...The American Obesity Epidemic Obesity, a condition in which the body has an excessive accumulation of stored fat, is an epidemic plaguing the United States. A person is obese if their body mass index (BMI) is thirty percent or higher. According to recent statistics, more than 91.3 million Americans are obese. While not exclusive factors, diet, lifestyle, and education are causes that contribute greatly to the obesity epidemic, and can have severe consequences for not only the individual, but also for the United States. One of the main causes of obesity is improper diet. More than fifty-one percent of Americans eat processed foods that are high in fat, sugar, carbohydrates, and calories. These processed foods are typically packaged foods purchased at the grocery store, and foods purchased at fast food restaurants. Along with eating unhealthy foods, people in the United States tend to eat large portions. Numerous studies have proven that a combination of eating the aforementioned foods and eating large portions, contributes greatly to obesity. So why is it that more than half of the American population chooses to eat large amounts of food that contain such unhealthy ingredients? A majority of Americans turn to packaged foods and fast food restaurants due to their fast-paced lifestyles. Due to the decrease in unskilled labor, more Americans are in skilled professions that generally require more hours worked in a sedentary job with little to no exercise. If you combine...
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...Childhood Obesity An American Epidemic By Annissia Y. Pate Is childhood obesity an American epidemic? The answer is yes. An epidemic is defined by a wide spread outbreak of a condition where many people are infected at the same time. Epidemic obesity is occurring all over the world. Children are eating less healthy foods and engaging in less healthy activities. Childhood obesity is not limited to any specific race or type of child, but obesity is affecting children in the United States. Today, American children are more obese than medical science recommends, and their body weight is still increasing. Childhood obesity has become one of the largest health concerns in the United States. According to the Center of Disease and Control, childhood obesity has more than doubled in children and tripled in adolescents in the past 30 years. Children are gaining weight due to lack of physical activity and types of quantity of food they consume. Kids today are content with sitting on the couch, spending countless hours, watching television and playing video games. We need to encourage children to get up and get involved in more physical activities. Lack of exercise is simply not enough for a growing child’s body to deal with increased caloric intake of today’s modern diet. Children must participate in gym class and make every effort to deal in sports after school. Parents must make a diligent effort to offer healthier chooses for meals. Fast foods, sugary drinks and processed...
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...There is an epidemic in America and it is called “Childhood Obesity.” “Obese,” from the Latin word “obesus,” means “grow fat by eating.” (Dalton, 2004) This term’s origin suggests that overeating is the major cause of the obesity epidemic. Teaching obese children to eat less is essential. But modifying behavior is no simple task, and eating too much is not the sole cause of obesity. Other factors play a role and must be understood in order to reverse this epidemic and produce healthier children. The growing number of obese children in America are victims of an epidemic just as surely as if they were infected by a virus. Americans tend to think of an epidemic as an outbreak of a contagious illness. But to physicians the sudden increase in obesity rates that have occurred in the twentieth century is every bit as unexpected as an outbreak of a new infectious disease and has triggered an alarm that might greet the rising of polio. Julie Gerberding, the director of the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), in the fall of 2003, declared obesity the number one health threat facing America. (Okie, 2005) The causes (nature) of this epidemic are complex and include genetic, biological and behavioral factors. These include, but are not limited to poor eating habits, overeating, the lack of exercise, family history of obesity, cardiac, endocrine or neurological problems, life changing events or stress, along with family or peer problems and low self-esteem or emotional...
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...Anglo American PLC in South Africa: What do you do when costs reach epidemic proportions? Chapter Five Case Case 5-1 Copyright © 2009 Pearson Education, Inc. publishing as Prentice Hall AIDS in South Africa • Sub-Saharan Africa is home to just over 10 percent of the world’s population and to 60 percent of all people infected with HIV • Every day 1,000 South Africans contract HIV and another 800 die • AIDS has also had a devastating effect on the country’s economy • Between 1992 and 2002, the South African economy lost $7 billion annually—around 2 percent of GDP—as a result of AIDS-related worker deaths Case 5-2 Copyright © 2009 Pearson Education, Inc. publishing as Prentice Hall Anglo American Operations in South Africa • Anglo American PLC is a mining conglomerate operating in 61 countries • Founded in 1917 as the Anglo American Corporation of South Africa, it was South Africa’s first home-based public limited company • Anglo American employs 80,000 people in its main operations and another 44,000 at regional subsidiaries • Anglo American controls over 25 percent of all shares traded on the South African stock market Case 5-3 Copyright © 2009 Pearson Education, Inc. publishing as Prentice Hall Anglo American and ART • Anglo American was one of the first corporations to develop a comprehensive, proactive strategy to combat the destruction of the disease on its workforce • The incentive for Anglo American’s ART program largely came from the failure of its...
