Obesity has become one of the major problems today that it is now termed as globesity. It is accepted as a global danger and governments are putting in resources to fight this threat. The economic resources of the country are wasted in fighting this menace.
The Survey Reports confirm that 1% obesity levels are increasing every year for the last 15-20 years and if this rate continues whole of the population of America will be over-weight by the year 2040. The eating habits of people have changed over the years. Fast food chains, more of carbonated drinks and above all, the work culture has added to all this.
The original causes of obesity have to be understood to eliminate it from its roots.
Changing Work Culture
Earlier, people were required to perform their work in a single day without any breaks and any unwanted movement. There were limitations on holidays and leaves so there was very less social life left for them.
Now-a-days, people get big breaks at their workplace so that they can take rest and they get much more time to meet their deadlines. The timings have become flexible so one can move according to his/her plans.
Junk Food
Changing time has brought many new things with it and one thing which we can mention here is fast food. This food has affected our lives like nothing else before. Low physical activity has resulted in the inability of the body to break down sugar molecules and has led to an increased desire for instant and quick absorbing, cheap energy foods. Junk food and carbonated drinks quickly emerged to replace energy foods and drinks which constituted all the necessary nutrients. By the time, people started realizing the fact that fast food is adding to their ill-health it was too late. Todays generation is totally dependent on such foods and it seems difficult to stop them.
Transportation Facilities
These days, people spend very little time walking since the mode of transportation has improved. There is little need to walk distances. There are various transportation means to travel to your destination. Life has become very fast as compared to the laid-back 20th century lifestyles. This resulted in high stress leading to an increased longing for carbohydrates and high-energy foods which gave way to fast food.
Improvement in Technology
Technology has influenced our lifestyle to a great extent. From cooking to computers, everything is just at the touch of a button involving very little physical activity. This sedentary lifestyle resulted in low metabolic activity and calorie burning. The actual exercise is walking and breathing fresh air rather than exercising in gyms on treadmills.
Role of Information Technology
Information technology has affected the work culture in a sense that you do not have to visit customers or business associates for meetings. You do everything using computers, internet, video conferencing and teleconferencing. Technology has even enabled the work to be outsourced to different countries with no physical contact needed. Work can be done sitting at one place.
Obesity and overweight needs to be tackled by designing a new lifestyle that will combine technology with natural living. Technology has to be an enabler of better health and lifestyles and not be the basis for the destruction of the mankind.
