As many Americans know, there is currently an obesity epidemic that is sweeping the nation. With more food advertisements, bigger portion sizes, and Americans eating more calories than ever before; Linder makes his viewpoint very clear on how this is negatively affecting our nation. In his article “Fat of the Land”, Linder looks at all of the possible leading factors on who is to blame on the current situation in resulting of more than 60% of adults in America being overweight. The main contributing people to blame for the obesity epidemic is of course, the fast food industry. Linder’s main argument starts with his comparison of American’s calorie intake in the 1950’s, than comparing it to today. With stating the other side’s viewpoint on while advertisements and marketing are always surrounding the world around us; it is not forcing us to do anything. With his basic statement claiming that people will be people and at the end of the day, it’s their decision if they want to eat that 1,000 calorie filled Big Mac from McDonalds. Linder does a substantial job at informing the reader about the many dangers causing obesity, while also persuading them by giving tips to lead a well-balanced, healthier lifestyle. One of the main supporting factors leading Linder’s argument is advertising to American’s to “eat less sugar” rather than “consuming fewer candy bars, cookies, cakes, and other sweets.” This shows the marketing strategies used to help sell the food industries
Michael Moss, an investigative reporter who enjoys reporting on food, wrote: “The Extraordinary Science of Addictive Junk Food” (pages 471-494). This article reports on the ways that prepackaged food, especially junk food, is being designed to fit the customers’ needs and wants, as well as being something that the body craves. Moss provides multiple accounts throughout the reading in which people who have worked for or created corporate companies design foods just so they will sell. Moss expresses his thought in a clear manner to the reader so he or she will understand that Moss worries about the growing obesity in America and places the blame on junk food corporations. Though junk food corporations have a great part in the growing obesity,
“On the agenda was one item: the emerging obesity epidemic and how to deal with it” (471). An executive at Pillsbury and the vice president of Kraft, Michael Mudd, both thought it would be worth the attempt to invite the C.E.O.s and Presidents of the country’s food giants to meet and discuss the ways they could trim down the country’s fat. Michael Mudd of Kraft started the event by giving a slideshow presentation, presenting the executives with facts and labeling the rising obesity rates as a national
Fed up is a documentary that investigates the recent obesity epidemic; the obesity epidemic is considered “recent” because there has been a steady rise in obese and overweight Americans since the 1980s. This film formulates its analysis of United States’ obesity epidemic by denouncing US politics and the food industry for their immensely adverse influence on America’s overall health. Moreover, there was also an emphasis on the science of obesity and childhood obesity.
The film Fed Up is an American made documentary that examines the obesity epidemic, as well as, the food industry in an effort to uproot the underlining causes of exponential growth rates of obesity in America. The main objective behind the documentary is to educate and expose the current threat of obesity and the associated health complications in an attempt to motivate viewers to reevaluate and alter their current food choices. Fed Up utilizes data gathered through various professional interviews conducted with medical and food industry personnel to propose and support various claims. The film also includes personal stories provided by various children who are confused about and struggle with their obesity as an effective way to establish
Today in America obesity has become a horrific epidemic and Americans are trying to find the cause and a solution for it. For the first time ever in America obesity has become such a big problem that is said to be big as the dealing of drugs in America. It seems that in America today obesity and overweight Americans have become the new normal. Diabetes is the 7th leading cause of death in America and type 2 diabetes goes hand in hand with obesity. Obesity causes heart disease, cancer,and high blood pressure which are also some of the leading causes of death in America. Obesity doesn’t just happen to people it happens because of the unhealthy foods being eaten and the lack of exercise on top of that. This obesity epidemic is not only the fault
As Americans we have made food not only a way to live but all help us with life events, whether emotional times or celebratory events we turn to food. However our society has been consumed with unhealthy food options readily available. This has in turn caused a huge medical epidemic in America. Obesity has and will put people at risk of heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and some types of cancer. More than one-third of American adults are obese (Ogden et al., 2012). By looking in depth at the obesity epidemic in America through the three major sociological perspectives (structural functionalist, social conflict, and symbolic interactionist) we are able to better discern this medical issue impacting the health of American people.
In the United States, there are several problems occurring, but people would rather go on with their lives as if everything is fine .Being unaware of distressing circumstances is less arduous than being aware. But being aware allows one to adjust,because if people are knowledgeable than they are able to prevent or control the situation.
