In the United States, many people believe that without fast food they would eat healthier and would not be overweight. People have even tried to sue fast food restaurants for their own self-esteem issues. It's ironic that people blame fast food restaurants, like McDonald's, for being obese. While fast food may be one of the contributing factors to the obesity epidemic, it is certainly not the only one. There are many reasons why people living in the United States are overweight. Some of these reasons involve dilemmas within school arrangements, peer pressure, family genetics, educational issues, and even where a person lives. The National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion states that “Some illnesses can lead to obesity or weight gain. These can include Cushing's disease and polycystic ovary syndrome. Medications such as steroids and some antidepressants can also cause weight gain” (Overweight and Obesity, www.cdc.gov). Although obesity has become a major problem in the United States today, the overall percentage of obese humans would certainly decrease if people exercised more, ate healthier, and changed their diets. It's obvious that fast food restaurants are obviously a major problem. part of the problem; take a quick look around your community and you'll notice they're everywhere. There must be at least one fast food restaurant every five to ten blocks on a regular street. If this is how you drive home from work and don't feel like making a home-cooked meal, what do you think your family will eat that night? whatever you're craving, stop to pick it up, due to all the fast food places on the way. The fast food industry was middle of paper...and their parents were feeding them healthy food. “Obesity and Genetics.” Medical moment. Np, January 1, 2005. Web. February 15, 2011.. This source describes in more detail how it is not genetically the family's fault if you are obese. How you can't control your genes but you can change your behavior, as well as the way you eat and watch your diet. Human Services, U.S. Department of Health and. “What are the causes of overweight and obesity?” National Institutes of Health. Np, and Web. February 15, 2011..This was a very useful source! There was so much information that I used here to provide in my essay, there were clear observations and so much information about my topic and different reasons and it was just great..