| The answer to the obesity epidemic sweeping the | | | | coffee shop in the middle of a busy mall or a |
| world seems to be divided. Depending on the point of | | | | sidewalk café in a beachside area and just watch |
| reference, some are adamant the gene pool plays a | | | | the people walk by. This method of observation |
| major role but others put forward a strong argument | | | | displays very clearly, there are an awful lot of people |
| to say that diet, lack of exercise and the modern | | | | that don't observe healthy diets. How often do you |
| lifestyle are a greater problem than the gene pool. | | | | see a family of "very overweight" people walking |
| Whatever your personal feelings are on the subject, | | | | along with "junk food" yes, you know MacDonald's, |
| the one thing that everyone must agree on is that | | | | Burger King, Dagwood dogs, hot dogs and then top |
| this subject needs to be talked about much more | | | | all this off with ice creams, yep, that is one healthy |
| than it already is. | | | | diet and goes a long way to explaining why Mum, |
| This snowballing epidemic has already affected more | | | | Dad, kids and yes, even man's best friend, the family |
| than 31% of all Americans, 25% of Mexicans, 23% | | | | dog is a victim of poor diet as is clearly evident from |
| of those living in the United Kingdom and the list goes | | | | the very round torso. Kind of hard to see the gene |
| on and on, people where ever you are, this is not a | | | | pool theory at work here. Next, let's go to the |
| contest you want to win! This silent killer has no | | | | supermarket and get the weekly shopping. Look at |
| boundaries; it does not discriminate between men, | | | | the shopping trolleys as you go up and down the |
| women or children. It does not care where you live, | | | | aisles Mum, Dad and the kids are at it again (no dogs |
| but it certainly does seem to thrive on the way you | | | | this time) all the family are obviously carrying more |
| live. | | | | than a few extra pounds and just look at the diet |
| Now just to step totally outside the circle for a | | | | here, potato chips, bottles and bottles of soft drinks, |
| minute. Be sure, I do not want to take away from | | | | donuts, chocolates, there must be some fresh fruit |
| some excellent research or try to sweep aside the | | | | and vegetables in this diet somewhere, surely? |
| findings of all those professionals and the | | | | Now let's be totally honest, we all know that diet, |
| organizations that have devoted many countless | | | | lifestyle and an aversion to exercise are major |
| hours to the genetics verses diet debate but please | | | | contributors to the obesity plague that is ravaging |
| allow me to just to throw in some personal | | | | our planet and I know from personal experience, |
| observations. | | | | overweight people LOVE the phrase "fat and happy" |
| Whilst I have researched many articles on the | | | | but be honest with yourself, fat is NOT healthy. Yes, |
| genetics side of the story, I would like to look at the | | | | there is definitely an argument that a percentage of |
| diet and lifestyle observations here. Now it is fair to | | | | people have a genetic problem when it comes to |
| say at this point I have no formal qualifications in this | | | | weight gain and loss, but it is really hard, if we are |
| field, I have however spent a lifetime of personal | | | | perfectly honest to blame genes when both parents |
| attachment to this disease and spent countless hours | | | | and the family dog are all suffering from obesity, that |
| observing people. I find it fascinating to sit at a | | | | must surely be a diet and lifestyle issue. |