...Poverty and Welfare on Childhood Obesity1 Poverty and Welfare on Childhood Obesity Paul D Stasiak Self Study Childhood obesity has become a growing concern in the eyes of many Americans, yet not every parent can identify if their child or one they care for is overweight. Understanding dietary intake for our children is a very important. According to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2014), childhood obesity has more than doubled and young adult obesity has quadrupled in the last 30 years (p. 1). The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention define being overweight as having an excess body weight for a given height, specifically as having excess body fat. The number of obese children today is higher than it has been in the past. However, times are changing and the fast food companies are growing more and more popular each and every day. This paper will examine the research which states that a child is more likely to be obese as an adult if they were obese all throughout their adolescent years and poverty’s effect on childhood obesity. According to Feeding America (2013), 45.3 million Americans were living in poverty (p. 1). This number is very high considering the 318.9 million that are living in America. The unemployment rate in January of 2015 was 5.7%. As a result of unemployment or living in poverty conditions, some families have resorted to buying less expensive food options for their children in order to...
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...The Relationship between Obesity and Poverty Obesity in the United States and similar societies is a socioeconomic problem. Obesity is defined as an abnormal or excessive fat accumulation that presents a risk to one’s health. The energy intake coming from food is stored as fat since the body does not use it. This ultimately impacts one’s physical health that many degenerative diseases are directly and indirectly linked to obesity. Throughout the history of obesity, its reputation varies from appreciation and the opposite among cultures over time. For instance, Ancient Egyptians are said to consider obesity as a disease, having been drawn in a wall of depicted illnesses. The Aztecs believed that obesity was supernatural, an affliction of the gods. Hippocrates, the father of medicine, was aware of sudden deaths being more common among obese men than lean ones as stated in his writings. In certain cultures and areas where food is scarce and poverty is prevalent, obesity is viewed as a symbol of wealth and social status. Throughout the history of obesity, the public’s view and status of obesity started to considerably change in the 1900’s. During this time the government started to become more involved by initiating campaigns against the problem and publishing ideal weights for various heights. In 1996, the Body Mass Index (BMI) was published, which was a statistical calculation and index to determine if a person is obese or not. In the 21st century, obesity is considered an epidemic...
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...Connection between Poverty and Obesity The connection between obesity and poverty has become a very common topic of debate especially in America where obesity has come up as a major health risk in the population and an area which contributes to a major chunk of health expenses. One would expect intuitively that poverty and obesity are inversely related since it is commonly thought that obese people are better nourished and hence can afford to eat a lot, however this is not so. In an analysis of data collected through interviews by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention it was found that obesity was directly linked with poor socio economic as well as educational status. Thus contrary to public opinion we find that people from the lower socio-economic strata of society are at more risk of becoming overweight and obese than wealthier individuals. Also many obese individuals are malnutrition. Contrary to popular belief malnutrition comes in two types; macro malnutrition and micro malnutrition. Macro malnutrition is the one which most people know about and in this form a person does not eating enough to support his dietary requirement which leads to a significantly lower than optimal weight, deficiency and other complications associated with malnutrition. On the other hand micro malnutrition is the form of malnutrition in which an individual is not meeting his nutritional requirement (although they might be eating enough or even over eating) and this is because they are eating...
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...Fast Food Workers’ Rights At a glance it is easy to see that the winning formula for the high economic success in the fast food industry is comprised of cheap food and cheap labor. Their ability to sell food at a low price in a matter of minutes caters to families or individuals limited on time or money, and in many cases both of these factors are of equal importance. Inordinately the consumption of low cost labor in the fast food industry has resulted in an underpaid and under protected workforce. In many ways limitations on workers’ rights in the fast food industry have been instrumental in the high profitability of the corporations that dominate it; however, the formation of unions or other sources of support for fast food workers would have implications on the price and/or quality of the final products sold. These implications, in particularly the price of the food, would force a complete restructure of the expectations and needs of customers who currently frequent the restaurants. A key element in sourcing low cost labor has been the excessive employment of teenagers. The fast food industry has exploited the needs and vulnerability of teenagers in order to create a high turnover workforce that is willing to accept low wages and easily taught. The industry has capitalized on assembly line production models, which require little skills from the workers; however, the machinery necessary for these conditions is often times dangerous and violates OSHA guidelines for...
