OBESITY IN THE CANADIAN

SOCIETY

UNDERSTANDING THE EPIDEMIC OF OBESITY IN CANADA

“OH CANADA” WHAT HAVE WE DONE WRONG?

TECHNOLOGY HAS TAKEN A HUGE JUMP SINCE THE 1970’S SINCE THE INTRODUCTION OF TV’S, VIDEO GAMES,

INDUSTRIAL INNOVATIONS, FAST FOOD, AND MORE USE IN TRANSPORTATION.

SINCE THE JUMP NOT ONLY DID THE ECONOMY CHANGE, BUT THE STRESS TO KEEP UP WITH TECHNOLOGY, HEALTH ISSUES

RISED, AND ONE OF THEM NOW BECOMING AN EPEDIC IS OBESITY IN OUR SOCIETY.

CANADIAN OBESITY FACTS:

DID YOU KNOW?

THERE IS A PREDICTED 21% RISE IN OBESITY BY 2019

EH?

OBESITY IS HIGHER ON THE EAST SIDE OF CANADA IN THE ATLANTIC REGIONS

DID YOU KNOW?THE ATLANTIC REGIONS FOUND THAT THEIR BODY MASS INDEX

WERE LARGER THAN 30%!

KNOW THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN OVERWEIGHT & OBESITY

• BEING OVERWEIGHT:

• “OVERWEIGHT” IS THE EXCESS OF AMOUNT OF BODY WEIGHT THAT INCLUDES MUSCLE, BONE, FAT & WATER.

• A GOOD EXAMPLE WOULD BE AN ATHLETE/BODY BUILDER WHO CAN BE OVERWEIGHT DUE TO THE EXCESS MUSCLE WITHOUT BEING OBESE DUE TO THE LACK OF BODY FAT.

• BEING OBESE:

• SPECIFICALLY MEANS THE EXCESS AMOUNT OF BODY FAT

• OBESITY CAUSED BY THIS EXCESS FAT CAN CAUSE A RISE IN THE MORBIDITY & MORTALITY RATES. WHICH IS WHAT IS HAPPENING NOW IN CANADA!

HOW WE MEASURE OBESITY

1ST : AS SPECIFIED BEFORE OBESITY IS AN INDIVIDUAL’S ABNORMAL OR EXCESSIVE FAT ACCUMULATED IN THE BODY, THAT CAN PRESENT HIGH RISKS TO THE INDIVIDUALS HEALTH. IT IS MEASURED ACCORDING TO ONE’S BMI (BODY MASS INDEX) WHICH IS A CALCULATION INDEX OF WEIGHT-FOR-HEIGHT MEASURE COMMONLY USED IN CLASSIFYING OVERWEIGHT & OBESITY IN ADULTS.

IT CAN BE CALCULATED AS:

BMI = WEIGHT IN LBS. * 703/ HEIGHT ^2 (IN^2)

DETERMINING IF ONE IS OBESE THROUGH BMI:

• IF SOMEONE IS LOWER THAN 18.5 THEY ARE UNDERWEIGHT

• 18.5-24.9 = NORMAL WEIGHT

• 25-29.9 OVERWEIGHT

• 30-39.9 OBEISITY 1&2

• 40 AND UP EXTREME OBESITY

THEORIES FOR OBESITY:

CONFLICT THEORYWHICH IS BASED ON THE THEORY BASED ENTIRELY ON POWER AND HOW THE ONES IN POWER TAKE

CONTROL BY WEAKENING OTHERS TO PREVENT THE GAIN OF POWER, TO SECURE THEIR OWN POSITION.

LABELLING THEORY

A THEORY THAT WILL PLACE JUDGEMENT ON BEHAVIOR WHICH

CAN EITHER BE POSITIVE OR NEGATIVE, DEPENDING WHAT ON WHAT IS DETERMINED AS RIGHT

AND PROPER BEHAVIORS ACCORDING TO SOCIETAL NORMS.

CONFLICT THEORY & OBESITY

• ACCORDING TO CONFLICT THEORISTS OBESITY IS THE PRODUCT OF LIVING CONDITIONS, STRESS IN AN INDIVIDUALS' LIFE, POOR QUALITY OF FOOD, AND LACK OF EDUCATION ABOUT HEALTH/ GOOD NUTRITION.

