Preview

Obesity Discourse

Good Essays
Open Document
Open Document
762 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
Obesity Discourse
Framing Obesity: Perspectives on Discourse
Over the years, my perspective on obesity has been informed by education in the fields of public health, family therapy, and feminist theory. While obesity may appear to have a clear definition, BMI of 30 or greater, speak this word in any of the three aforementioned disciplines and you will receive some opposing views. My goal for this report is to outline some key terms surrounding obesity based on field and argue for a more inclusive, interdisciplinary understanding rather than a one-sided view.
As a budding academic, I have the luxury of intentionally considering the ways in which discourse shapes discipline and practice. Consult with a public health educator about weight-related issues and …show more content…
epidemic), family matter, or point of discrimination. Nevertheless, determinants of obesity are less field-specific in that behaviors, genetics, and environment are essential contributors to the disease (American Medical Association, 2013)—see The Obesity Society (2015) for a detailed infographic on the causes of obesity within and outside of the …show more content…
Obesity has clear health consequences for children and adolescents as evidenced by increased rates of Type 2 (adult-onset) diabetes and cardiovascular disease within this population (Liese, Ma, Maahs, & Trilk, 2012)—see Brownell, Schwartz, Puhl, Henderson, & Harris (2009) for a thorough public health perspective on preventing adolescent obesity. Weight stigma also has consequences related to school bullying, identity development, self-esteem, body image, and romantic relationships (Boyes & Latner, 2007; Hong & Espelage, 2012; Puhl & Heuer,
Continue Reading
View Writing Issues

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Good Essays

    Conflict Theory Obesity
    • 1005 Words
    • 5 Pages

    Conflict Theory Obesity

    Childhood obesity has become a growing problem in the Unites States for the past few decades, which is the condition of having excess body fat. In the United States, the rate of childhood obesity has tripled since the 1970’s. Today, we can expect about one in five children ages 6-19 to be obese. Childhood obesity can lead to many negative long-term impacts on a person’s physical and emotional health and increases the risk for asthma, sleep apnea, type 2 diabetes, heart disease, depression, lower self esteem, and various different types of cancer.…

    • 1005 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Better Essays

    Comparing Views: Reasons behind the Obesity Problem

    • 1663 Words
    • 7 Pages

    Comparing Views: Reasons behind the Obesity Problem

    Zinczenko, David. "Don 't Blame the Eater." They Say/ I Say. Ed. Gerald Graff, Cathy…

    • 1663 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Better Essays
    Read More
  • Powerful Essays

    Obesity: America’s Modern Day Societal Crutch
    • 1424 Words
    • 6 Pages

    Obesity: America’s Modern Day Societal Crutch

    Today’s society has been faced with the never ending problem of obesity. Many would blame this problem of obesity in America to poor genetics, unhealthy eating habits, and even lack of physical fitness. After viewing this paper and reviewing these credible sources the reader will have a better understanding as to why individuals become obese. All sources in this paper have been written, reviewed, and critiqued by credible individuals.…

    • 1424 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Powerful Essays
    Read More
  • Best Essays

    The Psychological, Biological and Cultural Factors That Combine to Influence the Overweight and Obese
    • 2581 Words
    • 11 Pages

    The Psychological, Biological and Cultural Factors That Combine to Influence the Overweight and Obese

    Knittle, A. (2012). State of Addiction: Genetics plays role in addiction, but aren 't only factor.…

    • 2581 Words
    • 11 Pages
    Best Essays
    Read More
  • Powerful Essays

    HCA 240 Final Public Awareness and Human Disease: The Rising Epidemic of Obesity in American Schoolchildren
    • 3078 Words
    • 13 Pages

    HCA 240 Final Public Awareness and Human Disease: The Rising Epidemic of Obesity in American Schoolchildren

    There are many causes of obesity and while genetics tend to play a role in obesity, there is no denying that environmental and psychological factors are also to blame. A lack of exercise and the overly excessive availability of junk food are two of the main factors…

    • 3078 Words
    • 13 Pages
    Powerful Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Proposal Obesity/Minimum Driving Age
    • 711 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Proposal Obesity/Minimum Driving Age

