Big Fat Globalisation: Towards a Sociology of Obesity
Matt Qvortrup, The Robert Gordon University, Aberdeen
ABSTRACT: It has often been observed that obesity follows a socioeconomic gradient which adversely affects the poor. This paper proposes the outline of a sociological theory of obesity as a consequence of globalisation factors, such as labour market deregulation. Forced to work longer hours and with lower levels of job-security workers in low paid jobs have fewer opportunities to burn calories, and are more likely to consume fast-food. This combination has led to higher levels of obesity among the poor in countries that have adopted neo-liberal labour market reforms.
There are some human phenomena, which seem to be the result of individual actions and personal decisions. Yet, these phenomena are often - on closer inspection as much a result of social factors as of psychological ones.
In 1897, Emile Durkheim (1997) showed that the suicide perhaps the......
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Approximate Word Count: 3645
Approximate Pages: 15 (260 words per double-spaced page) |