May 2011 - Jefferson County Public Schools

Obesity
Mayneshia Whitfield
I strongly believe that obesity should end. Do you always blame the dryer because your pants are shrinking? Did
your baby fat turn into belly rolls? Well, you need to put the donuts down and pay attention. Obesity is taking over the
nation like a plague and we need to stop it in its tracks. America has more obese people than any other nation. I used to
be a little chubby myself, doing nothing but eating and sleeping, but I realized the damage I was causing to my body and
decided to lose weight.
Look at this picture. Do you feel like you’ve gone through the same transition as the
picture you see on the slide or you are in the process of going through it?
OECD, or the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, warns
that 75% of Americans will suffer from obesity by 2020
because of the lack of exercise and healthy diets. Currently
34% of Americans are obese. Obesity makes you vulnerable
to many diseases and health complications and can reduce
life expectancy. 80% of people with diabetes are obese,
which is a condition where the blood sugar is low or
becomes very high and it’s a constant struggle to maintain
a normal blood sugar level. With diabetes, there comes a
daily hassle with taking insulin, pricking your finger to test sugar levels, going blind, and even
developing coronary disease. Some have to get their fingers and toes amputated because of
their circulation being cut off for so long because of the sugar compacting in their
extremities. Diabetics suffer from hypertension, which is high blood pressure, and if their blood pressure gets too high, it
could be deadly. A normal blood pressure is the systolic of 120 and diastolic of 80. Those who are in stage 1 of
hypertension would have systolic 140-159 or diastolic 90-99, and stage 2 of hypertension would be a systolic greater
than, or equal to, 160, or diastolic greater than, or equal to 100. Both stage 1 and 2 are huge jumps from normal blood
pressure reading, but most adults suffer from stage 1.
According to Wikipedia, 60% of the world’s population gets insufficient exercise, and once you’ve become
overweight, it makes it even harder to get back into shape and healthy again, while it makes it easier for you become
obese. Look at the picture of an overweight adult exercising. Developing disgusting eating habits and deleting the word
exercise from your brain will do nothing but leave you in a big sloppy body
suit that you won’t be able to take off without some hard work. Regular
exercise includes benefits such as lowering the risk of dying from a heart
disease or stroke, lower the risk of developing hypertension, diabetes or
coronary disease, and it helps protect you against certain types of cancer.
If you care about your health you should commit yourself to a routine of
exercise and maintain a fulfilling diet.
I bet you didn’t know that exercise relieves stress. I know that
going to school and work can be troublesome, and can take you into a
world of distress, but it doesn’t mean you have to rely on cookies and
snicker bars for comfort. Stay out of the kitchen and go to the gym, or
start walking and running. This helps keep your bones, muscles, and joints healthy, it reduces anxiety and depression,
and boosts your moods. Controlling your weight helps you sleep better, and makes your body look amazing just by
exercising a couple of times a week for 30 minutes.
Health should always be a main goal in your life. Being healthy makes things a lot
easier. You’ll want to be involved in more things, you’ll have a more energy, and you’ll know
that your life won’t come to an end because of any medical conditions. Obesity affects not
only you physical appearance and your state of mind as well. A lot of obese people suffer
from low self-esteem, and instead of finding someone to depend on, they choose food,
making them gain even more weight. Studies show that there is an increase in the rate of
mortality in those who are obese compared to those who are a normal weight. Being, or
becoming, obese does nothing but slow your life down and speed death up.
Is this what you want to look like? Of course you don’t. So call your doctor,
schedule an appointment for a check-up and find out how healthy you are as an adult. You
need a normal blood pressure reading of 120 over 80 and standard blood sugar levels, that
run between 110-120 milligrams per deciliter. If that’s not the case, than you should grab control of your life and
exercise at least three times a week for thirty minutes. Instead of getting food that is high in fats, buy some that are high
in fiber and calcium. You need to maintain a healthy diet, including eight glasses of water per day, fresh vegetables and
fruit, and food that has quality protein. Ensure that you stay away from the carbohydrates and avoid spending too much
time watching TV and being on the computer. Let’s take OECD’s warning seriously and instead of letting this prediction
come true, let’s take a stand and help the obesity rates drop. Have a healthy day. (Images from OECD)