Obese citizens are prone to higher health and life insurance costs, medical expenses, food and clothing costs, decreased productivity, and lost wages from missing work. About 30 percent of adults are obese in El Paso and over 60 percent are overweight.
“It has to do with our culture,” nutrition teacher Cynthia Delgado said.
The city is ranked number one as the most inactive city by mensfitness.com as of April 2014.
“There are not enough places to walk or exercise here compared to other cities,” junior Salma Marin said.
School districts have started a program to reduce childhood obesity.
“The district sends the menu [for school lunches], and we have to make the food according to the recipe and we must control the oil, salt and butter that goes into the food,” cafeteria manager Maria Elena Palomares said.
Even though the cafeteria has a procedure they must follow, the school still has other food choices.
“[The school tries] to make healthier choices but vendors and vending machines defeat the purpose,” nurse Lucila Menchaca said.
Obesity causes many diseases.
“You can have heart disease, diabetes, cholesterol problems, and from those diseases you could develop strokes and more,” Menchaca said.
Teenagers have so many distractions that it’s hard for them to keep a healthy lifestyle that can transform into good habits in adulthood and prevent many diseases.
“It’s so hard to step away from your phones,” Menchaca said.
Students’ busy schedules can detain them from exercise.
“With school, college applications, and work it’s hard to find the time to be healthy, it is just not at the top of my priorities,” senior Aylin Dominguez said.