Effects of Fast Foods on Obesity Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words - 1

Effects of Fast Foods on Obesity - Essay Example ave detrimental effects on the health status of the affected people such as a reduced life expectancy and a possible worsening of other medical problems (Pereira et.al 2005). Scientifically, a person is considered to be obese when their body mass index (BMI) which is the calculation of the body mass for every unit of squared height is above 30kg/m2. Specifically, studies and research conducted have shown that obesity increases the chances of diseases such as heart diseases, diabetes, and osteoarthritis and can sometimes lead to other types of cancer. As pertains to the serious and recurrent question as to what causes obesity, there has not been a specific answer. Obesity in individuals is as a result of a combination of factors which directly lead to or facilitate the intensity of the condition. The major factors attributed to the cause of diabetes include diet, genetics, social factors, lifestyle and medical illnesses. However the recent spurts in the rates of individuals developing the condition have been specifically attributed to the combination of high food intake and little to no physical activity of any kind. The cases that result out of the other factors such as medical illnesses and genetics are considered to be minimal. The focus of this paper hence would be on the effect that dietary measures and habits have on obesity, particularly the fast food industry. While genetic and other influences have played a major role in trying to explain and understand obesity, they have not been able to explain the current sporadic increase in the number of obese individuals within the particular countries or on a global scale (Chopra, Galbraith & Darnton-Hill, 2002). Although it has generally been accepted that excessive food consumption has led to obesity on an individual level, the reason for changes on these two factors on a societal and global scale has been subject to much debate. Various theories have been postulated that suggest that the dramatic increase in