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...The impact of health and health behaviours on educational outcomes in high-income countries: a review of the evidence Marc Suhrcke, School of Medicine, Health Policy and Practice, University of East Anglia, United Kingdom Carmen de Paz Nieves, Fundación Ideas, Madrid, Spain ISBN 978 92 890 0220 2 Keywords HEALTH BEHAVIOR - HEALTH STATUS - EDUCATIONAL STATUS - RISK FACTORS - SOCIOECONOMIC FACTORS - REVIEW LITERATURE Suggested citation Suhrcke M, de Paz Nieves C (2011). The impact of health and health behaviours on educational outcomes in highincome countries: a review of the evidence. Copenhagen, WHO Regional Office for Europe. Address requests about publications of the WHO Regional Office for Europe to: Publications WHO Regional Office for Europe Scherfigsvej 8 DK-2100 Copenhagen Ø, Denmark Alternatively, complete an online request form for documentation, health information, or for permission to quote or translate, on the Regional Office web site (http://www.euro.who.int/pubrequest). © World Health Organization 2011 All rights reserved. The Regional Office for Europe of the World Health Organization welcomes requests for permission to reproduce or translate its publications, in part or in full. The designations employed and the presentation of the material in this publication do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of the World Health Organization concerning the legal status of any country, territory, city or area or of its authorities, or concerning...
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...Allo64 . Obesity Vladimir Jean-Philippe ABS 200: Introduction to Applied Behavioral Science Dr. A’ndrea Wilson September, 2nd, 2013 Let’s face it; we’re a nation of fat people. In a world where thin is in and is glamorized by the media, how is it that 68.7% of American adults are either obese or overweight? If we look at the youth of our nation, obesity is even affecting them as well. Childhood obesity has more than doubled in children and tripled in adolescents in the past 30 years (Ogden, Carroll, Flegal, 2010). The percentage of children aged 6–11 years in the United States who were obese increased from 7% in 1980 to nearly 18% in 2010. Similarly, the percentage of adolescents aged 12–19 years who were obese increased from 5% to 18% over the same period (Ogden, Carroll, Flegal, 2010). What has happened in those years that obesity is on the rise? This paper will examine a case study of Kate Myers life and her dealing with obesity and see how she is affected from a Micro, Mezzo, and Macro perspective and also describe the kinds of influences that may have led to this person’s situation and level of influence. Kate Myers was your typical average girl growing up. She was kind, fun loving, helpful and very resilient young lady. Rarely did she ever let negative things get her upset. What brought Kate great joy; was her ability to help others when she was able. Now at the age of 39, from Millville, New Jersey, Kate’s dreams of becoming a successful lawyer has now...
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...Anthony Giovenco Political Science Inequality Paper 12-18-14 The Effects of Wealth Inequality in the United States Wealth inequality in the United States has grown tremendously since 1970. The United States continuously reveals higher rates of inequality as a result of perpetual support for free market capitalism. The high rates of wealth inequality cause the growing financial crisis to persist, lower socio-economic mobility, increase national poverty, and have adverse effects on health and well being. There is no doubt that wealth inequality in America has been escalating quickly; the portion of total income earned by the top one percent has doubled since the beginning of the 1970’s. The wealthy are the main beneficiaries regarding income inequality. In the latest consensus of wealth distribution, the top one percent of Americans owned thirty five percent of the nations private wealth, and the top ten percent took home about fifty percent of all income in 2012. This figure is greater than the bottom 90 percent combined. The question commonly asked concerning this matter: How and why is this becoming so quickly unequal is to be examined. First, we must explain what is meant by the term “wealth.” Wealth is the collection of the assets people own. This includes homes, stocks, savings for pension, and bank accounts, minus all existing debts. The main issue regarding wealth inequality is income inequality. Income equality has grown increasingly in the past 30 years....
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...How Child Obesity Affects Children from Low-Income Families American children are getting fatter everyday. This includes a variety of reasons such as the lack of exercise, steady high calorie diet, and junk food. This problem affects many children living within the United States, but children from low-income families are more at risk of becoming obese. The reason, not only stems from their limited knowledge of healthy lifestyles but the cost and availability of nutritious foods as well. Childhood obesity has become a topic that garners much concern from parents, pediatricians, and politicians alike. During the 1970’s only 15% of children were obese, since then the percentage has been increased up to 30% (Donahue, Grisso, Orleans, and Paxson, 3). Despite the high overall levels of childhood obesity, impoverish children from ethnic minority groups present higher numbers. For example, 31% of Latino children, 23% of Black children, by contrast only 15% of both White and Asian children are considered obese (Grier and Kumanyika, 187). This makes up a 24% overall obesity for children within New York City. Asian American children are an exception to the general pattern of higher obesity rates amongst ethnic minority groups. The government is now becoming more concerned about this issue. Some of the ways they have tried to alleviate this issue is by making programs that create “opportunities for students to make informed choices regarding healthy eating behaviors” (Datar and...
