Obesity In The South Driven By Poverty, Study Says

There are multiple variables that contribute to the obesity epidemic in the United States, but why is it so prevalent in the southern states? This short video gives a brief explanation as to why obesity is believed to be more prevalent in the south. The main reason why obesity is believed to be more prevalent in the south is due to poverty. Many processed foods are cheap and can be purchased at corner stores in and around lower class neighborhoods, where access to more expensive fresh fruit and vegetables can hard to come by in lower socioeconomic neighborhoods. Well enjoy this clip, I hope it gets you thinking as I would love to hear your opinion on what other variables trigger obesity problems in the south.

Who said breakfast can't be good for you.......

Perhaps one of the best breakfast ideas I have ever heard of ......I'm kidding perhaps the most disgusting breakfast I would probably try. Enjoy, I hope it makes you laugh !!!!

The Spread of Obesity in a Large Social Network over 32 Years

BACKGROUND

The prevalence of obesity has increased substantially over the past 30 years. We performed a quantitative analysis of the nature and extent of the person-to-person spread of obesity as a possible factor contributing to the obesity epidemic.

METHODS

We evaluated a densely interconnected social network of 12,067 people assessed repeatedly from 1971 to 2003 as part of the Framingham Heart Study. The body-mass index was available for all subjects. We used longitudinal statistical models to examine whether weight gain in one person was associated with weight gain in his or her friends, siblings, spouse, and neighbors.

RESULTS

Discernible clusters of obese persons (body-mass index [the weight in kilograms divided by the square of the height in meters], ≥30) were present in the network at all time points, and the clusters extended to three degrees of separation. These clusters did not appear to be solely attributable to the selective formation of social ties among obese persons. A person's chances of becoming obese increased by 57% (95% confidence interval [CI], 6 to 123) if he or she had a friend who became obese in a given interval. Among pairs of adult siblings, if one sibling became obese, the chance that the other would become obese increased by 40% (95% CI, 21 to 60). If one spouse became obese, the likelihood that the other spouse would become obese increased by 37% (95% CI, 7 to 73). These effects were not seen among neighbors in the immediate geographic location. Persons of the same sex had relatively greater influence on each other than those of the opposite sex. The spread of smoking cessation did not account for the spread of obesity in the network.

CONCLUSIONS

Network phenomena appear to be relevant to the biologic and behavioral trait of obesity, and obesity appears to spread through social ties. These findings have implications for clinical and public health interventions.

http://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMsa066082

Critique by Jon Bautista

Throughout the semester I've posted various videos and articles all pertaining to the topic of obesity in the United States.The article discusses research findings on how a person's chances of becoming obese increases by 57% if he or she had a friend who became obese in a given time. Furthermore, the article gives brief descriptions about social relationships between sets of siblings, spouses, friends, and neighbors and how there is a correlation between the social relationships and obesity.  I decided to post this particular article because not only does it make for an interesting read, but  people underestimate the effects that obesity has on society. I truly believe that society doesn't realize the various complications obesity has on long term health effects, as a result, some have coined it as the silent killer. Ultimately what I am trying to get at by posting this article is to show how even social relationships can have an influence on obesity. Just one of the many factors that contribute to the cause of obesity making it more of a complex problem. My overall opinion about this article is that it just makes sense, if you hang around people who tend to have poor eating habits, there is a good chance you will too, as their diet may have an influence yours. 

Weird Al Yankovic

Every now and then, I feel that everybody needs a little humor in their life, thus I found this video from Weird Al Yankovic where he makes a mockery of an old Michael Jackson song. What I'm trying to get at in this video are the common stereotypes that obese people have in our society. Much of the lyrics he raps about are common stereotypes we see about obese individuals. Well I hope I don't offend anybody as we are all adults and I don't mean anything by this video, but simply to show the stereotypes that society has in regards to obese individuals.

Obesity from 1985-2009

An short video clip that can be found on the Center for Disease Control's website that show the ever expanding problem of obesity from state to state from 1985 on to 2009. According to the Center for Disease Control, in 1985 there were no states in the US above the 15% obesity (BMI greater than 30) mark. By 2009 there was only one state BELOW the 20% mark. Even though we spent nearly $47 billion trying to "solve it." Apparently we are doing something wrong.

The Growth of American Food Portions

http://www.visualnews.com/2012/01/25/the-growth-of-american-food-portions/

It’s no secret that waistlines and food portions have been ballooning across America, the land of the free and home of the artery clogging super-sized value menu. The last few decades have seen a massive shift in the thinking of American consumers, restaurants, fast-food chains and food manufacturers. The emphasis has changed into giving the consumer more food for less money; hasn’t anyone noticed that a small soda has turned into a medium, a medium into a large, and so on? This focus on more for less doesn’t just stop at out-of-home options either: packaged food companies are making portions larger, plates are getting bigger, and we’re so surrounded by this growth that we don’t know how much we really need to eat.

