Recent data has revealed that, worldwide, the number of overweight and obese individuals is growing, for both men and women and in all age groups.
One of the biggest reasons why this is happening is simply because individuals nowadays tend to consume a lot more fast foods and junk foods but less fruits and vegetables. An additional cause for getting obese is the inactive way of life many individuals have due to the amount of time spent sitting in front of PCs, televisions, and video games.
But being overweight is really a big social concern. Being called names, not being able to find clothes that fit well, and being discriminated against as a job applicant are some of the real problems faced by those who are overweight.
The media also makes us think that physical perfection is what we need. This constant bombardment by the media appears to keep the social stigma alive and well. They make it really hard for those who have excess weight; everywhere you look – on television and in magazines, you are told that everyone should have a toned physique.
It has even reported that some airlines are considering weighing passengers and setting their fare amount based on their weight. They also have proposed charging for two tickets for any passenger who cannot get the arm rest down in a single seat.
Health is the Important Thing
I definitely believe being overweight and obesity are issues we should take seriously. Not for the vain self-indulgent reasons portrayed by the media, but for the serious health risks which come with it.
Discriminating against the overweight and obese is bad, but not encouraging them to lose weight is also wrong.
The treatment of obesity and overweight would involve less consumption of fast foods, increased consumption of fruits and vegetables, a lot more exercise, and less time spent in front of the television and personal computer or playing video games.
Overweight people, if they can, should definitely talk to a nutritionist. They should keep themselves informed about what is wholesome and what isn’t, simply because a lot of individuals have the wrong ideas about proper nutrition. You should do your best to only have nutritious foods in your house or at work, because keeping junk foods around and seeing them will only lure you to consume them.
I also believe that the best thing to do to conquer this social stigma against being overweight is for those who are heavy to accept themselves for who they are, and to know that what they look like is not the most important thing; that they need to tackle the problem for health reasons.
The overweight should attempt not to focus just on the weight concern for its own sake; but attempt to make it a health concern.
Work towards accomplishing a goal of getting healthy. It is really an ongoing procedure. There are setbacks at times, but you should keep trying. Focus more on the areas where you require more help. Think of other ways that you can achieve your goals and share those ways with others if it helped you.
