Statistics show that 93.3 million people are affect by this epidemic, Sounds like a very large problem ("Adult Obesity Facts."). There is so much conversation, and just as many questions about the obesity epidemic in the United States. Many people blame the fast-food industry. Others want to blame video games and the lack of exercise. One thing that can be very difficult is to find someone who blames himself.
The United States has not always had an obesity epidemic. According to the American Psychological Association (APA), only 13% of adults, and 5-7% of children were obese in the 1960s and 1970s (The Nation’s Childhood Obesity Epidemic: Health Disparities in the Making 1). According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the obesity rate in 2015-2016 was 39.8%, which means about 93.3 million adults in the United States were affected. (1) Obesity affects ethnic groups in different ways (1). For example, Hispanics and non-Hispanic blacks had the highest rates of obesity (1). Non-Hispanic whites were next, and non-Hispanic Asians the lowest (“Adult Obesity Facts.” 1). Overall, the age groups are also affected differently. For instance, young adults (aged 20-39) had an obesity rate of 35.7%, while older adults (aged 60 and older) had an obesity rate of 41.0% (1). The CDC also says that socioeconomic status affects the obesity rate (1). People with higher education have a lower obesity rate (1). For men, the lowest and highest income classes have the lowest obesity rate, with middle income being higher (1). Woman also had a discrepancy among income rates, where the obesity rate was lower among higher income groups (1). However, the non-Hispanic black women had no difference (1). Obesity is not only a growing problem for the United States but a worldwide epidemic (1). It has been acknowledged that obesity is among the top ten results of mortality worldwide (1). A world-wide swath of regions from North and South America to the Middle East and Europe report that greater than forty percent of their population age forty-five to fifty-nine are obese ("Adult Obesity Facts." 1). East Asian populations may be affected proportionally but the due to ethnic variability may not qualify as obese using the body mass index method These Asian populations are experiencing the same elevated levels of heart disease and diabetes (1). 
One thing to note is that obesity is not only about looking good, or fitting into a certain size clothing (“Adult Obesity Facts” 1). It is about health and well-being. A man is considered obese if he has more than 25% body fat. A woman, if she has more than 30% body fat is considered obese (The Nation’s Childhood Obesity Epidemic: Health Disparities in the Making 1). Other consequences of obesity, in addition to heart disease and diabetes, can be cancer, depression, and arthritis. Obesity can even lead to arthritis, erectile dysfunction, and fatty liver disease (1). All in all, obesity and being overweight account for nearly one of every 10 American deaths, and they also drain our society of $223 billion a year ("What Are the Consequences?" 1). In fact, obesity is currently considered to be the second leading cause of death. “Obesity accounts for 18 percent of deaths among Americans ages 40 to 85, according to a 2013 study (1). This represents a more recent interpretation of data from the earlier prevailing wisdom among scientists, which had placed the rate at around 5 percent (1). This means obesity is comparable to cigarette smoking as a public health hazard; smoking kills one of five Americans and is the leading preventable cause of death in the United States (1).” 
There is also a genetic component to obesity. Studies have shown that over fifty percent of childhood obesity is drive by genetic components (“ What are the Consequences”1). To date 32 specific genes have been identified as affecting obesity in children but it is believed many more genetic markers are yet to be discovered (1). In less than 40 years, the prevalence of obesity in the U.S. has increased by over 50%, so that two of every three American adults are now overweight or obese ("Study Finds Strong Genetic Component to Childhood Obesity." 1) . Even worse, the obesity epidemic is rapidly spreading to our children ("Obesity in America: What's Driving the Epidemic?" 1). It is increasingly clear that the children of obese parents are themselves at a higher risk of becoming obese (1).
In discussing obesity, it is imperative to realize the personal component. Discussing this subject with my father who is obese gave me new insight into this epidemic’s effects on a personal basis. My father was obese from his early childhood. As a result, he was bullied and ostracized from play groups due to being different. Later as a teenager and young adult he gained control of his obesity and reached a normal weight. The, probably, genetic vulnerability to the disease remained and as he reached his 40’s his obesity returned and has continued to this day (“Obesity in America: What’s Driving the Epidemic” 1). The personal toll on him has included numerous health effects. Sleep apnea threatens his long-term health as well as affects his day to day abilities due to constant fatigue (1). Arthritis in his knees and ankles has dramatically limited his mobility to the extent it is difficult for him to navigate a flight of stairs or walk more than few blocks without stopping (1). In addition, his size limits his ability to get in and out of smaller automobiles, into airplane seats, picking items up off of the floor and other simple task people take for granted (1).
