"Americans are fat and getting fatter by the year. Recent data reported in medical journal Lancet showed that BMI (Body Mass Index), a recognized measurement of obesity, is higher on average in America than in any other nation.
"The obesity problem, however, is international. The report in Lancet states that "In 2008, 9.8 percent of the world's male population were obese, as were 13.8 percent of women. In 1980, these rates were 4.8 percent and 7.9 percent." U.S. eating habits and diets have been exported, many experts say. Nations which before had relatively lean diets which were high in grains and fruits now consume many more soft drinks and hamburgers.
"This trend toward poorer diets has caused obesity to be the most written-about health problem in the United States. Fat Americans are more likely to have diabetes, coronary artery disease, strokes and certain forms of cancer. Less well reported are links between obesity and dementia, obesity and postmenopausal estrogen receptors, and obesity and social status. Thin people, apparently, are more likely to be chief executives and billionaires."
In my Injustice in America class, the issue of who is to blame for this came up. One student said parents, since they control what their kids eat. Another said they should not be blamed since they are working many hours and are targeted by fast food companies who make the food cheap, fast, and fun for kids.
Both are probably right. I equated it to crack cocaine dealers. The people who use it are to blame for making the choice to smoke it. But so too are the dealer of the crack, which is why they are arrested.
Clearly, food is legal and crack is not.
But remember, anything -- literally anything -- can be a crime. Perhaps it is time to look at how we eat and take appropriate steps to stop us from killing ourselves. Or to stop the food companies from killing us. Or both.
In this article, the ten states with the most deadly eating habits. Look who is number 1 (the same state that wants to make a license plate honoring the KKK).
http://finance.yahoo.com/family-home/article/112083/10-states-with-the-deadliest-eating-habits
