Obesity has become an epidemic in our overly indulgent North American society. In addition to body image issues, obesity leads to significant health problems. Society often views obesity as a disease when in reality it is a sign of a genetic or environmental disorder. The percentage of our population that is overweight is increasing every year and can become a very serious problem if not addressed urgently. Issues related to self-confidence, self-awareness, and isolation can result. A persistent problem in today's society, especially among children, has to do with sociality. Public appearance is very important to us and when we do not have a good appearance or have low self-esteem, it can lead to further problems or even death. People classified as “obese” face social problems on a daily basis. The fact that they do not look “normal” prevents them from fitting in with the “regular crowd” and can lead to problems with isolation. Being isolated from the majority of the population can lead to problems such as depression and, later, suicide. The media also has a great influence on social issues related to obesity. Every day, at some time, somewhere, we watch television, read the newspaper, or search the web. The media tends to give labels and meaning to the words we are influenced by. The opinion we get from the media is that if you are a certain weight, you are obese, and vice versa. Another problem with media is the amount of time our society devotes to it. Time spent on unnecessary media takes away from time spent on productive activities such as exercise. However, the corruption of social models linked to obesity is not the only problem. Another important factor is on the medical side...... middle of paper...... the adjustments to individuals as well as society are worth it. Works Cited Abedin, Shareen “The Social Side of Obesity: You Are Who You Eat With.” September 3, 2009. Ahima, Rexford S. “Digging Deeper into Obesity.” June 2011 Brownell, Kelly D. “The Chronicle of Obesity: Growing Awareness of Its Social, Economic, and Political Contexts.” » October 2005 Chen, Hubert “Encyclopedia of Health – Diseases and Conditions”. July 8, 2014. Hauch, Valérie “So let's play ball, say the parents of the ball ban at school. » November 15, 2011 http://www.thestar.com/news/article/1087597 “Obesity”. Greenhaven Press. Detroit MI. c2011Picard, Andre “Obesity costs up to $7 billion a year. » The Globe and Mail. June 20, 2013