According to the media article, Whose Fault is our Fat? Obesity solely stems from Americans not participating in enough physical activity. On the other hand, Family Stressors and Child Obesity, attributes the stem of childhood obesity to stressors, particularly family stressors. Another possible explanation for obesity, other than Americans not getting enough physical activity or stressors, comes from the movie, watched in lecture, The Weight of the Nation. This movie makes the connection of rates of obesity to living in poverty areas. The movie also firmly believes that Americans are turning to quick, processed, and readily made meals, instead of healthy food options.
Although the food industry does not play a major role in the obesity epidemic in America, it does plays a key one because they produced the food that goes into your mouth. Most people don’t know what goes on in the pre-shipping face of the food that goes on the shelve of a grocery store. American manufacturers, pump their food full of sugar, salt, hydrogenated oils, saturated fats, preservatives, dyes, artificial flavors,
In America, seventy-eight million adults and twelve million children have been diagnosed with obesity (Rossi). Obesity is a disease that means grossly fat or overweight inasmuch as that is the consumers fault for eating imprudently; it also is the food industries fault, especially fast food. Fast-food is inexpensive and it attracts consumers, especially obese consumers, because fast-food is everywhere, nonetheless, Americans are not informed upon what they are eating not only causing obesity but chances of other diseases like heart disease, stroke, and diabetes.
In the United States, a crisis is breaking out known as the Obesity epidemic. For the first time in history, it is possible for the children of this generation to have a lower life expectancy than their parents. Millions of Americans are exposed to ads that are luring them into eating the cheap, fast food of billion dollar companies such as McDonald’s. Obesity has established itself as the fastest growing disease in the nation and continues to make an impact on the general population. The issue of Obesity is directly related to todays technology through television, cell phones, video games and all of sorts of new gadgets.
The obesity epidemic in America is a very serious and ongoing issue. Many Americans ask themselves what is the difference between obesity and being overweight? What can I do to fix it? As Americans people deserve to know what those differences are, how to prevent obesity, and what the actual causes of obesity are. Citizens also have the right to know the effects of obesity and the solutions to obesity.
Obesity should not be an unknown term to the majority of the Americans as a significant percentage of the American population is obese. As the number of obese people skyrockets annually, obesity tends to be a major threat not just in America, but globally. The number of obese individuals has doubled in past four decades, probably by practicing the art of super-sizing (Marks). Obesity is a complex physical problem in which a person weighs 20% or more in addition to his normal body weight for given height and age and Body Mass Index (BMI) which includes those of 30 and
Being overweight, eating poorly, and not exercising are becoming an epidemic in America, especially among college students. Most of the research on it states the same things, however the first research article I found speaks more to the behavior and its current affects on college students’ health. A slew of doctors and Jesse S. Morrell wrote an article about “Risk Factors Among College Men and Women” in relationship to obesity. The opening of this article stated that “an estimated 300,000 deaths each year are attributable to obesity… and young adults have experienced dramatic increases in obesity rates,” (Morrell, 2012, pg. 82). This statistic is what really got the research going and helped the researchers focus specifically on college-aged individuals. Upon diving into their research, the authors found more alarming statistics and related diseases. This included a recognizable relationship between obesity in young people and chronic disease risk, especially diabetes and cardiovascular disease (Morrell, 2012, pg. 82). In fact, CVD was the second leading cause of death in the US in that college-age group showing that our generation is at a greater risk for health problems than ever before due to our lack of exercise and healthy diets. Researchers then took to college campuses to examine students and their habits and provide risk assessments to promote healthier lifestyles and hopefully decrease the probability of CVD and DM through the metabolic syndrome system,
I have noticed that you have gained a tremendous amount of weight over the last couple of years and it has caused a great deal of health problems in your life. As a young woman I believe you should always stay physically fit. Physical Activity is vital to stay healthy, reduce risk of getting diseases, high blood pressure and helps with longevity. According to National Center for Health Statistics, the least active group in our society is African-American women and I do not want you to be another statistic. From your recent visits to the doctors it sounds as though you are developing a disease called “ Creeping Obesity”, which is excessive fatness that develops slowly through adulthood (1995). Most weight gain occurs between twenty-five and forty-four, it’s sad to say, but you fall right in the middle of the age group. Creeping Obesity is only one of many diseases that will happen from an unhealthy diet. Exercising will decrease your medical issues starting with your immune system, which will improve the more you work out (1995). A person’s cardiovascular system is affected by physical activity determining whether you will be healthy or not. I am not saying any of this to scare you, but I do want you to be aware of the path you are slowly but surely going down.