Obesity has been on the rise in the United States since 1980. To date, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than one-third of adults, along with one-third of children and adolescents are considered obese in the United States. Obesity is becoming a serious problem in the lives of Americans. Obesity can be caused by a variety of reasons, including an unhealthy diet, lack of exercise, and sometimes medical conditions. However, with all of these conditions combined, I'm here to show you why I believe obesity is strictly a lifestyle choice and how it can definitely be prevented. Obesity has to start somewhere. But where do we start? Having a disease has often been used as a way to explain the reason for obesity. Some people say they are obese simply because it is genetic. Let's examine the role genetics plays in obesity. According to Alexandra Sifferlin, obesity is in fact linked to the mutation of genes in a person's body. One of these genes is leptin, or the “obesity gene,” and it is produced by fat cells. High levels of leptin in the blood tell the body that it is starving. Researchers have found that people with a mutation in this gene do not receive the signal to stop eating. However, Dr. Joseph Majzoub, chief of the division of endocrinology at Boston Children's Hospital, says: “So far, mutations in about eight genes are known to cause obesity in humans. But these mutations account for less than 5% of obesity in our society, and are certainly not, by themselves, responsible for the current obesity epidemic, since the mutation rate in these genes may not have changed dramatically in the past twenty years. years” (Sifferlin ). Essential… middle of the paper… and allowing anyone to call my body a disease. I'm fat." (Kreiter). If people don't want obesity to be considered a disease because they feel comfortable being fat, then they have no choice but to consider it a lifestyle choice. Obesity in America is has become a problem, and will probably never go away soon. Obesity does not have to be a problem if people are willing to take the necessary steps to live a healthier lifestyle. This includes: having an eating plan and sticking to a diet healthy and choose to do the necessary amount of physical activity and exercise to maintain a healthy physique. A healthier lifestyle will help get rid of some of the problems related to heart disease and diabetes reduce the growing problem of obesity and we can become a better society as a whole.