Weight control is one of the most challenging problems facing American society. Obesity rates are growing more and more while the arguments about the reasons for this disaster seem circular. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention defines obesity as “a body mass index (BMI) of 30 or greater” (US Obesity Trends). The data is shocking: as Alan Greenblatt reports, "nearly two out of three Americans are overweight or obese, and the number of overweight teenagers has tripled in the last 20 years." Obesity causes a number of diseases that cause 300,000 deaths per year, and treating these diseases costs $117 billion per year (Greenblatt). There is no doubt that we are at the beginning of a challenging issue; however, there is still no unanimity in understanding the crux of the problem. To stop this global danger we must know its causes, but this will not be possible until the sources of the problem are clearly defined. Some blame fast food companies and a lack of physical activity, while others prefer to blame the eaters themselves. It is not yet clear whether fats or carbohydrates cause obesity. However, most of these discussions seem speculative. It is quite clear that the American lifestyle, with its emphasis on consumption, is the main reason for the increase in obesity rates. Indeed, the American lifestyle encourages consumption and is intertwined with the food industry. Heavy advertising imposes the image of a perfect consumer. People buy a lot and get as much pleasure from their dollars as possible. On the one hand, fast food companies encourage the consumption of their products, the automotive industry encourages the purchase of cars, and all other industries do the same. On the other hand, by consuming a lot... half of paper... you get a clear image of an animal being fed before being sold. The consumer instinct cultivated by business giants has become the core of the American lifestyle and makes Americans obedient consumers of multimillion-dollar companies. Works Cited Greenblatt, Alan. “Obesity Epidemic: Can Americans Change Their Self-Destructive Habits?” Congressional Research Quarterly 13(4). January 31, 2003. Electronic resource.Rohrer, Jim. Controlling your weight: The thoughtful consumer's guide to weight control. Amarillo, Texas: Pharmasoft Publications, 2005. “Obesity Trends in the United States.” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, November 20, 2009. Web. January 31, 2010. Wilder, Lora Brown, Lawrence J. Cheskin, and Simeon Margolis. Nutrition and Weight Management for Longevity 2007. The Johns Hopkins White Papers. Baltimore, Maryland: Johns Hopkins Medicine, 2007.