With these scientific revelations, how does the public health field go about tackling the unwieldy problem that is obesity? Many critics harp on the futility of public health campaigns in the absence of policy reform. Through my research, however, I have come to believe that presenting the multi-faceted disorder as an addictive affliction of the mind can help diminish the stigma. Additionally, I broadcasting its negative implications in a similar manner done in anti-cigarette campaigns would be effective in urging people to seek treatment.
My research has unveiled consensus in the scientific and public health communities that lifestyle modification and cognitive behavioral therapy can be successful in treating obesity. With regards to demonstrating negative effects of food addiction to the public, one needs not look further than anti-smoking campaigns. Accepted in the sphere of economics is the idea that people respond to incentives. One of the most powerful incentives one can employ is fear. Given that displaying graphic imagery on cigarette campaign ads has shown a drastic effect in encouraging people to quit the habit of smoking, I believe that showing graphic images related to being obese might be effective in encouraging people to seek treatment. I am still compiling evidence that might be able to apply more directly to obesity.
Fight on, Happy Thanksgiving, and Stay Healthy!
-Graham
This is an absolutely fascinating and extremely relevant topic to research. I have learned in some of my neuroscience courses about the chemical addiction that certain foods can cause - that can in fact peak the same parts of our brain that drugs like heroin and cocaine could do. Just as alcoholism is an addiction, obesity is essentially an addition to food as well, and just happens to be one you get to wear around for the world to see. What's worse is that once the cycle begins with overeating, and then eating more to compensate for the negative feelings and emotions, it becomes progressively more difficult to break from the comfort that food provides towards regaining a control over one's own health. Michelle Obama's efforts to address the severity of this issue have been incredibly successful. I do agree that this entire issue needs to be further understood from a scientific standpoint so people can understand the addition side of this growing obesity epidemic.
ReplyDeleteThank you for your feedback Laura! I will probably include some more in my paper about the comorbidity of food addiction and binge eating disorder, which, from what I understand, entails the vicious "cycle" you are talking about. And I think Michelle Obama's campaign has been great too. It perplexes me, though, that I have listened to and read several reports by economists that say that the ideas of "local," "farming," and "organic" are encourage inefficiency in our food production system. In particular, a podcast by Freakonomics has discussed extensively the idea of "going local" and has laid out the arguments of economists who claim that in an increasingly urbanized world, local farming is inefficient and violates economic principles of specialization of labor. One economist said that it pleases him to know that buying a bag of grapes is aiding the poor standard of living of a farmer in Chile. But I have digressed. My point is that her critics miss her point: that she is attempting to foster a new attitude toward food: that treating food with care and knowing about where it comes from instills a sense of awareness in children of the things they eat. Anyway, thanks again for the feedback and being my first comment!
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