Click on this link to view the assignment - This assignment is in correspondence with Body Image and Identity. I will go over it after the MLA Presentation on Tuesday.
Click on this link to view the assignment and post your responses as a comment after clicking on ASSIGNMENT DUE ON 11/22. REMEMBER to proofread before you publish.
https://docs.google.com/Doc?docid=0AeoPG8xeJv2dZGhjbWgzNzJfMGNtcWtxMmZ4
Remember - We will meet in the Success Center on 11/22
The Success Center is located in the library.
Inside the coffee shop!
Good News - I decided to wait and have you post your 2 sentence Thesis over the Thanksgiving Break!
Have A MAGICAL and FANTASTIC WEEKEND!
People in the United States today have become careless about the way they look at themselves and the way others look at them. Many people don’t take in to consideration the damage they are doing to their bodies by eating unhealthy foods and not taking care of themselves. Others realize the damage being done and don’t care what consequences may follow these behaviors. Americans need to stop and realize that eating whatever they please all day long will don’t only affect themselves, but can also affect the people around them. If fast food restaurants came together to improve the healthiness of their menus we may see some change throughout the country. If the newspapers and news channels broadcasted more on health issues and causes of death in a great number of Americans throughout the country, people may stop and realize the effect that their food consumption is having their bodies.
ReplyDeleteI feel that food is a huge part of our identity. It not only shows character in a person but can also show culture. If someone is very over weight from eating it shows that this person is careless of their body figure and doesn’t care about the way they see themselves, how others see them, or even their health. If someone is very fit, it shows that they care how they see themselves, how others see them, and that their health is good. Culture is seen through the types of food we eat, if a family eats a lot of macaroni and meatballs we say there from an Italian heritage. If a family eats a lot of corn beef and cabbage we say there from a Irish heritage. Although we all eat these cultural foods no matter where were from we categorize these foods with the people that eat them by the culture’s that they descend from.
I feel that Motluks quote explains how overtime in America, people no longer need to work hard for their food now that you can eat so much for so little. In the past, people in farming communities would have to grow their food for months before being able to eat, this work took time and labor which is not seen much at all these days. Due to the fact that things come so easy these days many people take advantage of that when it comes to eating. They eat all that they can whenever they please without any consequence. In supersize me: Stop Blaming Fat People for Their Size, the author discusses fast food restaurants such as McDonalds and how there foods calories is greater than ever. That be can’t blame overweight people for their obesity but blame the restaurants for having such high calorie food. I feel that is very wrong, you can only blame the person who eats the food for their obesity. If the person wants to eat bad food and be overweight then that’s the persons choice the fast food restaurants can still sell their unhealthy foods but we as consumers need to learn when to eat these foods and how much of them to consume.
I strictly believe the largest problem in American obesity is the parents. Although there are an inevitable amount of places that children can get unhealthy food from, it is the parent’s job to restrain them from it. Children need to be taught from a young age healthy eating habits and reasonable portion sizes. Instead, I see parents bribing their children with “sweets” all the time.
ReplyDeleteI think that adults need to realize how big of a problem this is becoming. They are the only ones who can put a stop to the issue. If parents understood that unhealthy foods become a lifestyle and it’s not just a phase they would take it more serious. They need to realize the health of their children is at stake. To encourage this change, America needs to propose obesity as a more serious problem. I’ve always heard people say “you don’t have to worry about what you eat, you’re still young.” That is what most people would think, but if we had more media influence on how big the issue has become, people will begin to change.
Food is a large part of our identity. For example, if you are Italian, it is thought that you eat a lot of pasta dishes. Each culture has a “specialty” dishes. Our perception of food is also a part of our identity. If you’re known to love food, it is a way people can view you. For example, I am a very picky eater and when the topic comes up, that is how I am identified. For most people our perceptions are cultural. We tend to view the food that comes from our culture as a “treat” and when we get to eat it, we usually will have a little bit more of that then something from a different culture.
Motluk means that now there is so much cheap food available to us and we don’t even have to work hard to get it. She refers to this availability as societies dream. The irony in this is that the so called “dream” is killing us slowly. This food that we’re eating is strictly leading to obesity.
Body shape has dramatically changed in the past decade. Obesity is taking over America more and more as years pass, especially in children. In most cases, people are obese because of the nutrition lifestyle they choose to live.
I believe that the rise in obesity in America is due to the lack of care in one’s self. The amount of fast food’s people consume is ridiculously high and no one seems to think it matters. Americans need to manage the food they consume, and set a plan to improve their lifestyle. The media needs to make viewers more aware of the risks that some of these unhealthy foods pose to a person. Although many restaurants list the amount of calories, it’s just not enough information a person needs to truly understand the damage that may be done by consuming unhealthy foods.
