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"Do ya have tae call me fat? I tried going on a diet ye know. The zone, ye know 'Carbs are the enemy.' But the portions were so wee I ate the delivery man."
-- Fat Bastard from Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me

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       Throughout our western civilization, structural and moral changes have caused a shift in the way we go about our lives. Movements like industrialization that resulted in the production of the assembly line created a domino effect that shaped the format of our working lives all the way down to how we ate and participated in our daily activities. In combination with all the technological advances, our way of living has changed dramatically from previous years. Although this change has meant an upward spiral in our ease of living, it has also had a traumatic effect upon the general health of our nation.
       The value of physical labor and activity is no longer important for the majority of people, and the food choices we make are weighed on an economic scale rather than for nutritional value. According to Health E-Stats for the year 1999-2000, over sixty-four percent of adults age twenty and over were overweight or obese in the United States, and the U.S. also has a greater percentage of overweight people than most other nations in the world. As body weight is a function of energy and nutrient balance over an extended period of time, the increase in being overweight and obese is directly linked to a large progressive reduction in energy expended for work, chores, and personal necessities. This coupled with the dietary habits of eating many meals with larger portion sizes has created a dramatic effect within the last century.
       It is our goal to explain the characteristics behind this growing epidemic, educate about the risks associated with becoming overweight, and suggest solutions for a change in the current health levels of our country.


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Key Definitions to Know:

Obesity – Excessive accumulation of adipose fat, having a BMI greater than or equal to 30.

Overweight - Weighing more than is normal, necessary, or allowed, having more body weight than is considered healthy for one's age or build, having a BMI between 25 and 30.

Physical Activity – Any form of muscular movement.