Increasingly, in the United States, it is becoming more and more acceptable to be overweight. As a result, the United States continues to lead the world in obesity. It was not until a recent trek outside of the U.S., where I visited several European countries, that I witnessed the severity of this problem first hand. In my two-week-five-country venture, the only overweight person I can remember seeing was myself, in the mirror. For years, I have heard the same excuses, people claiming that obesity is a predisposition or that it is a disease that can be remedied with pills, surgery, or a great assortment of contradicting eating strategies. I don’t buy it. With my return to the U.S., I see the cause in the barrage of fast food drive-throughs, video games, and valet parking.

With McDonalds, Burger Kings, Kentucky Fried Chickens and a host of other fast food franchises popping up daily on corners all over America, it is far from difficult to see supply and demand in action. With the advent of the catchy and affordable 99-cent menus, these fast food giants are exploiting an ever-increasing market of people who truly believe that the grilled chicken sandwich, small French fry, and large Diet Coke they are consuming is healthy, and that it is a good alternative to anything they could have taken the time to prepare at home.

As far as food preparation goes, most Americans have missed the boat. Instead of preparing healthy combinations of food that are actually good for their bodies, they settle for food that meets the requirements of their life load. Remember the Food Pyramid? It was a diagram that showed the proper amount of fruits, vegetables, meats, dairies, and starches recommended for daily nutrition. It was a guide for food preparation with the intent to increase the efficiency of the body and improve overall health and fitness. Although the food pyramid has been resurrected and rebuilt several times over the last decade, it does not seem to fit into the busy lifestyle of Americans today, and therefore is almost forgotten. It is far easier, generally less expensive, and more accepted to stop for a Whopper™ or Big Mac™ than it is to take the time to prepare your own meals.

While food choice is important, it is not the only cause of obesity in Americans. Today’s children and young adults are becoming less and less active and therefore perpetuating the girthing of America. Gone are the days where neighborhoods were filled with children playing baseball in the street. Instead, more and more children can be found indoors, tethered to their Nintendo Game Cube™, Sony Play Station™, or Microsoft Xbox™--where for hours on end, they can play baseball, football, or soccer and even kill a few zombies--all this in the course of one afternoon. For most, the only exercise they will see is to their thumbs and index fingers.

This decline in activity is not exclusively limited to children or young adults. People of all ages are much less active now than their predecessors were years before. In the 50’s, 60’s, and early 70’s, it was common to see people of all ages, riding bikes for both fun and as use as an acceptable and healthy mode of transportation. In Europe, this continues to this day.

However, probably the most significant source of obesity comes from pure laziness. It is not that we do not have time to exercise or be more active; it is that we do not make the time. In fact, we tend to ignore it all together. When it comes to even the simplest forms of exercise, like walking, we often try to avoid as much of it as possible. Don’t believe me? Stand in a parking lot some time and watch the cars circle around, again and again, trying to find parking spots as close to their desired destination as possible—one that ultimately requires the least amount of walking.

It is not just where we park our cars either. It is in every aspect of our lives that we find it necessary to simplify. In every late night infomercial promising the next greatest potato peeler or no-tears appliance for chopping onions, you will lose the opportunity to burn that one extra calorie. That one extra calorie burned from actually getting up off the couch to change the television channel. Or that one extra calorie burned from entering the store to pay, instead of using your credit or ATM card at the gas pump. The fact is that, we have given up on being active. We seek out better ways to be less active, and it is this that contributes to us being the fattest nation in the world.

In conclusion, all the diets in the world are not going to reduce the weight of our nation. Our obesity is a result of the morbid combination of the food we eat and the exercise we ignore. From the famous Atkins Diet™ to the South Beach craze, From Jenny Craig™ to Weight Watchers™, from California to Eastern Europe, the answer is clear—quit eating garbage, send your kids outside to play, and park the car already! It’s only a short walk, and it’s good for you!