Is there an answer to the obesity epidemic in America? If so, what is the answer?

Answer 1

First, they need to REQUIRE physical education classes at schools. They have courses that students can take 'in place of' PE. Kids will do anything to get out of PE!!! For adults, higher insurance rates for over-weight people. Tax breaks for physically fit?? Limiting computer time for school age children might help. Parents being responsible for their children's health and physical condition. Which means...spend some time with them and make sure they get exercise and fresh air & sunshine.

Answer 2

I don't know, though I've thought of this many many times. I am a person who is clinically obese, yet I eat fast food only once a year (my birthday lunch) and I go to the gym and workout very hard at minimum 3 times a week for at least 1.5 hours each time. I know I do overeat, and I cannot tell anyone how hard I struggle to control that. If someone has never had a weight problem, it's very difficult to understand, I'm sure.

I do think starting kids very young with good eating and exercise habits is a great place to start--that and stopping all these chemical additives being put in foods.

Answer 3

i'm not sure that there is any one pat answer, since obesity has many causes, and in some cases may be genetic. but, one thing is for certain, urban sprawl has created the need for everyone to have a car so that they can drive everywhere they need to go. if more areas were "walking neighborhoods," where everyday errands were just a couple of blocks away (hair salon, grocery store, schools, etc...) people would be more likely to walk to their destinations. the further out we build homes from the central points of the community, the harder it is to sustain healthy habits - most people even have to drive to the gym to get some exercise! who's going to keep up with an exercise program if they have to drive 10, 20 minutes or more to get there?

we live further from our extended families, friends, workplaces than any other generation... it makes no sense to live 2 - 3 hours commute from your office, but people do it every day, and often to the detriment of the area near their workplace. not to mention the cost on the environment & unnecessary use of natural resources.

Answer 4

I agree with Lovely Lady 25. If people would turn off the television, get off the couch and brush the potato chip crumbs off of themselves and just get off of their a$$, the maybe we woudn't have this problem. I eat fast food twice a week if not more and am in college. I wear a size 4 pants. I walk to class everyday and that's about the most exercise I get. You can't blame food and the only people who have an excuse for being obese are the ones that have problems that are no fault of their own, example Thyroid imbalance.

Answer 5

Fast food and television/computer games are the culprits here. Although we claim to be extremely health conscious, our lifestyles indicate that we depend too much on processed foods that we can buy and ingest quickly. We have become so "busy" that we now use alot of downtime in front of the television,and the onslaught of video games/computer technology has created an addictive sort of response. The American people need to value cooking at home more and eat out less. They need to limit computer and television time each day to no more than a couple of hours and encourage families to get outside and exercise or play together.

Answer 6

Children going outside and playing from morning to nite - like we did when I was a kid.

By the way the guy that says poverty is in the head of the Democrats, you are an idiot. Poverty exists in America - it's the middle class and high class that are fighting this obesity crisis.

Answer 7

never fear folks! the obesity problem in America is going to rectify itself, as with all imbalances in nature..there must be a variable that can be thrown into the equation usually one extreme to oppose the other and thus create equality.....obesity has been an ongoing issue for years, and ..well what do we have here?...sayyyy!! ..the fat wagon has plateaued a bit..and the illicit use of crystal methamphetamine is soaring at record breaking speeds (pun intended) ..in not time these lovable plump n jolly bakers of holiday treats and words of love will be replaced by the reclusive, toothless, purse snatching nickel slot casino dwellers...but for a clear view at the movies and a fair share of the sun at the beach...i say FAIR TRADE!!

Answer 8

The issue of how obesity affects health needs to be kept constantly before people so that it will gradually sink in the way that cigarette smoking has been for the past 25 years.

Answer 9

The answer is for everyone to get up off their fat asses! You dont' have to spend all day at the gym, but stand up everyonce and a while, breathe some fresh air and don't eat fast food for every meal. Or if you do eat a healthier meal every once and a while. Oh and drink more water. If everyone stoped drinking pop and started drinking water or vitamin water or juice they would loose weight and feel better. Try it everyone. Two weeks no soda pop you will loose 5-10 pounds its CRAZY! Oh and don't eat until your full just until your satisfied. You'll drop the pounds like theres no tomorrow :)

Answer 10

Stop treating fast food as REAL food.

Along with obesity....fast food can cause diabetes, high cholesterol and kidney stones.

After I stopped eating that crap...I no longer have these problems

ADD ONL
Oh yeah...almost forgot to say...and I lost 20 pounds without trying.