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...Epidemics in America Since the proclamation by John Winthrop, the first governor of the Massachusetts Bay Colony, that America should view herself as a "city upon a hill", Americans have strived to create a utopian society (Brinkley, 40). Winthrop viewed America as God's country, a place where the troubles of Europe and the rest of the world would not be repeated. This ideal is still valued by American society, yet it has prevented Americans from accepting the notion that an epidemic could strike their own country. Epidemics in the Modern World by Joann P. Krieg examines American society's reaction to the outbreak of epidemics in this country. Krieg threads the theme of American Romanticism throughout her work, as she explores the reactions of politicians, literary figures, and society in general to the outbreak of disease. Krieg also gives some biological information on the diseases that have haunted the American utopia. While this potpourri of information creates a valuable source for one studying the social effects of disease, its extensive discussion on literary topics becomes long-winded and irrelevant. Krieg explores the outbreak of five American epidemics: smallpox, cholera, yellow fever, TB, and AIDS. While reactions to each were different, Krieg shows that American Romanticism, the notion that "it couldn't happen to us", was prevalent in each of society's reactions to these epidemics. American Romanticism limited the swiftness to which the government, as well...
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...Epidemics in America Since the proclamation by John Winthrop, the first governor of the Massachusetts Bay Colony, that America should view herself as a "city upon a hill", Americans have strived to create a utopian society (Brinkley, 40). Winthrop viewed America as God's country, a place where the troubles of Europe and the rest of the world would not be repeated. This ideal is still valued by American society, yet it has prevented Americans from accepting the notion that an epidemic could strike their own country. Epidemics in the Modern World by Joann P. Krieg examines American society's reaction to the outbreak of epidemics in this country. Krieg threads the theme of American Romanticism throughout her work, as she explores the reactions of politicians, literary figures, and society in general to the outbreak of disease. Krieg also gives some biological information on the diseases that have haunted the American utopia. While this potpourri of information creates a valuable source for one studying the social effects of disease, its extensive discussion on literary topics becomes long-winded and irrelevant. Krieg explores the outbreak of five American epidemics: smallpox, cholera, yellow fever, TB, and AIDS. While reactions to each were different, Krieg shows that American Romanticism, the notion that "it couldn't happen to us", was prevalent in each of society's reactions to these epidemics. American Romanticism limited the swiftness to which the government, as well...
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...Analysis Anglo American PLC in South America BACKROUND: According to (Daniels, Radebaugh, & Sullivan), Anglo American was founded in 1917 as the Anglo American Corporation of South America. In 2002, Anglo American made a landmark decision to provide free antiretroviral therapy (ART) to HIV-infected employees. In 2007, Anglo American PLC, at the time one of the world’s largest gold miners, found itself facing a threat that, although by no means new, defies most traditional categories of things that complicate business – an HIV/AIDS epidemic in South Africa, the world’s largest gold producer. Anglo American PLC is a diversified mining conglomerate operating in 45 countries and employing 107,000 permanent employees to produce precious metals, base metals, and bulk metals. Sub-Saharan Africa is home to just over 10 percent of the world’s population and 60 percent of all people infected with HIV, the virus that causes AIDS. South Africa has the highest number of people living with HIV/AIDS and suffers the world’s highest rates of HIV infection – approximately 5.5 million- in a population of 49 million. Every day, almost 1000 South Africans die from AIDS-related diseases. ISSUE: Can Anglo American PLC and other corporations continue the fight against HIV/AIDS epidemic so that it does not affect business operations? ANALYSIS: Yes: 1) According to (Daniels, Radebaugh, & Sullivan), Anglo American PLC recognized the threat of the HIV/AIDS epidemic. Anglo was one...
