by Carmel Brulez

Created on: October 24, 2009

There is a problem with obesity but it is not an epidemic. Each person has the choice of what to eat and how much to eat, which is quite different to somehow suddenly getting some sort of illness which one has no control over, such as swine flu.

Those who become obese have a terrible diet. They rarely eat vegetables or fruit, they often eat a lot of fat, sugar, red meat, pasta, bread and potatoes. These are foods which are packed with salt, fat and calories.

Some of the foods available to us now, especially mass produced fast food, is jam packed with calories, but most of us have the sense to stay away from such foods or only eat them now and then as a treat. It is usually children who are more keen on them. Fast foods such as pizza, chips and burgers are probably the unhealthiest of foods one can buy. To have them occasionally is fine but to have them every day, as more and more people do, will lead to them putting on more and more weight, as well as causing them other health problems such as straining their heart.

If we go back to the year dot foods were seen as a way of putting fuel inside our bodies. We would kill animals or eat vegetables and fruit simply so that we did not die from malnutrion. Over the years food has become more of a novelty, a fun thing, where we often put taste before nutrition and health. If people were to be properly educated as to what is healthy and unhealthy and put their health first, taking responsibility for their size and health, then there would not be a problem. Someone who is very aware about nutrition and healthy eating, and who prioritises their health, does not eat unhealthily. We all have choices. We can always choose between the good and bad food available. For every huge person we see there is a skinny or normal sized person. This proves that each person had the choice.

But another factor is that many people do not exercise now. They may be sat at a desk all day long, or driving a car all day. This will also contribute to obesity and bad health.

If someone has a bad diet AND does not exercise then they have little hope of being a normal size or being healthy.

We have learnt that smoking causes us health problems, as does drinking heavily or regularly, now we have to think about how we wish to treat food. Do we go back to thinking of it as a fuel, or do we continue to eat what we fancy because of its taste, and sod the consequences. Surely the best thing to do is eat healthily most of the time, and exercise, and maybe once a week have a treat. That way we sort of have the best of both Worlds and appreciate the delicious food more than we would if we are eating it all the time.

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