What causes obesity? Genetics? Personal choices? Stress? The problem of being extremely overweight is on the rise in America, and in order to combat it, individuals to understand the causes of obesity and how to prevent it. In the article “Kentucky Town Illustrates National Obesity Crisis,” Wil Haygood sheds light on a specific example of a town facing the obesity epidemic, and though I agree with his remarks that obesity is the effect of poor fitness resources, limited food choices, and childhood perspective, I also disagree with each point because no root of obesity is one-sided.
The article begins by giving an overview of the friendly, quaint lifestyle of living in a small town, but transitions into showing how not everything happening there is good; obesity is becoming an epidemic in Manchester, Kentucky. In this rural community, the obesity rate of 52 percent in adults is far over the national average of 24 percent (407). Haygood also shows how adults are not the only people in Manchester being impacted by the obesity crisis; the issue extends to the community’s children. Pam Mathis comments on a local teenager’s weight condition: “She is a borderline diabetic. She had to go to the doctor today. They told her she should lose up to 30 pounds” (qtd. in Haygood 408). Haygood explains how, in Manchester, there are no true fitness organizations or healthy restaurants and how this is a contributing factor to the weight problem. Furthermore, through blunt examples of people who live in the town, specifically the Robinson family, Haygood demonstrates how he thinks that the obesity rates are also the effects of poor lifestyle choices, not only lack of fitness means. Overall, Haygood exposes that obesity is a real problem in Manchester, Kentucky, and that different factors cause this issue.
The first reason attributed by Haygood to the growing obesity statistics in America is the paucity of recreational centers in certain areas of the country. He holds that many small towns do not have the means to support fitness establishments, saying about Manchester, Kentucky, “There is no YMCA or YWCA here. There is no department of parks and recreation. There is no fancy dues-paying gym with energy drinks and literature about healthful eating habits” (407). By this, Haygood calls out that the lack of fitness centers coupled with an overabundance of fast-food restaurants makes opportunities to stay in shape harder to access, which, in turn, causes more people to become obese. I believe this to be true; I know that I am far more likely to desire to work out when the task is convenient, but I also know that this is not the full answer to the problem of not getting enough exercise. However many resources a town does or does not have will not be able to fully impact the most necessary component of staying fit: discipline. If a person truly longs to be in shape, he or she will find a way to put in the work required to achieve that goal. To make an example of Manchester, the town may not have a YMCA, but the townspeople have access to concrete basketball courts, paved roads, and an inexpensive, in-town personal trainer (411). To put it another way, although the means are limited, they do exist; the only question is whether or not people are willing to use them.
Another cause Haygood contends is impacting weight is the plethora of fast food restaurants in conjunction with a dearth of healthy eating choices. He elaborates, “At the Wal-Mart, there are snacks- cotton candy and potato chips and caramel corn- sold in supersize helpings” (409). In this way, Haygood shows how, when few healthy options are available, people tend to pick unhealthy food, which causes weight gain. He is correct to a certain degree. Given the convenience of fast-food eateries and the temptation of the sugar and grease-filled snacks, no wonder people choose junk food. The temptation becomes justified, and people overlook the ramifications of poor eating in favor of taste, ease, or cost. In contrast to Haygood, though, I see plenty of healthy options available in Manchester. Though not exactly gourmet or exciting, the healthy foods available at Manchester Walmart suffice in providing proper nourishment. Ultimately then, my goal is to demonstrate that, yes, every Walmart has a section of sodas, candies, and cakes, but every Walmart also has frozen dieting meals, low-fat food options, and a fresh produce section. In addition, portion control and a caloric intake balanced with the eater’s activity level also play a large part in eating right and staying healthy.
Switching gears, Haygood asserts that geography is not the only factor in the obesity issue. He claims the way people are raised to eat and take care of themselves shoulders much of the blame. Haygood quotes Regina Stevens, a pharmacist in Manchester, as she talks about the importance of childhood mentality on eating: “There is that feeling of ‘clean your plate’ in many homes around here. You don’t just throw food away. So the child has to eat all of the food, even if they are already full” (qtd. in Haygood 411). Here, Haygood emphasizes how the aforementioned “clean your plate” mindset of always finishing one’s portion implies that the influence of parents on children’s eating habits stays with them into adulthood. I agree with the idea that home-life influence is important in developing good eating habits. I count myself as a member of the “clean your plate” mentality because my parents always urged me to finish my meal entirely even when I was full. The reason I disagree, though, is that eventually, a person becomes old enough and smart enough to take charge of his or her own life and eating habits. In other words, at some point, every child must learn to make decisions for his or her own self, and determining what food to put in one’s body or deciding if exercise is worth the effort then falls on that person’s shoulders alone.
“Kentucky Town Illustrates National Obesity Crisis” by Wil Haygood exposes the town of Manchester, Kentucky, and the obesity crisis it is facing. The article touches on many points with which I agree, including that obesity is caused by a lack of fitness and healthy food resources and also by parenting styles. However, I also disagree with each point made because I believe that there is not clear-cut cause for obesity, as each possible cause is influenced by many other deciding factors that vary from situation to situation. Whether an individual’s cause of obesity is exercise level, diet, discipline, or any other avenue, the point remains that this major health concern must be dealt with, and the only way to do that is to examine the issue as a whole that is more than the sum of its parts.
