Cerritos College
Cerritos College • Norwalk, Calif.

Talon Marks

Cerritos College • Norwalk, Calif.

Talon Marks

Cerritos College • Norwalk, Calif.

Talon Marks

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To J. Martinez:
 
I am writing in reference to the Opinion article by Jose Martinez which was published last week titled “Obesity a Serious Problem on Campus.” I want to begin by saying that this “opinion” piece peace is disrespectful and utterly disgusting! There are several issues that I take with this article as being an overweight student at Cerritos College .
Let me help you to understand a few things before I explain to why your article was disrespectful and disgusting. Do you understand what overweight and obesity mean? Throughout the article you confuse the two so let me explain what they mean. According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), an overweight person is defined as an adult who has a Body Mass Index (BMI) between 25 and 29.99 while an obese person is defined as an adult who has a BMI of 30 or higher.  The CDC goes on to show an example of how the BMI works which I have taken the liberty to add so that you may see just how constricted the BMI is.

Height

Weight Range

BMI

Considered

5′ 9″

124 lbs or less

Below 18.5
Underweight

125 lbs to 168 lbs
18.5 to 24.9
Healthy weight

169 lbs to 202 lbs
25.0 to 29.9
Overweight

203 lbs or more
30 or higher
Obese
Provided by Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
<http://www.cdc.gov/obesity/defining.html> http://www.cdc.gov/obesity/defining.html
 
And did you know that there have been studies done that state the BMI is poorly constructed that it even considers athletes to be overweight and/or obese, because the BMI does not account for muscle and size of bones.
 
In your article you make a hasty generalization that indicates that out of the tens of thousands of students that attend Cerritos College not one of except you has taken into account the increase in obesity rates. Did you do a survey? Did you go to every student and ask their opinion on this matter? Do you have any proof that this generalization is valid?
Furthermore, you go on to claim that all “overweight people have an excuse.crazy metabolism, busy schedule, love being that way.” Again did you survey anyone on the Cerritos College campus to see if these are the real reasons? Did you know that there are medical and economical reasons that account for the increase in obesity rates.  WebMD identifies three medical causes of obesity which include:
·         Hypothyroidism (which is a condition where the thyroid gland.produces too little thyroid hormone. Thyroid hormone regulates our metabolism).
·         Cushing ‘s syndrome (a condition which results when the adrenal glands produce an excess amount of a steroid hormone call cortisol. This leads to a build-up of fat in sites such as the face, upper back, and abdomen.)
This article also lists Depressions, high blood pressure drugs, seizure medications, some antidepressants, and certain medications as other causes of increased body weight. While these cases are a small percentage of causes leading to obesity, would you still consider these excuses?
Also did you take into account the economical causes to obesity? Have you driven down South Central Los Angeles and found a local Whole Foods, Bristol Farms, or Trader Joes. We have associated these grocery chains as leaders in healthy foods but have you ever walked into one and been able to plan a meal for a family of five with only fifty dollars? It is difficult for people who live in low-income households to purchase healthy foods for a couple of reasons, one there isn’t a local healthy grocery but secondly and more importantly costs at these grocery stores are too expensive.
You say that only a small percent realize obesity is a problem but only an event smaller percent take action. But have you stopped to wonder that maybe obesity and being overweight is a problem but perhaps the concern over obesity and being overweight is more of a health issue. Drive down the free and just how Lap Ban surgery advertisements do you see. Do you know how humiliating it is to have to see those signs ten maybe fifteen times a day? J. Eric Oliver author of Fat Politics says, “we are surrounded by messages that fatness is not only unhealthy, but also unsightly and immoral.” This is detrimental to any person, whether they are normal weight, underweight, overweight, or obese. We see more and more young children primarily females participating in these ridiculous diet fads because they believe they are too fat. Or how about the millions of men and women living with some form of eating disorder such as anorexia or bulimia. Perhaps the real health problem isn’t obesity but rather the harsh advertisements, crude remarks, and impossible of standards of beauty that we as a society place on men and women.
 
You end your opinion saying, “we need to stop teasing and making fun of others and try to help to destroy this epidemic because it is getting worse by the day.” But honestly you are yourself are making fun and making this already over exaggerated issue even worse. Maybe next you should conduct proper research before concluding that nobody is concerned with obesity rates.
 
 
 
—————Anonymous

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