In America, the rate of obesity has risen at an astonishing rate. It can easily be considered the epidemic rocking our nation. As one of the wealthiest countries on the planet, the US also has the highest rate of obesity at 30.6%, according to an article in the “New Yorker.” This issue causes major financial and health problems, in addition to lowering our status against other nations. Today’s cultural media and advertising are a large factor in the increasing rates of obesity. Americans are eating themselves to death, and our culture supports these eating disorders.

One major cause of the rise in obesity is false advertising. Sugar is a main cause in weight increase, and Americans un-knowingly ingest much more than they need to. For example, the popular Yoplait yogurt advertises 99% fat free on their fruit flavored yogurts. A look at the nutritional content shows that this “lowfat” product still has more than five teaspoons of sugar. According to a study conducted by MSNBC, the recommended sugar intake for women is six teaspoons daily, whereas the intake for men is nine. So, one Yoplait yogurt is almost the daily amount of sugar a person needs in order to maintain a healthy diet. Their false promotions lead people who don’t know enough about sugar intake to feel like they are making a smart decision when in actuality, they aren’t.

Culturally, Coca-Cola has been a major factor in the American lifestyle. Its new advertisements and product adjustments have kept it a booming company for many years. It is natural that Americans would want to drink it on any occasion. However, according to an experiment by Study by the Brain, one 12-ounce can of regular Coca-Cola has about ten teaspoons of sugar, more than the recommended amount for a person in their whole day. It is a product sold at nearly every restaurant, gas station, and drug store around the nation, and its extremely high sugar content is making it a huge health problem.

The obesity rate has caused major healthcare and economic disadvantages in the United States. For example, Americans’ extra bulk has cost the airlines an extra quarter of a billion dollars annually. In hospitals, renovations have had to be made to revolving doors to make them wider so obese patients can fit through. Medical centers have also had to buy special wheelchairs and operating tables to accommodate the obese. Clearly, obesity is a huge issue in America, and the media is encouraging this eating disorder.