Modernity Lifestyle and Obesity in the United Kingdom - Case Study Example

Running Head: MODERNITY LIFE STYLE AND OBESITY IN UK Modernity Life Style and Obesity in UK [Name of Writer] [Name of Institution] Table of Contents Table of Contents 2 Modernity Life Style and Obesity in UK 3 Rationale: 3 Introduction: 3 Background Analysis: 4 Obesity and Social Science: 5 The Obesity Debate: 6 Conception of “Modernity Life Style and Obesity in UK” in nutritionist’s view 6 Food Consumption and Obesity 7 Consumer Behavior 8 Buying Culture 8 Western Society’s Impact on Buying 9 Impact of Climate and Tradition 10 Recommendations 11 Conclusion 13 References 16 Further Reading: 17 Modernity Life Style and Obesity in UK Rationale: If we analyzed then we come to know that it has frequently been examined that obesity follows a socioeconomic slope which unfavorably influence the poor. This research thesis proposes the outline of a sociological assumption of obesity as an outcome of globalization aspects, such as labor market deregulation. The aim of this research project is not to provide an outright answer about Modernity Life Style and Obesity in UK but mearly to add to the debate. There are links between theories; trend, background and control of ones own body either through reclamation or self harm. No doubt, this project hopes to discuss all of these issues with the presentation of evidence about obesity. This evidence will be submitted through secondary sourcing and my own research. by means of the presentation of this proof we will then be in a position to discuss a conclusion and also to provide a forum for more discussion regarding this topic. Introduction: According to the expert analysis like Emile Durkheim, there are several human phenomena, which seem to be the consequence of personality actions and personal decisions. Yet, these phenomena are frequently on closer examination as much an effect of social features as of psychological ones. If we analyzed the Emile Durkheim views about obesity in 1897 then it has come to our noticed that he showed that the self killing/suicide perhaps the mainly personal of the entire decisions could be investigate through the theoretical lenses of sociology. No doubt, obesity, greatly like suicide or self killing, is frequently regarded as a personal trouble; result of an incapability to control ones requirements in front of the fridge. Moreover, obesity does have a psychological, as well as, certainly, a medical, facet, yet like the suicide, this rising trend also has a social facet. This research study is an effort to do the similar for obesity as Emile Durkheim did to the study of self killing; to scrutinize it in the light of the assumptions of sociology. Background Analysis: According to the expert analysis population data in the UK demonstrate that obesity rates on track to increase soon subsequent to 1984, and went up gradually at just beneath one percentage point per enum. Well, by 2004 approximately 1 in 4 youngsters were obese. Furthermore, one thing that did transform was the ‘price’ of food equally in terms of money as well as time. No doubt, in the beginning of 1980s, food cost began to fall underneath the prices of other possessions as well as the gap widened up to 2000, so the qualified price of eating got progressively lower. Even more significant were savings in time. The 1980s is explained by food marketers as the start of the ‘customer age’. It saw the quick spread of ownership of microwaves which unleashed the influence to thaw freezing foodstuff in minutes. Moreover, these freezers then moved from the dark yard to the kitchen, and were lately stocked through frozen meals along with desserts. Furthermore, in the early 1980s, cooked-meals come into view on superstore shelves. Let’s take a quick tour of ready made foodstuff. Well, since then, eating has got gradually cheaper, faster and more suitable, in the home and outside. Never being too finicky regarding flavor in Britain, we squeeze this new food civilization by means of more eagerness than other European countries. In fact, physiological guideline is good. The majority of us, mainly of the time, counterpart the energy we take in to the energy we disburse. But people vary in their compassion to interior satiety signals, and those with low satiety compassion can straightforwardly slip into positive energy equilibrium. Actually, mainly obese people don’t overindulge by a lot, but an energy surplus of only 70kcals a day no more than a auburn biscuit which is enough to turn a slim 25 year old into an obese 35 year old. Obesity and Social Science: According to this research paper curiosity in the social characteristic of obesity is nothing new. A good researcher like Jeffrey Sobal has written widely about the social as well as psychological cost of obesity, including the stigmatization and favoritism of obese and even plump individuals (Sobal 2004). Moreover, scholars with an additional anthropological twist have written regarding the dissimilar social insight of obesity, e.g. the positive view of fatness between some native peoples (Swinburne et al. 1996). The Obesity Debate: If we analyzed then we come to know that ‘Why are we so fat?’ this commanding question asked American magazine The National Geographic in a facet article in 2004 (National Geographic 2004). No doubt, the use of the powerful noun ‘we’ seemed mainly warranted as current statistics demonstrate that more than 65 percent of us (the British) are round. No doubt, still more disturbing; 20 percent of us are clinically obese.