ReplyDeleteFood plays a huge role in one’s identity. The way someone eats shows who they might be and how others might see them. If one person eats everything in sight, then many will thing he is careless about how he looks. But, if someone doesn’t eat much and shy’s away from food, many believe they have some disorder. Food is also highly cultural in society. It forms its own stereotypes for nationalities, such as Italians are commonly paired with spaghetti and other pasta, Spanish people are related to spicy food, etc.
Motluk’s quote means that Americans in today’s age, don’t have to work hard to acquire an abundance of food. The irony in her quote is that this abundance of food is now little by little killing us. The excess of food we are surrounded by is ultimately the cause of obesity in America. As Steve says in his argument, the only one to blame for obesity is the people who consume mass amounts of unhealthy foods. Just because companies like Burger King and McDonald’s offer fast food, doesn’t mean you have to eat it. It is ultimately your choice on what you put into your body.
Alison Motluk, she addresses, "Because fewer households have a stay-at-home parent to prepare meals from scratch, families increasingly turn to highly processed convenience foods, take outs, or fast food restaurants" (563). Most people are resorting to fast foods because they are easier to get and cheaper; which contain more food and calories then a home cooked meal. I feel that the parents should take the time out of their day to make a home cooked meal that is healthier, because without this, children are growing up with bad eating habits and will continue with those throughout their life.
ReplyDeleteI believe food is a big part of our identity. What we look like and how we feel about our body are mostly related to the amount of food we eat. Different cultures have different perceptions about food, and what the portions of the meals should be. For example, in France, obesity was avoided because they were taught as children not to overeat. In the U.S., parents generally let their children eat whatever they want. Because they are allowed to eat whatever, when they are older, they may have the same mindset about eating.
Motluk writes, "Ironically, the U.S.'s obesogenic environment is one that societies through the ages have dreamed of: cheap food in abundance and barely a lick of hard work to be done." She is saying that as the time goes on, people are realizing how great fast food is because they are spending fewer money, getting a greater amount of food, and spending no time making anything. This is ironic because it hurriedly is leading to greater number of deaths in the obesogenic environment.
Increasingly amounts of people are becoming obese within the U.S., UK, Australia, and many other Western countries. In the United States, the prevailing culture promotes obesity, making an unhealthy lifestyle the default option. This obesogenic environment encourages the overconsumption of high calorie foods. The reason why the number of Americans who are obese increased from thirteen percent to twenty two percent is due to the gradual increase in portion sizes and lack of physical activity of children in schools.
These responses are excellent.
ReplyDeleteSteven - Excellent connections to the past and to farming.
Christy - Wonderful example regarding France and providing a different perspective on food and identity.
Chris - You make some excellent points when you mentioned "choice" and making decisions about food.
Danielle - You are very insightful. You connect and contextualize the information by providing concrete examples of culture, perception and food.
Nice Job!
Obesity is a growing concern in America. Every day in the news there is some sort of article pertaining to Obesity , let that be on the news or an article in the paper. I believe the growing amount of obesity in America is directly stemming from the idea of I can do what I want without consequences. We in America have free will we can come and go as we please. The world to us is an open door. We can choose to step through or stay on the outside. We all make choices ,but when making those choices we do not acknowledge the after affects that occurs. I personally do this all the time . It is one of the things I my life that I try to do every day. I want to think rationally and realize a mistake before it is done. I believe if people made conscious decisions , obesity would, be decreasing in America. Food can definitely be a part of our identity. For example eating a salad can lead to the idea that an individual is on a diet. I feel in America it is so easy to get any kind of food that we want. We as a nation aren’t limited . If we want Chinese , we can grab take out. If we want Italian we cook at home or head over to the Olive garden. I believe our foods have cultural signatures ,but since we have such an easy access to different varieties , we don’t perceive them as cultural anymore.
ReplyDeleteWhen talking about obesity Motluk explains that we have always had the dream of making things easier is always better. When it comes to fast food and high calorie diets this is the only option available. We strived for things to be easy in America to provide a relaxful and fun lifestyle. In the search for this lifestyle to make life better , we essentially made it worse. In the search of a life of ease and prosperity, we made our lives harder and more uncomfortable than ever.
The increasing percentage of obesity in America is astonishing and simply unacceptable. The reasoning for this epidemic is evidently offered in Motluk’s essay, “Calorie-dense foods are far more readily available than ever before”. Since parents are always in a rush to haul their children from school to piano lessons to soccer practice, it is much for convenient and time-efficient for them to pull up to a McDonald’s drive-thru rather than sit down and have a home-cooked meal. Parents are not considering the long-term effects this poisonous consumption could have on a child’s health, not only now, but in the future.