Why is eating more a problem? Because the obesity prevalence in the US has been growing steadily since the 60s; in the US, obesity has grown from 14% in 1960, to 35% in 2005. A study by the American Medical Association has shown that the worst offenders are packaged foods like salty snacks, fruit juice drinks, and soft drinks. Manufacturers of these packaged goods are among the top culprits making us fat.

There is one question that needs to be answered: Do bigger portions really make us eat more? Absolutely. Short-term studies show subjects consumed 30% more food when given a larger portion (see the pizza example below), and the problem with that is, even though people are eating more, they are feeling 0% fuller, and regularly eating the larger portion after a year will make someone 8.3 pounds fatter. Here, we take a closer look at how portions have grown over the years, and how we can regain control.

The Journal of the American Medical Associationhttp://www.visualnews.com/2012/01/25/the-growth-of-american-food-portions/

This goes back to what I discussed earlier in the semester in regards to eating with our eyes and not our stomachs. I think at one point or another we are all guilty of this, but as Americans we are greedy in the sense that we waste so much food each year versus other countries. A question that really interest me in regards to obesity is: why are do food portions continue to grow? Why does the food and beverage industry feel they must continue to make larger, fattier portions of food? An interesting theory I've read up on is that many of these items are packed with sugar and salt, in return some researchers believe that these two ingredients have the ability  trick the senses into believing the body is still hungry. As a result the human body consumes more than they should. Another additional theory is that of the sugar substitute, high fructose corn syrup. Some researcher speculate that high fructose corn syrup triggers the mind into believing that the human body is still hungry when in reality it is not. Some of these are just a few problems to the ever expanding issue of obesity. Obviously there are multiple variables that influence the obesity epidemic in the United States, but identifying some of the most basic problems is an important step in reducing the obesity epidemic.

Prevention: Doctor’s Weight Affects Obesity Diagnoses

In this article posted in the New York Times, the research findings concluded that overweight doctors may be less likely than other physicians to discuss diet and exercise with patients, and less likely to make a diagnosis of obesity. The researchers surveyed a random sample of 498 general practitioners and internists, more than half of whom were overweight themselves, about their diagnosis and treatment of overweight patients. They found that at times, doctors more frequently made a diagnosis of obesity when a patient’s weight was higher than their own, and overweight doctors were less likely to believe a patient would follow their diet advice.

This brings me back to what I had previously discussed in an earlier post, where obesity is becoming more of social norm in today’s society. What I take away from this article is that doctors who are overweight feel that they may not need to address the topic of obesity to many of their clients, due to the simple fact that they are overweight. Perhaps they wake up every day and they see themselves in the mirror, thus they are used to seeing themselves as overweight or obese, in return they don't address this topic to their patients because they have it fixated in their head that being overweight or obese is somewhat normal. Perhaps they are more concerned with addressing topics that are related to obesity such as high blood pressure or diabetes. In return they prescribe medicine to their patients to lower high blood pressure or treat diabetes, when in reality the first step to help reduce a lot of these problems is addressing the patients eating habits and daily routines.

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/03/20/health/research/overweight-doctors-less-likely-to-address-obesity.html?_r=1

Center for Disease Control: The Obesity Epidemic

A short video about the obesity epidemic from the CDC and what measures we can take as Americans in order to protect ourselves from the common problems we face with obesity. The video illustrates many common factors that lead to obesity and what we can do to ensure that we are taking the right paths to living a healthier lifestyle.
I really like this video as it illustrates many of the key problems we face in todays society in regards to obesity and I also agree with many of the programs that the State and Federal Government are trying to establish to ensure we are taking the right paths to a healthier lifestyle.

CBS News-Heart Attack Grill

Owner John Basso of the heart Attack grill boasts that his hamburgers are to die for, literally as the spokesperson for the Heart Attack Grill, Blair River, 27 passed away from Pneumonia. Although Blair weighed in a whopping 575 pounds, he was not ashamed of being morbidly obese. With the menu playing host to four burgers named the bypass, double bypass, triple bypass, and quadruple bypass burger which is an 8,000 calorie burger, it is obvious that he does not hide the fact that he is proud of his establishment.

In this youtube video from CBS, we see that the owner Mr. Basso uses an unorthodox method of advertising stating that his "burgers are to die for" and posting signs throughout the restaurant "enter at your own risk". Clearly he is making money off of Americas insatiable appetite for gluttony, but with the openings of two other restaurants, one in Las Vegas and the other in Dallas it is easy too see that perhaps Americans are becoming more accepting of obesity in society as his establishments are doing just fine.

