Humans today have access to supermarkets full of food and devices that do labor at the touch of a button. Combining that with the prevalence of smartphones and lack of exercise, America is having a childhood obesity pandemic. Children are gaining more and more weight which causes heart disease, diabetes, and asthma. Obese children are also affected by society’s perception of them, which can sometimes be even more damaging than the bodily responses.
The childhood obesity pandemic affects different areas and ethnicities in the world. First world countries have increased rates of obesity since it was first noticed in a study, and it since then crossed over into other countries around the world. Different cultures perceive obesity in different ways. In cultures where food is a scarcity, people who are overweight are respected. However, in areas of the world where food is easily available, obese children are not treated well. In this type of environment, obese children have increased rates of eating disorders, like bulimia and anorexia. But because of their higher weight average, they may not be diagnosed …show more content…
Since the turn of the twenty-first century, magazines, movies, and TV shows have been selling the same message: skinny is in. Young children are exposed to series of images and people that can influence them for the rest of their life. This one idea can make them see the world and themselves in different ways. With these unconscious messages, kids automatically sort people into categories. The media perpetuates the idea that obese people are lazy and unmotivated and that being skinny is the epitome of self-determination. Even children as young as six absorb this information and put obesity with negative stereotypes. Obese children are often shamed for their bodies, and young children say that they would rather play with their normal weight companions. This stigmatization makes these children feel
The childhood obesity pandemic affects different areas and ethnicities in the world. First world countries have increased rates of obesity since it was first noticed in a study, and it since then crossed over into other countries around the world. Different cultures perceive obesity in different ways. In cultures where food is a scarcity, people who are overweight are respected. However, in areas of the world where food is easily available, obese children are not treated well. In this type of environment, obese children have increased rates of eating disorders, like bulimia and anorexia. But because of their higher weight average, they may not be diagnosed …show more content…
Since the turn of the twenty-first century, magazines, movies, and TV shows have been selling the same message: skinny is in. Young children are exposed to series of images and people that can influence them for the rest of their life. This one idea can make them see the world and themselves in different ways. With these unconscious messages, kids automatically sort people into categories. The media perpetuates the idea that obese people are lazy and unmotivated and that being skinny is the epitome of self-determination. Even children as young as six absorb this information and put obesity with negative stereotypes. Obese children are often shamed for their bodies, and young children say that they would rather play with their normal weight companions. This stigmatization makes these children feel