ReplyDeleteIt is imperative that the food service industry cuts down on the unhealthy fast-food restaurant chains and begins to offer more healthy alternatives, rather than a “quarter-pounder with cheese and supersized fries with a coke….a whopping 1550 calories” (563, Motluk), being a child’s go-to meal. Also the parents should pay close attention to what their children eat, just the same way they watch their child carefully on the playground, or make them wear a helmet while riding a bicycle. For each activity poses a certain realm of danger in a child’s life.
Food is a part of our identity because it is a part of our lives, without it we would not survive; however, eating excessively can cause negative views internally and externally. This can lead to eating disorders, bullying and inevitably…obesity. The way we eat is not only driven by our needs but our desires as well. Through carefully evaluated advertising, the food industries are finding ways into the human mind and finding the trigger in our brain, so that when we see a hot juicy burger on a commercial, suddenly we’re racing for the front door to get to the nearest Burger King. Unhealthy eating is a cultural phenomenon and a parasite that is infecting most of the homes in the U.S. today. McDonald’s has been part of the American culture for over 50 years and is now worldwide, for now fast food is going nowhere, unless us Americans band together in the fight against obesity and unhealthy eating.
"Ironically, the U.S.'s obesogenic environment is one that societies through the ages have dreamed of: cheap food in abundance and barely a lick of hard work to be done." (564, Motluk). Motluk’s statement implies the fact that the ultimate goal to achieve a meal with little or no cost has been a success. The irony derives from the fact that even though it was a goal of Americans, it is now killing us off through the disease of obesity faster than ever before.
Motluk’s essay brings about the underlying causes of obesity in America by referring to our increased usage/need for transportation, ignorant parents at dinner time, unnecessary processed additives in fast food, and the overall increase of portion sizes in restaurants. If something is not altered soon about the way America eats and the lack of exercise in children, we are in for a very rude awakening when it comes to our health in the nation as a whole.
According to Motluk, the clinically obese percentage was raised by nine percent within ten years. In the US it is so easy to eat any type of food you want too. You can find anything from ice cream to burgers in any corner, and that I believe is the main cause of obesity. No one understands the seriousness of the consequences of obesity until they are are diagnosed with a disease. No matter how many articles and documents are created, Americans do no seem to understand and that is a very large problem. American government should enforce laws with the food industries to take certain unhealthy ingredients out of the menu. I feel like without extreme actions, no one will understand. Like Tim said, everyone has a "I can do what i want without consequences" mindset.
ReplyDeleteFood is definitely a part of our identity because it is a part of our daily lives. Some people's jobs involve food and culture goes hand in hand with food. A persons heritage is associated with different types of food as well. The perception of food depends on the person that is looking at it. Comparing a rich person to a poor, the poor persons going to consider food as a luxury. To a sad person food can sometimes be the thing that comforts them, and to a happy person food can be the cherry on top of the icing.
Motluk states, "Ironically, the U.S.'s obesogenic environment is one that societies through the ages have dreamed of: cheap food in abundance and barely a lick of hard work to be done" This statement is ironic because even though it costs so little to get a great amount of food,the damage it causes on our life comes at a great cost. No matter where you go you can find a fast food place and at any of these locations you can get a great amount of food for a cheap amount of money.
Many factors play into the rising epidemic of obesity along with pointing fingers at whose to blame. Those who the problem is happening to blame advertising companies and fast food restaurants for creating and sponsoring addicting and harmful food. On the other hand, experts blame the obese and the food and activity choices they make. There are so many variables that play into this subject so blame cannot be solely on one individual or company. Much can be done to reduce this ongoing problem, advertising for fast food companies and how there product could be seen as healthy such as salads meanwhile they are not as advertised and have excessive calories. Better food choices for adult and children along with plenty of exercise and activity could also lower this disease. Funding for activity programs and better awareness of healthy food and exercise could help along with help and information for the parents to provide their children. Food can be tied into identity in the fact that people might know someone because of what they eat and what makes them happy. The movie "Super Size Me" which describes the story of a man who undertakes the diet of McDonald's for a month to show the health effects of the food, contains a man that as eaten a Big Mac a day for 20 years! This man has become so synonymous with the product that people call him that everyday. The way we as people and our society view food is that it is an everyday item that most of us care not what it is but as long as it tastes good and is affordable, we eat it.
