heart disease rises as well. This condition occurs when a substance called plaque begins to build inside the coronary arteries, located in the heart. The purpose of these arteries is to supply oxygenated blood to the heart (What Are the Health Risks, 1). In the article Obesity and Heart Disease Robert Eckel states that “Long-term longitudinal studies, however, indicate that obesity as such not only relates to but independently predicts coronary atherosclerosis” (Eckel, 1). The chance for high blood pressure, also known as hypertension, is greatly increased when a person is overweight or obese. When blood pressure rises and continually stays high over...