(House of Commons Select Committee on Health 2004). If we look upon Britain then we come to know that Britain is not alone in this. Well, in America this figure is even elevated; 30 per cent of the Americans are obese. No doubt, according to a current study of obesity in the USA, diet linked illnesses are accountable for four out of the ten foremost causes of demise. (Turner, B. S 1996). Conception of “Modernity Life Style and Obesity in UK” in nutritionist’s view According to the expert analysis obesity begin from the moment of idea. No doubt, the dietary position of the mother as well as later, the preference of breast or procedure milk as well as the volume of milk offer, set the baby on its life span weight route. Later, as the child is weaned, basic lessons are learnt concerning the excellence and magnitude of food. No doubt, parenting carry out and peer group force strengthen the social value of foods and steadily we each begin to make our own choice regarding our lifestyle the die is radiated. A few will regulate their intake to match their energy requirements through remarkable accuracy, even as for others appetite tirelessly outpaces movement. Reflective changes in the structure of society strengthen obesity but the growing tendency is the end effect of millions of individual assessment made by millions of personage people each day of their lives. Food Consumption and Obesity Everything we now touch, see, hear, feel and smell are inextrodinarily linked to the consumption of goods. Theoretically Steven Miles argues that consumerism is driven by the consumer’s quest for choice and an emphasis on difference. There is a conscious promotion of goods within society. This promotion seeks to project a certain lifestyle. Therefore, we place great value on these goods and seek our own identity through the purchase of goods (Thomson, R. G. 1997). Society has changed we now live in a 'advanced capitalist society' (Thomson, R. G. 1997).We live in a modern technological society. Our identities life experiences are no longer linked to our means of production (work).Society has to change in order to evolve. As inedible as it to traditionalists, society has moved away from Fordism into a Post Fordism era. Production of goods has distorted plus so had the value and methods of construction. We now live in a worldwide economy (Ritzer,).The goods we purchase inside the West are very frequently made in third world countries. Wages are poor and working conditions are even worse. Large companies (Tomlinson, A. 2002) often trot out the phrase "wages that are paid are relative to the economy" this therefore gives the legitimization to large companies to make vast profits at the expense of their employees (bbc/panorama) . Consumer Behavior Consumer psychologists study the consumer behavior, the way consumer feels about particular products, how he makes his decisions about such products, and how the consumers' knowledge limitations can be used to present the product more efficiently (Brown Book) to persuade them to go for it. Consumer psychology is of great importance, no matter whatever is the scale of business; it can help to increase the sale. People should be made aware of the product's qualities and persuaded to buy it. Consumer psychology helps the marketing strategies to set the price of product, and also better advertise the product in the consumer market. In an average super market there are more than 10,000 different products, all of brands different from each other. It is indeed a difficult decision for a person to make an appropriate choice among such a large variety of products. Here the real benefit of consumer psychology steps in. Now, the marketing techniques based on consumer psyche make the real difference in the consumer's decision making process. Buying Culture Western society is becoming influenced and obsessed with consumerism. It is being bombarded with images and goods (Shilling, C. 2005).While consumerism offers the reality of owning a product, it can lack any real fulfilment. Consumerism offers only short term gratification for those who can afford the luxury and frustration for those who cannot. Impulse-buying is increasingly identified as an issue, goods, such as clothes, are bought on impulse more frequently than others, such as garden tools. This can be understood better in terms of people trying to feel good about themselves and an attempt to bolster self-image and personal identity. Money