Project 1
Solutions for Obesity
Tyler Kelsey
Department of English, Tulsa Community College
Compostion 2
Professor Hammett
March 6, 2026
Solutions for Obesity
Obesity is one of the United States biggest problems involving people. This is because millions of people across the country are struggling with weight-related health issues, and the number is rising every year, yet progress has still been limited. It can be known part of the problem is because of personal decisions and a lack of willpower. However, this argument fails to consider the many other factors involved in the lives of individuals. In fact, the truth is that obesity is affected by all aspects of an individual’s life, such as, food availability and education. It is because of this that the problem of obesity has to be solved at two different levels. For example, the best way to solve the problem of obesity is to use a calm approach that involves nutrition, healthy foods, and physical activities. By using these strategies, it is possible to solve the problem of obesity by looking at the interrelated strategies that are likely to bring about change and promote healthy living among individuals of all ages. Some argue that obesity is the result of personal choices and lack of willpower. However, it is more so environmental factors like food availablility, cost, and access to safe spaces. The best way to fight obesity is through nutrition education programs, access to healthy foods, and physical exercise programs in communities.
Improving nutrition education is one of the best solutions to the problem of obesity, based on the fact that many people are not well-informed and thus cannot make the right nutritional choices. “BIopsychosocial factors determine weight gain much more than personal choices and responsibility.”(Masood and Moorthy, 2023, p.284). The problem of obesity is significantly related to the nutritional behaviors of people, which in turn are related to the lack of understanding of the effects of certain foods on the body in the long term. The authors say that
People are consuming foods with high calories not because they like the foods, but because they do not have the knowledge needed to make the right choices and understand how certain foods contribute to weight gain in the long term. This is good evidence that education is not an alternative; it is the basic requirement for solving the problem of obesity. Once an individual is aware of the effects of certain foods on their bodies, they are likely to develop positive eating habits and make purposeful efforts towards ensuring their well-being. This can be achieved through the efforts of schools, work places, and medical institutions in promoting positive eating habits through workshops and demonstrations on nutrition and diet plans suitable for individuals of different cultures. This way, they will be able to develop the necessary confidence in their ability to read food labels, cook healthy foods, and identify false advertisement by food companies. Otherwise, they will be unable to develop the necessary eating habits, even if they are willing to do so, due to the lack of nutrition education. Therefore, nutrition education is the most fundamental part of the solution to obesity.
Another major solution to the problem of obesity is the accessiblility of healthy foods, especially for those living in poor and rural areas where the availability of healthy foods is limited. According to Masood and Moorthy (2023), factors such as food deserts, the high cost of healthy foods, and fast foods are some of the main contributors to the increasing numbers of obese people in the country. “Seven studies included 2,187 people with obesity testing, anti- obesity medication (AOM), AOM intensive lifestyle counseling and meal replacements, and physician training to better counsel patients on intensive lifestyle modification.” (Pereault et al.,2023). If people are living in areas where there are many fast food stores and very few stores where they can buy healthy foods, they are more likely to consume fast foods because they do not have any other choice. This is evidence in the above examples because personal
Responsibility is not enough to solve the problem. If an individual knows the importance of healthy foods and the need to consume the and they are unable to do so because they are not available in the area they are living in. The availability of grocery stores can be increased, support for farmers' markets can be encouraged, and certain amounts of money for fruits and vegetables can be offered. The community can be helped by mobile produce trucks, community gardens, and partnerships with local farmers who bring fresh produce directly into underserved communities. Transportation programs can be improved, along with supermarket placement programs, to help eliminate differences so that all members of a community can access healthy food options regardless of their income or where they live. By changing these parts of the surroundings, we can help make a community where everyone has a fair chance to make healthy choices for themselves.
The third effective solution in the prevention of obesity is getting physical exercise programs into the community, making physical activities available and enjoyable. Masood and Moorthy (2023) emphasize that lazy inactive behaviors are one of the main contributors to obesity, especially in communities that lack recreational facilities or do not have the ability to engage in physical activities. “Many people want to be in physical activities, however, a lot of times they just do not have access to recreational areas.” (Madigan et al., 2022, p.1). Their study says that individuals are much more likely to do physical activities if they have better access to recreational areas, walking trails, sports activities, and other physical activities. Many people want to be in physical activities, however, a lot of times they just do not have access to recreational areas or, lack of safe areas for children, lack of free time, or not being able to pay gym fees are some barriers to their participation in physical activities. Community programs can help by making physical activities part of daily life. These programs also provide social support
networks that can help raise the motivation level and make people want to remain committed to their health goals. As communities invest into things like sidewalks, playgrounds, and public recreation facilities, they create a place that not only makes it possible to be physically active but also promotes it. This way, the people can live active lifestyles that can help prevent obesity and improve their health in general.
In other words, to solve the problem of obesity, it is just not enough to rely on an individual’s willpower or assume that individuals can make better, healthier decisions on their own. To solve this problem, it is important to understand that obesity is a complicated problem influenced by the environment that surrounds that person, the resources that people have, and the knowledge that individuals have gained about nutrition and physical activities. Furthermore, in solving the problem, it is important to have an answer for the relationship between individual behaviors and the systems that affect individual behaviors. Nutrition education is designed to ensure that individuals are knowledgeable enough to make decisions regarding their health. With more access to healthy foods, the choices are not only feasible but also achievable for all individuals in the community and not limited to a selected group based on financial and geographical advantages. Community-based physical activity programs are also effective in providing a healthy environment where individuals are encouraged and motivated to move and engage in healthy activities. All the above solutions are directed at the causes and not the symptoms of obesity. If the community and leaders in the health sector are committed to the solutions provided, the United States can achieve a healthy future where every individual has the opportunities and resources they need to succeed.
References
Madigan, C. D., Graham, H. E., Sturgiss, E., Kettle, V. E., Gokal, K., Biddle, G., Taylor, G. M. J., & Daley, A. J. (2022). Effectiveness of weight management interventions for adults delivered in primary care: Systematic review and meta‑analysis of randomised controlled trials. BMJ, 377, e069719. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj-2021-069719 (doi.org in Bing)
Masood, B., & Moorthy, M. (2023). Causes of obesity: A review. Clinical Medicine, Volume(Issue), page–page. https://doi.org/xxxxxx
Perreault, L., Kramer, E. S., Smith, P. C., Schmidt, D., & Argyropoulos, C. (2023). Title of article in sentence case. Frontiers in Medicine, 10, Article number or page range. https://doi.org/xxxxxxxxxxx (doi.org in Bing)