I've always wondered why I was lucky enough to be born in one of the greatest if not the greatest nation in the world. What makes the United States of America so different from the rest of the world? What are the reasons that make us such a great nation? While I could probably write more than an essay listing the reasons for our greatness, there are also reasons why we stand out in a not so positive light. There are several factors that have contributed to the increase in obesity in America. Among these factors, most of which I have learned by experience, may include lifestyle, sugar and SIZE. When I was 21 I had the opportunity to serve a religious mission in Argentina for the church I belong to. While there, I experienced quite of a culture shock as I compared everything to home. I quickly began to adapt and notice a …show more content…
One of the factors leading to this difference again is in the lifestyle they carry. In our nation, we have become increasingly dependent on comfort. Whatever gets us there the fastest, easiest, and with the least effort is always better. We have become obsessed with finding the latest gadgets or tools to make our lives easier such as; robotic vacuums for our floors, buying groceries and prepared food from the comfort of our couch and delivered to our doorstep, microwavable dinners, online shopping, and endless entertainment from our television allowing us to never leave our home or the couch. This lifestyle is creating a pattern not only in us but our future generation to not have any physical activity. We have been taught in elementary health class, how daily activity is vital to a healthy lifestyle. If we continue to intake, fattening foods and decrease our mobility, it is scientifically proven our bodies will become
American health, specifically our obesity epidemic, has grown into a trending media topic. A quick Google search will bring up thousands of results containing a multitude of opinions and suggested solutions to our nation’s weight gain, authored by anyone ranging from expert food scientists to common, concerned citizens. Amongst the sea of public opinion on obesity, you can find two articles: Escape from the Western Diet by Michael Pollan and The Extraordinary Science of Addictive Junk Food by Michael Moss. Each article presents a different view on where the blame lies in this public health crisis and what we should do to amend the issue. Pollan’s attempt to provide an explanation pales in comparison to Moss’s reasonable discussion and viable
Alexis de Tocqueville and Langston Hughes both have their own ideas about what America is, was, and should be. Alexis de Tocqueville’s Democracy in America praises American democracy in which everyone is included. This inclusion allows for democracy that everyone can be a part of and feel like they are contributing. On the contrary, Langston Hughes’s “Let America Be America Again” depicts an excluding America that does not treat everyone equivalently. Hughes portrays America as a misrepresentation that does not uphold the ideals that it is so famous for. The two works contrast in many ways but do have some similarities. Although their ideas are different, politics is still a choice. Tocqueville describes politics as a choice that everyone should make as it benefits them all while Hughes describes politics as a choice that some do not have the power to take part in. The differing sentiments between Democracy in America and “Let America Be America Again” stem
“Fat Land”, a book by Greg Cristler, a health journalist who was formerly considered overweight, explains how America became the fattest people in the world. Before writing this book, Cristler was told that he needed to lose forty pounds and so to do so he enlisted a competent doctor, the prescription weight-loss medication Meridia, jogs in a congenial neighborhood park, a wife who cooked him healthy food, and access to plenty of information. Cristler is quick to add that those weren’t the only factors that led to his weight loss, but money and time were a big part of it. Cristler lost the weight, but he states “the more I contemplated my success, the more I came to see it not as a triumph of the will, but as a triumph of my economic and social
America is not the illustrated land of opportunity to all. The statement provided that, a land giving opportunity to all is judgmental for many concerning reasons. For one, America is known as a country where people of various races are informed of great dreams that seem reachable, but the chances of an immigrant moving to America and starting a new life are slim. Throughout American history, the opportunity to create something has always been difficult and will sincerely remain that way no matter the sacrifices a person must give up on in their life.
“Make America Great Again” (Trump). This is the quote Donald Trump runs by. But if this was true, why does he say that if he were elected, he will take actions that will only make America suffer? Trump has never done anything beneficial for the U.S. He is a businessman who only cares about making money and increasing his wealth. Trump should not become president, for he is an unqualified candidate who has no political background and makes unconstitutional promises.
Studies have linked obesity to many things from ear infections, to pollution, to air-conditioning, to socializing with obese people. The reason Americans are obese is because of the increasing luxury available to them. Obesity is a rising problem in the United States, and with all the privileges given to its citizens, the country has become increasingly lazy. With portion sizes rising and physical activity decreasing, it is easy to see how obesity rates have skyrocketed.