can only be viewed as a cheap substitute for cultural values lost to greed and ambivalence in the Western Post-Modern world (Miles1998) . Economic worth has displaced traditional cultural values defining self-worth. Self-worth is gauged by buying power. The acts of buying and owning reinforce self-worth within consumer society and are constantly persuaded of this (Shilling, C. 2005).The mass media perpetuates the myth of perfection. Media advertising sells an image of which self-awareness and self-worth have been distorted. We are what we wear (Shilling, C 2003). Western Society’s Impact on Buying Nonetheless we have to look examine the theory that in a modern western society especially in Great Britain our relationship with goods is "one of entire consumption" (Miller,1993,133). Man-made objects produced carry an image of style. The consumer is persuaded that ownership will enable them to inherit this style, transforming their lives into perfection (Sweetman,1999). Work time will be transformed into leisure time. These objects can be applied to any aspect of life. The media project this image and set the standard for a life style based upon the importance of one's appearance. Indeed the media uses images of thin, beautiful muscular men and women to promote their goods. Advertising companies employed by large companies are targeting specific groups. All objects bought and sold do have a materialistic value. These objects however materialistic add , power and status within society (Miller,1993) to our lives this in turn produces style. Style can be a way of communicating ones sexuality, class or status. It is a device by which we judge - and are judged by others." In this way we accept societies set standards. Whilst the evidence produced substantiates fulfilment and identity through retail the choice of what we actually purchase may not be as varied as we think. Large companies who control the retail industry are producing an illusion of choice. These companies are actually producing very little choice away from the mainstream and what has gone before.(Miles,1998).Therefore whilst body modification in certain aspects can only offer little choice (piercing).One has to argue that tattoos can offer a large choice of patterns pictures and variations on previous themes. No one system is dominant. There is free expression and debatably nothing is the 'norm' with regards to tattooing, "an electric free for all" (Pendergast, T. 2000). Impact of Climate and Tradition In the there volatile commerce climate, mergers and attainments are rotating many great retail associations into giants, whereas the minute retail businesses, for the majority fraction, linger as one-person process. The managerial structure as healthy as the modes of process differ greatly flanked by the two types of Noodle sellers, yet these differences are hardly ever examine in advertising writing. Traditionally, the propensity in the center of managers and researchers similar has been to look upon a small industry as a "little big business" in terms of possessions, sales, and figure of workers (Welsh and White 2001). Lately, however, researchers are in conflict those presents are numerous factors that differentiate small commerce from their larger complement. Davis, Hills, and LaForge (2000) identified four circumstances that are ordinary in the middle of small retail organizations: (a) one being performs the majority of the put on the market functions, (b) they are one-store operation, (c) they are under-capitalized, and (d) objectives are bottoms on continued survival. Clearly, the aforesaid conditions do not survive inside most big sell processes. Recommendations Exercise There is another way out for solution which marked the start of the increase of the UK to a gradually more well-off plus high tech society. No doubt, from this point we saw the great scale turn down of labour difficult jobs as the mines, steel works, and physical agriculture to the service/information society of nowadays. No doubt, knowledge started to restore physical attempt involved in labor and spare time. Moreover, the TV arrived! The car arrived in big numbers and joined with the turn down in local jobs we congested walking and cycling to labor in huge numbers. No doubt, lazy freedom and the rights to be ecstatic persisted as high status. Moreover, the main cause of obesity is that we have radically reduced our daily energy expenses in the last 60 years as we have shaped a 'take it easier' civilization and we have not administer to recompense by reducing our food and drink ingestion. Moreover, we did not see the main possessions until the early 80s is since it takes whilst to get fat (about 20-30 years) at the rates we almost certainly have done. Globalization and Obesity: Towards a Pattern It is tricky to argument that obesity is a social state, which harmfully affects those in low paid/short term jobs. Unnecessary to say, obesity does have an important biomedical constituent. Though, it is (from a sociological