Obesity: The Beast Attacking America

Running Head: OBESITY: THE BEAST ATTACKING AMERICA



Obesity: The Beast Attacking America
Kristen Hughes
Pikes Peak Community College










Abstract
With habits and eating environments constantly evolving in the United States, increasingly more Americans are struggling with the obesity epidemic, which drastically affects the health and life of all individuals. Obesity is the result of poor dietary habits, lack of exercise, and genetics. Documentaries, magazines, and leading researchers, such as Judith S. Beck, Ph.D., have affirmed that one’s environment, heredity factors, and family lifestyle contribute to an individual’s risk of being overweight. In addition to extreme physical hazards such as diabetes and diseases, an obese individual also experiences mental and social repercussions for being overweight. Low self esteem, social discrimination, and even suicide are common issues faced by overweight individuals, especially children and adolescents. With larger proportions and higher caloric meals, a poor change in habits has induced the increased obesity statistics. To prevent increasing obesity rates, experts advise educating the American public in the importance of physical exercise and a balanced healthy diet. In addition, cognitive therapy, in which one trains the mind to think positively, is another strategy to fighting the obesity epidemic. However, it is ultimately an individual’s choice to change poor health habits, which results in reversing the obesity epidemic and changing one’s life forever.

Obesity: The Beast Attacking America
This is America, where we have a tendency to think big. Our big thinking has led to big results. America has some of the richest people, successful corporations, and extravagant lifestyles. However, bigger isn’t always better. Statistics show that approximately one-hundred million Americans are currently overweight or obese, which accounts for over sixty percent of the nation’s adults (Morley, 2001). With habits and eating environments constantly evolving in the United States, increasingly more Americans are struggling with the obesity epidemic, which drastically affects the health and life of all individuals.
What is Obesity?
Obesity is the result of poor dietary habits and a lack of exercise, which play a significant role on an individual’s health. Brain Hanlon, a paramedic, described obesity as the chronic abuse of these two factors over a gradual period of time (2008). The term ‘obese’ is a general range of weight for a given height in comparison to a healthy individual. This obese range has been found to increase the possibility of certain diseases. Obesity and overweight rates are calculated by an individual’s ratio of weight for a given height known as Body Mass Index (BMI). If an adult has a BMI greater than 30, he or she is considered obese (Ogden, 2008). The prevalence of obesity continues to be a concern worldwide, but it is especially dominate in the United States of America.
Contributing Factors to Weight Gain and Obesity
It has been scientifically proven that losing and gaining weight is affected by the ratio of calories consumed to how many calories are used by the body. Experts have discovered that “weight gain is promoted by a high intake of energy-dense foods that contain a lot of fat or sugar and few nutrients” (Wirtgen, 2008). If one eats more calories than he or she consumes, then more weight will be stored as fat. The reverse is true: if an individual exercises and burns more calories, the result is weight loss. However, recent studies have shown that biology plays a key role in body weight. An individual’s basal metabolic rate, or the rate at which one consumes calories for energy, is a biological factor. Adoption studies have shown that trends are similar to the biological family, not the adoptive parents (Cavanaugh, 2004). Robert F. Kushner, a physician and professor at Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine, says that “It’s impossible to say how much [genetics plays a role in weight distribution] for each individual person, but it’s very important” (Graves, 2008). Certain people are genetically designed to be thinner or have weight distributed in different areas. Everyone is unique and has his or her own genetic weight makeup. Louis J. Aronne, a director of the New York Comprehensive Weight control Program, also claims that “weight is regulated by a complex set of systems in [the] body, and those are difficult to change. Every person’s body is geared to be a certain weight” (Graves, 2008). He adds that “with a healthy, low-calorie diet, you can stay in the low end of your range” (Graves, 2008). Biology has an impact on a person’s ideal weight, but being obese is not in the gene pool. There are other factors that contribute to this national and world-wide epidemic.
Due to a combination of factors, statistics show that America has experienced a recent spike in overweight and obesity rates. The environment may also have an effect on eating behaviors. An increase in the obesity trends may partially be caused by our culture putting so much emphasis on consuming unhealthy food. Food advertisements convincing people to purchase food products bombard the American public. “The average American child sees ten-thousand food advertisements per year on television. Ninety-five percent of those are for sugar-cereals, soft drinks, fast foods, or candy” (Morley, 2001). If one consciously pays attention to the commercial world in everyday life, one will notice the abundance of food advertisements on television, magazines, and billboards. These messages can be found nearly everywhere one looks, which may cause one to subconsciously think about food, despite hunger levels. With increasing availability to fast food restaurants with fatty, high-calorie foods and less Americans exercising, the obesity rate is dramatically increasing.
