Blog #3: The Obesity Paradox

The Obesity Paradox in America

Today's "controversial" topic is one that is biggest epidemic that is currently facing America: Obesity.

There is a paradox in the obesity epidemic, and it goes a little like this: we are educated about what is healthy, and what isn't. We know that processed sugar is extremely bad for you, even being called the "next nicotine" by health professionals. However, we eat fast food and drink pop/soda like it is our job. We want to be healthier, but tell ourselves that getting a Chicken Snack Wrap and a Diet Cola is enough.

The problem lies in two areas: decision-making and economics.

More often than not, people are given a choice, but make the wrong decision. We are all guilty of it. You, me, some guy at work, and some lady at the park; we all are guilty of making the wrong decision when it comes to our nutrition. When shopping at a grocery store, we routinely pick out snack like chips, or buttered popcorn, instead of fruits and vegetables. And when we do pick our fruits in vegetables, it is usually designed to be either a snack or a side dish, but seldom as the main entree. If we can make better decisions ROUTINELY about the foods we buy and eat, the obesity epidemic would diminish. It wouldn't be solved, there is more to it than that, but it would certainly help.

Second is the economics. Lets face the facts: you're going to your local football game and are waiting in line at the concession stands. There, a small pop is $1.50 and a medium is $2.00. A bottle of water is $2.50. The medium pop is, say, 16 oz. and the water is 12 oz. That math isn't hard: you buy the pop. You get more drink for less money! Easy win, right? Wrong! That's the problem. The biggest contributor to the obesity epidemic, for lack of a better phrase, how expensive it is to be healthy. If i go to a fast food restaurant, I can get a healthy(ish) salad and a water for around $10. The salad isn't that big, and doesn't fill you too much. You can purchase that, or you can get 10 $1 burgers, 5 large drinks, 5 medium fries, or any combination of that. If you are on a budget, there is no math in that problem: Food for 10 people v food for 1.

The problem of obesity is forged by people making the wrong decisions. And it's okay to make bad decisions, it happens to every single one of us, on a weekly (if not daily) basis. However, the problem is exploited by sugar and fast food companies making it way more expensive to buy healthy than to buy sugar or processed foods. Until that changes, the obesity epidemic will not be solved. However, there are ways, through education and acceptance of lifestyle changes, that we can quell it.