*Daniel Mwanzia*

Society defines obesity as being fat, the medical field defines obesity as an epidemic, and I define obesity as a mental prison. Society will make you a statistic, or a target to the marketing of the diet ads, and gossip material for talk show hosts.

It is an issue that is very present in Kenya today; and for the lives that it does not claim, there is a dramatic impact forced upon them. There are other terms that are harshly used in reference to the term obese, such as fat, ugly, gross, etc.

Society has given girls with curves a complex by saying the only way to perfection is to be runway model skinny. How does a teenage girl or boy struggling with weight issues respond? The response is given to society with teenagers turning to bulimia, anorexia, and sadly enough suicide.

I feel that it is so hard for so many obese people to change their health and lose weight. There is so much information that can be misleading. Weight loss programs inform you to spend large amounts of money with the promise of weight loss success, but fail to tell you that it is short term success. When your weight returns and your money leaves, so does their support.

Society does not make beating obesity easy. Society’s pressure on men as well as women to be perfect has created a path for eating disorders, depression, social isolation, etc. These issues can be just as deadly as obesity; this proving true for my friend this past year, losing her battle with anorexia and bulimia. Society called her fat in high school, so she started a path of not eating, throwing up every bite of food she ate, taking laxatives, creating a war within her body and her mind. My friend lost her life trying to be accepted by society.

The answer to obesity is not losing weight for love or acceptance. The answer to obesity is working hard to achieve a healthy body, so that you can live a long life with the ones who already love and accept you for the individual that you are. Obesity is a deadly force, but one that can be fought; and It is a battle which can be won through education and support in place of criticism and mocking.

Feel free to leave your comments at the comment section down below

Also by this author, read:

Beat Insomnia and Sleep Like a Baby. Click here to read.

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Daniel Mwanzia

Fighting Obesity in the Society

Beat Insomnia and Sleep Like a Baby

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