Social structures are the building blocks that influence everything that people believe and become.
ECONOMIC:
The status of the economy and obesity go hand in hand. On the one hand, poverty and lack of resources for proper nutrition influence the dietary choices of an individuals. When the economy is not good the chance that people will invest in their health is lower. On the other side of this coin, the obesity problem helps to weigh the economy down as it puts a strain on the cost of many things such as increased medical care. Another example of excess cost would be extra jet fuel and larger seats needed to accommodate larger passengers.
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EDUCATIONAL:
Often times bad eating habits are a byproduct of lack of the proper education. Education is well known to be beneficial to health and may protect against obesity through cognitive advantages that result in healthier lifestyles. Learning about proper caloric intake and how to introduce exercise into a person's lifestyle can bring about positive changes with lifelong effects. It does not matter how old a person is, it is never too late to learn how to eat properly. Although, by the time people age they often are more set in the way that they like to do things. Also, they are possibly dependent on others to help.
TECHNOLOGICAL:
The rise in obesity rates has been affected by the growth in technological advances. Today’s society offers consumers every item conceivable at the push of a button. With technology to place an order and fast home delivery, a person does not even have to leave home to purchase what they need or want. This compounded with hours spent watching television, playing video games, and playing on smart phones has influenced the way that people spend their free time. Many of these activities have replaced physical activities that burn calories and help promote good health. For some ages in late adulthood technology may not be as much of a factor as those who are in young adulthood. Technology has also brought with it positive influences as well that can bring about change in obesity rates. Advances in medical technology and early diagnosis of disease are helping to increase people’s life expectancy. The types of surgery that doctors can perform are growing every This includes bariatric surgeries that are performed on patients before and after obesity.
POLICY MAKING AND POLITICS:
Politics and policy making can play a huge role in the obesity crises concerning every age group. For older adults the policies that are put in place are very important because many of them serve as protective measures that influence the quality and type of care that they will receive. People who live in nursing homes have to put there trust in the hands of their caregivers. This can have good or bad consequences. Sometimes patients are abused in these situations. This problem can be extreme in the case of those who are older and overweight and require even more care than the average person. Be sure to check out our policy page to see some policies that could bring about change in the obesity crisis.
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Would you call what this doctor did discrimination because it's about weight and not something like race?
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The National Association to Advance Fat Acceptance stood in Governor Christ Christie's defense. they stood on the argument that currently president Obama smokes. They wanted to know if there is any difference between someone who smokes and someone who has the bad habit of overeating. Aside from his politics, Christie was immediately judged according to his weight issues and had to face these issues surrounding his weight before he could even be heard.
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