    Obesity is a condition of having excess body weight. Today in the USA, 97 million adults are overweight, meaning that 1 out of 3 people we come across in our everyday lives may be obese. However, it is also important to understand that being overweight does not mean one is obese. Many people throw around the word ‘obese’ and are ignorant to the difference of being obese or just simply being overweight. Obesity is having too much body weight, as where people may be overweight due to high levels of muscles or water in their body. In recent times, obesity among Americans has almost doubled, causing the USA to have the highest obesity rate. There are many variables that have contributed to this rapid growth such as fast food restaurants becoming increasingly more available and less expensive, automobiles becoming the number one form of transportation rather than walking or riding a bike, and other factors that promote inactivity such as the use of cell phones, email, etc. We ignore this problem and often look beyond these factors because we consider them “standard” in our lives. Although, before obesity rates spiked, fast food was not as unhealthy or cheap, driving an automobile was only possible for a select few, and technology did not exist like it does now. In order to eliminate such high obesity rates in America I believe we must raise awareness on the damages obesity can have on our well-being. In order to so, there should be a higher emphasis put on healthy living rather than promoting fast food and other habits that are harmful to our health. There are many more solutions to this problem such as raising the price of fast food or making it healthier, but many companies are not willing to make these changes. This is why I believe that it is very important that we make Americans aware of this problem. I would like to research this topic because I find it interesting how in a world as efficient as ours today, we are seeing new issues emerge such as obesity…

    • 711 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Obesity Unit 2 Essay
    • 534 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Obesity Unit 2 Essay

    Obesity is known to be one of the most public health disorder concerned globally. Some of the factors that impact obesity socially is greater exposure to fast-food advertisements, limited access to physical activity opportunities, and poor individual choices/ lifestyle choices. Furthermore according to the article, sociodemographic (age, race, ethnicity, and language) plays a huge role in obesity. For instance, low-income families are likely to face more challenges and become obese due to not being able to eat healthy. These factors of social impact and individual choices also impact biological reasons. For example, due to an individual’s choice of living and…

    • 534 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Obesity Capstone
    • 436 Words
    • 2 Pages

    Obesity Capstone

    Obesity has been identified in the 21st Century as one of the most serious health epidemics. Being obese is also one of the most preventable diseases today. Several factors contribute to a person becoming overweight: lack of exercise, excessive caloric intake, and genetic heredity. Personally, all three factors contributed to my disease. Overcoming obesity has been one of the greatest learning experiences that I have encountered. During my five year journey to a healthier lifestyle, I have recently been called to bring justice to this socially debilitating crisis. Passionately, I feel compelled to assist others in the same predicament that once ran my life. The effects on your health, personality, and behaviors are incredibly different when comparing and obese individual from one who is of a healthy weight. Another component identified through this journey, is the oppression that occurs and is felt by obese people. Oppression is a consequence of discrimination. Acceptance in society is challenging for an obese person, buying clothes that fit is hard, and fitting in an airplane seat is excruciating. I am compelled to stand up to these types of oppression and bring justice to it.…

    • 436 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
    Read More
  • Powerful Essays

    Obesity: a Sociological Epidemic
    • 2434 Words
    • 10 Pages

    Obesity: a Sociological Epidemic

    Many people have researched the biological side of obesity but there is more to obesity than just the biological side, there is a sociological aspect as well. Sure, what is biological could be proven, but society has a large impact on things in our everyday lives, let alone our bodies. Obesity is a major health problem in our society. “The United States Centers for Disease Control (CDC) has released a statement that one third of all Americans, children through adults, males and females are obese.”(Big, 2010) The origination of obesity includes not only genetics but environmental factors as well. Besides being influenced by genetics, the way our society runs, impacts obesity. Family members share genes as well as culture, diet and many other aspects in life. There are many factors brought about by families, the economy and the government, that lead to obesity, such as, environmental factors related to lifestyle and cultural or socio-economic conditions and psychological factors. When examining the sociological approach to obesity you can see how the externalities help explain the increasing development of obesity in a population. Just genetics alone does not give reason for an…

    • 2434 Words
    • 10 Pages
    Powerful Essays
    Read More
  • Powerful Essays

