Effects Of Obesity And The Media

Is obesity really a serious health concern or is the “epidemic” merely a result of highly fabricated, misleading ideas of politicians and the media? The article, Obesity: An Overblown Epidemic? By W. Wayt Gibbs featured in the May 23, 2005 edition of Scientific America, raises this question. Most health experts and average people believe that obesity is one of the most prevalent health concerns today, resulting in increased risk for other major health issues; such as; heart disease, type 2 diabetes and cancer, and the chance for early loss of life. However, other researchers are suggesting that the consequences of being overweight are being blown out of proportion. Naturally, they do

Social factors play very important role in our society,Through the influence of these factors, Obesity is one of main concern in US. The growing obesity rates in the US and it's affect on consumer culture is debating towards our future. Studies have suggested that the obesity is social distributed , into different social groups, some other factors such as martial status is linked cross-sectionally with obesity ( Sobal J, Raushenbach BS, 1992 ). When applying obesity into racial profiles over 80% of black women over the age of forty are overweight and obese( Wang and beydou ,2007) compare to white and Latino woman’s. However, socio-demographic and one 's racial profile shouldn't consist on growing obesity, Even though SES

It’s estimated that nearly 1/3 of people suffer from obesity in North America. Rather than being a part of the solution, the media has a portrayal of what one should and should not look like, what is beautiful and what is not, typically possessing unrealistic standards and showing those that are overweight, as weak-willed individuals, who generally are blue collared individuals. This paper shall discuss obese individuals and how they are portrayed on television or on online streaming programming. Secondly, this paper shall discuss why this group has such a negative portrayal. Third, this paper will discuss what social pressures and production forces shape these portrayals. Finally, this paper will incorporate a media theory and explain what effects it has on the audiences and how obese individuals are typically treated in society.

There is a growing epidemic in our country, its called obesity. In fact, according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), childhood obesity has doubled in children and quadrupled in adolescents in the past 30 years, and in 2012 more than one third of children were overweight and obese. There are countless reasons as to why this epidemic has gained so much weight over the recent decades, often people say; it is an inherited tendency to put on pounds, lack of good nutrition and diets, or simply because we are too busy or too lazy to exercise. The truth is, physical activities and dietary behaviors of young Americans are influenced by many sectors of society. Including; the families and cultures we

“The Childhood Obesity Epidemic,” is an article written by Bronwyn McHugh, based on childhood obesity dealing with causes and preventions affecting the reduction of children’s life expectancy. Bronwyn McHugh states that the main cause of childhood obesity is the lack of energy imbalance caused by the difference of calories consumed and calories expended. This could be because the food children decide to eat contains high percentages of fats and sugars. Each child is raised in many different households or cultures, some children are encouraged to eat heavy while others to eat light. For example, “Childhood obesity appears to be associated with low socioeconomic status, maternal nutritional status, single parent status, and low education levels.” (McHugh, B. 2016) Other social cost mentioned in the article is the cost of technological advances decreasing the physical activity of fitness. Without the proper necessities to exercise or motivation the child will not put in the effort to exercise. As technology improves over the years the hand-held devices and the media games children are exposed to, increases the risk of obesity. Health conditions that obesity leads to are: cardiovascular disease, cancer, diabetes, etc. Medical personals are there to provide assistance and consultations to the many approaches to lose weight. Some approaches could include “gastric banding, employment personal trainers, and

Media coverage contributes to how childhood obesity is framed and stigmatized in Canadian society. The media contributes to changes in popular culture, which can affect how the dilemma of childhood obesity is viewed and addressed. Several forms of media, including campaigns, social media, and the news help to construct popular opinions when looking at the issue. The views provided by different media platforms and organizations help to frame the problem of childhood obesity, and address the problems associated with the dilemma.

Obesity plays an undeniable role in today 's culture. Many factors such as increased meal size, food being advertised more often, lack of physical activity required for jobs, technology becoming a necessity in everyday life hindering activity, and unhealthy food being available at almost every corner of the streets. Ethnic backgrounds also play a role in obesity. Growing up I dealt with being overweight and had to make major changes in order to get to my goal. I have also watched family members and friends during my life succumb to the new normality of American culture that has begun to deteriorate their lives, bringing harm not only to themselves but those who care for them. I want to help educate those based off my first hand experience in the subject.

The rate of childhood obesity is growing at a rapid rate across the globe, creating concerns as obesity leads on to other serious illnesses including diabetes, heart disease, hyperinsulinaemia (an excessive amount of insulin in the blood), hyperlipidaemia (high number of lipoproteins in the blood) and hypertension (extremely high blood pressure) (Cole et al, 2000).

