What causes obesity?

That is a question that has been kicking around quite a lot recently. For years now people have been trying to combat and control their weight problem. But today obesity is rapidly taking over.

"Why" is the main question. How has this happened not only in one country alone but all over the world?

Food is abundant in the market now and with modern refrigeration it can be transported from town to town, city to city and country to country. The variety of food to choose from has increased and improved over the years as well as the different ways to prepare food leading to a larger quantity to eat. Also we have more disposable income than before so can readily spend it on food.

We have become greedy, not only with what we want in material things but also in the amounts we are eating. More is better!

Food consumption is growing rapidly and the average person is consuming more than their "forefathers". By eating more than your body can use, will lead to you becoming larger, therefore leading to larger people in a nation.

Overweight people end up having health problems and becoming a burden on, not only their family but the health care system. In order to overcome this, we have to rethink our portion size.

Styles have changed, one area being our dinner ware, place settings. Plate and bowl sizes have become extra large. Therefore if you have a large place setting before you, you tend to fill your plate, leading to larger portion size. We tend to believe our plates need to be filled in order to have the right amount of food. A half full plate looks as if you are being cheated. But consider the plate size, is it what we used to consider normal being 9 inches in diameter or is it larger.

If you eat quickly you will eat a lot more than you actually need. It takes approximately 20 minutes for your mind to realize its stomach is full therefore, if you eat very quickly you will stuff yourself and then become uncomfortable. The body can only break down and use a certain amount of food/energy at one time, therefore, the excess will be turned into fat stores to be used later. But later does not come. Before your body has a chance to use up its fat store, you will eat and fill up again. This eventually will lead to you becoming larger and larger.

However, eating large portions does not always have to lead to weight problems, a lot of the problem is what the large portions consists of. You need to have your carbohydrates and proteins but how much of each is the key. If you eat the correct amount of carbohydrates and protein your body can use, at each meal, you can then fill up the remaining area on your plate with vegetables. But first you have to understand what foods are considered carbohydrates. For example, did you know that both white and sweet potatoes are carbohydrates? And that turnip is not a vegetable but also in the carb family? So, understanding your food will help you get started in cutting back on your portions.

It is easy to fall into the trap of over eating, as food is so abundant today but we must consider what the long term effect of over eating will be.

Do we want to become a society that never has enough energy to enjoy the outdoors? To be able to get on a plane and be comfortable in the seat or to be able to get into and out of a automobile without effort? Do we want to become a burden on our families or the health care system, dependant on drugs in order to have a "normal" life? Or is it time to take control of our health, get back to normal food portions and get back to a normal and comfortable size?