Obesity: A Rising Health Issue

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Here in the United States, the government has a great deal of influence and say in the way in which people live their daily lives. Everything from the things said on a cell phone to sites searched on the Internet to the laws by which everyone must abide, to say that the government has a fairly decent hold on Americans’ civil liberties would be an understatement. Yes, there is a certain level of freedom here that is not found elsewhere in the world, but there is still quite a bit of government intrusion. Therefore, it should come as no surprise to anyone that the next step in the government’s desire to exact some level of control and order on American society is through the food on people’s plates. According to the National Center for Health Statistics, the levels of obesity among adults have risen from 13% in 1960 to 34% in 2008. In fact, it is predicted that by 2030, 42 percent of Americans will be obese and roughly 11 percent will be morbidly obese, which means they are carrying more than 100 pounds of excess weight (Marlow, 2012). .
Obesity remains a rising and concerning health issue. There are numerous ramifications that stem from America’s losing battle of the bulge. To start, there is the skyrocketing cost of healthcare that stems from this issue. As more people succumb to those diseases and conditions that are directly related to obesity, the cost for everyone in terms of medical care will continue to rise. There are public health concerns related to obesity and as the medical system continues to be taxed both from this issue and the rising needs of the overly large baby boomer population; medical services will continue to be heavily taxed. Therefore, at what point should the government intervene when it comes to the nutri...

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...rds optimal health (The Economist, 2012).
CONCLUSION
The government forcing this by enforcing heavy taxes on bad foods is not the way. The government should educate and encourage those Americans that want to live a healthier lifestyle, but it should, in no way, intervene to assure this happens. It tears at the fabric of what America is all about and only assures that people will feel less compelled to enjoy the democratic union in which they live and instead will start to wonder in what aspect of their lives the government will dabble in next.

Works Cited

Casella, Carol. “Government Should Shift Our Norms, Not The Size Of Our Seats.” Wall Street
Journal. April 2013. 1-3.
Marlow, Michael. “Government Intervention Will Not Fix Our Obesity Problem.” US News and
World Report. June 2012. 1-2.
“The Nanny State’s Biggest Test.” The Economist. December 2012. 1-2.

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