The American Epidemic of Obesity - 901 Words

As Americans we have made food not only a way to live but all help us with life events, whether emotional times or celebratory events we turn to food. However our society has been consumed with unhealthy food options readily available. This has in turn caused a huge medical epidemic in America. Obesity has and will put people at risk of heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and some types of cancer. More than one-third of American adults are obese (Ogden et al., 2012). By looking in depth at the obesity epidemic in America through the three major sociological perspectives (structural functionalist, social conflict, and symbolic interactionist) we are able to better discern this medical issue impacting the health of American people. Structural Functionalist Perspective The structural functionalist perspective would argue obesity in America is a necessary epidemic to our society. After all, structural functionalist believe that all mechanisms that exist a definite meaning and are useful to society as a whole. Structural functionalist could say that having overweight and obese people in the world causes us to put attention on the true problems of health care. Obesity for a structural functionalist is crucial for the continuous learning of human health and also for our love and hate relationship with food. Structural functional would also argue that having an obese population might inspire others to avoid the path of unhealthy habits. It would help people to makeShow MoreRelatedChildhood Obesity : An American Epidemic1263 Words   |  6 PagesChildhood Obesity: An American Epidemic America is facing a serious challenge! Children’s health is becoming a critical concern. Childhood obesity has become an â€Å"epidemic disease† that has rapidly grown over the years in the United States. 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