According to Dr. Isaac Berkson, the definition of Americanization is "adaptation and adjustment". He further explained his statement by saying that the concept of Americanization happens "When an immigrant has adapted and adjusted himself to the American conditions and surroundings" (Berkson, 1891). There is a gap of the understanding of Americanization between Berkson back then and the concept of Americanization now. Berkson statement somewhat implied that Americanization could only happen in the land of America, or to individuals that come and stay in a sufficient period of time to be able to get accustomed to the culture. However, nowadays, the meaning indeed has changed into something more
Obesity rates have skyrocketed within the last 10-20 years. This is in direct correlation with the diet and exercise habits of cultures. As cultures begin to incorporate different culture’s cuisines into their own cultures, the obesity rate starts to increase. This is most likely caused by their heritage history being accustomed to their culture’s cuisine history. Then diet and exercise come into play as well. We live in a time where technology has almost taken over our lives. In modern day, we can drive wherever we need to go, we do not have to walk everywhere anymore; we do not have to even go to the grocery store anymore because Amazon.com has now made their website into a grocery store in select parts of the country where we pick what we need online and it is delivered to our house. This program is set to go nationwide soon, and eventually globally. This is the epitome of laziness and why different cultures are becoming obese; especially America. Diet and exercise have almost become a thing of the past in America. Yes, there is still a large amount of humans that still exercise daily, but not the average American. The most active age group, worldwide, is 22-34 year olds with an average salary of $20,000 or less (Thompson 2013). Cultures such as the Native Americans, Mexicans, Chileans, and the culture that tops the list; Americans, are among the world’s most obese cultures (Downey 2011).
There is no doubt that obesity has taken its seat as one of the top disease that strikes the world today. In America, obesity has now spread through the country leaving 2 out of 3 adults either overweight or obese, and worldwide 1.5 billion are overweight or obese (Overweight). The cause of this disease stems from multiple reasons such as the increase in modern food production, putting out ample amounts of food causing the prices for meat, groceries, and especially junk food to plummet. Subsequently, Americans especially were more inclined to purchase more food and showed an increase in the average American house hold food intake by 1,000 more calories a day (Dreifus).
The reasoning for why physical fitness relates to income level in the United States proves to be highly controversial. Physical fitness can be defined as the ability to carry out tasks without undue fatigue; it consists of components such as the strength of the heart, muscles, and body composition. Although health is critical to maintain at any age, many Americans in today’s time ignore the physical needs their body demands. Dave White states that, “National Health and Nutrition Examination survey indicate that only approximately 9.6% of the U.S. population currently meets the U.S. physical activity guidelines.” (266) Only by observing America’s social media such as advertisements and models, one
How is it that a nation so obsessed with counting calories, cutting back carbs, and going on diets is so incredibly overweight? The United States is by far the heaviest country in the world. Almost two thirds of Americans are overweight and one third are obese (“Statistics…”). That’s a lot of fatties in a land of 281,421,906 people (“Question…”). On the surface, it’s simply bewildering as to why America is in such a state because this country is made of people from the rest of the world. However, eastern and western Europeans, Asians, Africans, South Americans, and Australians aren’t faced with even half the number of weight-related health issues that Americans encounter every day.
In the 20th century children played sports more often, walked to school and more. The children of the 21st century make choices that are completely opposite. The sports children play these days include watching television, playing games and eating junk food. Watching television and playing millions of videos games are excuses to help children avoid exercising.
Over the course of the last few decades, the U.S. has seen a drastic rise in the spread of obesity. Through the rise of large-scale fast food corporations, the blame has shifted toward the mass consumerism of these global industries. It is, however, due to poor lifestyle choices that the U.S. population has seen a significant increase in the percentage of people afflicted with obesity. In 1990 the percentage of obese people in the United States was approximated at around 15%. In 2010, however, it is said that “36 states had obesity rates of 25 percent or higher”(Millar). These rates have stayed consistent since 2003. The obesity problem in America is
The nation America is known to be the “land of the free”. Throughout history, there were many aspects that led to shape the country to how it is today. The recurring themes of America which are national identity, migration and settlement, and geography and the environment connect not only to the United States but also to my family. The first example of an American History theme is National Identity.
Over the past century we have become increasingly sedentary due to the technical advancements of today's world. Ironically, while machines and improvements in transportation and communication have made our lives easier, studies show that the decline in our physical activity associated with these advancements plays a large role in the decline of our health.