Prompt: The Health Effects of Overweight Topic: In some countries, the average weight of people is increasing, and their levels of health and fitness are decreasing. Do you agree or disagree?

While many people in poor countries are vastly underweight as a result of poverty, others are suffering from another problem - obesity, as a consequence of improved living conditions. A recent research has shown that the latter problem has become an epidemic, as obese people increase alarmingly. Personally, I believe that there are several factors responsible for this increase. Ċ The first reason is the poor diet. Nowadays, as people face fierce competition and suffer from high pressure, they have to devote more time and energy to their work. Consequently, fast food has been gaining in popularity at an amazing rate. Although it is time-saving, fast food lacks nutritive value. Moreover, some researches reveal that consuming to much fast food will result in an excessive intake of calories, salt and sugar, which contribute much to being overweight. Ċ There is not only a question about what we eat, but also a matter of lifestyles. TV and the internet have produced a sedentary lifestyle. In other words, those who watch TV passively or spend hours every day using computers simply do not get enough physical exercise. Besides, it is no denying that people more and more rely on private cars or motorbikes but ignoring walking and using bicycles. This tendency leads to the lack of activities which obviously linked to obesity. Ċ In view of the seriousness of the problem, effective measures must be taken before things get worse. In the first place, a proper diet consisting of more vetgetable and fewer fatty foods may assist. In the second place, it is of great importance that people participate in different sports including swimming, running and cycling.