According to the journal Lancet, “over one in three adults are obese.”
As you let that sink in, it must be dually noted that the study conducted by Lancet is not tailored solely to the United States. In fact, obesity is now a global epidemic that has gone past westernization into developing countries. People may wonder how obesity has been able to progress so rapidly, but is it really that much of a surprise?
What may be an even more startling fact, is that since 1999, “severe childhood obesity has more than doubled,” according to a new JAMA Pediatrics study.
You have five dollars. You can either buy a smoothie or fresh food that covers all five dollars, or you can buy five things off the value menu at a fast food chain. Clearly, the second option provides the biggest meal. And there is the problem. Fast food is anything but good for us, yet it is often the most comfortable option for families globally. This “quick and easy” mentality has led to the decline in health globally, and it will only worsen unless cheap foods that are healthy as well are introduced to the world. Perhaps, instead of buying a #4 on the value-meal menu, you can buy some whole wheat pasta and tomatoes to make a heartier meal.
A large sum of the problem can be attributed to the misleading food labels found in supermarkets. “Can I have a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, please?” This American classic has been a staple of my household long before I can remember. I mean, nothing gets better than picturing a picnic in the park holding your favorite childhood lunch. Yet, in this picture I have painted in my head, I do not refer to a roasted peanuts and sugar and molasses and x and y and z accompanied by some fruit preserves and extra sugar sandwich. Why is it that companies now have to label peanut butter as “natural peanut butter spread” if it is made with more wholesome ingredients, and keep the posers as the real deal?
Don’t get me wrong, I have come across many super market ventures where sometimes more is better. Example: 2 for 1 toilet paper deal with an extra roll in the pack (I mean come on, who can resist that?).
With deals on all sorts of products, it is often hard to stay focused on what you were initially looking for. As I peruse through an eisle for a head of lettuce I was missing for dinner, I suddenly find myself driving back home with 2 for 1 cookies, chips, you name it. I challenge you, reader, to walk into a superstore and leave with just one thing!
However, when it comes to what I put in my body and my children’s bodies, I want the best possible ingredients I can lay my hands on. This is not a demand to deny the childhood rights of s’mores or milkshakes or grilled cheeses. Instead, it is a suggestion to be more mindful of the products you purchase and their ingredients.
Often, fat free can mean loaded with sugar and sodium, replenished with additives to make up for what was taken out.
With obesity running rampant throughout most of our country, we should make the most of this privilege that many people unfortunately lack around the rest of the world. Obesity rates increase year after year, but is it really a surprise when more and more of our products have unnecessary ingredients that not even a scholar can pronounce? Being conscious of the content of our foods can lead to a decrease in the global obesity epidemic and resulting health problems, it just requires a little extra reading time. Let’s stop breaking bellies, and instead build up our nutrition.