We as people have been paying more attention to our own physical appearance then we have ever in the past. We notice when we look into a mirror, we start to question ourselves about if our height, weight, body shape even the hair styles and if they will compare to recent beauty norms you might find in media such as magazines, TV commercials, Facebook.

Around the world, the term health and being healthy is perceived in different lights in the midst of the many cultures of the world. Being a victim of the media and the narrow-minded views of the western world, I, along with many others in the US don’t see any other views of health and the meaning of being healthy other than our own. To be honest, while reading the first few sentences of Yates-Doerr’s article Obesity Science and Health Translations in Guatemala, I was taken back at the fact that in Guatemala, “fatness is associated with health and prosperity” because that is truly the exact opposite of the popular opinions on obesity today (Yates-Doerr). But, in reality, the Guatemalan point of view on obesity roots from the same essential causes of the rise of obesity in the United States.

In the United States, there are many people who believe that if it wasn’t for fast food restaurants, they would be eating healthier and wouldn’t be overweight. People have even tried to sue fast food restaurants for their own self esteem issues. It’s ironic that people actually blame fast food restaurants, such as McDonald’s, for being obese. While fast food may be one of the contributors to the obesity outbreak, it certainly doesn’t stand alone. There are loads of reasons why people living in the United States are overweight. Some of these reasons involve dilemmas within the school arrangements, peer pressure, family genetics, educational issues, and even where a person lives. The National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health

People in America may still mention that not everyone goes to fast food regularly or at all. The truth is that only four percent of Americans don’t eat fast food and the rest “go at least once a year” (Dugan). In a consumption poll they were able to find out that people age range between eighteen and twenty-nine went and eat fast food nation the most often (Dugan). It was also found that the lower class were the least like to eat fast food then the middle class and the high class was also least likely to eat fast food then the middle class. Meaning that the middle class is the most likely to be obese.

A person’s weight has been a huge issue in America whether they are too thin or too fat. People are criticized for having too much skin or not enough throughout their lives. They are influenced by the models on tv and delicious fast food ads. Although being overweight is already negative to the views of the public, the media continue to stimulate negative ideas about obese people. According to Ann Marie Paulin in “Cruelty, Civility and Other Weighty Matters”, the mass media is discriminating against overweight people, which creates a society where being fat is looked down upon. Paulin argues that, “the media are notorious for getting things less than accurate” (243), therefore we shouldn’t believe how they depict fat people in tv, magazines and other media sources. The author believes that not all overweight people are like, how the media portrays them, but rather their lifestyle is influenced by the culture we live in. She claimed that, “Sugary or fatty foods are often available in grab and go packages that are so much easier to take to work or eat in the car than making a healthy snack” (245). She believes there are evidence to show that humans are naturally attracted to unhealthy foods, but society continues to manufacture them to make people eat more (243-249). I agree with Paulin about how the media need to stop fat shaming because it’s not only making people feel bad, but it is promoting obesity.

Obesity is an epidemic. As of 2016, 13% of the world's adult population was obese and the overall prevalence of obesity has more than tripled over the last 30 years (WHO). Correspondingly, obesity has become the leading cause of preventable deaths in the United States, seizing the number one spot from smoking (Shaub & Marian, 2011, p. 553). The effects of obesity are widespread, along with being a risk factor for many chronic diseases, obesity also affects social, cultural, and psychological components of a person’s life; as people who are obese face stigma and discrimination in work and social settings (Deangelo et al.,, 2013). Equally important to the above-mentioned consequences, are obesity’s economic effects. It was estimated the annual cost of obesity in the United States was $147 billion dollars, so as the incidence of obesity increases so will the need for more medical care. Though devastating on multiple scales, obesity is largely preventable.

One of most significant health issues today is obesity in which many adults and children face also today. “Obesity means having too much body fat. It is different from being overweight, which means weighing too much. The weight may come from muscle, bone, fat, and/or body water. Both terms mean that a person 's weight is greater than what 's considered healthy for his or her height.”(Medline Plus, 2013) people that are obese may suffer from strokes, arthritis, some cancers and heart disease also economy cost goes up. “The economic costs from the excess morbidity and mortality attributable to obesity-related diseases go beyond health-care costs alone, perhaps most notable are the consequent losses in productivity” (Wang, McPherson, Marsh, Gortmaker, & Brown, 2011) Better eating habits should be focus on and physical activity needs more focus. Included in this essay are three scholarly sources of literature review which are based on obesity. It includes academic knowledge on local and global communities of social elements. It includes active citizenship issues on obesity and the impact it will have five years from now and two blogs on obesity will be shared.