ReplyDeleteThe irony explained by Motluk's quote "Ironically, the U.S.'s obesogenic environment is one that societies through the ages have dreamed of: cheap food in abundance and barely a lick of hard work to be done" is that us as a society hopes for good, cheap food without any work and don't see the consequences and complain and argue about it afterward. Moltuk's explanation of how this obesity epidemic is growing ties in everyday subject that are backed up by facts from experts. She explains the multiple scenarios that tie into the disease and how multiple people along with others are a fault and how it can be solved. Obesity among children in the United States is growing, this is due to the extensive advertising among fast food chains that depict their food in a way that could be harmful to the children. Obesity can be directly link to the choices we make as children and adults, this can be accredited to parents not being at home for make healthy meals for children and not knowing enough information about the food given to them.
One can sum up the problems we are having with obesity in America with one phrase. That phrase is getting the most for your money. Madison Avenue has been able to turn that phrase against us. This saying once stood for value, now it stands for the bottom line. Corporations noticed that they can make an extra 10% by feeding us 30% more food per sitting. I believe that this notion is the disease of the problem of obesity and all other factors are just symptoms of the disease. If Americans could just eat less we would solve most of our weight problems.
ReplyDeleteWe would have to retrain ourselves on what proper portions are. We as Americans right now believe that the proper portion of food is a medium number one value meal at any of our fast food restaurants. The belief that is a proper portion is wrong the actual portion size should be a small hamburger, small fries, and a 12 ounce drink. If we were to order that you go a long way in solving obesity. Please note I'm just talking about obesity and not nutritional content.
There are few things we can do to retrain America on portion size. The first could be at schools, they could stop serving double portions of pizza in the belief that each 2 ounces of tomato sauce is one serving of fruit and vegetables. I will not argue here whether tomato sauce is a food vegetable. My argument is that that is not an efficient way of getting those two servings of fruits and vegetables. The next thing we can do a starting media blitz on what are proper food sizes. Almost the same way they did about tobacco. Go into stores and have a commercial on what we should be eating instead of what we are eating.
Obesity is growing in american society today. The lack of caring of yourself is one of the major problems with obesity. The media shows all ads for fast food, fast food is easy to get and its cheap. Many people in todays society think that they can eat it whenever they want and have a sufficient amount and it wont affect them. Food is a major part of identity, what you eat shows who you are. Eating healthy can show that you are athletic and you care how food effects you. If you eat poorly it shows that you may not care about your body. In Motluk essay she talks about obesity and how you have a choice to show who how you care about yourself. Motluk states, "Ironically, the U.S.'s obesogenic environment is one that societies through the ages have dreamed of: cheap food in abundance and barely a lick of hard work to be done" Our lives are important in life and many people take risks with eating high amounts of fast food, because you can receive alot for cheap money. Not many people realize the damage it can have on your body.
ReplyDeleteMost of America suffer from obesity. While most people blame food corporations, I think it is
ReplyDeletethe parents fault as to why children these days are suffering from this body image. Parents are usually
working weird hours of the day and can't make it home in time to make dinner. Although most of them
can't help their shifts at work, it is typical that parents are too tired to make dinner so instead they just
buy fast food. My own parents were like this but they refused to buy that much fast food, instead I had
to make my own food but I didn't know how to cook so I had frozen waffles or pizza. Parents need to
show their children what foods are meant to be eaten daily and which are meant to be eaten
occasionally. Parents are the reason for the increase in obesity.
I do believe that to some extent food can identify us. People who believe that killing animals is
harmful for the environment won't eat meat or even anything that came from an animal like milk or
eggs. These people are identified as vegans. Our perception of foods can also identify us, a lot of
people stay away from sugar foods or even healthy foods. Parents should be the ones teaching children
what they should and should not eat. The children see food in the world is the way parents tell them
how it is. Parents also introduce foods form their culture into the family. This is a great idea since
culture is our identity and food also identifies us. The cultural diffusion between foods also helps
children experience different types of food. They can tell for themselves whether they like it or not.
Personally, I think that parents should assert themselves and cook at least something quick for
their children. If they can't do that, they should at least put the child into a cooking class so they can at
least make their own healthy food. For the second option, I think we should do cooking class as an after
school activity. There is also the choice of grandparents cooking and watching the children while the
parents are at work. Parents could even make a ton of food when they have the time and the children
can have leftovers for dinner, anything but fast food. I think parents should look over their options before going to the drive thru.
