Frank Acierno (FGCU) Obesity

Obesity is a social problem in the United States.

Why is obesity a social problem and not a person problem?  I feel that society is to blame for obesity.

Society portrays and imagine of tall stick figure girls as being being beautiful.  They are shown in every magazine and on TVall over the world.  Also society shuns down upon celebrities who are mildly overweight or even healthy looking.

Why am I saying that this makes people obese?  This makes people obese because it puts constant pressure on people to monitor something they love.  Sometimes it is genetically difficult for people to be skinny but they try to be so they are accepted by society.  This could cause people to look at food as there enemy and try constantly to fight off food.

Eventually one could food and decide they dont care what society thinks and instead of eating just to fulfill hunger one might over indulge constantly and completely give into food. This could cause a weight problem and when that begins it could become very hard for one to stop the vicious cycle.  They begin to feel bad about themselves and once that happens they look to food for comfort and it becomes very hard for them to accept themselves or allow themselves to become healthy again.

I feel this is a huge social problem that lies in the heart of the media.  The media needs to potray healthy looking people or slightly overweight peopel as being in shape or normal, so peopel could accept themselves for who they are and not have to look upon food as their enemy.

3 Responses to “Frank Acierno (FGCU) Obesity”

  1. M. Riddle (Edison) says:

    Ah, the plight of man (or woman): the persuit of perfection. In our looks, in our lives, in our jobs. Where ever we turn, that is what we seek. And when we fail at perfection, what then? Many have lain the accusation of ‘trading sex for donuts’ at the feet of those who have failed to achieve perfection. Yet a new wave of an old movement seems to pe raising its head and coming into awarenes: learning to be happy with who and what you are. Contentment throughout the 80’s and 90’s and into the early part of this century appeared to be noticably missing. Recently, we have begun to hear mental health professionals say more loudly and more vigorously that you do not need to live the perfect life to be happy, and true contentment is knowing and loving yourself, and not feeling castigated for not achieving, or appearing to achieve perfection. We should all heed William Shakespeare’s words: “…to thine own self be true…”

  2. Lydia Frantz (Edison) says:

    I definitely agree with you!! I just posted a blog on this matter. People are not perfect, nor are any two people alike. It is true that some people are designed to be skinny that is their healthy. Not everyone was created that way. Women naturally have a higher percentage of body fat then men do, and what do we see in the media? Super skinny women! Ha what a joke. I’m not mocking women who actually are naturally skinny, but not everyone is the same body type.

    In the last few years there have been more advertisements that embrace women of different shapes. But the way the ads are presented, they are basically calling these women fat. I can’t wrap my mind around why this country is so focused on them. What’s sick is that the majority of media that promotes this particular body type is directed at the youth. American media trains their people young, before they can discern for themselves how they want to be or look or feel.

    All I can say is teach your children, teach those around you, be open to real life sources and don’t absorb everything you see on the boob tube. The media is a frame.

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