One’s environment also includes the family home and lifestyle. Parents encourage children to participate in certain activities and usually decide what the children eat. (Cavanaugh, 2004). It has been discovered that there is a correlation between overweight adults and overweight children, partially due to parental guidance. If the parents encourage physical exercise, such as sports or outdoor activities, it is less likely the child will become obese or overweight. Similarly, children learn eating habits that resemble the eating patterns of their parents. If a child eats unhealthy foods and proportions and has overweight parents, it is likely that his or her habits will parallel that of the parents, and the child will be, or is destined to become, overweight.
Many conclusions can be drawn to explain this growing epidemic by observing current habits. Statistics show that Americans eat approximately forty percent of meals at restaurants, which is a habit that was not common thirty years ago when the obesity rate was significantly less (Morley, 2001). This American epidemic of obesity is directed at fast food companies because it gives people an explanation for this sudden trend. Fast food restaurants, such as McDonalds, are believed to be a major contributor to this national epidemic. The food sold at these fast-food restaurants are processed and high-fat foods. In addition, for just a small price, people are learning to “supersize” meals. A supersized portion of French fries is about four to six times larger than the regular serving of French fries fifty years ago; consequently, Americans are becoming more overweight (Morley, 2001). Perhaps people think that getting more food for a discounted price is advantageous. Thus, people are warping their sense of proportions into believing that bigger is better, which contributes to overeating, weight gain, and poor health and lifestyles.
Effects of Obesity
Obesity is becoming a ‘killer’ disease. In fact, it is the second-most preventable cause of death, second to lung cancer caused by smoking (Morley, 2001). Obesity affects the health care systems in the United States, and it is just the beginning of disastrous health issues. Brian Hanlon works with a variety of medical emergencies. Admitting that over half of his patients are extremely overweight or obese, he confirmed that this epidemic is directly related to three very common diseases: hypertension (increased blood pressure), cardiac arrest, and type 2 diabetes. Today, about “seventeen million Americans have type 2 diabetes, which is about one in every twenty people” (Morley, 2001). In addition, these extremely dangerous health crises are expensive to treat. “According to new research, the direct medical costs associated with diabetes have doubled in the past five years from forty-four billion dollars in 1997 to nineteen-two billion dollars in 2002” (Morley, 2001). There is a relationship between parent and child obesity rates. “In the last twenty to twenty-five years, we have seen a doubling of overweight and obesity in adolescence.” As mentioned, “this weight gain is linked to countless health problems later in life such as hypertension, coronary heart disease, stroke, gall bladder disease, asthma, sleep apnea, insulin resistance, and adult onset diabetes” (Morley, 2001).
In addition to the extreme physical difficulties, recent studies have shown that those who are obese experience extreme mental and social effects. Low self esteem, social discrimination, and even suicide are common issues faced by overweight individuals, especially children and adolescents. Social discrimination includes being judged by peers, feeling undesirable, and being treated unfairly (Pawlik-Kienlen, 2007). Cavanaugh agreed that obesity is associated with extreme mental effects and discovered that overweight children often feel unpopular and are called inappropriate names, therefore contributing to low self-esteem (2004). Overweight women are more conscious of their appearance, and social pressures for being thin are more heavily directed at females. An overweight young teenager expresses her hardships in life. “It’s very hard for overweight teenagers. It’s depressing; it makes you feel like crap. You see all the girls in [magazines] and they are all beautiful, and you think, aren’t I supposed to look like that?” (Morley, 2001). Being in the overweight range is especially difficult for children and adolescents. With a certain expectation of what to look like, they often feel discriminated against and helpless. Victoria, an eighth grader, finds that being overweight is distressing and she claims that her weight is caused by her family’s history. “I have tried so many ways, and it has hurt my body. It’s hard to look at someone when someone who says I’ve done it, so you can do it, but it’s not that easy” (Morley, 2001). It has been proven that obesity extends beyond the physical diseases and affects mental health substantially. Obesity and weight gain make people feel depressed and self-critical. It is a mental trap in which people feel unmotivated, out of control with their actions, and incapable of losing weight and becoming healthy.

