Obesity Psychology
The Psychology of Obesity
Obesity is a significant public health problem. Due to negative nutritional habits, a lack of exercise and a greater proclivity toward lifestyle decisions which expose individuals to lesser physical activity, America is suffering an obesity epidemic with extensive implications to its national well-being. Obesity is proven to have a direct link to heart disease, high blood pressure and certain types of diabetes according to the Centers for Disease Control. (CDC1,1) The strains on the individual's health that are prompted by obesity can significantly reduce treatment options for these consequences while simultaneously increasing the individual's likelihood for premature mortality. These effects intercede with a disturbing set of indicators as to the increasing psychological propensity of individuals, families and especially toward behavior which is conducive to obesity. The wide permeation of the obesity problem in American is a product of psychological conditioning resulting from a combination of negative social and familial habits relating to both nutrition and exercise.
The research conducted for this account is driven by the following research question:
What are the prevailing social conditions and familial habits which result in a psychological conditioning rendering children vulnerable to obesity?
In the literature review to follow, the selection and analysis of sources is underscored by the knowledge that obesity and its correlated effects may be linked to such broad sociological effects as reduced overall productivity, increased medical liability, shorter life-expectancy and a worsening set of economic consequences in succeeding generations of Americans. (Finkelstein et al., 219) In fact, according to a 2003 project informed by the International Obesity Task Force, we "could see obesity levels soar up to 40 per cent or higher within a single generation unless urgent action is taken." (NA, 1) The succeeding literature review is dedicated to uncovering the conditions contributing to obesity. This investigation is centered on the task of better illuminating the psychological roots of the current childhood obesity epidemic by identifying public consumer behaviors and family habits as the main culprits for what has become a significant public health problem.
Literature Review:
Research denotes that one of the primary causes of obesity is a permeation of sedentary behavior in an individual's lifestyle. Often as individual's grow older, and their increased responsibilities dominate their schedules, there is little time allotted to physical activity. This is a directly contributory factor to heart disease, diabetes and hypertension. In order to combat what is clearly a national health priority, with the American Heart Association reporting roughly half a million deaths annually due to heart disease, it is crucial that we work to implant strong values geared toward a regular institution of vigorous physical activity in the daily routine. (AHA, 1) This must be done in public settings and through community interventions. The research aim here will be to identify the targets of such intervention as the schools, parents and mass media sources that encourage unhealthy lifestyle decisions.
Perhaps one of the most troubling aspects of the obesity plague is that it presents us with a problem which is socially self-perpetuating. In many cases, parents play a leading role in enabling and enforcing negative eating habits in the fragile developmental psyche of a child. This is supported by Gaynon (2002), who denotes that "classical psychology points toward early childhood diet as a prominent factor in the development of obesity, specifically the transitional period when infants are weaned from milk to solid food. Psychologists have found dietary habits learned early on can have a strong effect on adult eating patterns and, consequently, the probability of becoming overweight or obese." (Gaynon, 1) This indicates that early allowance of negative dietary habits is likely to have damning effects on a child's future psychological relationship with consumption. Most Americans, according to the Office of Communications, believe that parents should be most accountable for preventing childhood obesity. It falls upon the family to promote positive nutritional habits and physical activeness, according to 79% of parents surveyed. (Ofcom, 1.3) In a discussion on who is to blame for the psychological patterns discussed above, it becomes increasingly clear that parental shortcomings are a major factor.
And as such, where there is obesity in children, it is not uncommon to find obesity in parents. In addition to the reality that obesity is sometimes inherited, so are the behaviors which produce it. Parents who are not conscious of the nutritional distinctions separating types of foods or the values of regular physical activity are likely to raise children...
Our semester plans gives you unlimited, unrestricted access to our entire library of resources —writing tools, guides, example essays, tutorials, class notes, and more.
Get Started Now