Socio-Economic Status And Obesity Essay

Are Americans, where obesity is found to be a major struggle, in jeopardy with the various aspects that may cause obesity, such as poor eating habits, lack of physical activity, etc.? Poor eating habits such as eating processed foods is one reason for weight gain in children and adults. These eating habits are affordable, tasty, and an easy way out when an individual does not want to cook. Obesity is a personal issue that many have struggled with all their life. There are many risks that come along with being obese as well as ways to overcome it. In order to explain this the research report will ask: do individuals who are obese know the various health risks that come along with the constant weight gain and how to lose the weight

According to Wall Street Journal, “More than 33% of adults who earn less than $15,000 per year were obese, compared with 24.6% of those who earn at least $50,000 per year.” (Izzo 2011) Processed foods such as cheeseburger or French fries tend to be cheaper than buying healthier ingredients and making home cooked food. When people have lower incomes, they do suffer from food insecurity, which is an important connection between poverty and obesity. Two reasons can contribute to obesity: parents are working and are no longer at home with their children and therefore not able to cook balanced meals; and foods with high fat are cheaper than healthy foods.

(Dehghan et al., 2005). Fast food is also consumed every day by one third of American children

The diets followed by people who live in the United States have been discussed many times. The fact that the rate of obesity has been increasing was an issue everybody knew. What is new is that Americans’ eating habits began to change, and this time they are not worsening (http://ajcn.nutrition.org/content/early/2014/01/15/ajcn.113.072892.full.pdf+html).

It is said that obesity can be caused by not knowing how to combat and prevent this common disease before it begins in poverty stricken areas. Additionally the availability of nutritious food choices and the means to have safe active life style are not available to those who suffer from poverty due to financial and educational disadvantages. Obesity is not just a class problem, but financially disadvantaged people that lack access to quality food will inevitably turn to high calorie processed foods that will stretch their food dollar.

Modern society is dealing with a health crisis that has been on the rise for years. Ongoing

Once the issue of malnutrition plagued many countries around the world, today obesity has become the new epidemic. The word epidemic traditionally “refers to an acute outbreak of disease caused by a specific microorganism that spreads through a sizable portion of a population and requires serious responses such as quarantines, travel restrictions, and medical treatment” (Bellisari, 2013, p. 4). Dealing with an epidemic often brings social disruption. When you look at how many millions of people are affected by obesity and its related health concerns, the use of the word epidemic seems very appropriate. When discussing the dynamics of obesity you must consider the rising number of

Does low socioeconomic status bear a significant role in the obesity epidemic? A national survey conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2010) estimated that more than two-thirds of Americans are now overweight or obese (body mass index of over 30), and the percentage is escalating. The Census Bureau (2011) reported 46.2 million people in America are currently living beneath the official poverty line. The official poverty rate in 2010 was 15.1 percent; up from 14.3 percent in 2009; this was the third consecutive annual increase in the poverty rate (Census Bureau, 2011). One might assume that obesity and poverty are not associated, but this is not accurate. The correlation between poverty and obesity can be

Do you realize that more than 33% of grown-ups in the U.S. are affected by obesity? Obesity is identified with some driving causes of death. These include cancer, stroke, and diabetes. Obesity has been increasing for every social economic group. A few groups are more influenced than others. Research shows how financial status and obesity are connected. They found that obesity increased with a country's financial advancement, yet financial status and its relation to obesity changed. In poorer nations, individuals with higher financial status will probably be obese. Conversely in high wage nations, individuals with a higher SES were less likely to become fat. Why the inversion? It might be that in low wage nations, higher SES encourages expending fatty nourishment and avoiding physically demanding tasks. In any case, individuals in higher-wage nations with higher SES may have a good diet and regular exercise. The suggestion is that while financial advancement enhances well being, “Problems of malnutrition are replaced by problems of overconsumption that differentially affect SES groups,” In any case, some developing nations,

The sociological aspect of obesity shown through the impact of families, the government and the economy. The rapidly growing, fast-paced, technological society creates an epidemic of sorts. Families pursue the use of technology, restaurants and fast-paced eating as well as single parenting and parental denial. The government sets a significant health care cost to obesity, which prevents a solution and increases risks. A non-stable economy brings about a society filled with unemployment or multiple jobs as well as both parents working to stay above absolute or relative poverty leading to distractions from a healthy lifestyle. Obesity is a concern, not just for an individual but also for

Much has been written to explain the medical aspect of obesity but little attention has been paid to understanding the sociological aspect of the epidemic. This research attempts to understand the sociological aspect of obesity by examining the socio-cultural, gender, and psycho-social effects and includes the different perceptions of the epidemic as well as what is deemed acceptable in the society we live in.

Did you know that “sugar-sweetened beverages are the single most fattening and disease promoting aspect of the modern diet” (“15 Things”), yet it is one of the most popular drinks in the United States? It is surprising that a liquid could cause so much damage to one’s health. This is one of many factors contributing to obesity. In fact, the population of obese adults who are of the age 20 and older in the United States has doubled since early 1960s, from 13.4% to 35.7% (“Overweight and Obesity Statics”). That means that more than one-third of adults are considered to be obese today in America, and its number is still increasing. This is something we need to further study since obesity causes critical health damages such as cancer, stroke, high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, and stillborn for a child whose mother is obese.

Individual problems such as addictions, illnesses and mental depression stalk us throughout our lives, but there is more to addictions, illnesses and mental depression than meets the eye. A good example of this theory is obesity. Obesity in Australia is turning into a problem and as the rates of obesity increase each year, the larger the problem expands. According to sociologist, C. Mills, problems can be divided into either troubles or issues and more often than not, a problem which is seen as a person trouble, when looked at globally, is in fact a social issue. This idea is referred to by C.Mills as the sociological imagination.

If families are poor and cannot afford adequate food for their families, they might buy cheap packaged food or eat at cheap fast food places such as McDonald 's multiple times a week to keep their family what they think is nourished. However, this is not nourishing because eating junk food or cheaply packaged food can and most likely will make people overweight and eventually obese if they eat those kinds of foods on a daily basis without any nutritional food. There is a trend with children in lower income families being more overweight and obese than children in families who have money and can afford nutritious food. America

If families are poor and cannot afford adequate food for their families, they might buy cheap packaged food or eat at cheap fast food places such as McDonald 's multiple times a week to keep their family “nourished”, or at least what they think is nourishment. However, this is not nourishing because eating junk food or cheaply packaged food can and most likely will make people overweight and eventually obese if they eat those kinds of foods on a daily basis without any or much nutritional food. There is a trend with children in lower income families being more overweight and obese than children in families who have money and