Preventing Weight Gain and Obesity
With the costs of obesity being so financially, mentally, and physically expensive, why is it that losing weight is so difficult for those considered obese? Brian explained the dangerous effect that makes the obesity range extremely difficult to escape. Those who are obese have poor blood circulation due to fat deposits adding pressure on veins and arteries. Therefore, poor circulation is common for causing death to extremity tissue. Poor circulation and death of the extremities initiate extreme pain and poor stability. Often having difficulty standing and balancing, the obese individual lacks movement. Lack of movement leads to lack of exercise, which is one of the primary causes of obesity.
Another target for preventing weight gain and obesity is the educational system in which the children of America are developing habits and learning about healthy lifestyles. Research has detected that “in the past twenty-five to thirty years, the number of overweight adolescents has tripled. Today roughly one child or adolescent out of seven is overweight” (Cavanaugh, 2004). In public educational systems, only one state in the nation requires physical education programs in which children learn the importance of exercise and health (Morey, 2004). In addition, cafeterias often provide poor food choices in public schools. The typical school offers hamburgers, hot dogs, French fries, tater-tots, pizzas, candy bars, soda, and foods that have extremely poor nutritional value. One must ask, how are the children in the educational systems learning to care for their health? If these poor cafeteria choices were replaced with options that contained lower calories and sugar content and greater emphasis in fresh and healthy fruits, vegetables, and grains, the children of America would have a greater awareness of the importance of healthy living. Are the American public schools emphasizing the importance of healthy meals and the benefits of physical exercise, or is the system contributing to the epidemic? If children learn how to make healthy eating and exercise decisions in school, would the American public be condemned to this epidemic? Learning proper habits in childhood would most likely continue into practicing proper habits in adulthood. After all, the children and adolescents in the schools are the future American generation, and teaching them is the most important step for changing the future.
Although some experts have discovered that there are various factors associated with the obesity epidemic such as heredity and environment, many people become overweight due to a series of poor habits. Poor habits that have contributed to the obesity statistics are caused by high fat diets, such as fast foods, and lack of exercise (Cavanaugh, 2004). A new discovery has been made about obesity in how an individual thinks. Neglecting one’s thoughts about hunger and automatically eating out of conscious control has been found to contribute to weight gain. Judith S. Beck, Ph.D. discovered a trend that contributes to these poor eating habits and developed a way to recognize and combat these sabotaging thoughts that lead to unplanned and unnecessary eating. She has applied the beneficial principles of cognitive therapy to help individuals abandon destructive habits and to replace them with constructive habits. Cognitive therapy is a psychological way of monitoring one’s thoughts to think differently about dieting and to change one’s eating behavior. Beck wrote a book called the Beck Diet Solution in which she presents several ways to change one’s view of him or herself and to ‘think like a thin person’ (Beck, 2007). Beck claims that the key to success is in one’s thinking. She said the principles of cognitive thinking will guide one to cope with cravings, stress, and self-doubting thoughts and will motivate to exercise and feel great.
The Beck Diet Solution provides a new and innovative approach to dieting. With so many hundreds of diets available and often with confusion of what works and what doesn’t work, Judith S. Beck, Ph.D. pinpoints that the use of cognitive thinking works with any healthy diet plan. However, her philosophy to dieting is not short term, but it is a way of living healthfully. She recognizes that different diets work for different people, and she does advise to choose appropriate diets with correct nutritional values. However, Beck’s ‘diet’ is concerning the mental thoughts of what people think. So, this philosophy is universal to whatever diet and is critical to losing and maintaining weight. She addresses what makes people eat (and gain weight), and, most importantly, she outlines the keys for positive thinking and success (Beck, 2007). Uncontrolled eating becomes an addiction and especially affects mental health. One can use Beck’s techniques to change the way one thinks about eating. After all, the obesity rates are not spurred solely on the fact that people are becoming hungrier and eating poorly, but on the fact that people are beginning to view life differently.
Conclusion
With hundreds of lawsuits directed at fast-food restaurants, it is evident that Americans are placing the blame of this epidemic on other factors. The problem is that the world, in which restaurants, advertisements, and culture exist, is not going to change. Some argue that being overweight is hereditary, is caused by fast food diets, or is due to a lack of proficient education. It is human nature to point the finger and place blame on other sources when, in fact, it is our own mistake. It is time to take responsibility for choices and mistakes. Each individual must change his or her habits because eating, exercise, and health are conscious decisions. We decide where to eat, what to eat, and how much to eat. Our health and eating options are under our control, and we must be held accountable for our choices. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services advises that “increased physical activity and good eating habits [ward] off overweight and obesity” (Cavanaugh, 2001). With positive thoughts and an awareness of healthy decisions, the people of America can learn to combat this current epidemic and become a healthier nation for ourselves, for others, and for the future generations to come.



