Obesity In New Zealand

corpulency In New ZealandThere be many complaisant bangs face up New Zealanders today, couple these with low economics and low employment and these factors burst out turning these issues into wellness riddles such as obesity. This evidence will dodge a social issue of obesity. It will consequently give a brief explanation of sociological theories, upon doing so the es prescribe will past relate the social issue back to the three sociology theories. Lastly this essay will explore how obesity is affecting Mori.Obesity in New Zealand has function a major health and social issue facing people of in all ages. Recent statistics on this issue permit highlighted just how much of a problem obesity has become.in the years 2008/09 27.8% of all adults (aged 15+) are weighty thats 1 in 4 and puerility obesity is no better with 1 in 12 children (aged 2 15) world obese thats 8.3% (Ministry of health, 2011). This breaks down to males being 27.7% and females being 28.7%, compare th ese to 1997 where the statistics were immensely different. Only 17% of males were obese and 20.6% females were obese (Ministry of health, 2011). Childrens statistics are similar besides there is a definite trend for children as only close to in the total population are affected. All factors feel been turn to while these statistics ask been complied such as food intake, food types and psychic activities. The health issues that have steamed from social issue include type 2 diabetes, and heart disease among others in adults, However in children the problems are far more than serious . Obese children face a lifetime of health problems such as high blood pressure and asthma. For obese children there is a greater risk of bullying, body dissatisfaction as well up as psychological problems (Ministry of health, 2011). There has been research to suggest that obesity in children may lead to strokes, common cancers, reproductive problems and musculoskeletal problems (Ministry of heal th, 2011). Obese children oft lead to obese adults this is now not just a health problem but a social issue as the repercussions that stand from this are far reaching. Our children will have to face this head on as it will be down to their generation who ultimately have to deal with this issue.Conflict theory, structural functionalism and symbolical interactionism are all theories employ in sociology. They provide attitudes on how we follow up the world, something to grab a have got of so to understand the information we receive. Each of these theories provides a unique route of looking at situations for example a mesh idealogue would say that all relationships are centred on cause and some unrivalled checking more power than the other (Brent, Thompson, Vale, 2000) . A conflict theorist call backs that social economics are determined by the wealthy and hence they hold the power over the majority of the people (Brent, Thompson, Vale, 2000). With this happening it clear ly breaks party into devil groups rich and poor, the boss and the workers or as Karl Marx put it the bourgeoisie and the proletariats ( M.E. Sharpe, 2005), this variation between the masses proves to be beneficial for the richer of gild (Movirtuosoy, Knox, Schacht, 2000). When dealing with social problems the conflict theory can be broken into two areas Non-Marxist conflict theory and Marxist conflict theory. Marxists focus on conflicts in our hostelry that develop from differences in financial status (Ellison, 1987). Non-Marxists focus on conflicts in our society that arise from differing and oppositional ethics amongst different groups (Ellison, 1987).A structural functionalist has a different view on the world as they believe that our society is a group of interrelated individuals that coexist in a mode that creates symmetry for all (Mooney, Knox, Schacht, 2000). With this belief comes the realisation that corporations and families are equal in society, families reproduce , nurture and educate children who in turn provide workers with the skills and knowledge al-Qaeda for the corporations to continue (Mooney, Knox, Schacht, 2000). Structural functionalism highlights how a society works together and how one part of society influences other part of society (Mooney, Knox, Schacht, 2000). symbolic interactionism is more often than not based on work by George H Mead and Max Webber. Symbolic interactionism looks at the whole picture while analysing the micro level, as theorist who follows this perspective believe that by analysing the macro level the social problem could be broken down to fool what level has been affected (Mooney, Knox, Schacht, 2000). This perspective is occupied with the inner workings of a small group to see how human behaviour is influenced while interacting within the small group vs. a larger group (Mooney, Knox, Schacht, 2000). This perspective also advocates that a souls self is cause and influenced by interaction with oth ers in a social situation (Mooney, Knox, Schacht, 2000). expression at obesity from a structural functionalist point of view you would have to say that not one person is to blame as it is a collective problem, that a collective has to come to terms with. With this understanding it then becomes hard to correct the problem as if one part of society is influencing to the misuse degree then that will impact on another part of society and then a domino effect is created (Nestle, 2006). market advertisements in modern media that depict high fat and high in sugar foods utilising graphical images that portray healthy people, make the average consumer believe that eating this style of foods will have no effect on them (Witkowski, 2007). This is just one example of the major corporations influencing society to buy items which is propelling the obesity problem. This is one part of society influencing another part of society.A conflict theorist would look at this social issue and would hard ly ask who is benefiting from this. Companies who promote unhealthy eating like fast food establishments who make unhealthy food readily available at a low greet point are the only ones who make a gain (Beck, 2007). By making appetizing food which tastes good with no nutritional value in bulk the fast food companies are able to keep costs down and in doing so they hold power over the consumer as they are able to purchase a cheap filling meal at no great cost to them (Young Nestle, 2007). There is research that links the proliferation of fast food outlets to the growing challenge of obesity this factor linked with low exercise rates callable to motorized transport and jobs that no longer require manual cut into has led to a sequence of events in our society where obesity is one of the outcomes (Freund Martin, 2008) . This has become the typical power struggle in our todays society.A symbolic interaction theorist would look at how people are being influenced by those they surrou nd themselves with, how a person/people receives and interprets the information being beamed through all media outlets and peers a like (Kumanyika, 2008). By bringing the person down to the macro level a theorist would look to see how these influences are being processed, how media influences peoples buying patterns and challenges our ability to see right from wrong and good from bad. The use of modern media practice gives visuals of healthy people down high fat unhealthy food (Nestle, 2006). The image contradicts the act and therefore legitimises this in their mind, consequently making it ok to eat unhealthy. This is how obesity has become a social issue.