The Big Fat Truth

Question: Is obesity still relevant in today's society, and are we doomed to obesity through heredity?

Although Gary Taubes’s article was written seven years ago, his topic is still very relevant in today’s society. As the years have progressed, obesity is becoming a major issue among Americans, especially the younger generation. The younger generation is growing up in a world of laziness – a world where an active lifestyle has been dethroned by King Technology. Video games, TV’s, and computers, all contribute to the lack of physical activity in our current day society. His claims that “we no longer exercise or walk up stairs, nor do our children bike to school or play outside, because they would prefer to play video games and watch television” are still relevant today, and they are even magnified on a larger scale. However, I do not believe that we are doomed to obesity due to heredity because there are many things that can be done to fight this issue. For example, video games are now becoming more active, as Nintendo is utilizing it’s motion sensing technology with games such as Wii Fit and Wii Sports. Fast food restaurants are also attempting to go healthy by adding healthier options to their menus, such as salads. Nevertheless, obesity is still a major issue, and there are only so many precautions that can be taken to mitigate its effects.