Food as a matter of choice is ruling the planet. We eat what we like and that which appeals to the eyes, tongue or brain. We survive because we have good food, water, and air. The line between what is good food and bad food seem to be contentious. Most consider good food as that which sits well with our pallet. Ages ago food was hunted, gathered, and stored for survival. Now food is stored for our cravings, whims and fancies. That’s because there is surplus of food around us, available year long and cheap too. We need to explore at what stage man-kind changed to consider food as a necessity and look at it as a luxury. This question leads to excess food, weight and obesity related issues which are frequently discussed. This paper tries to explore the sociology of food and obesity and decifer ways to counter food related problems.
The change from hunter-gatherer to settler occurred in early 3000 BC when people settled along banks of rivers starting cities, towns and civilizations. Barter trade of surplus food was replaced by selling and buying. When economy of a place improves there is a direct connect with amount of food one buys and stores. There are ample evidences of ancient Greeks being obese or Alexander The Great suffering from alchoholism. The hunter who was eternally in quest of food was slim, atheletic while following people of rich civilizations were fat and obese. Food no longer remained a survival tool but has turned into a pleasurable experience.
In the United States obesity in adults and children is a recent phenomenon. During Industrial Revolution food cultivation became mechanized, replacing small farms with large land holdings. Larger lands were tilled, sown and harvested by the use of machines. The surplus was shipped across the country by trucks making every produce available all over the country. If California was producing more apples and finding ways of cultivating apples year long, it shipped its abundance to other states. Similarly wheat and corn were mass cultivated with so much surplus that people had to find ways to sell it. Currently corn, soya and wheat are found in almost every processed food in the form of corn syrup, wheat bran or granola. This mass production also led to decrease in variation of crops, usage of pesticides and fertilizers, and genetically modified seeds for pest resistence. 80% of the cost of produce in the grocery store goes in processing, shipping, transportation cost(Carla Fried, MoneyWatch, 2011). Food that we consume is not necessarily healthy because it is processed, tweaked not by nature but by man. Its natural fibre content, taste, color or shape are all product of man’s greed rather than need. It is not surprising that we get cotton-candy flavored grapes and purple colored potatoes throughout the year. The minerals, vitamins, proteins that come from modified plants cannot be compared to what might grow naturally on the same plant. The same happens for meat, poultry and egg production. There is proven evidence that animals raised in small, damp, dirty and dark compartments for meat and eggs have lesser nutritional value than free roaming animals.
The dirty secret of food production is not the only cause for obesity in USA. Food in USA is cheap. We spend 6% of our annual income on food while other European countries spend 9% to 14% (Alyssa Battistoni, Mother Jones, 2012). Men and women working full time means they do not have the time to shop and cook for the family. So one or two meals of the day come from store bought, microwavable foods. These are high in sugar, fats, chemical components which preserve the food longer in the refrigerator but harm the human body. Also we found a fast food cuisine which keeps the cost of prepared food cheaper. Burgers, pizzazs, fries, aereated drinks have replaced a balanced meal of carbs, proteins and fats. The bread used in burgers has high fat and low fiber, the meat is deep fried in saturated fats for taste, cholestral enriching cheeses top the pizzazs and aerated drinks are nothing but colored sugar syrups. All the ingredients of a fast food meal are potentially harmful leading to obesity or over weight. Obesity is an established phenomenon caused by several factors – environmental, production and consumption patterns, media, sedentary life styles, lack of exercise, car dependence, and social perception. Obesity leads to health problems like heart disease, high blood pressure and cholestral and cancer. Obese and fat people have low self esteem, suffer from depression, feel discriminated at work, and have physiological problems associated with obesity.