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...ISSUE REPORT F as in Fat: HOW OBESITY THREATENS AMERICA’S FUTURE 2010 JUNE 2010 PREVENTING EPIDEMICS. PROTECTING PEOPLE. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS TRUST FOR AMERICA’S HEALTH IS A NON-PROFIT, NON-PARTISAN ORGANIZATION DEDICATED TO SAVING LIVES AND MAKING DISEASE PREVENTION A NATIONAL PRIORITY. The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation focuses on the pressing health and health care issues facing our country. As the nation’s largest philanthropy devoted exclusively to improving the health and health care of all Americans, the Foundation works with a diverse group of organizations and individuals to identify solutions and achieve comprehensive, meaningful and timely change. For more than 35 years the Foundation has brought experience, commitment, and a rigorous, balanced approach to the problems that affect the health and health care of those it serves. Helping Americans lead healthier lives and get the care they need—the Foundation expects to make a difference in our lifetime. For more information, visit www.rwjf.org. TFAH BOARD OF DIRECTORS Lowell Weicker, Jr. President Former three-term U.S. Senator and Governor of Connecticut Cynthia M. Harris, PhD, DABT Vice President Director and Associate Professor Institute of Public Health, Florida A & M University Robert T. Harris, MD Secretary Former Chief Medical Officer and Senior Vice President for Healthcare BlueCross BlueShield of North Carolina John W. Everets Treasurer Gail Christopher, DN Vice President for Health WK Kellogg...
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...knowledge about the issues facing children who are struggling with obesity, with a primary focus on parental involvement. Parents need to understand the seriousness of allowing their children to consume whatever they want, and how much they want: We are seeing hypertension, heart disease, some cancers, breathing difficulties, and type II diabetes in more children today than ever before. Opposing arguments claim that it is not the fault of the parents; however, infants don’t have control over how much they are fed, and toddlers lack the cognitive development to make an informed decision about their food choices. Young children themselves are not to blame, so focus on parents seems reasonable. America is challenged with a growing rate of childhood obesity, and public knowledge regarding solutions remains inadequate. We can do a better job of promoting the issue by helping parents understand the seriousness of childhood obesity; the best way to approach this is likely through marketing. The Fight against Childhood Obesity The percentage of children and adolescents who are overweight and obese is now higher than ever before: Over the last 25 years, childhood obesity has more than quadrupled (Get America Fit Foundation, 2012). Childhood obesity is defined as a Body Mass Index (a measurement calculated using a child's weight and height) that is at or above the 95th percentile for children of the same age and sex. Obesity is caused by long-term positive energy imbalance: When the total...
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...Eating Healthy Does Not Cost More People pay more for cell phones, cable tv, and clothes. People could afford to pay more for food if eating healthy was a priority. People can eat well and healthy for less if they take the time budgeting, planning, purchasing, and cooking their own meals. For example, a family of three can get a few meals out of a $6.99 package of frozen chicken breast from Trader Joe’s. Trader Joe’s also sells bags of frozen vegetables- peas, spinach, etc. for $1.19 - $1.39; and inexpensive bags of frozen fruit such as pineapple, and mango, etc. They also sell inexpensive sauces, i.e. their Thai sauce is $2.49. A few meals for a family of three can be prepared using the $6.99 bag of frozen chicken breast for meals such as: chicken alfredo with spinach or peas, Indian curry sauce w/ chicken over rice, grilled chicken caesar salad with pita bread, a stir-fry with chicken, pineapple, sliced onion and pepper w/ soy sauce or Thai sauce over rice. Ground turkey which is cheaper and healthier than beef can be used to make chilies, tacos or turkey burgers for inexpensive dinners. Or you can go to the farmers’ market for things like Italian turkey sausage made by the Amish for your pasta meals also. You can pick up your fresh produce there too. But, you really can’t beat Trader Joe’s fresh fruit and vegetable prices, unless, they are on sale somewhere else. And, than it will only be a few cents more. So why run around? Eggs are pretty inexpensive and can be...