The article begins by giving an overview of the friendly, quaint lifestyle of living in a small town, but transitions into showing how not everything happening there is good; obesity is becoming an epidemic in Manchester, Kentucky. In this rural community, the obesity rate of 52 percent in adults is far over the national average of 24 percent (407). Haygood also shows how adults are not the only people in Manchester being impacted by the obesity crisis; the issue extends to the community’s children. Pam Mathis comments on a local teenager’s weight condition: “She is a borderline diabetic. She had to go to the doctor today. They told her she should lose up to 30 pounds” (qtd. in Haygood 408). Haygood explains how, in Manchester, there are no true fitness organizations or healthy restaurants and how this is a contributing factor to the weight problem. Furthermore, through blunt examples of people who live in the town, specifically the Robinson family, Haygood demonstrates how he thinks that the obesity rates are also the effects of poor lifestyle choices, not only lack of fitness means. Overall, Haygood exposes that obesity is a real problem in Manchester, Kentucky, and that different factors cause this issue.
The first reason attributed by Haygood to the growing obesity statistics in America is the paucity of recreational centers in certain areas of the country. He holds that many small towns do not have the means to support fitness establishments, saying about Manchester, Kentucky, “There is no YMCA or YWCA here. There is no department of parks and recreation. There is no fancy dues-paying gym with energy drinks and literature about healthful eating habits” (407). By this, Haygood calls out that the lack of fitness centers coupled with an overabundance of fast-food restaurants makes opportunities to stay in shape harder to access, which, in turn, causes more people to become obese. I believe this to be true; I know that I am far more likely to desire to work out when the task is convenient, but I also know that this is not the full answer to the problem of not getting enough exercise. However many resources a town does or does not have will not be able to fully impact the most necessary component of staying fit: discipline. If a person truly longs to be in shape, he or she will find a way to put in the work required to achieve that goal. To make an example of Manchester, the town may not have a YMCA, but the townspeople have access to concrete basketball courts, paved roads, and an inexpensive, in-town personal trainer (411). To put it another way, although the means are limited, they do exist; the only question is whether or not people are willing to use them.
Another cause Haygood contends is impacting weight is the plethora of fast food restaurants in conjunction with a dearth of healthy eating choices. He elaborates, “At the Wal-Mart, there are snacks- cotton candy and potato chips and caramel corn- sold in supersize helpings” (409). In this way, Haygood shows how, when few healthy options are available, people tend to pick unhealthy food, which causes weight gain. He is correct to a certain degree. Given the convenience of fast-food eateries and the temptation of the sugar and grease-filled snacks, no wonder people choose junk food. The temptation becomes justified, and people overlook the ramifications of poor eating in favor of taste, ease, or cost. In contrast to Haygood, though, I see plenty of healthy options available in Manchester. Though not exactly gourmet or exciting, the healthy foods available at Manchester Walmart suffice in providing proper nourishment. Ultimately then, my goal is to demonstrate that, yes, every Walmart has a section of sodas, candies, and cakes, but every Walmart also has frozen dieting meals, low-fat food options, and a fresh produce section. In addition, portion control and a caloric intake balanced with the eater’s activity level also play a large part in eating right and staying healthy.
Switching gears, Haygood asserts that geography is not the only factor in the obesity issue. He claims the way people are raised to eat and take care of themselves shoulders much of the blame. Haygood quotes Regina Stevens, a pharmacist in Manchester, as she talks about the importance of childhood mentality on eating: “There is that feeling of ‘clean your plate’ in many homes around here. You don’t just throw food away. So the child has to eat all of the food, even if they are already full” (qtd. in Haygood 411). Here, Haygood emphasizes how the aforementioned “clean your plate” mindset of always finishing one’s portion implies that the influence of parents on children’s eating habits stays with them into adulthood. I agree with the idea that home-life influence is important in developing good eating habits. I count myself as a member of the “clean your plate” mentality because my parents always urged me to finish my meal entirely even when I was full. The reason I disagree, though, is that eventually, a person becomes old enough and smart enough to take charge of his or her own life and eating habits. In other words, at some point, every child must learn to make decisions for his or her own self, and determining what food to put in one’s body or deciding if exercise is worth the effort then falls on that person’s shoulders alone.
“Kentucky Town Illustrates National Obesity Crisis” by Wil Haygood exposes the town of Manchester, Kentucky, and the obesity crisis it is facing. The article touches on many points with which I agree, including that obesity is caused by a lack of fitness and healthy food resources and also by parenting styles. However, I also disagree with each point made because I believe that there is not clear-cut cause for obesity, as each possible cause is influenced by many other deciding factors that vary from situation to situation. Whether an individual’s cause of obesity is exercise level, diet, discipline, or any other avenue, the point remains that this major health concern must be dealt with, and the only way to do that is to examine the issue as a whole that is more than the sum of its parts.
Works Cited
Haygood, Wil. "Kentucky Town Illustrates National Obesity Crisis" They Say I Say With Readings. By Gerald Graff and Cathy Birkenstein. Ed. Russel Durst. 2E ed. New York: W.W. Norton & Company, 2012. 179-189. Print.