DIETS DONT WORK FOR SOME essays

DIETS DON'T WORK FOR SOME essays Obesity and the resulting medical problems have become an overwhelming American condition, and it seems to be getting worse every day. One Newsweek writer notes, "While searching endlessly for just the right diet, we're consuming ever more calories, growing ever more obese, and suffering obscene rates of diabetes, hypertension, and heart disease as a result" (Cowly, 2003, p. 46). Many experts believe all it takes is a "little more willpower" for most Americans to triumph over obesity and ill health, but it takes more than a little willpower for most people to stick to a healthy diet. This is why I chose stomach stapling as an alternative to dieting, because for a majority of overweight Americans, including me, Americans love of good food is enhanced by the constant bombardment of food advertising on television, the radio, and even the Internet. Did you ever notice when you are on a diet, every ad seems to be extolling the virtues of fast food burgers and quick fix weekday dinners' As one writer noted, "Our love of certain foods often takes root during childhood, long before we know or care about their nutritional value" (Miller, 2003, p. 70), and this love is often triggered by visual and/or mental stimulation from television ads, memories, and even aromas from the corner delicatessen. Our culture revolves around food, and if you can put it away and not pack on the pounds you are a hero, while if you cannot, you are lacking in willpower and self-control. That is simply not the case for some people, who carry their genetic makeup for the world to see, on their hips, thighs, and love handles. For some people, losing weight does not take a "little willpower," it takes a massive amount of effort and determination, and many fail, which is one reason there are so many obese people in the country, and diet gurus are still raking in thousands of ...