In recent years obesity has emerged as one of the leading causes of health issues in many parts of the globe. This essay will dive into the main causes and offer solutions for this condition.
In my opinion, one of the leading causes for increasing obesity levels is the globalisation of fast food chains. They are now available in almost every corner of the world. A huge part of the population consumes them every day, due to the fact that it’s easily accessible, fast and cheap and many people may not have time to cook at home due to tightly packed schedules. Fast food is famous for being unhealthy and very high in calories, which inevitably causes significant weight gain in frequent customers. Another important cause of this condition, I trust, is the sedentary lifestyle a lot of people are forced to follow, since in the modern world desk jobs have become more common. During the lockdown a lot of the companies switched to working remotely, thus allowing their employees to do their job without having to leave the comfort of their home or even their bed. Unfortunately, a lot of the companies failed to switch back after the lockdown was over, which means that there are a lot of people today that don’t have any need to leave their homes at all. This sedentary lifestyle is further reassured by online delivery methods, thanks to which people don’t need to leave homes to shop for groceries, medicine or even for clothes. Additionally, the ever increasing rates of depression in the modern world are huge contributors to obesity. People with depression are often demotivated and would rather prefer lying in bed all day. They stop taking care of their bodies, which massively contributes to weight gain. Furthermore, people with chronic severe depression seek medical help and are often prescribed antidepressants, the side effects of which include heavy weight gain.
Even though there are various causes of being overweight, the solutions to them are almost identical. A person should consult a dietician once the weight starts to impact their everyday life (e.g. they have frequent chest pains or are often out of breath). A good diet consisting of healthy foods and lower calories is a first step in battling this condition. Physical exercise is equally as important. People may decide to join the gym, or go for jogs or even go for evening strolls. It is crucial to move the body often. For morbidly obese people, doctors often prescribe type 2 diabetes drugs, which promotes weight loss, however, these can only be used for a few months after which the person needs to continue their weight loss journey with their own efforts.
In conclusion, due to increased availability of unhealthy foods, lack of physical exercise due to working conditions and some medications, the rates of obesity have grown significantly throughout the world. Tackling this issue is possible through proper diet and physical exercise, however, in difficult cases, medical intervention may be necessary.