The Causes of Obesity Essay - 1363 Words

America has become a society obsessed with appearance, especially weight. We are conditioned at a young age to believe the only way to be normal is to be thin. This norm is projected to millions of Americans each day through television, magazines, billboards and every other form of media and advertising. How are people to know acceptance and happiness with themselves and others when our culture propagates what the perfect body should be. It is the search for the elusive, perfect body that has created a thirty- three billion dollars a year weight loss industry. Yet few reduce their body fat and even fewer maintain their weight loss beyond two to three years. This leads to yo-yo dieting and increased low self-esteem of people†¦show more content†¦However, leptin is still very much in early experimental stages, because even though it may gauge how much fat you have it does not at this point tell how much you want. Another recent breakthrough was the discovery of unocortin. Unocortin appears to suppress appetite when the body is under severe stress. It is a cousin of the brain chemical that generates the bodys fight or flight response. Unocortin was discovered at the Salk Institute, when a researcher was studying a neuropeptide which activates body stress reactors. He noticed receptors in parts of the brain where the chemical did not exist. However, it may be a long time before unocortin is actually a consumer drug. At this time, the only way unocortin works is to be directly injected into the brain. A company called Neurocin Biosciences, is already researching the brain receptor unocortin locks onto to work. For now, the serotonin reuptake inhibitor drugs are the only diet drugs being used in the U.S. These drugs work by affecting eating behavior. Eating behavior is the result of a mixture of neurotransmitters. The link between serotonin and eating disorders was discovered in the early 1980s. The serotonin inhibitors include Lovan, Redux and phen-fen (Phentermine and Fenfluramine). Phen-fen is the drug combination currently recieving so much attention. Phentermine is similar to an amphetamine and it works to increase metabolic rate.Show MoreRelatedThe Causes Of Obesity And Obesity1508 Words   |  7 PagesCauses of Obesity When it comes to people health, what usually comes up in mind? People may think of some disease, such as cancer or stroke, but nobody thinks about Obesity, which has become one of the biggest issues in America. Obesity is the accumulation of unnecessary body fat. It is a lifestyle disease that is spreading fast worldwide. This disease is affecting individuals of all age, ethnicity, and gender. As we all know, America has an extended history of solving complex problems, but it seemsRead MoreThe Causes Of Obesity And Obesity1519 Words   |  7 PagesAaron Heiden Robert S. 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