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Obesity as a social problem
Social issue of obesity
Obesity as a social problem
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According to C. Wright Mills, a problem can be divided into either issues or troubles and usually, a problem, when looking at the broader picture is in fact see as a social issue and not a personal trouble. This idea is referred to as the sociological imagination (Mills, 2000). Obesity was wrongly viewed as an individual’s own personal problem, however, when looking at the big picture, it’s a problem that transform from a personal issue to a social phenomenon (Smith, 2009). It’s a menace that affects everyone including all races, all ages and all income levels (Chang & Lauderdale, 2005). There are several factors behind obesity not only in adults but also in children. Such factors must be ascertained to ensure that correct preventive measures
In “ how obesity became an epidemic disease” J. Eric Oliver discusses the negative impact the perception of obesity as a disease can have on the American people. Oliver begins by explaining the advent of the description of obesity as a disease and explains the fallacies in the argument that supports this description. The author argues that the data was misleadingly presented in a biased way to suggest that obesity is a spreading epidemic rather than a consequence from personal lifestyle choices. Oliver then delves into the ever-changing role of the CDC, explaining that many aspects of the human condition have slowly been medicalized and deemed diseases in need of a cure. According to the author, it appears that the inflation of the severity of obesity is often due to the commodification of the health care system promoted by the weight-loss industry and the need for passing the CDC budget through congress. The author argues that there is no clinical evidence linking some of the most abundant diseases in America to obesity.The author then makes the
Obesity is a medical condition in which excess body fat has accumulated to the extent that it may have an adverse effect on health, leading to reduce life expectancy and/or increased health problems. Obesity has been a health problem ever since infectious disease had began in the first half of the 20th Century. The person with obesity is not the only person who is affected by their disease. In the case of childhood obesity, It can affect the parents because they might be the cause of the child’s issues. It can also lead to many different health problems such as cancer, diabetes, heart disease, and respiratory problems, and it can also even lead to death. Obesity has affected the world in many ways: task forces have been formed to address the issue, people are suffering from health problems due to obesity, and others suffer psychological and social issues.
In order to take a sociological viewpoint into account when one examines obesity, first it is important to understand how obesity is recognized in current society. According to today’s news articles and magazines and advertisements and other mass media about health and healthy life, one can easily realize that a great number of people have an eagerness to be healthy. Also, one can assume through these mass media about health that everyone wants to be attractive, and they are even prone to transform their own behaviors to gain attractiveness. This is because most people live a life where social interaction is frequently required and must engage themselves into social interaction every day of their life. Therefore, based on these ideas and proofs throughout this mass media, obesity is regarded as one of the characteristics that is disgraceful and undesirable in society.
Childhood obesity has been on the rise in the last couple of years. In the 1970’s childhood obesity was never a concern to the public until the number increased over the years. An alarming rate of 31% of all adults have been obese since they were children and the rates of childhood obesity don’t fall too behind with an 18% of children being obese. That makes almost half of obese adults and children. A child that is obese has a 70-80% higher chance of staying obese even through their adulthood if no action is taken. Childhood obesity is not something children are in control of, these children suffer from different outcomes since they can’t look after themselves and heavily rely on someone to aid them when they need it. These numbers can be drastically altered in a positive way by educating both children and parents about healthy, nutritious foods to consume, supplying schools with better lunch and healthier vending machines with healthy choices and promoting after school activities to keep children active and away from electronics.
As stated by Grellier & Goerke (2014), analytical essays explore all perspectives of a topic; whether it be positive/negative or possibilities/difficulties. Also, an argument is generally not required as comparing and contrasting points is the main focus of the essay. Obesity (Student n.d.) will be analysed and critiqued based on conventions of good academic writing.
Obesity has increasingly become a significant public health concern in the United States. In the past four decades, the numbers of overweight children, adolescents, and adults has shot to high margins, and the rise cut cross all ages, races, and ethnicities for both males and females. A recent analysis by the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey found that 30% of the American adult aged over the ages of twenty, which is a representation of over 60 million adults, was obese. Still the same survey indicated 16% of those between the ages of 16years and 19 years, which is over 9 million children and teenagers, were obese. This has come with its share of repe...
Obesity in children across America has become an increasing public health concern. Obesity has been identified as an epidemic that is plaguing our children in the United States. In some countries around the world children are dying of starvation everyday. How can this happen when here in America the opposite is a major problem? This is not to say that in America there are no hungry or starving children. It has been proven that our children suffer from obesity, and “children who are overweight or obese as preschoolers are five times as likely as normal-weight children to be overweight or obese as adults” (“Hope”). Obesity not only can cause a child to become more prone to having health problems down the road, but it can also make them feel insecure about themselves. There needs to be action taken in schools as well as in homes to help prevent this growing epidemic.
A March, 2005 headline on CNN.com brought deeply disturbing news to the American public: “Report: Obesity will reverse life expectancy gains.” For the past 200 years, life expectancy steadily increased thanks to medical advances such as the discovery of antibiotics and vaccines, but this upward trend is no longer guaranteed.
