by

James Gosselin

America is quickly becoming a nation of fat people. Close to two-thirds of Americans can be classified as overweight, and close to one-third can be classified as obese. The effects of this nationwide epidemic are terrible to think of: increased cases of diabetes, heart disease, and other health problems attributed to obesity. The increase in these health problems will raise the cost of medical care for us as well. In the fast-paced struggle for a better life, Americans have forgotten to maintain a healthy lifestyle. Americans are obese or on their way to obesity for several reasons: lack of time to practice healthy habits, abundance of technology for leisure, and poor habits passed down from parent to child. These factors have combined to make us a nation of big people.

The first factor in America’s overall weight gain is our fast-paced lifestyle. We are so busy being fathers, mothers, workers, bosses, and students that we just do not have time to eat a healthful meal or exercise properly. For example, I can point to my own lifestyle. I work from 11:30 at night to 7:30 in the morning. I sleep from about 8:00 in the morning to about 4:00 in the afternoon. The rest of the time that I am awake, I am not thinking about eating right or exercising. I am thinking of bills, or school, or work, or even about the fact that my son is pulling his toys out of the toilet. It is easy to understand how Americans, with their fast-paced lifestyles, just do not have time for good health.

Another factor in the "super-sizing" of America is technology. Americans do not have to get out anymore to enjoy themselves when all the fun is in their living rooms. Whether it be sitting on the couch watching MTV or surfing the Internet, Americans are very lazy in how they spend their leisure time. Instead of going to the park for a run, Americans check their e-mail on AOL. Instead of a rough and exhausting game of football, Americans sit on the couch and play Playstation 2 Football. Along with our fast-paced lifestyle, Americans have technology to contend with in the struggle to stay fit. Judging by our waistlines, the struggle is not making it off the couch.

Another cause of American obesity is the unhealthy example parents set for their children. Our children learn what to do by watching us. They get their food from us. What we instill in them and what they see us do must be one in the same. It is irresponsible to tell our children exercise is healthy and good, only to have them watch us spend all our free time on the couch watching I Love Lucy reruns. What good is done when we tell them to eat healthy and then take them to McDonald’s for a Happy (Congestive Heart Failure) Meal? We as Americans must practice what we preach in regards to our children. Only by showing them what healthy habits are and then practicing these habits in our own lives will we stave off the health crisis at hand.

In conclusion, it cannot be denied that Americans are getting larger and more unhealthy. Our fast-paced lifestyle, the abundance of technology, and the poor habits we pass on to our children have caused us to become obese and overweight. In this struggle to succeed in life, we have neglected an important aspect of our lives: our health. The choice is ours to make between a healthy, trim figure, and a black, fat, wasting decline. Welcome to the new America!  Would you like fries with that?