Dear Future President,

Obesity in the United States has reached epidemic proportions, creating the first generation of children in history to have a shorter lifespan than their parents. The definition of obesity according to google is the “condition of being grossly fat or overweight.” Children and adults across the U.S. need more physical activity throughout the day and need to be more informed on the possible risks of obesity. Being overweight can cost a lot of money through medical expenses, people don’t understand what they are eating and what it is doing to them internally, and being overweight or obese can increase your risk of having a numerous amount of diseases.

First, being overweight or obese can be very costly. Obesity is a huge contributor to preventable chronic diseases and health care costs in the U.S. The reason people become so much overweight is because their intake of calories are much higher than the amount that they are eliminating every day. The medical costs of an obese or overweight person are $1,429 higher than those of normal weight. Being obese can be handed down genetically by your parents. Children and adults need to carve out more time to focus on their health. Just taking the stairs instead of an elevator at work or walking the longer way just to get those extra steps in can help your health so much.

Secondly, to be consistently eating processed food with preservatives and additives is not good for your body. There are mechanically processed foods and chemically processed food with hydrogenated oils and refined ingredients. There can be added sugar into foods you may least expect it. For example in Ramen Noodles the first ingredient used in the soup base are salt and sugar. Just by looking at the nutrition label and realizing that there are non healthful foods in this product and putting it back on the shelf and trying to find an alternative could possibly save you from many potential diseases caused by obesity.

Lastly, being overweight or obese can highly increase the risk of many diseases. You are more prone to have a stroke, heart disease, diabetes, and certain types of cancer by having excess weight. In 2015, 30.4% of adults in the U.S. were obese compared to a 19.4% in 1997. It can severely affect internal organs including the brain. You can get eating disorders from being overweight as well as depression and anxiety. Being healthy can change your life just as being overweight can. Think about what you are putting into your mouth and digest because it can affect your health.

Certainly obesity is a problem across the U.S. and the world but it should be talked about more. More healthy options should be easier to obtain and exercising throughout the day should become a priority around the country. Ultimately, I wanted to inform you that the U.S. and other countries in the world are in the rise for obesity. By just checking the nutrition label, understanding the consequences of being obese and the effect it can have on your body can truly change your eating habits. Just by caring a little bit about our health can truly change America.