Everyone knows the importance of eating right and exercising regularly. But many of us find ourselves rushing through the day, eating at our desks, or driving through a fast food restaurant for a quick meal. After a long day at work, we are often too tired to exercise or to eat properly, choosing instead to eat whatever food might be easily accessible. We attend family gatherings and overindulge in too many sweets, too much alcohol, and too much food. Before we know it, our weight has slowly increased, and we find our clothes fitting tighter than we’d like them to be.
For many, however, the slow increase in weight has reached critical levels. Today, obesity is associated with nearly 1 in 5 U. S. deaths (Laidman, 2013).
According to a recent Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research study (2016):
- The U.S. public considers obesity second only to cancer as the most serious health issue it faces.
- Eight of 10 people cite too much TV and computer time as one of the most important reasons behind the high rates of obesity, with easy access to cheap fast food and lack of knowledge or desire about how to control weight as other major factors. Michael Pollan (2009) has said, “If it came from a plant, eat it. If it was made in a plant, don’t” (p. 41) and “It’s not food if it arrived through the window of your car” (p. 43).
- Approximately 95% of the public believes obese people face some level of discrimination due to their weight.
- There is little support for policies that would limit consumer choices (such as those that limit the amount or type of food that could be purchased) and strong support for governmental policies that support physical activity in schools, information on healthy food choices, knowledge about caloric balance (food intake vs. caloric expenditure), and food industry incentives to provide healthier food options.