by Nicole Bailey

Created on: May 02, 2009   Last Updated: May 11, 2009

Living in South Korea, I was struck by the slim, fit physique of most of the population. I am what most Americans consider petite, about a size 4, 115 pounds on a 5'4 frame. In fact, I describe myself as someone who is in good shape. In the eyes of many Koreans, I was an anomoly. I often heard jokes about fat, out of shape Americans, and I had a hard time arguing their truth. What many people do not realize, however, is that obesity is not necessarily the fault of the overweight individual, it is a problem spawned by our culture.

Over the past couple decades, Americans have become increasingly overweight, and this problem is not confined to us: other wealthy, overworked countries face the same issue. The amount of hours the average American works per week is the first contributing factor in our weight gain. Most of us work at least a 40 hour week, and that includes women and men. When both adults in a household work full time, no one has time to prepare a healthy, home cooked meal. Gone are the days of the 50s mom, who spent hours slaving over a hot stove. This is not to say that we women miss those days: I surely would not want them back! The change to a busy working schedule for women and men alike, however, does put a severe cramp in our dietary options. If no one can make that home-cooked meal, then what are our choices? Foodmakes have been quick to satisfy our need for meals with pre-packed, preservative heavy, microwavable options. These appetizing, convenient, and often cheap selections are hard to pass up, but they take a toll on our stomachs (and our thighs, and our upper arms....) If we manage to resist these pre-packaged meals, we must also try and defeat the onslaught of fast food chains. It is impossibe to get from my job to my home without passing 3 McDonalds, 2 Wendys, 2 Burger Kings and an Arbys. By the time I start that drive, I'm so hungry that I no longer care what is in my food or how it was prepared, and that is a problem. This is even more true for workers who only get half hour lunch breaks: this is only enough time to run for fast food, scarf it down and run back.

Of course, while I am busy trying to find a way to eat healthy on my lunch break, my son or daughter has just gotten home from sitting at a desk for hours on end at school, and they are looking for a snack. The television shows images of potato chips, sugary drinks, and iced cream sundaes, and I am not there to push them towards an apple instead.

Most Americans are not obese because they are lazy, in fact it is quite the opposite. They are obese because they work long days at jobs that promote ill health by confining employees to cubicles and offering lunch breaks that are much too short to eat a healthy meal slowly. If we want to cut down on our collective weight, we need to throw away our ineffective diet pills and demand that our jobs offer longer lunch breaks (like those found in so many European countries) and incentives to get up and move around. Let us take 15 minutes to walk around outside. Offer discounted gym memberships, or complimentary yoga sessions. Have outdoor company parties. Just get us up out of our chairs and show us that our health is important. Maybe the positive influence will even rub off on our kids.

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