Metabolic syndrome is the group of risk factors that lead to heart disease (National Institutes of Health , 2011). Large waist line, high triglycerates, low Cholestral, high blood pressure and high fasting sugar are the five risk factors under this category. The more number of factors a person has the more are his chances of getting a heart attack or becoming a diabetic. People who are over-weight or obese have tendency to develop metabolic syndrome. Lack of exercise and diabetes also add fuel to the fire. Metabolic syndrome is noticeably high in Americans and soon may over take smoking as a leading factor for heart disease.
For adults BMI is a standard used to measure body weight. But sociologists warn that it not the right way to measure. --- says that BMI emphasizes weight in relation to height while height is genetically acquired. Most people aiming to thin would focus on their weight but also fret about their height. BMI leads people in the wrong direction of body image and false hopes of body image corrections.
Sociologist’s point of view obesity is also related to habits which are formed during childhood and diet and exercise patterns were set by generations before us. According to a study by Cornell University poverty and obesity have discreet connect (Segelken, Roger, 2005). Women who were poor in their childhood have fair chances of being obese as adults. They have grown in homes where going hungry was a pattern, so they do not want to be hungry anytime in their lives. They over eat, eat when stressed and hoard food materials in a fear that they might run out of food. These mothers are obese and are sending wrong signals for their children. The same applies to number of hours spent in front of the TV, or munching salty snacks. Parents set a path that children adopt unknowingly and actually look forward for the same patterns of eating when they grow up. Comfort foods are no longer like home-made chicken soup or casserole.
In 2010 one third of children are obese or over weight (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2013 ).There is ‘calorie imbalance’ that is the number of calories consumed are not expended and thus causing excess weight in children. Other than school recess their physical activity is limited. Most parents complain that children are in front of some screen all the time – televisions, video games, Ipads or smart phones. Obese children are more likely to become obese adults. Obesity increases their risk for heart attacks, high cholestral and high blood pressure and cancer.
One cannot expect societal food choices change overnight as the market is full of high calorie food, there is a lack of cheaper options of exercise and side walks. The Committee on Accelerating progress in Obesity prevention (Institute of Medicine of the National Academies, 2012) suggests that preventing unhealthy food intake and increasing exercise are the two main parameters that need emphasis. They have come up actions in five areas or environments for obesity prevention. They are environmental or physical activity, food and beverage environment, message environment, health care and work areas and school environments. Since all the environments have to work simultaneously to prevent obesity, there needs to community consensus on food choices in schools and work places. Creating awareness and providing support to families also becomes part of the campaign.
As part of activity or exercise environment parents have to encourage to get at least one hour of outdoor play for the children. Instead of watching a game together on the TV going for roller blading or biking should be encouraged. Parents being active, become a role model for the children to be active. It is bound to be good for the whole family. Weather permitting outdoor play and exercise should be the top priority for families.
Under food areas limiting outside food to once per week would go a long way in establishing a food routine in the house. Time saving cuisine may be adopted so that everyone in the family contributes to cooking process. It helps bonding and enjoying food together. Eating in front of the TV, at own desks or in the couch need to be prevented. When everyone in the house contributes to preparing, cooking, eating and cleaning process food preparation is enjoyable. It helps young children learn that eating all varieties of food is good for the body. Water, fresh juice, smoothies or milk shakes should replace all beverages in the house except for special occasions. Aerated, colored or sports drinks should be limited.
Media, both electronic and paper use their reach to promote food and drinks. There has to be policy that prevents advertisement of harmful foods during prime times on TV. Children programs have to be food-ad free. Community centers and places of worship should encourage ‘green’ messages like environmental consciousness, pollution, food contamination and could hold free cookery classes. Whole food markets and farmers markets need to be promoted extensively so that ‘eating local’ becomes a norm.
Children’s health care professionals usually discuss food choices with parents and care givers but not much is said to the children. Some children know the benefits of eating good food but resist changes. Such attitudes can be coaxed out by pediatricians and nurses by showing food preparation videos. Rewarding children for weight loss, excercising everyday, good food choices are also a nice way to encourage change.