A study published by the Gastroenterology and Hepatology Journal suggests that the experienced gained in dealing with prior epidemiologic problems such as the should help those organizations effected by the epidemic to mobilize the needed healthcare resources to help prevent future generations from suffering with the consequences of obesity (Hurt 1). One of those methods being developed is to find tools which better evaluate obesity than the simple body mass index which has varying results over ethnic groups (1). An increase in the use of abdominal adiposity or the measurement of fat in the abdominal region is leading to a better relationship between large population studies across regions and differing ethnic populations (1). It has been found that the measures of Waist to Hip Ratio and Waist Circumferences used in this method are a better predictor for Cardiovascular and Diabetes across diverse populations (1). Studies have shown a seven-year reduction in life expectancy worldwide from obese women and six years amongst obese men (1). These higher mortality rates are consistent with the levels identified from those identified with smoking tobacco (1). What can be done about this epidemic? For starters, many people believe that the main cause of obesity is personal responsibility or willpower. Nobody is holding you down and stuffing food into your mouth. You are solely responsible for what you eat and drink. You can say no whenever you want to. There are many companies out there that provide support for weight loss/weight management. WW (formerly Weight Watchers) and Jenny Craig are just two of the myriad options out there. One way they assist in weight managements is to offer a sponsor, or mentor, to assist in the battle over obesity. For instance, it’s Friday night, has been a long week, and all you want to do is have a double-stuffed, pepperoni and sausage pizza and a large Coke delivered. But wait, before you do that, you call your sponsor, and they help you think about why you want this food, and what you can do instead. This is a helping hand in assisting you to make good decisions.
This is a very volatile opinion, as there are many out there who say that the core question is whether personal failing is the simplest explanation. The issue becomes particularly important in the case of children (Personal Responsibility and Obesity: A Constructive Approach To A Controversial Issue 1).
According to healthline.com, there are 10 leading causes of weight gain and obesity (“10 Leading Causes of Weigh Gain and Obesity”1). They are: ”genetics, engineered junk food, food addictions, aggressive marketing, insulin, certain medications, leptin (a hormone) resistance, food availability, sugar, and misinformation (1). There are 10 factors that are leading to my weight gain and obesity. Do I give up? Is the struggle too difficult? The bottom line is if you have concerns about your waistline, you should not use this article as an excuse to give up (1). The point of this article is to open people's minds to the fact that something other than individual responsibility plays a role in the obesity epidemic” (1).
So now we know about the causes of obesity. How do we fix it? There are a variety of ways; everything from weight loss surgery to diet/exercise. Weight loss surgery is the most drastic of solutions. It comes along with any of the possible surgical side-effects. The National Institute of Health (NIH) has stated that patients with a BMI of greater than 40 (morbid obesity) or patients with a BMI of greater than 35 who have serious medical problems such as sleep apnea that would improve with weight loss (“Personal Responsibility And Obesity: A Constructive Approach To A Controversial Issue” 1). Weight loss surgery can be very successful. However, there are ways to sabotage its success. It is possible to keep eating larger than necessary portions, causing the stomach to stretch once again and allow for ongoing weight gain. It also does not address the underlying cause of the weight gain in the first place. There is also a side effect where alcohol consumption can increase. Obviously, this can create its owns risks and complications.
Another way to treat obesity is through medications. Over the years, there have been many medications on the market. Some with great success, other with a more limited success-rate. One thing that must be noted is that all of the medicines have had some kind of side effects, to the degree that many have been removed from the market by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). According to www.drugs.com (Anderson 1), some of the weight loss drugs that are still on the market are Qsymia (phentermine and topiramate), Belviq (lorcaserin), Contrave and Saxenda. Contrave and Saxenda are given together as a weight management regimen. Contrave is used in obese or overweight adults with at least one weight-related condition such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, or type 2 diabetes (Anderson 1). Saxenda (liraglutide), from Novo Nordisk, is an injection for chronic weight management.(1) Liraglutide is also approved at a lower dose for use in type 2 diabetes (brand name Victoza), but the two drugs should not be used together or with any other glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonist (also called incretin mimetics). It is given as a daily subcutaneous injection. There is also a low-dose over the counter (OTC) option called Alli. Alli (orlistat) is taken as one 60 mg capsule three times a day with each meal containing fat, but don't exceed more than 15 grams of fat per meal. You should expect to lose most of your weight in the first 6 months. Use Alli in combination with diet and exercise. Do not take more than 3 capsules per day (1). The individual has to judge for themselves the risks vs. rewards of each of these medications.
Finally, there is also the option of diet and exercise. This can be used alone, or in conjunction with any of the previous methods discussed. As the word diet implies, it is what you eat. But even saying that, it is not quite so simple. There are low-fat diets, and low-carb diets, with anything in between.
