However, does eating unhealthy food cause obesity or does obesity cause one to eat unhealthy food (Marlow, 2013)? 2. Describe the different viewpoints within the dilemma. Explain why each creates questions that must be answered. Those in favor of taxing unhealthy foods believe that those foods are the cause of obesity, taxing would be an effective intervention that would reduce consumption of unhealthy foods, and taxing would create revenue to fund programs focused on combatting obesity.
Obesity as Social Stigma Compulsive overeating (binging but not purging) is most often considered a bad habit that can easily be changed. On the contrary, compulsive overeating is an eating disorder that is more properly defined as an addiction rather than a simple habit. Overeaters use eating as a means of hiding from their emotions and coping with the stress and problems of their lives, turning to food for comfort. Compulsive overeating is characterized by uncontrollable eating that results in weight gain that may lead to obesity. According to the American Obesity Association (2002), obesity is a “complex, multi-factorial chronic disease involving environmental (social and cultural) and genetic, physiologic, metabolic, behavioral and psychological components.” AOA points out that approximately 127 million adults in the U.S. are overweight, with 60 million being obese.
People that live in poverty are assumed to have diets consisting of more fats, carbohydrates and processed foods which lead to a higher BMI (Body Mass Index, an indicator for excess body fat). The gaveled choice of high calorie and unhealthy food due to “food insecurity” is not a valid reason as to why obesity tracks with poverty since wholesome food has become much more affordable over the years; instead, it is the nature of the environmental influences and behavior that primarily impacts obesity. A few years ago, I met a friend named Jerimiah West that lived in poverty somewhere in the slums of Ft. Wayne, Indiana. Jerimiah and his siblings received food stamps from the government through a direct payment card to buy food. He is very close to being considered obese and the reason why is due to his sedentary life of playing video games about 14 hours a day, along with the type of food he consumes on a daily basis.
How Poverty Affects Obesity English 135 How Poverty Affects Obesity How fast would you die if you didn’t have food? A better question might be how fast could you die if you did have food? Americans are slowly eating themselves to death; getting larger and larger and the more financially disadvantaged you are the quicker the food you are eating will kill you. Obesity also has a stronghold on the weakest of society, the children. Although obesity in adults continues to rise, the citizens of this nation are accustomed and less attuned to this issue.
Childhood Obesity Parents are very much in denial when it comes to childhood obesity and how it relates to parent child relationships. There are many theories and reason why there is an increase in childhood obesity. One of those reasons is poor diets. More children have more access to unhealthy food with the increase in fast food restaurants. Also the lack of exercise and a sedentary lifestyle are causes for this epidemic.
With more healthier food options and an increased opportunity for physical activity in white neighborhoods, the minority populations are at a much greater risk for obesity. “According to the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention the non-Hispanic Black and Mexican-American population are more likely to be obese than the non- Hispanic White population”(Marchiondo). This gap is also contributed by the “food stamp cycle, in which over- eating by food-insecure families when food is plentiful, i.e., when food stamps or money for food is available, followed by a short period of involuntary food restriction, followed by overeating, could be a pattern that results in gradual weight gain over time” (Marchiondo). Adding to the already racially segregated society, the weight gap between whites and other races only adds to racial stereotypes. The government can help curb this issue by implementing programs to eliminate food deserts in low-income areas.
Like many other maladies, weight problems are often associated with social standing and economic well-being. Children from lower socio-economic backgrounds are more at risk in becoming obese than those of higher socio-economic. Similarly, kids in isolated communities, especially in inner cities are at greater risk than those who live in the mainstream/suburban geographic areas. Families in communities that are poorer or socially or geographically isolated have a relatively poor access to healthy food, and often remain unaware or unable to access facilities with that provide opportunities for increased physical activity. Historical trends in childhood obesity clearly show that the increase in obesity parallels increases in family poverty and community disruption.
Not only does it put them at risk when they are younger, obese children also tend to become obese when they are adults, causing them to have the same, if not more serious health problems. I think that eating healthy and a lot of physical activity is important for children to help them stay healthy. But one large factor that I feel gets over looked when it comes to childhood obesity is how unhealthy food is advertised, and how big of an effect what everyday children watch on the television really does have in the rising of obesity rates. I think that the fast food and advertising are at huge fault for childhood obesity. The fast food industry knows that putting a toy in their kids meals will make young children want to go to their restaurants, rather than restaurants where they go in and sit down and get no toys.
The importance of Body Mass Index (BMI) Obesity is the accumulation of adipose (fatty) tissue in the body. This is now considered by the world health organisation to be a public health problem, hence it is a good practise to monitor and be aware of service user’s body mass index (BMI).There can be a genetic predisposition to gain weight, the risk is increased when parents themselves, or close relatives are obese. Also inadequate physical activity often combined with ‘bad eating habits’ cause an imbalance in the amount of energy taken in and expanded. It is also important to look at other factors such as hormonal imbalance and the ingestion of medication e.g. corticoids and antidepressants.Previously considered as an aesthetic problem, obesity is now regarded as a real illness.
The transition of these countries from starving to overweight has had many economic consequences for the entire world. These consequences include increased trade and shipping of processed food, exploitation of low income families by food suppliers, the increased prevalence of fatty, unhealthy food being sold in the marketplace, erosion of consumer sovereignty by reduced options, and the law of demand being exploited for the gain of large multinational food conglomerates. Because these consequences have increased the power of corporations and ignorance of consumers, I believe the obesity epidemic will continue to