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California State University, Dominguez Hills
University of Wisconsin, Parkside
Created: September 15, 2004
Latest Update: September 15, 2004
jeannecurran@habermas.org
takata@uwp.edu

Discussion Thread on Obesity

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Jeanne's comments are interspersed in purple.

• "Relative Cost of Eating Healthy"

  • Alicia Mondragon wrote on Saturday, September 13, 2004:

    Hi, I'm in your Soc. 328 class. My name is Alicia Mondragon and I wanted to respond to the reading about obesity. I'm not sure if i read the right one because I recall seeing two.

    There are lots. Come see me or Pat or a friend to help you sort them out. And when you tell us what you read, give us the file name. That way, we can find it. jeanne

    I read the one entitled " Conceptually Linking Obesity to Structural Context." I believe that one can choose to eat healthy. This can be an option that is not available to everyone. A lot of people lead busy lives. They are always on the go, so fast food is usually their only option. And since they have busy lives, there may not be enough time to exercise.

    I have noticed that food that is good for you is always much more expensive than the delisious fatty food. A person can go into a McDonald's and get a Big Mac for $1 while the healthy grill chicken salad can cost about $5. Advertisments make fatty foods look so good. I often think that maybe advertisers only want certain people to be healthy. I notice that the only grocery stores that have healthy foods are in middle-class neighborhoods. Is it that only people with money can afford to be healthy?

    Thanks, Alicia Mondragon

    Threaded discussion piece.

    Pretty schizophrenic messages we're getting from the dominant discourse, isn't it? Could we come up with a project that would draw attention to that and make lots of people aware of it? Could we convince a local store manager to offer a special sale on some healthy foods and give him/her support in doing it? Could we transform our local grocery store, just a little?

    Good comment, Alicia. jeanne

  • "Size and Fit is Really the Issue, Not Obesity"

    On Tuesday, Setpember 14, Willaim Rosser wrote:

    Dr. Curran, jeanne

    I read the article on Dwayne and obesity, but I disagree with the labeling of Dwayne as obese. Knowing Dwayne I know that he works out often and use to play football for years. I am not suggesting that he is any less than the large person you see if you have ever met him, but he is not over weight. I sat next to him in our seminars with large desks and chairs meant for grown people, but he still took up a lot of space. Making separate arrangements for Dwayne may be a good idea for the single chair-desk.

    Thanks for pointing that out, William. I didn't mean that. Notice that I spoke of Dwayne as "big." As we discuss the obesity issue, we will talk about how our society's lack of concern for the different sizes affects more than just obesity. Good point. And Dwayne thanks you, too.

    Notice that the issue of size and desks was there, but now that the dominant discourse is emphasizing obesity, the issue is discussed as though obesity is "the" problem. Your comment, William, makes it clear that even your teacher trips over her own words and makes intellectual leaps that fall in with the dominant discourse. I, like you, would never call Dwayne obese, and never meant to. What I meant to do was point out that the silly desks don't fit any of us very well. jeanne

    "Awareness of Our Differences and Respect for Ourselves as Humans"

    On Wednesday, September 15, 2004, Darcy Alsop wrote:

    Hi Jeanne,

    With regard to the topic of obesity, I would like to share the following thoughts. I read to a fairly great extent about health and the human body. We live in a society that is obsessed with looks. Hollywood standards are close to impossible to acheive, yet these images bombard the covers of our magazines weekly. Young women, girls in fact,may begin their own obsession with weight and looks from as early as grade school. This creates an unhealthy body image that can lead to extremes, for example obesity, anorexia and bulimia. I know that, at 32, my own self image has been affected directly from this type of exposure. Living in Southern California seems to play a huge part in that. However, what we are looking at here is not just a body health issue, it's a mental health issue as well. Most people that struggle with obesity do not have the luxary nor the knowledge of how to choose a diet filled with fruits, vegetables, whole grains, healthy fats and lean protiens. Socio-economic factors and mental health both play huge rolls in this epidemic. There is a direct correlation between obesity and diabetes, heart disease and a number of other chronic illness, not to mention depression. However, the core cause of obesity is often neglected as part of the cure. What is that cause? It's different for each individual. For some, the condition is medically oriented. For others, it is a result of a psychological trauma, abuse of some kind. Food is used for comfort and protection. Perhaps if we looked at the person, listened to him or her, then we could get to the issues that cause this obsession with food and over-eating. We might understand better, that person's need to comfort him/herself by means of eating. We might be able to help them work through the pain and anguish that they suffer. We might be able to teach them new ways to help themselves and save their own lives, to get healthy. Granted, this is most likely a pipe dream as obesity rates are increasing annually. The constant flood of commercials for fast food never cease. The solution is out there, we just need to seek it and create awareness.

    Thank you for your time.

    Darcy Alsop

    Right on! jeanne

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