Obesity and Food Deserts - 1293 Words

The issues of obesity and food deserts are important, and many people have questions about these topics. What makes this important though? To dig even deeper, what are the significant factors of both topics? The answer to the most pressing subject of modern times will now be determined. Why is the topic really that important? Essentially, who is it important to? A person has traditionally been considered to be obese if they are more than 20 percent over their ideal weight. Also, the recent peak of processed fattening foods has meant a rise of obesity in the US and UK. Thereby, people closer to more fast food chains are at risk. The previously mentioned peak and the positions where obesity has greatly amassed revealed a genetic trait that tends towards obesity. In the 1960’s, people developed the â€Å"thrifty gene† hypothesis, saying that genes leading to obesity could be inherited. The hypothesis was supported by the knowledge that digestive metabolisms have been naturally selected to favor obese traits. How common is obesity? Obesity is found to be as common nowadays as autism, and even more common than depression. 23 million Americans live within a food desert and 8 percent of African Americans live outside of one. What really are the effects of Obesity? The risks include cardiovascular, pulmonary, metabolic, osteoarticular, and psychiatric illness, as well as cancer, diabetes, and death. People typically believe that eating too much is a major cause of obesity.Show MoreRelatedFood Deserts : What Is The Solution?853 Words   |  4 PagesMedicare has a thin line when it comes to covering obesity, but it seems to become harder to receive coverage. According to an overview entitled â€Å"Obesity†, it â€Å"Is a condition where the body of a mammal has stored so much energy that the fatty tissues are stored and expanding to create a significant health risk, with an increased rate of mortality to the body† (Gale Encyclopedia of Science 2014). After years of living with obesity, it can eventually be fatal, or develop more health hazards such asRead MoreLow Income Residents : The United States Department Of Agriculture1420 Words   |  6 Pagesvery little access to healthy food items are commonly known as â€Å"food deserts†. Definitions of this term may very but the phrase was first used in 1990 by researchers in the United Kingdom. â€Å"Food deserts† became a popular word in the United States by 2003 to describe certain areas of Mississippi that were nowhere near supermarkets. The United States Department of Agriculture recognized â€Å"food deserts† as regions with very little access to affordable and nutritious foods, predominantly communities withRead MoreThe Dietary Influences Of Childhood Obesity Essay1435 Words   |  6 Pagesmore cases involving childhood obesity throughout the United States than ever before. In this generation, 17% of all children across the country are suffering from obesity. Many say that dietary influences such as school lunch options, food deserts, advertising of foods, portion sizes, unhealthy eating patterns, and a lack of exercise are the major causes of childhood obesity. Others believe that where, how, and what children eat does not factor into childhood obesity. Rather, genetic components areRead MoreAnalysis Of The Huffington Post, By Journalist Kristy Blackwood1336 Words   |  6 Pagesprosper. If so, why are American who live in the lower income areas has a shortage of healthy foods at their disposal? Kristy Blackwood and Iris Mansour acknowledge the clear fact to why a called a first-world country has millions of people struggle with not having the access to the suitable food to help combat the issue of obesity in the nation. In â€Å"Transforming Food Deserts and Swamps to Fight Obesity† an article that appeared in The Huffington Post, by journalist Kristy Blackwood argue how accessRead MoreFood Deserts Essay865 Words   |  4 PagesFood deserts are on e of the main causes of obesity in lower income areas, and while initiatives are being created to solve this problem, more than just a few initiatives are needed to change the obesity issue. Over 60 million people are obese in the world today. The socioeconomic statuses of the Americans play a major part in the obesity rates across the country. People with higher incomes are less likely to be obese than people with lower incomes. One in every seven preschool-aged childrenRead MoreThe Problem Of Childhood Obesity1199 Words   |  5 PagesIt is a widely recognized fact that childhood obesity, which is defined as a body mass index (BMI) greater than or equal to the 95th percentile in children, is a continually growing epidemic in this country. There are several factors causing obesity, with poor diet and physical inactivity being two of the major contributors. The policy problem that will be addressed is the lack of access to healthy food in certain areas of the community. Addressing this problem will improve the health status of aRead MoreFat Tax792 Words   |  4 Pagesto be overweight or obese. The growing obesity rate has led to high cholesterol, and an increase in ch ronic diseases such as hypertension, diabetes, and cancer. Can a tax on sugar and fat laden â€Å"junk† foods curb over-consumption? This works in theory, but in reality there are solid reasons why this tax won’t work. There are a large number of Americans that live in â€Å"food deserts† with limited access to healthy foods. For an obese person to make wise food choices, they must first value their healthRead MoreThe Food Of A Food Desert Essay1632 Words   |  7 Pagesthe deadliest places when left stranded without proper supplies are deserts. The most popular ones are the Sahara, Arabian, Mojave, and Food. Food? Yes, as much as people say that’s nonsense, a food desert is an occurring anomaly that impacts many people around the world, and in the United States. A food desert is a place where people do not have access to natural healthy food, however they do have access to cheap unhealthy food. Those areas today tend to be densely populated urban c ommunities thatRead MoreFood Deserts in Chicago1741 Words   |  7 Pagesdiabetes, obesity, heart conditions, and high blood pressure because of improper eating habits. To a degree, most of these eating habits are related to limited access to produce healthy foods. The increasing amount of food deserts and lack of family income contributes to African-American obesity rates, and lack of healthy choices. Ironically, these food desserts reside in communities plagued by poverty. These income restrictions also add to the problems that are part of being in a food desert. LiteratureRead MoreFood Areas Associated By Poor Access For Healthy And Affordable Food896 Words   |  4 Pagesâ€Å"Food deserts,† areas characterized by relatively poor access to healthy and affordable food, may contribute to social disparities in diet and diet-related health outcomes, such as cardiovascular disease and obesity (Beaulac, Kristjansson, Cummins, 2009). The term â€Å"food desert† reportedly originated in Scotland in the early 1990s and was used to describe poor access to an affordable and healthy diet (Beaulac, Kristjansson, Cummins, 2009). Although the term â€Å"food desert† can mean a literal absence