Obesity: it’s a problem indeed.

The facts aren’t unfamiliar to us. According to the US Disease Prevention and Control Center, 78 million Americans are considered obese. In other words, over 1/3 of the populationare overweight. What is going on with the United States?

Temptation.

The next time you drive down the interstate, take a good look at the eating options available at each exit. The chances are high that the street will be littered with fast food. I now challenge you to find a healthy eating option. Not so easy, huh?

Traveling to a new part of the world gave me a fresh perspective on America’s problem. While I was in London, I was met with a completely different food environment. Apart from the occasional McDonald’s or “Tennessee Style Chicken” quick eats, fast food was actually difficult to find. If you needed a less expensive meal, eating a pre-made sandwich was just about the only option. The difference in the appearance of the people was dramatic. Throughout my entire trip, that lasted a total of two weeks, I only remember spotting two obese people that did not speak with an American accent. The healthier food available seemed to make a huge impact on the health of the people there.

We in America have a great burden on our shoulders. We are met with the challenge to fight past the unhealthy eating temptations that we see on the street or on TV. Our fast food corporations have made it convenient to make the wrong decision on a regular basis, and that’s not something the rest of the world has to deal with. While many people here are busy pointing fingers right and left trying to pinpoint the cause of our problem, it should be obvious. It is just too easy to give in to convenience, low prices and whining taste buds. We too often find ourselves giving in to the temptations that have been set in front of us.

It’s not that we are simple minded compared to the world around us. The truth is that we have more decisions we must make in our daily lives. In order to solve our obesity problem, we must be taught to better handle eating decisions, and should be aware of what the sometimes fatal consequences may be if we cannot.