Obesity continues to rise in America causing many problems. I think to many parents are being lazy and aren't cooking for their children. Instead they are going out and buying fast food meals that are very unhealthy. I also think their is a lack of exercise. Most kids spend their days watching tv or on the computer when they can be doing other things. They should be out riding their bike or playing a sport, getting exercise. I don't think food can identify us unless it is an obsession. Some teens are so obsessed with food its what their life revolves around so in that case i think food can identify you. I think people need to start to eat much healthier and cook their own meals instead of buying fast foods. I also think everybody needs to schedule time in their day for exercise. When Motluk writes "Ironically, the U.S.'s obesogenic environment is one that societies through the ages have dreamed of: cheap food in abundance and barely a lick of hard work to be done" she means that people are happy about the food being cheap thats what people want. But its worth buying the more expensive food because is it healthier and won't cause you to gain weight.
ReplyDeleteMotluk hit it right when he said that "Ironically, the U.S.'s obesogenic environment is one that societies through the ages have dreamed of: cheap food in abundance and barely a lick of hard work to be done.” We couldn’t have asked for anything better, good food in a short amount of time. Unsurprisingly, this epidemic comes with consequences. Americans have fallen under the obtainability of cheap convenient foods. This accessibility has been taken advantage of, leading to widespread obesity, along with diseases that are common with that such as diabetes, or even psychological problems such as self-esteem issues. I would make these my background and my thesis. Going back to what Motluk said, we gained easy access to food through these fast food industries. Long day of work, No time to prepare a meal, wanting to feed entire groups of people, has all easily solved with a trip to fast food restaurants, or even go to an extent of having it sent to you. The thing that has gone wrong is the overuse, and taking advantage of these restaurants. Coincidently, the statement “Kids have the right to make bad nutritional decisions” in the excerpt from Critser is an important one. Not long ago I remember visiting my neighbors, and their youngest daughter crying out for food, and that no one feeds her in the house. Yet, when they offer her food, she has a fit and throws an excuse like “I eat this all the time”. This, which is irony in itself, has to be controlled. Don’t give into children, food is food, they are not going to starve to death by eating healthier meals. I see that some organizations are trying to encourage healthy meals, and being active, and I believe that this should continue. I even remember being young and a television program would shut off during the day and encourage going outside and playing. Efforts like these, along with organizations that promote such activities such as NFL Play60 or even local camps should continue to be encouraged. Food could defiantly be part of your identity. Going to Burger King every day would certainly draw a perspective on the identity that you are portraying. Though, as going often as that would most likely draw a bad perspective, we cannot deny that we never go. Statistically, I could guarantee that about 95% of the U.S. goes out to eat as least once a week. It’s turned into our culture, whether it’s getting something quick as a snack, or going out with friends with a social gathering. These industries have shaped America, the way we see it is cultural, and the only possible way to change that perspective, is to change as a whole, similar to the changes that France made to themselves.
ReplyDeleteCritser points out the morality behind obesity. This is a very valid point. American society is near being morally bankrupt. Most children don’t even know what gluttony is. People have no incentive to stop eating. It all relates back to the king baby theory. The king baby thinks,” I want what I want when I want it.” Most people are oblivious to morality nowadays. Society as a whole is perhaps partially to blame for this. Critser states,” Gluttony, perhaps alone among humanity’s vices, has become the first media non-sin” (558). Television and the media distort the public’s perception. The family and the education system need to do a better job at performing their manifest function, and teach children the core values of society. The family is most definitely at fault when a child is obese. “Because fewer household have a stay-at-home parent to prepare meals from scratch, families increasingly turn to highly processed convenience foods, takeouts, or fast-food restaurants” (Motluk 563). In families where both parents are working, it is the child who loses out. When the author said, “Ironically, the U.S.'s obesogenic environment is one that societies through the ages have dreamed of: cheap food in abundance and barely a lick of hard work to be done” (564), she perhaps meant that the lack of work ethic and hard work, mixed with the rise in cheap fatty food, is leading to obesity in America.
ReplyDeleteThe thing about food and perception is that it is a balancing act. On one extreme is eating in excess, accompanied by being overweight. On the other extreme is eating less and having a great figure. The majority of the public tries to stay physically fit, while being fully appetized. But some who have a negative image of themselves and their weight may often starve themselves, or binge and purge to stay thin. Others who might have an obsession for food might be oblivious to how they look, stuffing themselves with food constantly. American culture is accepting of bulimia and anorexia. It almost encourages it. A friend of mine, who is a model, says that people often aren’t hired in the business unless they starve themselves to stay freakishly thin. This comes back to the shared norms and values of our culture. The values and morals of the masses in America are disintegrating.
Obesity is a major issue in America. Each generation is getting bigger and bigger. Some blame the children; others blame the parents and the education system. At the core of the obesity issue is the degrading morals of society. America has forgotten its core values.