Btec National Diploma Sport & Science                       Robert Foster

Obesity in today’s society

Introduction

In this assignment I am going to investigate obesity in today’s society. I am going to; make you aware what causes people to gain weight, lose weight or stay the same, discuss some of the factors why so many people in today’s society are obese and then justify who I feel is responsible.

Reasons for people to gain weight (Energy intake exceeds expenditure) 

There are many reasons why people gain in weight they include

Over eating the reasons for over eating may include:

  • boredom
  • depression
  • comfort
  • constant availability of food (including convenience foods)
  • bad eating habits
  • eating at the wrong time
  • rewarding behavior with sweet treats, and nurturing through food
  • snacking
  • eating the wrong foods  
  • use of a bad dieting program
  • healthy food’s are more expensive

It is very easy for a person to get into a bad eating pattern most of the time the person is not even aware that they are in one.

Lack of exercise the reasons behind it may include:

  • laziness/too tired after work
  • inactive jobs
  • inactive leisure activities (watching television, computer games etc)
  • use of cars rather than walking or cycling
  • unable to exercise because of injury, illness or just too large
  • cost of health clubs/exercise classes
  • being housebound
  • Schools/collages approach to PE
  • Schools banning recreational sports at break times  

People tend to put exercise low on their list of priories because of other pressures in today’s lifestyle but if a person just left an hour for exercises it can have a positive effect on the body and mind.

Other factors may include:

  • poverty
  • poor nutrition education
  • lack of traditional cooking skills
  • poor labeling of products by both manufacturers and supermarkets
  • false advertising form food/drink companies

Though the government has regulations for food advertising and packaging there are loop holes which food and drink companies take advantage of.

For example:

This Alpen Cereal advertises that there is no added sugar. This would make a potential buyer (who does not relies this advertising tactic) believe that this product will be low in sugar and good for them, but no added sugar mean’s that there is no added sugar to the original recipe and the amount of sugar in the original recipe could be anything, a worrying thought!.      

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Reasons for people to lose weight (Expenditure exceeds energy intake)

There are many reasons why people lose weight they include:

  • High metabolism
  • Skipping meals
  • Illness
  • Injury
  • Active lifestyle
  • Stress
  • Malnutrition
  • Eating wrong foods  
  • Exercise
  • Dieting

There is only one good reason to diet and that is to change a bad eating pattern but only if the diet program is healthy A good diet is for life which most people do not relies as soon as you stop the diet and change your eating pattern the weight you lost will gain very quickly because ...

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