Consumption and Mortality: Tackling the Problem of Childhood Obesity

Childhood obesity is a growing epidemic in the United States. More than one third of children are overweight. This figure is increasing rapidly. This epidemic puts children at risk for various health problems such as type two diabetes and heart problems. Although they are several risk factors for obesity, parents play a significant role in this issue. This paper will look into how parents are influential to their children, how they contribute to this problem and how they may help fight the fight against obesity. Obesity is a very serious problem and there are solutions that parents can apply to help their children lead a healthy lifestyle. Obesity does not only affect a person physically, but mentally and psychologically as well.

Consumer culture today is thriving – but not necessarily in a good way. As consumer culture thrives, we have desires for products and services. Consumer spending is a major part of a country’s/world’s economy and that makes the economy strong but the aftermath is an unsustainable lifestyle. Although, Wall-E didn’t indicate exactly what caused consumers to destroy the planet and then flee for the sake of human survival, there are many guesses that can be made as to how it happened. One of the major points made in class during week eight was the fact that the world is becoming overpopulated. This major issue can possibly be

Whether we know it or not, consumerism is ruining all of our lives and the world as we know it. As humans, we are always looking for satisfaction and we think worldly items will cure the hunger that we have for pleasure. Consumerism says that purpose, joy and contentment are to be found primarily in the consumption of goods, services and experiences.

What does childhood obesity means? Obesity can be defined as a condition in which the body carries abnormal or unhealthy amounts of fat tissue, leading the individual to weigh in excess or 20 percent more than his or her ideal weight (Health & Illness).Obesity in America is an ever-growing problem and has boosted America to the number one spot in terms of obese population. It also stands as the most prevalent medical issue in American Children. In the past thirty years, obesity has affected many different age groups of kids. Preschool group, two to five years in age, and the youths between the ages of twelve and nineteen the obesity rate has more than doubled (Childhood Obesity Statistics and Facts 2v007). Childhood obesity has more than tripled in kid’s ages six to eleven years old. Children can become obese due to many different things like parents or schools. Although obesity may linger for a lifetime, there are many ways to overcome childhood obesity and not have to deal with the weight issue. Childhood obesity causes many problems and concerns in many American families, but families need to work together to overcome obesity. One out of three children in the United States falls into the overweight or obese category (Ding). Children face many different problems and issues at a young age because of obesity. Children obesity causes type 2 diabetes, fatty liver because of excessive weight issues, social problems, depression, anxiety, and eating disorders (Ludwig). Childhood

I have mentioned some positive things about consumerism above but those positive aspects cannot hide all the negative effects consumerism has on our society at large. We as a society have been accustomed to a practice, out goes the old and here comes the new. This has led to a social evil called materialism. Materialism is one of the major drawbacks of consumerism. When things are in demand, people and their needs also increase. It is actually because when we start making more money than our buying power increases and we want more. However things can only be achieved to a certain extent and when we cannot achieve or purchase the next thing we are then dissatisfied. In the essay “The Creation of Discontent” a very meaningful quote is referenced, “I never knew how poor I was until I had a little money (A Banker).This statement reveals the true fact that we individuals will never be happy with what we have and the more we gain

Childhood Obesity is a worldwide epidemic that causes serious health problems among children and teens, regardless of their race, age, or economic status. Obesity is a condition where an individual may be over weight or have excess body fat. Some of the risks and complications of obesity include; high blood pressure, diabetics, breathing problems, and sleep apnea, and an increase risk of heart disease.