At work places health insurance premiums can be reduced if people maintain a healthy life style. Reduced premiums for losing weight or being fit is a good way to attract employees. Car pooling, walking/biking to work, having excercising facilities within the work place, walk-the-talk kind of meetings, monetary rewards for fitness are some of the programs which incite employees to implement what they read.
Lastly but not the least, schools have a greater responsibility in managing children’s weight. Breakfast and lunches provided in the cafeteria need to be healthy combination of vegetables, fruits, protein and fat. Children and teens who are involved in community gardens or school gardens show more interest in food and its production. It brings them closer to the nature and aids in maintaining good food choices. Children are like little sponges who absorb a lot of knowledge and giving them the right knowledge about food goes a long way in preventing obesity.
Obesity in the society is a result of multiple factors. Its functionalistic role says that obesity helps society. Looking at an obese person makes us want to slim down or lose weight because fat means ugly and unsightly. Conflict theory says that obese people exist because there is so much conflict in the choices they make. They are controlled by people in power like government, and employers (Maggie, Yahoo! Answers, 2007). Government does not promote health education enough nor come up with useful policies, for its own benefit. Businesses sell cheap products to make profit at the cost of health of a person. Obese persons are discriminated at work, for perks and promotions and so remain weakest links in the employment ladder. This theory argues that obesity is a doing of few rich who wish to remain rich and powerful. Symbolic Interactionism is another theory that explains that the small scale interactions amongst obese persons and normal weight persons, influence our perception of obesity. When meeting a fat person we demonstrate verbal and non-verbal signs of disgust or dismay that further puts off the fat person. The three theories are trying to explain how and why obesity occurs in the society and the consequences thereof. The conceptual premise of these three theories are quite valid and help us draft solutions.
Conclusions
We are aware that increase in weight happens over a significant span of time. While gaining weight an adult person may or may not be concerned with it. As long as he or she maintains good health they do not take any action on the weight increase. Once a health problem crops up their visit to doctor warrants weight check and weight awareness. Even when warned about consequences of overweight, adults rarely take action either in food choices or exercise regimes. Falling opportunities at school and work due to obesity do not motivate adults enough. Poor and under nourished populations are more prone to obesity as they lack health education and have fewer means to enter healthy society. Motivating an entire population of adults of healthy eating and healthy lifestyle is a major challenge to the health care professionals in USA.
In children weight consciousness is aggravated when faced with bullying or peer pressure. Children are not aware of weight control measures nor do parents pay serious attention to the child’s confusion. This explains so many cases of bullying going unnoticed by parents, yet leading to fatal incidents in school going children. The social stigma of obesity bothers children more than adults because their help resources are so limited. It needs a concerned school nurse’s intervention to understand the child’s predicament and educate parents about the situation.
In a country where primary care, emergency care and interventional care are catered by the same dysfunctional health care system obesity and weight control take a back bench. Weight control is not mandated in health checkups. Food authorities do not mandate the sugar content of colored drinks or the fat content of processed foods. It takes concerned health care professionals like nurses or paramedics who interact with people more than the doctors, to educate them about healthy weight benefits. Nurses are expected to be advocates for change by imparting education, sensitivity, and knowledge for best practices in attaining a healthier life style (Lisa Rowen, 2009). They have to take active part in dealing with this epidemic at local and national level. Nurses influencing policies and funding goes a long way in fighting the society’s common enemy- obesity.
Resources
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National Institutes of Health. National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute. 2011. “What is Metabolic Syndrome?” US Department of Health and Human Services. Date accessed: Dec 8th, 2013. Available at: http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/health-topics/topics/ms/
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Dan Glickman, Lynn Parker, leslie J.Sim, heather Del Valle Cook, and Emily Ann Miller, editors. Internet Archives . May 8, 2012.” Accelerating progress in Obesity prevention.” Institute of Medicine of the National Academies. Date accessed: Dec 8th, 2013. Available at: http://archive.org/details/354715-accelerating-progress-in-obesity-prevention
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