References
Beck, Ph.D., J. S. (2007). Beck Diet Solution. Birmingham, AL: Oxmoor House, Inc..
Calle, E (2008). The obesity society. Retrieved July 13, 2008, from Obesity Statistics Web site: http://www.obesity.org/statistics/obesity_trends.asp
Cavanaugh, J. C., & Kail (2004). Human Development: A Life-Span View. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth/Thomson Learning.
Graves, Ginny (2008 June). Body of Evidence. Allure, 180-183.
Hanlon, Brian. Personal interview. 18 June 2008.
Morley, J.R., & Spurlock, M.. (2001). Super Size Me. United States: Hart Sharp Video.
Ogden , C (2008, June 27). Overweight and obesity. Retrieved July 26, 2008, from Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Web site: http://www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/dnpa/obesity/
Pawlik-Kienlen, L (2007, July 25). Mental health effects of obesity. Retrieved July 26, 2008, from Suite101.com Web site: http://psychology.suite101.com/article.cfm/mental_health_effects_of_obesity
Wirtgen , J (2008, July 16). Scientific Facts on Diet and Nutrition. Retrieved July 20, 2008, from Green Facts Web site: http://www.greenfacts.org/en/diet-nutrition/l-2/5-obesity-bmi.htm

Blog Post #11

Assignment: Write about how you will revise your argument in Essay 4 for a different medium and audience and what you learned by doing so.
· Remind readers of the context and give an overview of your argument for Essay 4
o In my essay, Diagnosing Male Nurses, I addressed the stereotypes and misconceptions that the American public faces. It is oftentimes the patients who are not accepting of male nurses, so it is important that they are the audience. I argued the different theories in making moral decisions, the affect that media has in portraying nursing as a field not fit for men and inferior to doctors, and general gender difference that the society creates. I argued that men are just as capable as women in the nursing field in terms of caring and making moral decisions despite psychologists’ theories, cultural independencies, and gender intensification.
· Describe what medium you have chosen for the rhetorical revision
o I have chosen a medium that will affect the general public. I have chosen a billboard that flips and shows a different image every five seconds. These billboards have been seen on the side of trucks or by bus stops. On one side of the billboard will be a picture of Florence Nightingale and a group of female nurses in old nursing uniform and the pictures and font will be in black and white. It will read, “Nurses… Providing Care Since 1860.” On the flipped image will be male and female nurses working together in an accepting environment that says, “Welcome to the 21st Century… Nursing… Let’s Unite and Work Together.” Some of these words will be in bold for emphasis, but this side of the billboard will be in color and eye-catching. I need enough time for the audience to see both images, and to think about what they just saw, as opposed to driving on the interstate which would not allow enough time to get my point across.
· Explain in detail the choices you made in turning this into a visual ad for mainstream culture (as opposed to a more academic setting)
o I have decided that for this add, I need to incorporate the history of nursing. I want to briefly educate the general public (the audience) that strictly females in nursing is a thing of the past. In today’s modern world, male nurses are needed and valued. The works unite and together will indicate equality. Equality among men and women. I know that a picture is worth one thousand words, so perhaps this visual aide will be even more effective than my essay!
· What did you learn about the rhetorical process (issues of audience—including location, form, visual appeals, etc.) from making these changes
o Layout- the pictures are going to be centered and are going to be the main point of the billboard. The layout will also include fonts and sayings that get the point across with as few words as possible. Also, certain words will be bolded to get the point across.
o Images- One side showing Florence Nightingale and the other having nurses (of different genders, race, backgrounds) working together to provide care.
o Color- the “history” side will be in black and white and will convey that this is in the past. The other side will be in bright colors, showing today’s modern world.
o Typefaces and Fonts- The ‘history side’ will also probably be in old font, indicating the past.
· Plan an oral presentation for your class in which you will share your rhetorical revision with a visual aid.
o I imagine my oral presentation with me addressing the issues of the board and what certain parts of the board emphasized (as discussed above). I also would be interested in dressing up in nursing scrubs to portray that this is what I plan to get my degree in, so this is something that I am passionate about and something that I will see every day. (pathos) I will also answer any questions that the audience has about my display. My purpose is to address the incorrect stereotypes to the American Culture about men’s position in society as a male nurse. The end result would be a change in the public’s perspective of male nurses to avoid criticism as a patient and to be intolerant of other’s stereotypical comments.

