Vulnerable Populations


Why are we still ONLY focused on sedentary lifestyles and diets when addressing obesity in the US?  Why are we not also looking at ways to decrease exposures to those chemicals that may be contributing to the epidemic?


I feel like there are barriers and a price to place the blame onto the big companies that expose us to those chemicals and health risks.   Like we found out in class, it is a process and there are so many barriers to make health risks even known.  I wasn't aware of this issue before this module so I assume a lot of other people aren't either and that is what those companies want.  They don't want it to be public knowledge that we are exposed to harmful chemicals and it is easier to place blame on the individual.  There is also data that supports the fact that lifestyle changes, such as diet and exercise, work so that data supports the lifestyle changes that we ask people to make when addressing obesity.
I do feel that is is imortant to look at ways of decreasing this problem of chemical exposures that could be contributing to obesity.  I think this should be an issue that is prioritized because obesity has so many other relating health issues.  Addressing this in conjunction to lifestyle changes could make a big difference on a large scale.

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