CONFLICT THEORY & OBESITY CONTINUED…SINCE OBESITY IS VIEWED AS AN UNACCEPTED STANDARD & VERY PROBLEMATIC DUE TO ITS HEALTH ISSUES THIS THEREFORE CONFLICTS WITH THE SOCIETY'S “IDEAL” VIEW OF A HEALTHY BODY WHICH IS TO BE FIT AND THIN TO BE PERCEIVED ATTRACTIVE.

SO THE MORE “OBESE” THE INDIVIDUAL LOOKS THE LESS POWER AND STATURE THEY HAVE IN SOCIETY (SOCIOLOGIST KATE SHELTON.)

CONFLICT THEORY & OBESITY CONTINUED…• STUDIES HAVE DETERMINED THAT THOSE IN POWER

SUCH AS FAST FOOD CHAINS WHO MAKE FOOD CHEAPER BUT YET LESS HEALTHY TO THE SOCIETY CREATE STUDIES TO DULL THE BODY’S NATURAL RECEPTORS THAT TELL U WHEN YOUR FULL…. AND INSTEAD MAKE THE BODY CRAVE MORE FATTY/ BAD FOODS!

• AND CHEETOS IS A PERFECT EXAMPLE… THEY WERE PURPOSELY CREATED TO MAKE YOU WANT MORE!

• EVERYTHING WAS SCIENTIFICALLY PUT TOGETHER TO TRIGGER YOUR BRAIN. FROM THE COLOUR TO THE CRUNCH AND CHEESY TASTE!

• AND THESE SIMPLE TACTICS IS WHAT GIVES THEM CONTROL OVER YOUR SELECTED FOODS

LABELLING THEORY & OBESITY

• HAVING AN UNACCEPTED BEHAVIOR (SUCH AS OVER EATING) COULD LEAD TO THE CREATION OF A STIGMA IN SOCIETAL VIEWS ASSOCIATED WITH AN INDIVIDUAL GROUP AND IN THIS CASE OBESITY IS AN ABOMINATION OF THE BODY (WHICH IS ONE OF 3 STIGMAS)

1. ABOMINATIONS OF THE BODY,

2. BLEMISHES OF INDIVIDUAL CHARACTER

3. AND THE TRIBAL STIGMA’S OF RACE, RELIGION AND NATIONALITY

(COCKERHAM: MEDICAL SOCIOLOGY, 2011)

LABELLING THEORY & OBESITY CONTINUED…

THIS THEN FORMS A NEGATIVE LABELLING THEORY ON OBESE INDIVIDUALS LABELLING THEM AS BEING

LAZY AND EATING TOO MUCH.

THE LABELLING THEORY WHICH IS ALSO REGARDED AS A DEVIANT BEHAVIOR BY INDIVIDUALS, CAN ALSO LEAD TO NEGATIVE ACTIONS TAKEN TOWARDS THE

OBESE INDIVIDUALS!

LABELLING THEORY & OBESITY CONTINUED…

LABELLING THEORY NEGATIVELY IS A VERY COMMON FORM ESPECIALLY IN THE MEDIA WHERE THOSE WHO SEEM LOW IN ENERGY ARE THE ONES PERCEIVED “FAT”.

WHICH IS NOT ALWAYS THE CASE THINNER PEOPLE CAN ALSO BE UNHEALTHY JUST LIKE THE OBESE. (WATCH VIDEO)

THESE THEORIES ARE NOT ONLY NEGATIVE AND MADE BY A LOT WHO DO NOT KNOW THE FACTUAL REASONS ABOUT OBESITY & CAN LEAVE A PSYCHOLOGICAL IMPACT ON A LOT OF THOSE WHO ARE OBESE OR OVER WEIGHT TO FEEL HOPELESS INSTEAD OF HOPEFUL.

SOME REASON TO OUR OBESITY:

SLEEP PATTERNSSLEEPING PATTERNS CAN CAUSE WEIGHT GAIN AND ONE MAIN REASON IS BECAUSE WHEN SLEEPING PATTERNS ARE BROKEN SO ARE GOOD EATING HABITS BECAUSE

THE LACK OF IT CAN CAUSE THE BODY TO OVEREAT OR REACH FOR SOMETHING THAT IS MADE FAST. BUT THEN WHAT EVER YOU ATE CAN KEEP YOU AWAKE OR PUT YOU

TO SLEEP AND THUS CAUSE A VISCIOUS CYCLE!