Therefore I find myself asking the same question constantly every time I turn on the television, and that is are we as Americans becoming more accepting of obesity in society as more and more Americans are becoming obese every year? Now I don't put any blame on Mr. Basso because he found an ingenious method of advertising his restaurant that is making him money. I believe that he is also aware of how accepting Americans are of the obesity epidemic. Obesity is a silent killer that will kill you directly but will lead to other complications that ultimately will kill you.

Xtranormal Video of Bob the Drinker

http://www.xtranormal.com/watch/13040398/bob-the-drinker

My xtranormal video of Bob for Dr. Millers Sociology class. A short one minute video of Bob who like to eat McDonald's and drink beers. He has recently put on some weight and would like to be able to fit back into his old pants. This is my first time using this website so please do not take it seriously.

NIH Expert Warns Controversial Anti-Obesity Ads Pose Risks The campaign couples unflattering photos of children with health warnings. By Rachael Levy

http://slatest.slate.com/posts/2012/02/09/atlanta_anti_child_obesity_campaign_risks_stigma.html

A campaign to end the controversial anti-childhood obesity campaign appears to becoming to an end as many activist see it as more of a stigma as it poses a risk to a child's psychological health for those children who are obese.
Unfortunately I disagree with the activist because obesity is very big problem in the United States and its becoming more and more acceptable in our everyday lives. I agree that obesity can be a touchy subject, but I believe that more and more Americans are accepting the fact that there is nothing wrong with being overweight, which is obviously not true. In today's media we see television shows like Man vs. Food, where Americans are indulging their glutenous ways, therefore I believe it is becoming more of an accepted problem within society.  I think ads like this will make children and parents aware that it's not socially acceptable to be overweight or obese, and that as parents they must take responsibility for their actions.

The Obesity Epidemic

http://www.obesity.org/news-center/the-obesity-epidemic.htm

Obesity is epidemic in the United States. In this video, experts from the CDC including TOS member and former president, Dr. William Dietz, describe the complex societal, cultural, and economic factors behind the rising problem of obesity in this country.

Obesity Could Be Infectious

http://news.yahoo.com/obesity-could-infectious-144803293.html

A short Yahoo article on a recent study in mice on how obesity can be infectious.

Obesity and Inequality By William Underhill

In Newsweek Magazine

What makes Americans so fat? Don't blame the doughnuts. That extra heft could be symptomatic of a malaise prevalent in all the world's least equal societies. According to "The Spirit Level," a new book by British academics Richard Wilkinson and Kate Pickett, a slew of social woes—from drug abuse to obesity and mental illness—can be tied directly to the width of a nation's income gap.

The evidence for the link is compelling. Obesity is six times more common in America, where the wealth gap is among the highest in the developed world, than in Japan at the opposite end of the inequality scale. And teenage birthrates in Britain are at least five times higher than in the more egalitarian Netherlands.

The explanation lies in a highly evolved reaction to low status, which shows itself in misery, violence or poor self-esteem. Weight, in particular, has long been a marker of socio-economic clout, and there's an unusually close match between obesity in women and their society's wealth gap. But it's not only the poor who suffer in unequal societies; higher incidences of mental illness, for example, affect all classes.

Still, with diagnosis comes the chance for a cure. "This suddenly gives us a handle on the psychosocial well-being of whole populations," says Wilkinson. Individuals should cut down on calories; meanwhile, governments should seek a slimmer wealth gap.

Excess Deaths Due to Inequality

A 2009 study in the British Medical Journal attempted to quantify the number of deaths that could be attributed to economic inequality among the 30 rich countries that make up the Organization of Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). The researchers found an association between greater inequality and a higher overall death rate in countries where inequality runs relatively high.

What constitutes “relatively high” inequality? To answer this question, the researchers ranked the 30 OECD countries in order of their “Gini index,” a standard metric that economists use to describe the level of inequality in a population. Ginis can run from 0.0 to 1.0, with higher numbers indicating greater inequality.

The most equal country in the OECD, Denmark, has a Gini of 0.225. The United States ranks as the fourth-most unequal country, with a Gini of 0.357, following only Mexico, Turkey, and Poland. The median Gini among OECD nations, 0.3, became the reference point against which researchers compared countries and their death rates.

The study concluded that almost 884,000 excess deaths per year in the United States could be attributed to the high level of income inequality in the U.S. In other words, if the Gini in the United States were 0.3 instead of 0.357, we would see nearly 884,000 fewer deaths per year.

A short video from PBS NEWSHOUR of how unequal the wealth is in the United States.