“At best, fat people are seen as victims of food, bad genetics codes, or bad metabolism; at worst, they are slovenly, stupid, or without resolve” (Guthman 127). Julie Guthman states in her essay, “Can’t Stomach it: How Michael Pollan el al. Made I Want to Eat Cheetos” her point of view on the obesity epidemic. Her view was clearly states that, she disagreed with the author’s and doctor’s arrogant take on the epidemic. One of her main points in her essay is, “it has become common to speak of an epidemic of obesity” (Guthman 127), but in reality the epidemic is much more complex situation. Other authors agree with Guthman with similar view points, tone, and also similar action routes to end the epidemic. These authors are, Jennifer Webb, Mallory…
Thus, negative stereotypes and stigmas are placed upon the obese, further strengthening their label of deviancy. In a recent study conducted by Yale University, the perceived social consensus on attitudes toward obese people was tested. Three experiments were created towards educating the participants on the issue of obesity in hope of reducing the bias stereotypes and stigmas our society has successfully created towards the obese. (Puhl, Shwartz, Brownell, 2005). The study describes how the consensus attitude towards obesity prevents the reduction of stigmatizing and excluding the obese from mainstream society as people in general feel a sense of ‘security’ and ‘approval’ in following the beliefs of the majority. Thus, if we as a society take greater acknowledgment in the causes of obesity and perhaps even empathize towards those labeled as obese; the idea of obesity as being a form of deviance could potentially shift throughout the long term. The ways in which the ‘obese’ are acknowledged through the…
Obesity is the condition of being very over weight. Did you know this condition has affected millions of Americans throughout out the United States! People who are obese deal with many negative health factors throughout out their lives. These include depression, anxiety, and sometimes even death. Most people that deal with this medical issue have many social problems. Something has to change! With so many Americans living such unhealthy lives, they are becoming disabled from living happy normal lives. People who are overweight should also try to increase their exercise levels and eat healthier in order to maintain healthy lifestyles and overcome obesity.…
Dietz. , William, H., & Steven, G. (2001). Preventing obesity in children and adolescents. Annual Review of Public Health , 22, 337-353.…
Obesity in America is a continually growing problem and even worse our own children are sharing in this problem. A commentary in the Washington Times reports that sixty million Americans are obese. What really is the meaning of obese? Obese is having a body mass index of thirty percent or more. In recent years, the percentage of obese Americans has risen. In the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey conducted by the National Center for Health Statistics, the percentage of obese Americans rose from 22.9 in 1984-1994 to 32.2 in 2003 and 2004. The study also says if you throw in the number of "over weight" Americans (body mass index of 25 to 29.9) the total jumps to 66.3 percent of all Americans (Alfred A18). Why are we steadily becoming heavier as a nation, primarily because of our eating habits, genetic and metabolic causes and an excess of inactivity. As more and more people of our nation deal with obesity, they also have to deal with major health problems such as high blood pressure, heart attack and Type II diabetes that all stem from being obese.…
It is quite absurd that so many American citizens still claim that the country does not have a problem with obesity, or that obesity is not a serious disease. Simply by looking back through America’s history and how people have changed over the decades, it is obvious that standards have changed, along with what is deemed as normal or average. Many people today are still unaware of how much the average American has grown and what the…
Obesity has become a real problem in the USA. It is shown to be linked to many health problems. In the article, Obesity: An Overview by Ellen Bailey and Ann Griswold PhD., the authors discuss the history of obesity, as well as obesity today. They believe that obesity is a big problem in America and something needs to be done about it. "Obesity has been linked to a number of health problems, including diabetes and heart disease; however, the social problems facing obese people are often overlooked" (1) states the authors. Obesity is basically killing people slowly. It all depends on what health problem you end up with. They also express that, "Overweight children, in particular, can be socially and psychologically harmed by their peers’ criticisms about their weight” (1).The child’s peers’ criticisms may hurt their feelings and the child may be emotionally harmed on the inside. The child may turn to self-harm if the criticisms go too far. The child could feel like no one wants them around because they are overweight. Also, some children might want to do something about their weight so that the criticism stops. Bailey and Griswold do a good job organizing this article together. The article is in chorological order, up to date, clear, persuasive, and factual, but it is not backed by citation.…
