wide changes rather than individual changes. The reality, of course, probably lies somewhere in between.
Now we turn our attention to a social problem that is currently facing America: the epidemic of obesity. A number of studies have been released in the past year that have pointed to the pernicious effects that obesity is generating and will cause in the American public. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, sixty-four percent of adults in the United States are overweight or obese. Reports have predicted that life spans in the United States could fall by as much as five years on average in the coming decades due to the problems that are caused by obesity, including strokes, hypertension, and diabetes (Higgins). This problem is exacerbated among American youth, and it is becoming focused on the youngest children: about 30 percent of children aged 2 to 5 are currently overweight or obese. Studies show that about 70 percent of obese youth will remain obese into their adulthood (Stockman).
The public health impact of the obesity epidemic is tangible and disturbing, especially among children. Doctors are disc
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