Presentation Thoughts...

Presentation Thoughts….

For my presentation, I really want to emphasize all of the ways that nursing is portrayed in the media and our American culture. I was thinking about maybe doing a presentation with pictures, because I know that pictures are so effective in how nursing is portrayed in the media. In class, Ms. Patrick presented how a picture can lead the audience a certain way or can make them feel certain emotions based on how the picture is cropped, where the title is placed, or even the saturation of color have a huge affect. Also, word choice and the color used are extremely important to convey certain feelings. In my argument paper, I emphasized the comedy, Meet the Parents. To really make my point evident, maybe I can actually retrieve this movie clip and play it for the class on a power point slide show, and then address the issues I presented in my paper. I also thought of the idea of dressing up in class in legitimate nursing scrubs and then presenting pictures of the Halloween costumes of nursing. These pictures will certainly get the point across (if I can find any that are not too suggestive) that nursing is incorrectly portrayed among our peers and larger culture. These are just a few ideas that I have ‘brewing’ in my head.

Topic for Essay 4

Blog
4/4/08
Topic- Females in the United States emphasize a stronger “ethic of care” in making moral decisions in comparison to those moral decisions of U.S. males.
Interest: I am interested in this subject because I stumbled upon the topic in reading. I do not already hold strong convictions, but I am interested in learning and developing more open-ended questions and inquiring about the topic. I have always been intrigued about gender roles and differences in cultural values for genders, so I have an interest- but not my mind is not completely made up about the conclusion.
Brevity: This topic is focusing more on how women and men differ in their ethics of care and emotional attributes in making moral decisions. It focuses more on the decisions the individual makes based on his or her emotional and cultural attributes that affect their ethic of care and therefore how they make moral decisions.
Disagreement: The topic generates and leads to an argumentative standpoint. It generates questions and different viewpoints; it is not just a fact that all people agree upon. The reader can agree with the statement, disagree, or even accept points from both arguments.
Information: There are a plethora of theories concerning moral development of humans through the development of the lifespan. Such theories of Kohlberg and Gilligan can be further explored through research, but I may also incorporate my own experiences. I can even perhaps use primary research through studies that ask opinions of others to support my claim.
Question: The topic will not lead me to answer the question, but it will generate other ideas on what the reader believes, which is not just black and white. There are a variety of other factors that account for moral decisions, such as family, social structures, and cultural environments that can shape what one believes.
This topic interests me, and I am excited to explore this issue!

