Obesity an ode to American Culture
Many people assume that obesity is just an American problem.
Although the obesity rates in America are fairly high, obesity is a global
issue. My research over the past few weeks has been to see why obesity is such
a global problem. I have found that one of the main causes of obesity is the
globalization of American culture.
American culture is centered on everything being
“larger than life”. This is evident in the fast food sector, where in 1998 the
United States spent 116 billion dollars on fast food. The spread of American is
also apparent in the success of fast food companies such as McDonald’s. In the
book the McDonaldization of Society author George Ritzer mentions, “[that in] 1998 a study was done
where school age children were polled and 96 percent of them could identify with
Ronald McDonald, second only to Santa Claus”. McDonald’s reach has surpassed
that of Jesus according to the survey. Ritzer also mentions how McDonald’s
spread has impacted the Chinese, “ In 1992 Beijing witnessed the opening of the
world’s largest McDonald’s[…] on the first day they served 40,000 people” This
spread in the Americanization of culture has caused an increase in obesity
rates.
Although McDonald’s isn’t solely to blame China has seen an
increase in obesity. In China weight loss camps had to be made due to the
expanding number of obese people. According to National Geographic, “Today
about 15 percent of adults, or 200 million Chinese, is reportedly overweight.
Of these, 90 million- about 7 percent- are obese […]” (Markey, Obesity
Explosion may weigh on China’s future). Although percentage wise China has a
smaller overweight and obese percentage than America, due to the large size of
China the number of people who are obese and overweight eclipses that of the
United States. This epidemic in China is not only affecting adults but it is
also a problem for the youth of China. According to a Nutrition professor at
the School of Public Health at the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill,
“ ‘We’re seeing a very large proportion of children and adolescents who are
quite heavy and aren’t moving much,’[He also says] more kids today are
overeating and putting on weight ‘quite quickly’”( Markey, Obesity Explosion
may weigh on China’s future). This problem of overeating and obesity is
apparent in the major cities of China, where the Chinese culture is changing as
quickly as the economy. In these bigger cities the Chinese diets are changing
and more: “calorie-laden meats, fish, eggs, dairy products, fats and sugars
[are being consumed] than ever before” (Markey, Obesity Explosion may weigh on
China’s future). The change in diet coupled with a more sedentary lifestyle in
the city equals the rise in the childhood obesity rates that China is
witnessing today.
The rise in obesity shouldn’t solely be blamed on American
culture. However, as the world becomes more connected through globalization,
many countries are going to need to adjust to this culture in order to prevent
the a continuation of obesity.
This is a link to video on obesity and how it has affected America http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fzrSfz8oj0U
Although the obesity rates in America are fairly high, obesity is a global
issue. My research over the past few weeks has been to see why obesity is such
a global problem. I have found that one of the main causes of obesity is the
globalization of American culture.
American culture is centered on everything being
“larger than life”. This is evident in the fast food sector, where in 1998 the
United States spent 116 billion dollars on fast food. The spread of American is
also apparent in the success of fast food companies such as McDonald’s. In the
book the McDonaldization of Society author George Ritzer mentions, “[that in] 1998 a study was done
where school age children were polled and 96 percent of them could identify with
Ronald McDonald, second only to Santa Claus”. McDonald’s reach has surpassed
that of Jesus according to the survey. Ritzer also mentions how McDonald’s
spread has impacted the Chinese, “ In 1992 Beijing witnessed the opening of the
world’s largest McDonald’s[…] on the first day they served 40,000 people” This
spread in the Americanization of culture has caused an increase in obesity
rates.
Although McDonald’s isn’t solely to blame China has seen an
increase in obesity. In China weight loss camps had to be made due to the
expanding number of obese people. According to National Geographic, “Today
about 15 percent of adults, or 200 million Chinese, is reportedly overweight.
Of these, 90 million- about 7 percent- are obese […]” (Markey, Obesity
Explosion may weigh on China’s future). Although percentage wise China has a
smaller overweight and obese percentage than America, due to the large size of
China the number of people who are obese and overweight eclipses that of the
United States. This epidemic in China is not only affecting adults but it is
also a problem for the youth of China. According to a Nutrition professor at
the School of Public Health at the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill,
“ ‘We’re seeing a very large proportion of children and adolescents who are
quite heavy and aren’t moving much,’[He also says] more kids today are
overeating and putting on weight ‘quite quickly’”( Markey, Obesity Explosion
may weigh on China’s future). This problem of overeating and obesity is
apparent in the major cities of China, where the Chinese culture is changing as
quickly as the economy. In these bigger cities the Chinese diets are changing
and more: “calorie-laden meats, fish, eggs, dairy products, fats and sugars
[are being consumed] than ever before” (Markey, Obesity Explosion may weigh on
China’s future). The change in diet coupled with a more sedentary lifestyle in
the city equals the rise in the childhood obesity rates that China is
witnessing today.
The rise in obesity shouldn’t solely be blamed on American
culture. However, as the world becomes more connected through globalization,
many countries are going to need to adjust to this culture in order to prevent
the a continuation of obesity.
This is a link to video on obesity and how it has affected America http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fzrSfz8oj0U