    Chew On This
    • 2311 Words
    • 6 Pages

    Chew On This

    America: land of the free and the home of the brave, and recently, the home to a growing waistline. As for any other country, America is prone to an assortment of problems like immigration, debt, or foreign affairs, but one issue that is rather hard to overlook, quite literally, is the obesity epidemic. The extra pounds have become a common sight in America’s society, “men are now on average seventeen pounds heavier than they were in the late seventies, and for women that figure is even higher: nineteen pounds.” (Kolbert). Obesity does not just affect adults in this way either, the child population has been getting bigger as well, according to the numbers on the scale, “the proportion of overweight children, age six to eleven, has more than doubled, while the proportion of overweight adolescents, age twelve to nineteen, has more than tripled.” (Kolbert). This issue has been a major concern to doctors and scientists for decades and in recent years, has even has the American Medical Association recognizing obesity to be a disease (Pollack). That is a highly debatable claim because obesity itself is a preventable lifestyle, avoidable and curable to all (or at least most) of its sufferers. For some of the populaces, obesity is not a choice, rather genetics, but for the majority of the obese population, the extra weight is caused by an unhealthy diet and sluggish lifestyle, and for these certain individuals, through a lot of work and discipline, the return to a healthy lifestyle is not as impossible as it may appear. It is time for America to tip the scales back in the right direction.…

    • 2311 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Powerful Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Fat Is a Feminist Issue
    • 971 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Fat Is a Feminist Issue

    Obesity and overeating is a topic that is ongoing within the United States, and in many lives of woman today. Fifty percent of woman that live in this country alone are estimated to be overweight. Individuals of our society are always looking for new diets, dietary plans, supplements, and or advice. Every woman would love to be considered physically fit, and beautiful in the eyes of others, but this within itself is a challenge. Everyone perceives beauty in different ways, shapes, and forms. Obesity and overeating in women can be linked to sex/gender roles as well as societies expectations on what the ideal woman should be or look like.…

    • 971 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Weight of the Nation
    • 747 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Weight of the Nation

    Part I of The Weight of the Nation discussed the effects of the obesity epidemic in America. It immediately grabbed my attention when they stated that more than 18% of American children are obese. Two-thirds of America (or 68.8%) is overweight or obese. There is a strong connection between a high BMI and diabetes mellitus and hypertension, especially when accompanied by a high percentage of abdominal fat. I found it interesting, and important, that the first woman who shared her story pointed out the psychosocial effects of her obesity. She expressed that her self-esteem is affected by how her husband expresses his view of her weight. She later stated, “You get tired of that feeling of failure," regarding her failed efforts at losing weight.…

    • 747 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Powerful Essays

    Obesity - Socioeconomic Status
    • 2000 Words
    • 8 Pages

    Obesity - Socioeconomic Status

    Recent studies reinforce this notion in suggesting that the direct causes of obesity have their roots in systemic social and economic factors that are not easily overcome by "eating less and not sitting around." Such socioeconomic factors that influence obesity have been documented in three areas: education, health care, and employment. These three elements inevitably tie racial elements to health outcomes such as obesity in the U.S.…

    • 2000 Words
    • 8 Pages
    Powerful Essays
    Read More
  • Best Essays

    Current Events: Obesity
    • 4873 Words
    • 20 Pages

    Current Events: Obesity

    Americans are well aware of the fact that the United States has one of the world’s highest rates of obesity and that the country has gained the worldwide stereotype of being overweight. This all pertains to the term that has been a coined phrase within American society for the past few years—the American obesity epidemic. Despite the widespread knowledge that being obese or overweight can negatively affect one’s health, America’s rates of obesity continue to climb. In addition, there are many Americans who claim that obesity is simply a controllable factor and that there is reason to refer to the obese population as an epidemic. They claim, in fact, that there is no such thing as an obesity epidemic; and that America’s large percentage of people who are overweight is nothing to panic over or to consider as a dangerous plague. The fact is, however, obesity is quite a serious issue. Most recently in current events, it was stated that obesity has now surpassed smoking as the leading cause of preventable death in the United States of America. The smoking epidemic gained a great deal of publicity, leading to protest groups and awareness groups that all aimed to educate Americans about the health hazards associated with smoking; but now that obesity kills more people annually than smoking, it is clear that there is absolutely an obesity epidemic taking place within the United States and that is must be addressed, taken seriously, and combated through further education about health, fitness, and nutrition.…

    • 4873 Words
    • 20 Pages
    Best Essays
    Read More
  • Powerful Essays

    Obesity in African American Women
    • 3793 Words
    • 16 Pages

    Obesity in African American Women

    Hebl, M. R., Heatherton, T. F. (1998). The stigma of obesity in women: the difference is black and white. Personality & Social Psychology Bulletin, 24(4), 417-440.…

    • 3793 Words
    • 16 Pages
    Powerful Essays
    Read More

Related Topics