The 24-hour restaurants are to be blamed for the increase of obesity in Malaysia. How far do you agree with this statement? Give reasons to support your view.

         Nowadays, developed countries are suffering due to high rates of obese young citizens. Some people believe that the boom of convenient restaurants are the reasons that have affected the health of people. Therefore, 24-hour eateries are not the cause of obesity among Malaysians, but the type of food served at these outlets are. I completely disagree that 24-hour restaurants are to be blamed for the increase of obesity in Malaysia.

 

    However, despite the severity of the obesity problem, there are a number of ways in which developed countries could battle it more effectively. Firstly, developed governments could put far more pressure on fast food outlets to provide healthy alternatives to hamburgers, french fries and soft drinks. The eateries must be advised to serve healthy food and it should be made mandatory for menus to show the amount of calories of each meal as this would contribute as a ‘disincentive’ to consume that food.

         Secondly,  public exercises initiatives could be advertised and promoted far more vigorously. Lack of physical activity is another important factor related to obesity. Many people have jobs that involve sitting at a desk for most of the day. They also rely on their cars, rather than walking or cycling. For relaxation, many people tend to watch TV, browse the internet or play computer games and rarely take regular exercise. If you're not active enough, you do not use the energy provided by the food you eat, and the extra energy you consume is stored by the body as fat.

    Lastly, some people claim there's no point trying to lose weight because "it runs in my family" or "it's in my genes". While there are some rare genetic conditions that can cause obesity, such as Prader-Willi syndrome, there's no reason why most people cannot lose weight. It may be true that certain genetic traits inherited from your parents  such as having a large appetite may make losing weight more difficult.

     In conclusion, although obesity is a serious issue in the developed world, if the above steps are taken, the situation will surely improve in the coming years.