1. Obesity
A leading preventable cause of death worldwide, with
increasing rates in adults and children.
Authorities view it as one of the most serious public
health problems of the 21st century.
2. Definition
Obesity is a medical condition in which excess body fat
has accumulated to the extent that it may have a
negative effect on health, leading to reduced life
expectancy and/or increased health problems.
3. Causes
O Oversize food portions
O An inactive lifestyle
O Genes and family history
O Health condition
O Medicines
O Emotional factors
O Smoking
O Age
4. Main foods causing obesity
They generally have a high fat content in order to
deceive our palate with their taste and hide the quality
of the food:
O Snacks
O Crisps and chips
O Hamburgers
In general, low quality food.
6. Facts and figures
O At least 65% of the American population is
overweight and 35% is obese.
O 910,000 Americans die each year of problems related
to overweight.
O 45 million is the number of obese children in the
world between 5 and 17 years of age. That means
one out of three children is overweight or obese.
O If we don't solve this problem, one third of all children
born in 2000 or later will suffer from diabetes, heart
disease, high blood pressure, cancer, and asthma.
7. Michelle Obama’s food
awareness campaigns
O "The physical and emotional health of an entire generation
and the economic health and security of our nation is at
stake."
First Lady Michelle Obama at the “Let’s Move!” launch on February 9,
2010
O “My goal is to address and overcome the challenge of
childhood obesity, so that children born today reach
adulthood with a healthy body.”
The mission of her life is to stop the «obesity epidemic»
among young Americans, which is a major cause of death.
That is why she is working to promote healthy eating habits
among American families, based on fresh foods and
encouraging physical activity, especially among the very
young.
8. A political garden
O Michelle Obama has become the worldwide
ambassador of healthy living.
O The vegetable garden at the White House is just one
of her important initiatives that are changing the daily
lives of many Americans.
O She planted it when she first arrived at the White
House in 2009. Since then she has been growing
strictly organic tomatoes, cabbage, potatoes, and
onions, without using any chemicals or herbicides.
9. Barack Obama’s initiative
In addiction to Michelle’s campaigns, President Obama
established the Task Force on Childhood Obesity, a sort
of federal agency to launch intervention programs
across the country.
