Is obesity a national health crisis?

Obesity is a problem for many reasons. Hereditary, emotional problems, addiction and the main one is inactivity in todays children. Kids have to many electronic gadgets and are glued to the the television these days. Back in the day (yes I am elderly) there was nothing to do but chores and play outside. We were outside running, biking and playing from sun up to sun down. Neighbors were close to each other, spent evenings outdoors together, watched each others children and etc. There were neighborhood games taking place all the time. Then of course you have the change in diets. Store bought bread was a treat at one time. Now everything is fast food, microwave and eaten on the run. Very few people cook from scratch anymore nor do they grow there own foods. Some may think times are better now, but it doesn't seem so to me.

I think that parents are too lax on what their children eat. They think that as long as the child is eating it doesn't matter, not true. This in turn causes the child to become obese and they remain obese as an adult becasue they have never been told or shown the best way to maintain a healthy weight by eating healthier and eating things that are good for you. A lot of the time the adult is in a hurry and they think a kids meal will do, yeah it will do bad things to your kids.. its like instent cellulite in a box, with a toy. People need to focus on maintaining a healthy lifestyle and spread the word that fat is out and health is in.

Obesity is a personal crisis... It may be caused by natural malfunctions of a person's body... it maybe shear (and in the larger context) laziness... The fact is by and large (pun intended) if a person is responsible for themsevles they are responsible for keeping themselves in some sort of physical condition. Why do you think (as John Stossel has pointed out) We have the FATTEST and RICHEST "poor" on Earth... Only Americans could define Obesity as a National Crisis. On the other hand maybe, just maybe it takes a National Crisis to put this silly idea in perspective, burn the "fat" away and leave us with an idea of what we have exactly. If we have - genetically and generally, the same population of people we had during the Depression - how many "fat" people were arond then? Not that I suggest a Depression is something good... but you get my point. We have little discipline about ourselves - it may be the one stereotype that the rest of the world holds about our general population that has substantiated 'truth' within it.

Obesity is a huge problem in our society. It is a personal problem that transcends personal when others have to pay higher health insurance costs due to the deleterious health effects of extra weight. Many implicate family members or friends, also, by accepting care from them when they are disabled from obesity related illnesses. Many people in all societies have vices to help them cope. In this society, food is placed on a pedestal. Events showcase food and many events simply ARE food! Food is fun, instantaneously rewarding and relatively cheap. My solution is to eat and drink moderately, run your butt off on the treadmill and then tell the government to stay out of our affairs--for everybody knows that if one lusts for junk food, their noses are gonna find it!

Obesity is a crisis but it is not the responsibility of the government to "fix" it. No other person is responsible for your weight but you. Children are the only exception to this. Obviously, children can only eat the foods that are provided to them and so many families teach children to clean their plates. If you train yourself to eat until no longer hungry and to move you body some each day your life can be better lived. Not all weight issues are caused by overeating but the majority of them are. Education is key and can help to solve most problems. Lord knows, don't count on the government to educate either! But I won't go there! If instant gratification were not so ingrained in us and society full of the "me" syndrome...oh, what a dream!

Let's not count out the multitude of food choices we have here in the US. I was in a European country recently. In EACH restaurant I was in, I ordered a salad. They didn't offer me 10 kinds of salad dressings like they do here; they gave me only vinegar and olive oil. At first, I was turned off by the lack of selection, but I really enjoyed having a salad this way. I noticed that the Europeans in this country were in pretty good physical shape. There wasn't an obesity issue. Now, back in the US, I only eat salad this way. This is only one example, but I mention this to say that we pride ourselves on the fact that we have many choices for foods when other countries don't have that privilege. These choices aren't always the most healthiest... simplicity CAN be the healthiest. The food companies exploit this desire for choices and obesity is the product of this.

Every where I go it seems the majority of people I see are obese. As a nurse, I see the obese younger and younger diagnosed with diabetes, hypertension, heart disease and respiratory diseases. What a shame that we have allowed our restaurants, grocery stores, bakeries & fast food to serve such trash. Awareness is the key...preventive medicine also. The CDC needs to sponsor TV ads and whatever else we all can do to stop this epidemic.

parents aren't home enough like they they were years ago. it easier for people to eat fast food now days and very little meals prepared at home. way too much perpared food in stores. when mom's were home and had to prepare food and meals people ate better and people and kids weren't so heavy and it was good exercise for house wifes and the other people in the home ate a better balanced diet.

parents aren't home enough like they they were years ago. it easier for people to eat fast food now days and very little meals prepared at home. way too much perpared food in stores. when mom's were home and had to prepare food and meals people ate better and people and kids weren't so heavy and it was good exercise for house wifes and the other people in the home ate a better balanced diet.

Obesity is an example of cultural lag. People still consume calories as if they are doing manual labor (such as farming, construction) and hard play, expending far fewer than they take in. Add to this the convenience factor of fast foods and minimal meal planning; the result is rampant obesity.

I think obesity is a personal choice-- not the government business. Would our gov't get their dander up if they were in a photo ad being obeise? You,they,know they would --- let's do it,maybe then they would shut up. Look at Dick Morris--- he's not doing anything about being obeise but look at his face pumped up with "botox" for his aging wrinkles. I think he needs to worry about obesity first-- anybody agree?

Obesity is not a crisis. As stated in almost every comment from above it is, in most cases a lack of responsibility either by the individual or the parent. As with so many issues currently facing our country we need to get a grip and take responsibility of ourselves again and government intervention is not the solution.

Obesity is a personal problem!!! The nation doesn't make us overeat--we do that ourselves. We are given choices in life--some people choose to overeat or to eat a lot of junk food rather than healthier food. All foods in moderation are usually okay, it's when you go overboard with the fatty, sugary, sodium laden food that it affects your health and your looks. The best way to eat is to stand in front of the mirror nude!!!

parents and children,are so busy these days.after a long day of work,school, after- school activites,cleaning,laundry and the list goes on and on,having time to fix a sinsible meal is usually out of the question.so it's often meals like cheeseburgers,pizza,etc.no one can eat very much food like this and not gain weight.

yes its our fast food, easier for parents, but i believe the big reason kids don't play outside anylong is because parents are afraid to just let the kids play, like in the 50's kids played outside out of parents sight, we were gone for hours, just playing in the neighborhood, kids can't do that now.

WHEN I WAS GROWING UP, WE HAD PHYSICAL EDUCATION IN SCHOOL --- EVERY DAY. AFTER SCHOOL, WE MOSTLY RODE BIKES OR SWAM IN THE SUMMER. WE MOSTLY RODE BIKES AND PLAYED BALL IN THE WINTER. TODAY, MANY PARENTS DON'T UNDERSTANDING "PARENTING". THE KIDS SIT IN FRONT OF A TV OR COMPUTER OR PLAY HAND-HELD GAMES. THEY DO NOT EXERCISE. PARENTS DON'T PREPARE FRESH VEGETABLES AND FRUIT. THEY USE "FAST FOOD" OR MEALS IN A BOX. T0O BAD AND TOO SAD FOR OUR CHILDREN.

Yes its a health crisis. Cheap food is bad food. Home Economics and PE aren't classes in school anymore and moms and or dads aren't home anymore to teach the kids how to cook healthy meals or play outside with the kids and not sit in front of the computer or tv all day. Less work, more play, the united states needs to instill more family values instead of so much value in the US dollar. Our children are suffering.

We are in such a hurry today that most people rely heavily on processed and boxed foods at least a few times per week. And our children are fed white floury foods which are addictive and fattening, so they get hooked on the wrong kinds of foods from day one. Over 65% of the population is overweight, definitely a huge issue....