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...In 80s and 90s the crack epidemic took over the ghetto world and played a big role in developing hip hop music. Black Americans even sung about it in their songs. Drug dealers distributed crack in black neighborhoods and got them involved into that business. For African Americans it was a way to earn money and get out of ghetto. Especially back then when they were discriminated. So, the crack epidemic and hip hop back in 80s and 90s went hand in hand. It was very interesting to read the "Dark Alliance". I found out a lot of interesting staff of which I didn't know before. Of course, not every black american was involved in drug distribution and consumption. There were the ones who worked hard to pursue their dreams; however, there were more people who consumed and distributed than those who didn't. Rappers raped about it in their songs. The song "White Lines" describes how at parties MC and other party people consumed it. MC also tells us about his feelings and illusions he had. Once, people get involved into the crack epidemic, it is hard to stop. Also in the song, MC tells that every time you want it more and more. So, the dosage increases and money decreases. Some still suffer from the crack epidemic. People who used to party and play cool are now addicts who just think about getting drugs. The Crack Epidemic brought violence and sickness. People on crack are not stable and can think straight. As a consequence they are more violent and uncontrollable. People also become sick...
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...Presentation on obesity in the USA Good morning everyone. During my stay here in America I have observed the habits of Americans in relation to foods and activity. Obesity is a big problem especially here in the USA. The American population are getting bigger and bigger and the obesity epidemic in the USA has grown over these past fifty years, which cost the USA $150 billion annually. America is a country, were everything is big: the cars, the houses, the menus on the restaurants and the people. One out of three adults in America are obese while one out of six children are obese. The obesity epidemic has grown but which factors have had an influence on the obesity epidemic? And which preventive measures have the companies, communities, schools and the First Lady done to prevent the obesity epidemic to grow even further? One contributing factor of the obesity epidemic is the fact that the eating habits have been changing over the last fifty years. Americans are more addictive to eat out instead of preparing healthy food at home and they continue eating unhealthy food although it may contribute diabetes, cancer and heart diseases. How come the obesity epidemic grown so fast and getting out of control? How come the parents feeding their children with processed foods with higher sugar, fat and calories - Is it the children who decide what to eat? Children are acting on their instincts and if they see an advertising on the TV for McDonalds with the Ronald McDonald clown and...
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...n epidemiology, an epidemic (from επί (epi), meaning "upon or above" and δήμος (demos), meaning "people") occurs when new cases of a certain disease, in a given human population, and during a given period, substantially exceed what is expected based on recent experience.[1]:354[2] Epidemiologists often consider the term outbreak to besynonymous to epidemic, but the general public typically perceives outbreaks to be more local and less serious than epidemics.[2][1]:55, 354 Epidemics of infectious disease are generally caused by a change in the ecology of the host population (e.g. increased stress or increase in the density of a vector species), a genetic change in the parasite population or the introduction of a new parasite to a host population (by movement of parasites or hosts). Generally, an epidemic occurs when host immunity to a parasite population is suddenly reduced below that found in the endemic equilibrium and the transmission threshold is exceeded.[3] ------------------------------------------------- An epidemic may be restricted to one location; however, if it spreads to other countries or continents and affects a substantial number of people, it may be termed a pandemic.[1]:55The declaration of an epidemic usually requires a good understanding of a baseline rate of incidence; epidemics for certain diseases, such as influenza, are defined as reaching some defined increase in incidence above this baseline.[2] A few cases of a very rare disease may be classified as...
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...Obesity Epidemic Obesity is an epidemic in the U.S and it is taking over our population. One in three adults becomes obese and obesity can cause heart disease, cancer and diabetes. However, this epidemic does not only target adults but children as well. Obesity begins with children and can be found in children as young as newborns. According to Alison Motluk, “The problem starts young. One-Third of U.S secondary-school students fail to get enough physical activity and over a tenth get none at all, according to recent figures from the Centers for Disease Control in Atlanta, Georgia”(563). The big question is how are our kids becoming obese at such a young age? They consume more calories than they burn, and do less physical activity but why? Well, let’s think about it this way, who feeds the children, who is supposed to take the children for a walk, and who takes the children out to eat? Parents have a lot of control over their children, and to a great extent they are the responsible ones for their kids being obese. Children are like a sponge they observe everything we do. They see their parents so caught up with their tablets, smart phones, lap tops, and iPods that they do the same. First, they ask for these gadgets and parents think they are doing a good thing by buying these items for children at such a young age. Parents do not think of the long term damage they are doing to their children. The children start focusing on theses gadgets and soon they are trading a basketball...
