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PLEASE REPLY TO EACH WITH ONE REFERENCE

Amy

I believe there are two huge factors that contribute to people being able to keep a healthy weight. The two influences are socioeconomic and cultural. It really depends on whether someone has access to affordable, nutritious foods. Some individuals don’t have safe spaces or access to gyms or health education, and all of that matters significantly. According to the CDC, obesity is influenced by multiple environmental and social factors, including access to physical activity and healthy foods (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2024). Another important component is stress, as the American Psychological Association explains that stress can influence eating behaviors and overeating comfort foods (American Psychological Association, 2023). Based on things I have seen and learned throughout my life, when people are educated and have the option to healthier food choices that are affordable, it is much more realistic to maintain a healthy lifestyle.

christine

In my opinion, the most important factor that influences a persons ability to maintain a healthy weight is their environment, especially the combination of stress, access to food, and daily routines. Ive seen this play out in my own life and in the people around me. When someone is juggling work, family responsibilities, and constant stress, it becomes incredibly easy to rely on whatever food is quick, cheap, and comforting. That doesnt mean people dont care about their health it just means life gets heavy, and food becomes a coping tool or a convenience.

Research supports this idea that stress and environment shape eating patterns more than willpower alone. Chronic stress can increase cravings for highcalorie foods, making weight maintenance harder (American Psychological Association, 2023). On top of that, many communities have easier access to fast food than to affordable fresh options, which influences what people end up eating day to day (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2024). Ive noticed this in my own community when healthy choices require more time, money, or planning, people naturally fall back on whats available.

Cultural habits also play a role. Many of us grew up in families where food was tied to comfort, celebration, or coping, and those patterns follow us into adulthood. Studies show that cultural norms and family routines strongly influence longterm eating behaviors (Thompson & Manore, 2018). When you combine those habits with stress and limited access to healthier foods, maintaining a healthy weight becomes more complicated than simply eating better.

For me, this all reinforces the idea that weight is shaped by reallife circumstances not just personal choices and that people do the best they can with the environment theyre in