The Obesity Epidemic: Why and How the Government Must Act

Abstract

This paper calls for the United States government – including, but not limited to, the Food and Drug Administration, the Federal Trade Commission, and Health and Human Services – to take definitive and aggressive steps to combat the nationwide obesity epidemic. After providing a history of how and why we now find ourselves in the midst of an obesity epidemic, and highlighting the specifics of our current dilemma, the paper details the devastating causes and effects of overweight and obesity, not only on individuals but on the nation as a whole. This paper then outlines suggested solutions for how the government and citizens, working together, can fight against obesity effectively.