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...Pilgrims and Native Americans in Massachusetts John Fig HIS / 110 Aug 11, 2015 Donald Hickey, M.A. Pilgrims and Native Americans in Massachusetts Pilgrims and Native American Indians had a give and take relationship in the beginning. The Native American Indians needed the pilgrims and bad as the pilgrims needed the Indians. From the beginning of trade between the two sides through the horrific act of slave trade the two were in a constant battle and peace. Pilgrims had a thirst for land and gold, while the Native Americans wanted guns, blankets, knifes etc. These two groups of people fought against each other as well as with each other. Before 1615 Native American Indian tribes had as many as 30,000 people living in multiple villages around the New England area. English ships and ships from other countries would stop up and down the coast and captured Native American Indians. Once captured the English would sell the Indians into slavery. These slaves were usually sold to buyers in the West Indies. This left a bad taste in the mouths of Native American Indians log before the mayflower ever stopped in Plymouth. The relations between the pilgrims and the Native American Indians focused mainly on diplomacy and trade. When Columbus first landed, he was delighted that the Native American Indians were so willing to trade with gold. The Native Americans held no value to gold and were more in need of blankets, guns and foods. Some Native Americans welcomed the...
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...it when they were pregnant, which had effects on the child and their learning abilities. The effect on the crack epidemic in the 80s helped the youth of today, to make better choices in life concerning this addictive drug. Crack, was highly-addictive and swept through plenty areas of cities such as New York, Los Angeles, Oakland, and Miami. In the end it caused devastating effects for black and Latino Americans. As crack cocaine was becoming popular and rising epidemic, hip hop was evolving alongside it. It was in the 1980s that crack cocaine and hip hop became the two leading fundamentals of urban street culture. It is not suggested that hip hop caused the crack epidemic, or vice versa. But, it can be argued that both fed off each other, particularly hip hop off the crack culture itself. Crack cocaine quickly gained popularity among users in the 1980s due to its cheap cost, and the quick, intense high it left. Compared to freebase cocaine, which involved a complicated ritual involving Ether, crack cocaine had become simplistic and easier to manage. The drug was “made from powder cocaine, it was safer to make than freebase cocaine”. As crack and dope became parts of our neighborhoods, they started to have an impression on our culture through music and television. Epidemics are always a great time to remind America that racism still exists. For example, epidemics happen to everybody but white people. The holocaust happened to the Jews, HIV happened to homosexuals (although...
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...Research suggests obesity in America is an epidemic because of people’s diet, lifestyle, and genetic inheritance. Obesity is a chronic disease that can and will seriously affect one’s health. Health professionals agree that obesity has now reached epidemic status in our country. Over one third of American adults are obese. Obesity also affects children and is more prevalent now than in previous years. And the numbers are increasing. Diet and nutrition play a major role in the United States epidemic of obesity. Although it is very complex especially when Americans are sent mixed messages on what to eat and how much they should eat. On one hand, you have packaged processed food, bigger portions and fast food meals that are marketed as all American. The food is delicious and filling but fast and cheap. On the other hand, Americans spend almost twenty billion dollars every year on the newest weight loss fads, from weight loss drugs to books on the newest weight loss diet to weight loss surgeries like gastric bypass, lap-bands and Hollywood’s favorite, liposuction. Everyone is looking for everything fast. Fast-food, and fast weight loss options. We spend more time at work to pay for all the fast stuff in our lives instead of spending time at home and in our own kitchens cooking nutritious meals for our whole family like our parents did fifty years ago. (Overeaters Anonymous, 1980) This crazy relationship Americans have with food is easy to explain in terms of schemes in marketing...
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...the Influenza outbreak after World War I. The topics talked about in specific are charity during a tough time, religion and how it relates to epidemics, and ignorance, whether it be the government underestimating influenza, or purely citizens not understanding how to react to the disease. The documents which refer to the theme “charity” are 2, 7, and 9. The first one to do this, 2, speaks of a massive influx of volunteers helping with influenza struck patients. It specifically is from two girls remembering their time volunteering in 1918. It shows how two soldiers were dying every three hours. It emphasizes the point that anyone could...
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