Imagine a world in which a school-age child can walk out of school and into a McDonald's. A world where soda companies make millions of dollars a year installing soda machines in schools. A world where 30.5 percent of adults are considered obese. A world where obesity kills more than smoking. What if I told you that this world is not in your imagination but is the world we live in today? Who would you turn to for help during this epidemic? Some say the government should take charge, such as seat belt and smoking laws. Others say it is the responsibility of the private sector. People are responsible for their health, so the government should not be involved. I agree with both sides of the question. The government should have some control over what people consume, but the majority of the responsibility for obesity lies with America's private sector. Since the 1960s, obesity in the United States has more than tripled, regardless of gender or race. Today, 30.5 percent, or 69 million American adults, are considered obese (?AOA Fact Sheets? np). Additionally, 13 percent of children aged 6 to 11 are considered overweight and on the path to becoming obese. Obesity causes more than 300,000 deaths a year and costs the country $117 billion, prompting health care providers and the government to call it an epidemic ("Overweight and Obesity?? np). The health care community defines obesity as 20% or more over a period of one year. the person's ideal weight, which is based on their height (?US Health Professionals?? np). Usually, this is 100 pounds or more above their ideal body weight. Researchers have found that the two main causes of obesity are overabundance of food and a sedentary lifestyle (?US Health Professionals?? np). Other causes include genetics, lifestyle choices and environmental factors. These alarming statistics have prompted many people to seek a solution to a problem that clearly isn't going to go away on its own. Obesity has spread across the country regardless of gender, race and age, or so it seemed. However, it hits some groups more than others. Additionally, 69 percent of non-Hispanic black women are overweight or obese and 58 percent of non-Hispanic black men are overweight or obese (? Overweight and Obesity?? np). Studies show that minorities from lower socioeconomic brackets are more likely than whites from higher socioeconomic brackets to become obese. (?