and public health point of view) evenly significant to determine the issues which lead you to eat the burgers in the first place. What we attempt to answer is the communal etiology of obesity; the social reasons, which go ahead to weight gain. Investigating the advance theory as to why people nowadays, mainly in their teens and twenties, are looking to differentiate themselves from the consistency of modern society, leads us to suppose that there is no longer one solitary "logical hypothesis”. No doubt, society is now in disagreement by means of itself. Science, reason, myths and humankind have misshapen. Society is in disorder. There is a collapse among ethics and autistics. The abovementioned research results muscularly point out that weight troubles and poverty are extremely statistically connected. As an oft-cited study said: “diet influence the health of communally underprivileged people from cradle to grave” (James, Nelson, Ralph, and Leather 1999, 1545). Another outcome of this research is that societal changes from a conventional manufacturing society to a globalize (deregulated) financial system has shaped new patterns of life as well as work, which have had adverse belongings on food consumption, exercise, and hence has throw in to the increase in the enlargement of the obesity epidemic. According to this theory, the arrival of a neo-liberal monetary command has had – and carries on having - profound consequences for operational patterns particularly for those in low paid/insecure jobs. This propositions is, in fact, reliable with observations made by sociologists such as Emile Durkheim who have practical that “one of the ways globalization has Influenced family life in Britain is by growing the quantity of time that people spend every week at work” (Emile Durkheim 2004, 62). In adding up to functioning longer hours, persons are gradually more working in service sector work (such as call centres, help desk, support) with offer little occasion for bodily exercise. Through ‘supple’ working hours, individuals are likely to eat afterward and more likely to guzzle fast-food (Dalton 2004, 95). Conclusion There is no doubt that body modification is an interesting topic of discussion “Modernity Life Style and Obesity in UK”. Obesity through ready-food, branding, scarification and piercing are some of the way's people alter their appearance. People show a display a multitude of semiotic symbols through body modification. This display can only result in examination by society. When and if you modify your body, you inevitably change your appearance and are stating something about yourself your lifestyle and social status. You are also making a statement about you social income, wealth and class. Seeing a person with a tattoo you will involuntarily form an opinion and judge them. This conclusion will probably be wholly inaccurate and prejudicial. In the past tattoos used to be associated with the armed forces and deviant members of society. This theory has to a large extent been replaced by an acceptance in society that ready-food is acceptable even amongst women, the young and small sections of the elderly population. Body Image is being influenced by the media. They are bringing pressure to bear with regard to a person’s appearance and what is acceptable. It would be fair to debate issues surrounding women's insecurities, as argued by Pitts and her belief of women reclaiming their body after years of abuse. In the introduction whilst only briefly mentioned men are suffering from a crisis of masculinity as suggested by academics. More importantly men are being asked to view their bodies in a different light leading to undue pressure for men to seek the perfect image (Bunton, R. Nettleton, S. and Burrows 1995). No doubt, body modification because of ready-meal is of course a vast subject and carries many variations. No doubt, obesity, ready-food is to name only a few. We could discuss bulimia and other eating disorders that change the image of the body (Bordo, S. 1993). Summarily, bodybuildings are all pertinent in this text. Anyone who takes on some form of modification of their body is in search of the perfect body thus achieving happiness. Within the Western world there is a need to pursue the idea of beauty and perfection. However this perfection and beauty has fine parameters for acceptance by society and the goalpost are constantly changing especially within fashion. People seek to change their body because western society has an obsession with consumerism. We continually seek to consume goods in many guises. Admitadly s with this western ideal comes freedom and freedom of choice. You can therefore seek to achieve your ideal vision of yourself. Any person who stands in front of the mirror can always think of some thing they would like to change. From the balding man to the overweight woman. Postmodernism has asked us to examine our body in a different text. This ought to be someone who is willing to go to any distance end to end or pay