As society has come to know, being overweight and obese is indeed a serious epidemic, not only in America, but also across the world. According to the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention), being overweight and obese are defined as follows: For adults, overweight and obesity ranges are determined by using weight and height to calculate a number called the body mass index (BMI). An adult who has a BMI between 25 and 29.9 is considered overweight. An adult who has a BMI of 30 or higher is considered obese. It is important to remember that although BMI correlates with the amount of body fat, BMI does not directly measure body fat. As a result, some people, such as athletes, may have a BMI that identifies them as overweight even though they do not have excess body fat (CDC.gov). Also, according to the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) guidelines, assessment of being overweight involves the use of three measures: BMI, waist circumference, and risk factors for diseases and conditions associated with obesity. In conjunction with the…
According to Mayo Clinic, obesity is defined as having an excessive amount of body fat. (Mayo Clinic, 2013) Obesity is a disease that has become an epidemic in the United States. In the last two decades, there has been a dramatic increase in the number of people who are obese. “More than one-third of U.S. adults (35.7%) and approximately 17% (or 12.5 million) of children and adolescents aged 2—19 years are obese.” (CDC, 2013) There are many factors of obesity that can be controlled and some factors that can not be controlled. Obesity has gotten so out-of-hand that even the government has stepped in to help lower the…
Many obese individuals are often target of negative bias and negative attitudes in many everyday life situations including place of employment, social media, education, and medical facilities. Work experience and culture influences the occurrence of obesity in a person. The type of work a person does influences the occurrence of obesity. For example in today’s society employers usually have resumes and ask for an attached picture or video. When the employer sees an obese person they are more than likely not to be hired because of the negative perception that individuals put on obese people. When buying the healthier food in the supermarket, price of this kind of food is higher than what the junk food price are. People with a lower income…
Obesity is defined as the condition of being excessively fat or overweight. The distinction between being obese and being overweight is determined by a weight-to-height ratio known as the Body Mass Index (or BMI). This ratio is calculated by dividing one 's weight in kilograms by the square of their height in meters, which results in a number typically between 15 and 40. In the United States any BMI that exceeds 30 is considered obese, while a BMI above 25 is considered overweight. To be underweight, one’s BMI must be below 18.5, so anywhere between 18.6 and 24.9 is considered healthy. In 2010 the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (or CDC) announced that every single state in America had an obesity rate above 20%, and twelve states even exceeded 30%. America is not only the land of the free, but the land of the fat as well.…
Obesity is one example of a complex health problem that can be better understood by applying the methodology involved in social constructionism (Aston, et al). Over the past century, there has been a tremendous amount of growing research aimed towards defining “fat,” what it means to be “fat,” and why and how it matters (Paradis, et al). Obesity, and the strategies involved in dealing with obesity, are inextricably linked to values, beliefs and practices that have been socially constructed by individuals, society and institutions (Aston, et al). In this paper I will explain how obesity is a socially constructed concept by examining the medias contradictory portrayal of obesity, the changing definition of obesity throughout history, and the values associated with obesity across cultures.…
“When confronting obesity, it is important to consider different causes such as, genetics and ethnicity. Obesity is affected greatly by poor diet, lack of exercise, and it can be changed by engaging in a healthier diet, more exercise, and sometimes surgery.…
Obesity is a disease that affects one in three members of the American population. The trend of obese Americans has continually increased since 1960, and is not showing signs of slowing down. More than half of the adults in America are considered overweight or obese, and about thirty-four percent of the total population in the U.S is either overweight or obese. One is considered “overweight” if the body mass index, or BMI, is twenty-five to twenty-nine kilograms. “Obese” is any number thirty or greater (Hateweight.com). Obesity is the cause of at least 300,000 deaths in the U.S every year, second only to smoking (American Obesity Association).…
Obesity haunts the United States and threatens to seriously devalue our society in numerous ways. There are some that would argue to say that obesity is okay and that it is not that big of a deal, they are…