The world's wealthiest billion people, primarily living in developed countries like the U.S., consume far more resources than is ecologically sustainable on average. We have multiple sets of TV’s, video game consoles, and cable boxes; we buy new cars; our houses have all types of appliances, for example, air conditioners, dryers, dishwashers, and microwaves; and we constantly buy more clothes, toys, and other household items (Bellinger). In fact, we consume 24 hours a day, we consume air for breathing, water to drink, and food to eat. In addition to these essentials for life, we consume ever increasing amount of goods and services - cars, houses, appliances, computers, furniture, books, traveling, and entertainment (“Over-consumption”). Americans

Childhood obesity is a growing problem that needs to be resolved. Many people may say it is the Child’s fault, he is weak willed. This is just a common misconception; there are hundreds of different reasons for childhood obesity. I will just be scratching the surface of this paper. By the same token childhood obesity is a growing problem that needs to be resolved. We can achieve this by understanding some common misconceptions, understanding health problems, and understanding fitness.

According to the African Journal of Food, Agriculture, Nutrition and Development “Twenty-five percent of children in the US are overweight and 11% are obese” ( Dehgan 1) . The Center of disease Control and Prevention defines overweight as having a body mass index, or BMI, of 30. BMI can be found by dividing an individual’s weight by their height. Childhood obesity is present in children from ages ranging 6-18. The amount of excess body fat can lead to many “heath issues and physiological issues for example, diabetes, depression, heart diseases, and self-esteem problems” (Dehghan 1). Childhood obesity has many physiological and physical on children, but these health issues and confidence issues can be

Consumerism is defined by Merriam-Webster as “the theory that an increasing consumption of goods is economically desirable.” A consumerist society is fueled by capitalism. Propaganda, trends and technology are the major back bones of such society. The Dark Mountain Manifesto, written by Paul Kingsnorth and Dougald Hine, suggests that “We are the first generations to grow up surrounded by evidence that our attempt to separate ourselves from ‘nature’ has been a grim failure, proof not of our genius but our hubris. The attempt to

Consumption has brought us much fulfillment in our lives. Though it’s not all green over here. Over-consumption has lead to acts of obsessive consuming, thievery, and leaving people flat broke and useless to a society. The consequences given with

One of the greatest problem children are facing in today's society is obesity. When people hear the word obesity they start immediately thinking about the health risk. However, this paper goes above the physical effects in child. During this paper we are going see that children’s emotional and psychological have a big contribution in obesity as well. Each year the percentage of children becoming obese is increasing especially at middle childhood age. As  a result, obesity could be potentially be past down to the next

“Keeping up with the Joneses” has much more serious consequences in today’s world than just giving in to societal pressures. The philosophy of "Keeping up with the Joneses” has had several important and tangible negative effects on today’s society and on the environment. According to this philosophy, consumerism occurs when people compare their material belongings in relation to their peers. Consumerism exists on the general assumption that human desires are infinitely expandable, and everyday companies around the world compete by trying to satisfy those consumers’ needs and desires. With the influence of the internet and social media, consumers are constantly bombarded with advertisements for goods and services. Consumerism does not just involve society’s preoccupations with acquiring goods, it also involves the rate of manufacturing and disposal. Consumerism creates a negative effect on today’s world by causing environmental sustainability issues, encouraging overspending, and promoting income inequality.

In today’s society, “keeping up with the Joneses” has become a widespread lifestyle for many families and individuals.  In other words, consumerism has become a way of life for most people because of the constant technological advancements of today.  As consumerism has grown immensely, it has become a very controversial topic; some people feel as if it has corrupted the world, and others feel as if it has improved it.  However, with all the hardships and issues in the world today, it is safe to assume that consumerism is the underlying problem.  Consumerism has affected the world negatively by creating a social hierarchy that is ranked by possessions, causing environmental deterioration, and causing a loss of integrity.

Consumerism impacts every aspect of human life. Humans have consum in order to survive and succeed in life. However a new form of mass consumerism has taken hold of society and convinced us that no matter how much we consume, we never can be satisfied. The need to consum is instilled in us from the infant stage in life when we are first exposed to the mass media. Media influnces us from infancy, from our first exposure to the world to create desires for products to consume rather than needs. This level of consumerism has been discussed throughout history and critised by many as a result of the capitalistic state we currently live in.