Choosing an Ethnographic Essay Topic

Ethnographic Topic
For my ethnographic essay, I have chosen to write and discover more about the healthcare system, more specifically the Nursing Subculture. I believe that this topic will be valuable to me in discovering more about my future career. It falls into the categories of the following requirements:
it is accessible to you
Yes, my sister is a nurse and she will have the opportunities to introduce me to other nurses and the nursing environment so that I can observe and learn about the nursing subculture.
its members gather at places you can visit
Yes, the hospital is a place where I can follow a nurse and observe behaviors. I have been offered an opportunity to “shadow” a nurse.
it interests you in some way
Of course! The nursing subculture is especially interesting to me because this subculture is my future career and lifestyle!
it is something you can research online or at the library if you get stuck
Yes, there is a plethora of information about the nursing subculture. I may want to narrow my search of a specific age, gender, or field of nursing.
you are not a member of the subculture
No, I am not a member of this subculture (but I am bound to be)!
Group Identity: Does the group you want to study feel, at least implicitly, a sense of identification with each other as members? (This doesn't necessarily mean that they all like each other or always get along.)
Yes, all nurses identify themselves (although at different levels or fields) as a nursing subculture. They practice similar activities and are linked by common characteristics.
Rituals: Do group members share certain behaviors, outlooks, beliefs, or motivations for belonging?
Yes, the nursing population generally have a passion for caring for others and healing and improving the general health of all people. They (depending on the field) all have the same rituals and schedules.
Language: Do they share a common language? Do they tend to describe things in similar ways, or use words or phrases that have special significance to the group?
Yes, have you ever been in a hospital when the doctors, nurses, and healthcare providers talk in what seems like a foreign language? The only thing you can do is trust that they are knowledgeable and that your life is in optimal care. The healthcare providers have their own jargon, and I am interested if nurses alone have a common language.
Artifacts: Do they share an interest in certain objects or artifacts? Do they invest these things with similar significance?

Glossing: Essay 2

The theme that stayed pretty consistent in my essay is that technology is a valuable source, but that it also affects human communication styles and how communication is beginning to become a lost art. I was surprised that my essay gravitated specifically toward communication and this specific topic or theme. There weren’t themes that did not fit into my topic, probably because my topic is very broad and general. I believe that this is probably an indicator that I need to narrow my research and writing. Maybe the opposite topic should be further probed: how has technology enhanced our communications developments? The paper really is not designed to be argumentative, so I think it would be best to further develop this issue. Throughout the paper, I move back and forth through personal experience and then to public information. Throughout the glossing activity, I noticed that maybe I should perhaps add some more personal experience. I think that my organization can also be further developed. I believe that it would be helpful to have a set organized lay-out without randomly moving throughout the conversational qualities. The glossing activity also made me realize that I am perhaps a bit repetitive with some of the main points, so this too shows me that I need to work on my organization. In general, the glossing activity helped me view the general direction of my paper and made it easier for me to sort out through long paragraphs and pages of information.

Technology Topic: Essay 2

Assignment for February 13, 2008: Write a blog that introduces your TQR.

Topic - Remember that the topic needs to be related to technology in some way. In your blog, briefly describe your topic.
My topic of concern for my essay is the influence of technology on relationships. I am interested in this topic and I am hoping to discover whether technology enhances or hinders a relationship.


Question - Follow the qualifications listed on pp. 456-57 to ensure your question is researchable. In your blog, share your question and why you think it is a researchable question.
Question: Does modern-day technology enhance or hinder a relationship (and/or does it do both)?

Is it the right size?
I believe that this topic is not too specific, nor too large. It concentrates relationships specifically in the general scope of technology.

Has something already been said about it?
I have done some searching and have found plenty of valid sources and available information on this particular topic. Eharmony is an online dating sight, and I may want to include this in my paper of technology and the effect it has on relationships.

Does it raise more questions?
I believe that I will have extended inquiry on this topic, especially when I begin my research. I am sure that I will come across different types of technology and the effect it has on different types of relationships: family, spousal, friendships, business, etc. I may even want to narrow my topic depending on my research ability.

Does it matter?
I believe that this information will be interesting and relevant to other people too. I believe it will ask the readers to inquire about their personal relationships and the effect of the technology (directly or indirectly) on their relationships.

Rationale - Think about why you are interested in this topic. In your blog, reflect on why you want to research this topic (or answer this question), what you hope/want to get out of your research, and how your question matters.
I am interested in this topic because I have personal stories that I can relate to. My brother lives overseas in England, and I only get to see him in person once every year during Christmas. If I had no way to communicate with him, I believe it would be difficult to maintain a personal relationship with him. Whether it be with a letters (paper and pens are considered technology, right?), or the telephone, or seeing him over skype (a computer technology that uses a camera, so you can see the other person being talked to); I am able to communicate and maintain contact and conversation. But, I am also curious to research whether technology can hurt or hinder a relationship. With advanced cell phones, computers, and internet access; I believe that people can get carried away and use their quality time with technology that would be spent with the significant other if technology were not present. This question matters to people in modern day society because it would make people think about their priorities and, hopefully, be more aware of their relationships and how technology may influence a relationship.