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...AN ENORMOUS TRUTH: OBESITY IN THE UNITED STATES The research will provide useful information that will determine if the fast food industry is responsible for obesity, which is a rapidly growing public health issue in United States. Prepared for Professor Eugene Fregetto, Marketing 452 Research completed by Team 7: Sara Garcia – (708) 770.8682 Garcia.sara59@gmail.com Jessica Gardeck – (847) 363.3389 jgarde4@uic.edu Lisa Elizabeta Komolova – (630) 857.8129 lisakomolova@gmail.com Krunali Sheth – (630) 903.8320 ksheth2@uic.edu February, 2012 The need for the project A large amount of the United State’s population is suffering from obesity. Throughout the years the well-being of the American population has shown a negative movement and a large number of people are experiencing a decline in their health. Obesity being a common health issue in United States is concerning to health care providers because it is progressing into a costly expense for those companies. The amount of fast food restaurants in United States is constantly increasing and to improve the reputation of junk food the restaurants have been trying to introduce reinvented products with a healthier approach. Unfortunately the new products lines and its menu alternatives are still not living up to the standard of a proper diet. The research will provide us with useful information about obesity, people’s attitudes towards fast food and their life-style choices. The information will determine if...
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...your choice correctly on the scan form. Be sure that you have entered your name and identification number on the scan form and filled out the bubbles in the columns for the letters of your name and numbers of your identification number correctly (see front and back). Use a #2 pencil and fill all circles completely. 1. The goal of public health is to guarantee that all members of society achieve optimal health. a. True b. False The major reason(s) for the increase in longevity globally has been: a. Improved treatment of diabetes b. Adoption of more health lifestyles c. Improved sanitation d. Increasing provision of clean water e. c. and d. above According to Professor Detels, the major cause of ill health globally is: a. Smoking b. Obesity c. Poverty d. Sedentary lifestyles e. Malnutrition The major contributing factor associated with death in children under five years of age globally is: a. Pneumonia b. Measles c. Prematurity d. Under-nutrition e. Injuries The United States has led the world in increasing the average life span a. True b. False The highest proportion of premature deaths in the United States is due to: a. Genetic predisposition b. Social circumstances c. Environmental exposures d. Problems with health care e. Behavioral patterns 1 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. The leading cause of death in the United States is: a. Heart diseases b. Cancer c. Diabetes d. Motor vehicle accidents e. HIV The prevalence of obese residents among those over 17 years old...
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...statistical link between Food Deserts and worse diet-related health outcomes, after controlling other key factors. The actual term ‘food deserts’ is quoted, by S. CUMMINS (British Medical Journal, 2002, Vol.325, p.436), as having been originally used by a resident of a public sector housing scheme in the west of Scotland in the early 1990s. There are several ways to look at food deserts. 1). low- Income Project 2). The independent. 3). The observer 4). The guardian. This research paper will elaborate on the ways foods deserts are defined and what affect it has on the health and well being of cultural families and communities. Table of Contents Page Abstract …………………………………………………………………………………………...2 Table of Contents ………………………………………………………………………………....3 Chapter One Context of the Problem ……………………………………………………………………......5-10 Statement of the Problem ……………………………………………………………………10-16 Research Questions ……………………………………………………………………………...16 Significance of the Study ……………………………………………………………………16-19 Objective of Study …………………………………………………………………………...19-20 Research Design and Methodology ……………………………………………………………..20 Materials ………………………………………………………………………………………...20 Organization of the Study………………………………………………………………………..21 Limitation of Study ……………………………………………………………………………...21 Chapter Two Review of Literature ……………………………………………………………………………22 Chapter Three What are the definition and the importance of Food Deserts? …………………………………26 Chapter Four How do obesity and other...
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...of human action.”—John Rawls (1971, p. 102) In recent years “poverty reduction” has become the watchword in development agencies, in international lending institutions, and among development economists generally. The focus on poverty reduction reached a high point perhaps with the articulation of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and with the extensive analytic work that has accompanied the MDGs.[2] Yet, much of the discussion of poverty reduction and economic development in low and middle income countries has either ignored the issue of income distribution or has tended to view income distribution only in terms of its impact on economic growth. Poverty and inequality, however, are intimately bound up with one another.[3] Both as an analytic issue and as a policy issue, there are severe limitations in attempting to deal with poverty – or, more broadly, with economic well-being – without also examining income inequality. Indeed, it is questionable that we can even define poverty independently of income distribution. In this essay, I want to develop the argument that economists and economic policy-makers should focus much greater attention on inequality as measured by the distribution of income (and wealth). The traditional focus simply on absolute levels of income as a measure of poverty and economic well-being is fundamentally flawed. My argument here has thee parts: • Poverty or, more generally, economic well-being cannot be effectively defined...
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