STRESSAN INCREASE IN STRESS CAN CAUSE WEIGHT GAIN, BECAUSE I DESTABILIZES PROPERTIES INT THE HUMAN BODY…AND THUS ADDS ON

TO THE PROBABILITY TOWARDS OBESITY.

HOW WE FEED OUR BIOLOGICAL FOODS PLANTS & ANIMALS

THE WAY THAT WE FEED OUR FOOD OR TREAT IT, WHETHER THEY ARE

GENETICALLY ENHANCED OR NOT CAN CREATE GREAT HARM TO THE BODY…

THE FOOD INDUSTRYDESIGNED TO TASTE REALLY GOOD TO KEEP THE PEOPLE

EATING. WEAKENS THE BRAIN AND CAUSES IT TO OVER EAT.

ECONOMICAL POSITION

FAST FOOD IS CHEAP FOOD AND SO PEOPLE BUY IT TO HELP THEM SAVE FUNNY FROM STUDENTS, WORKERS

ETC.

SUGAR! SUGAR! SUGAR!

CAUSES DANGEROUS EATING HABITS, DRIVING THE WEIGHT GAIN, BLOOD

PRESSURE, CANCER,DIABETES, CHANGES IN THE BRAIN AND MUCH MORE!

TOP 4 HEALTH RISKS INVOLVED WITH OBESITY:

1.HEART DISEASE

2.LIPID PROBLEMS

3.HYPERTENSION

4.TYPE 2 DIABETES

THE POSSIBLE CURE:

GOOD NUTRITION

• BY CUTTING OUT THE BAD FOODS (FAST FOOD, SUGAR…) IT ALLOWS THE BODY TO METABOLIZE ITSELF AGAIN

• ALLOWS THE BRAIN TO REGAIN CONTROL OF HOW MUCH IT CAN CONSUME AND WHEN ITS HAD TOO MUCH.

• AN IMPORTANT FACT WOULD BE BANNING UNHEALTHY UN-NATURALLY ENHANCED FOODS THAT GET INTO OUR DIETS.

• THUS PREVENT THE EPIDEMIC!

& EXERCISE

• EXERCISE REMOVES THE TOXINS IN FOOD FROM YOUR BODY

• BURNS FAT

• INCREASES THE METABOLISM

• PROVIDES HEALTHY ENERGY

REFERENCES:HEALTH CANADA(2006). RETEIVED FROM:

 HTTP://WWW.HC-SC.GC.CA/HL-VS/IYH-VSV/LIFE-VIE/OBES-ENG.PHP

 NEWS MEDICAL(2014).WHAT IS OBESITY. RETRIEVED FROM:

HTTP://WWW.NEWS-MEDICAL.NET/HEALTH/WHAT-IS-OBESITY.ASPX

CTV NEWS.CANADIAN RATES TRIPLE IN LESS THAN 30 YEARS.(VIDEO).RETRIEVED FROM

HTTP://WWW.CTVNEWS.CA/HEALTH/CANADIAN-OBESITY-RATES-TRIPLE-IN-LESS-THAN-30-YEAR

S-1.1713282

PARLAMENT ON OBESITY.RETRIVED FROM:

HTTP://WWW.PARL.GC.CA/CONTENT/LOP/RESEARCHPUBLICATIONS/PRB0511-E.HTM

KATE SHELTON(2012).CONFLICT THEORY. RETRIEVED FROM:

HTTP://WWW.STUDYMODE.COM/ESSAYS/CONFLICT-THEORY-1118771.HTML

KAYLA ORTMAN (2012). OBESITY AND SOCIAK DISORDERS. RETRIEVED FROM:

HTTP://TEAMMECHANIC.WORDPRESS.COM/2012/03/28/OBESITY-AND-SOCIAL-DISORDERS/

YOUTUBE VIDEO THE SKINNY ON OBESITY

HTTPS://WWW.YOUTUBE.COM/WATCH?V=H0ZD1GJ0PXK&LIST=PL0D8A74F792BB7385