by Gary R. Hess

Obesity in America has been blamed on many different things; increased technology such as video games is one, as well as more fast food restaurants. However I do not believe that these are the only causes of such a large amount of obesity within the USA.

The cause that gets mostly overlooked is the portrayal of men and women in society. Not video games or more fast food restaurants, but the way women and men are portrayed by the media, movies and television shows over the past decade.

There are a few exceptions such as “The Parkers” or “Rosanne” but for the most part there is not an obese person on television who is in touch with the youth.

When you walk outside and see a billboard of a sexy model in lingerie or turn on the television and see another underweight woman or go to the movies yet again to see a woman with large breasts and a small waist has to be a large contributor.

Young men and women are forced to look like these models. The ones who can’t do it end up getting depressed, which is a large factor in causing obesity.

Forty percent of all Americans have been depressed sometime within their life. That is the most world wide, so it is easy to see why over a third of all Americans are overweight. This is not just a fluke. Depression and obesity have been proven to be linked.

Perhaps not all of the cases are caused by these fashion symbols, but it should not be dismissed as being a large contributor. This is the age of plastic surgery and breast enhancements, if a woman did not feel that she had to have these two things in order to be beautiful they would not be so popular. So what causes her to want this? Men and of course societies portrayal of women.

This is not just a woman’s problem however. Men are put under just as much scrutiny as women. A man must be strong, well in shape, and not too fat or too skinny. They have to act a certain way, be tough and able to take charge. Some men just aren’t this way and again end up with long term depression.

Society must change as a whole in order for our children of this country to feel wanted and feel beautiful again.
About the Author
Gary is a web designer and writer for Love and Friendship Poems

garyr_h@yahoo.com

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