any price to have the ideal body. There is something concerning our body that we all would like to modify since we feel that our bodies are not good sufficient, like our height, our weight, our eye color, etc. We want to change ourselves because of the pressure that advertisements place on us to be one of the "beautiful people". They make us feel valueless because we do not look like a super replica. If the advertisers in addition to the media stopped focusing so much concentration on physical beauty and excellence and focused a little more on inner beauty as well as strengths, then maybe when we look in the reflect, we would not just see what we look similar to on the exterior, we would be talented to see the person we actually are (Giulianotti 2005). Postmodernism allows us not present many images for “Modernity Life Style and Obesity in UK”. We are hostages to these images, which are arguably a collection of history. Presentation of these images (beauty) can be done in a number of ways too society. How these tasteful or un-tasteful images are greeted dependent on the eye of the beholder. We are socialized from a very early age about what is acceptable within society and body image is no different. No doubt, the discussion on obesity and beauty opposites are still argumentative. It would be naive or even foolish for any person regardless of their gender not to want the perfect body, or a perception of the perfect body. But if we can acquire the fineness, whilst quarrelsome we are give way to the quick fix alternative. This is logical of our society (Schilling, C. 1993). References Bordo, S. (1993) Unbearable weight : feminism, western culture and the body. Bunton, R. Nettleton, S. and Burrows (Eds.) (1995) The Sociology of Health Promotion - Critical Analyses of Consumption. Lifestyle and Risk, London, Routledge Pendergast, T. (2000) Creating the modern man : American magazines and consumer culture 1900-1950, London, University of Missouri Press. Schilling, C. (1993) The Body and Social Theory, Chapter 4 The Socially Constructed Body Giulianotti (2005) Chapter 7 The Body: Discipline, Conduct and the Pleasures of Sport Shilling, C (2003) The Body and Social Theory 2nd ed, Theory, Culture & Society London : Sage. Shilling, C. (2005) The Body in Culture, Technology and Society, London, Sage. Sugden, J. and Tomlinson, A. (2002) (Eds.) Power Games: A Critical Sociology of Sport, London, Routledge Thomson, R. G. (1997) Extraordinary bodies : figuring physical disability in American culture and literature. New York, Columbia University Press Turner, B. S (1996) The body and society : explorations in social theory 2nd Ed. Further Reading: American Medical Association (1924), ‘What Causes Obesity’, Editorial, The Journal of the American Medical Association, 1924, 83, 1003. Ulrich Beck, Risk Society. Towards a New Modernity, London, Sage, 1997, p. 21. Bessant, Judith and Watts, Rob (2002) Sociology Australia. Crows Nest, NSW: Allen&Unwin P.J. Brink (1989) “The Fattening Room Among the Annang of Nigeria: Anthropological Approaches to Nursing Research”, in Medical Anthropology, Vol. 12, pp. 131-43). Brown, P.J. and Konner, M. (1987) “An anthropological Perspective on Obesity “, in Annals of the New York Academy of the Sciences, Vol. 499, pp.29-49 Brownell K.D. and Horgen, K.B (2004) Food Fight : The Inside Story of the Food Industry, America's Obesity Crisis, and What We Can Do About It., McGrew-Hill. Bush, L. and Williams, R. “Diet and Health: New Problems/New Solutions”, in Food Policy, Vol. 24, pp.135) Campos, Paul (2004)The Obesity Myth. Why our Obsession with Weight is Hazardous to Our Health. London: Penguin. CDC. The President’s Council on Physical Fitness and Sports, “Healthy People 2010”, 2000, www.health.gov/healthypeople/document/HTML (Accessed 13 September 2004). Childrens Programmes (n.d) www.childrensprogrammes.org/regulate.html. Critser, G. (2000), “Let them Eat Fat”, in Harper’s March 2000. Drewnowski, A and Specter, S.E, ‘Poverty and Obesity: the role of energy density and energy costs’, in American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 2004, 79, 6-16. Durkheim, Emile (1997) Le Suicide. Étude de Sociologie. Paris: PUF Flegal, K.M, et al. ‘Prevalance and Trends in Obesity among US Adults 1999-2000, Journal of the American Medical Association, 2000, 288, 1723-27 James, W.P.T, Nelson, M., Ralph, A. and Leather A. (1999), “Socioeconomic Determinants of Health: The Contribution of Nutrition to Inequalities in Health”, in British Medical Journal, Vol.314, No.7093, pp.1545-49. Sobal, Jeffery (2004), ‘Sociological Analysis of the Stigmatisation of Obesity”, in John Germov and Lauren Williams (Editors), A Sociology of Food and Nutrition. The Social Appetite, Oxford, Oxford University Press Swinburn, Boyd. et al. ‘Do Polynesians Still Believe that Big is Beautiful?, in New Zealand Medical Journal,1996, 109. 100-103 Working Group on Inequalities in Health (1982) Inequalities in Health (The Black Report), London, HMSO, 1982. Read More