In what it felt like a blink of an eye from 1990 to 2014 the amount of Texans overweight went from 10.7% to a daunting 31.9%. Some people are suffering more than others because everyone’s body reacts differently. Many nutritionists, dietitians, and fitness specialists try their best to bring people back to a healthy weight, but it’s not as easy as it sounds.

Gina Tran, a dietitian and nutritionist, describes how obesity is not caused by a just single factor.

“Obesity is when people have a body mass index (BMI) over 30,” said Tran. “(This) can be caused by a decrease in physical activity and an increase in excess calories.”

In addition, Tran outlines different ways to prevent becoming overweight.

“Make sure to eat a lot of fruits, vegetables and whole grains, such as wheat bread and whole wheat pastas,” said Tran.

Tran wants to “go over what an individual is eating currently and help them make positive alternative decisions to make sure they continue with their healthy choices and live a healthy lifestyle.”

Lisa Horn, a fitness specialist, talks about how obesity can affect high school students.

“Being overweight can affect your thinking abilities, your studies and also your self esteem,” described Horn.

There is an immense amount of pressure that is geared towards appearance in High School and is a significant part of the problem.

“There is also a lot of pressure from other students that may not have a weight problem,” recounts Horn. “(This) can affect how that individual feels.”

Horn talks about how you can prevent obesity on a fitness level.

“Any type of movement you can do to move your body throughout the day is going to help you in the long run and also develop habits to just be mobile as you grow older.”

Both of these women gave great information to help understand obesity and ways you can prevent it. Even if it’s little changes to your diet or going to the gym once a week, all these things contribute to keeping your body healthier.