Right now, low-carb diets are very popular. These diets, primarily the Keto diet and the Atkins diet, limit the number of carbs you can have per day. People on the keto diet usually get 2% to 5% of their daily calories from carbs; while Atkins followers are typically getting around 10% of their calories from carbs (at least at first).( Both diets use this ultra-low carb approach to trigger ketosis, a state in which the body burns fat for fuel instead of stored carbs, leading, in theory, to weight loss ("Keto Vs. Atkins: Which Is the Better Low-Carb Diet?"1).
Of course, there is the traditional low-fat diet. According to www.webmd.com, when on a low-fat diet, eat plenty of plant foods (such as whole-grains, fruits, and vegetables) and a moderate amount of lean and low-fat, animal-based food (meat and dairy products) to help control your fat, cholesterol, carbs, and calories. When you're shopping, choose lean meats, fish, and poultry. Limit these to 5-7 ounces per day “Low-fat Diets for Weight Loss.” 1). Cooking methodology is also more highly stressed in the low-fat diet. Trim all visible fat and remove the skin from poultry. Refrigerate soups, gravies, and stews, and remove the hardened fat on top before eating. Bake, broil, or grill meats on a rack that allows fat to drip from the meat. Don’t fry foods. Sprinkle lemon juice, herbs, and spices on cooked vegetables instead of using cheese, butter, or cream-based sauces. Try plain, nonfat or low-fat yogurt and chives on baked potatoes rather than sour cream. Reduced-fat sour cream still has fat, so limit the amount you use (1).
Exercise will help to assist with weight loss with any of these diets. Plainly stated, the more you work out, the better. But hold on! If you work out too much, or incorrectly, then exercise can cause damage. So, there is a balance to be found.
In fact, it can be said that balance is the key to all of this. Less calories in, more calories burnt. Seems like such a simple equation. Sounds easy, but can be very difficult to attain. It requires monitoring oneself, and in some cases, denying ones’ intake for the sake of the equation, which seems absurd to many people. You only live once! If I want a second piece of chocolate cake, no one is going to tell me I shouldn’t have it. This leads into an idea of Camus’s ("Keto Vs. Atkins: Which Is the Better Low-Carb Diet?"1). Camus’s understanding of absurdity is best captured in an image, not an argument: of Sisyphus straining to push his rock up the mountain, watching it roll down, then descending after the rock to begin all over, in an endless cycle. Like Sisyphus, humans cannot help but continue to ask after the meaning of life, only to see our answers tumble back down (1). Imagine, then, that the rock is a person’s weight. In contrast, it goes down, and then back up. This is the absurdity of obesity. It is never really conquered, simply managed. To manage it is enough, but that leaves it never far away from a persons’ thoughts. And thoughts can be as hard to control as weight.
Works Cited
"Adult Obesity Facts." Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 31 Jan. 2019,www.cdc.gov/obesity/data/adult.html.
Gunnars, Kris. Healthline: Nutrition “10 Leading Causes of Weigh Gain and Obesity”
Harvard Health Publishing. "Obesity in America: What's Driving the Epidemic?" Harvard Health, 20 May 2015,www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/obesity-in-america-whats-driving-the-epidemic.
Health Affairs, Research Article. “Personal Responsibility And Obesity: A Constructive
Approach To A Controversial Issue ”HEALTH AFFAIRSVOL. 29, NO. 3: CHILD OBESITY: THE WAY FORWARD” https://doi.org/10.1377/hlthaff.2009.0739
Heart.org. "Extreme Obesity, And What You Can Do." Www.heart.org, www.heart.org/en/healthy- living/healthy-eating/losing-weight/extreme-obesity-and-what-you-can-do
Hurt, Ryan T. "The Obesity Epidemic: Challenges, Health Initiatives, and Implications for Gastroenterologists." PubMed Central (PMC). www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3033553/.
"Keto Vs. Atkins: Which Is the Better Low-Carb Diet?" Health.com, 13 Mar. 2018,
L. Anderson, PharmD. "FDA-Approved Weight Loss Drugs: Can They Help You?" Drugs.com,
10 June 2013, www.drugs.com/slideshow/fda-approved-weight-loss-drugs-1044.
“Low-fat Diets for Weight Loss.” https://www.webmd.com/women/reducing-dietary-fat#1.
Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy. “Albert Camus”.https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/camus/
"The Nation's Childhood Obesity Epidemic: Health Disparities in the Making." Https://www.apa.org, www.apa.org/pi/families/resources/newsletter/2012/07/childhood-obesity.
University College London. "Study Finds Strong Genetic Component to Childhood Obesity." ScienceDaily, 3 Apr. 2019, www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/03/130326112234.htm.
Writers, Staff. "What Are the Consequences?" PublicHealth.org, www.publichealth.org/public-awareness/obesity/consequences/.
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