Diane Carbonell on Obesity

The obesity rates in America have risen steadily over the past 30 years. The time to tackle the problem of obesity before it takes a staggering personal and economic toll on society has already passed. Obesity currently takes an enormous personal and economic toll on our society. Research from Scott Kahan for The Fiscal Times indicates that obesity in America costs over 30 billion dollars per year. With over 30 percent of the adult population being obese, the economic, medical, and emotional well-being of individuals and society is already negatively impacted. The obesity problem must be addressed from the ground up rather than from the government down. Government may be able to legislate soda sizes, school lunch nutrition, and provide medical support for individuals who struggle with obesity, but until the crisis is addressed from the individual level up, little progress will be made. Personal choices cannot be legislated. Tackling the obesity problem on an individual level has two components – education and access. There is a basic lack of knowledge concerning the role nutrition plays in weight for the average individual. Many individuals do not have a clear understanding of their caloric and nutritional needs and make the false assumption they are overweight due to genes, bad luck, or poverty.  Easy access to healthy foods is limited in certain parts of the country and people living in lower income areas often have more fast food restaurants in close proximity than groc...
Source: PHRMA - Category: Pharmaceuticals Authors: Source Type: news