Recent research shows that the cons

Recent research shows that the consumption of junk food is a major factor in poor diet and this is detrimental to health. Some people believe that better health education is the answer to this problem but others disagree. What is your opinion?

A serious concern nowadays is how our eating habits can affect our health. In particular, it has been demonstrated that eating too much junk food can lead to health issues later in life. One sensible suggestion for dealing with this is to improve the level of health education so that we eat better and live longer. My belief though is that this would not completely solve the problem.

One reason why focussing on health education is an appropriate measure is that it addresses one underlying cause of the problem. It is clear that there is a connection between what people know about nutrition and their eating habits. For example, children who have learned in school about the need to have a varied diet with plenty of vitamins tend to eat more healthily. In contrast, people who have not had this education still eat too much junk food and as a result suffer from diabetes and other diseases.

Better health education, however, is not a complete answer as it ignores the wider social factors that cause people to eat unhealthily. For instance, many people eat fast food because they have a lifestyle that means they do not have time to sit down to a proper meal. Again, other people might eat burgers and pizzas because they are seen to be cool and they want to impress their peers.

There would not appear to be any simple way to deal with these social factors. A difficulty is that it is very hard for governments to make a difference to the individual choices people make. It might help, however, to ban advertisements for unhealthy foods on television and to require companies to provide proper meal facilities for their employees.

My conclusion is that the government certainly ought to introduce measures to improve the level of health education. However, this probably would not be a perfect solution as it would also be necessary to deal with the other social factors that cause unhealthy eating.

Obesity: Causes and Effects POSTED IN HEALTH AT 2015.03.31 WITH 4 COMMENTS
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An individual’s weight is determined by the balance of calorie intake as well as the amount of physical activities in which he/ she participates. If a balance is maintained between these two, then an individual can maintain appropriate body weight. On the other hand if the amount of food consumed is more than the number of calories burnt, then the extra energy is stored in the body in the form of fat and as a result an individual gains weight. The mechanism of losing weight is simply the opposite of this. Below are the common causes and effects of obesity.
obesity causes effects essay
Causes of Obesity
Genetics

If one or both the parents suffer from obesity, then there are increased chances that the children will also become obese. Inheritance of obesity is the reason why some new born babies are also born with obesity. Genetics plays major role in regulating fat regulation in the body. A hormone called Leptin is present in the placenta as well as fat cells in the body. Hence, it can promote obesity to some extent.
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Overeating

Especially if the diet is rich in fats, then overeating is also a very common cause of obesity. Foods high in sugar/ fat as well as fried and fast food can also promote the deposition of fat in the body, ultimately leading to obesity. The frequency of eating also decides the amount of weight gained by an individual.

Slow metabolism & inactivity

The more the muscles in the body, the faster the metabolism rate is. This is the reason why women have comparatively slower metabolism than men. People who lead an inactive lifestyle with minimal physical activities also tend to gain weight and become obese.
Effects of Obesity
Obesity has numerous negative effects on the body:
Diabetes

Overweight individuals tend to suffer from diabetes. Usually obese people acquire Type 2 Diabetes as they reach adulthood. But this problem has now become common in children as well. Being obese interrupts the functioning of the insulin hormone in the body. This hormone is responsible for regulating blood sugar in the body.

High blood pressure

Obesity puts extra pressure on the heart in order to draw enough oxygen for the tissues and cells in the body. As a result, the blood pressure increases and hence the individual suffers from high blood pressure. In an effort to supply enough oxygen to all tissues and organs in the body, heart makes blood to flow through additional blood vessels and hence is a big threat to the patient’s life.

Joint problem

Osteoarthritis is also a common problem faced by obese people. Because of the stress on the legs and hip due to being overweight, an individual can suffer from joint pain.

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