With the rapid growth and wealth of information available over the internet, the number of individuals who fail to recognize the importance of maintaining a healthy weight is alarming. Another, concerning fact is the seemingly constant disregard of this data even when it comes to children. Some parents seem to ignore the warnings presented by doctors and other qualified persons rather than realize that their overweight child has a health problem that may cause serious diseases, even for a body so young. Obesity continues to be a growing problem in America despite ample campaigning. Most individuals would agree that children are generally unable to care for themselves; instead they are dependent upon their caregivers, whom are responsible to help them learn right from wrong. This would entail teaching proper health habits, including a healthy diet. One of the things that caregivers can do is heighten their awareness of the weight problems currently plaguing America preferably before their children are diagnosed as overweight or obese. It is also important to use preventative measures that would reduce the chances of children becoming overweight and/or implement steps that would put the child in a healthier weight range. Finally, caregivers should remain patient and understanding with children in order to avoid causing other health risks.
Amongst one of the bigger health issues in United States children is obesity. Obesity is a condition in which a person has accumulated an excess amount of body fat that it has become detrimental to their health. To track this health professionals use the term “obese” when a person has a body mass index (BMI) of over 30. Although BMI should not be the only determining factor of whether or not you child is obese as it only takes into account of height and weight, it is one of the better known systems of telling whether or not a person is overweight or obese (Nichols). Obesity comes with a range of other health conditions that can include but are not limited to cancer, diabetes, and depression. Not only do children and teens who suffer from obesity acquire many health diseases, they also tend to get failing grades and are bullied amongst peers. Most Americans correlate being obese with having an unhealthy lifestyle, but according to a 2006 Fox News article there may be other factors that attribute to obesity that include smoking, medicine, pollution, technology and lack of sleep. (“10 Causes of Obesity Other Than Overeating”). One part that does although indeed play a role in to child obesity rates is economics.
Childhood obesity is a serious problem among American children. Some doctors are even calling childhood obesity an epidemic because of the large percentage of children being diagnosed each year as either overweight or obese. “According to DASH sixteen to thirty-three percent of American children each year is being told they are obese.” (Childhood Obesity) There is only a small percentage, approximately one percent, of those children who are obese due to physical or health related issues; although, a condition that is this serious, like obesity, could have been prevented. With close monitoring and choosing a healthier lifestyle there would be no reason to have such a high obesity rate in the United States (Caryn). Unfortunately, for these children that are now considered to be obese, they could possibly be facing some serious health conditions, such as heart disease, diabetes, and some types of cancers. All of these diseases have been linked to obesity through research. These children never asked for this to happen to them; however, it has happened, and now they will either live their entire life being obese, or they will be forced to reverse what has already been done (Childhood Obesity).
... reduce obesity-related morbidity. Policy makers and healthcare providers need to be aware of the seriousness of childhood obesity so that favorable changes can be made for reduction of childhood obesity. If they do not fully understand the gravity, then supportive social policies cannot be implemented to support prevention of obesity. Most complications from obesity are chronic, requiring lifelong symptom management. Obesity creates such a poor prognosis for the future generation—it is vital for everyone to recognize and acknowledge this epidemic in order to improve the health of the future population.
Obesity is a rising concern in society today. The number of obese or overweight children has received more attention as the number has doubled in the last three decades (Hotakainen). As children are becoming more susceptible to life-threatening diseases, such as cancer and diabetes, society has continued to grow concerned (Oliver). As the number continues to rise, the search for potential causes has begun. While many want to blame the caregivers, they are not the potential problem. Although parents should monitor their children’s weight, they are vulnerable to society’s (power) pressures and demands. The unhealthy school lunches, weak physical education programs, and convincing food advertisements are to blame for the high obesity rate in children today.
One the biggest problems we deal with today, especially in America is obesity. More specifically our younger generation. The number of obese children has risen dramatically in the last couple decades and doesn’t seem to be getting any better. With fast food restaurants popping up around every corner it’s hard not to see why we are a fat country and why our children will grow up to be obese. But who is to blame for this rise in obesity with in our young children, the parent? The fast food chains? Society in general? In the past years we seen a shift in how younger people interact with one another, from spending the day outside and playing to staying at home starring at a television all day. The impact of childhood obesity doesn’t just impact the lives of them but of everyone as it is responsible for around 14.1 billion dollars in direct medical costs ("McDonald’s Shareholder Proposal No. 7." xx-xx). The way we treat our children has also taken a dramatic change as well in the way we discipline them and allow them to engage one another in social situation. All these impact the problems that we are dealing with today when it comes to obesity in young children. But together we can help change how children grew up and keep them healthy and living longer lives.
The obesity in the U.S. cannot be understandable without observation or “social imagination.” Likewise, to really understand obesity and its problem we must figure out sociological problems before our own. The choices we make will have an impact with people we socialize with everyday. In other words, a person’s behavior might be influenced by others.