Anna Bellisari - The Anthropology of Obesity in the United States

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THE ANTHROPOLOGY OF OBESITY IN THE UNITED STATES

This volume examines the biocultural dimensions of obesity from an anthropological perspective in an effort to broaden understanding of a growing public health concern. The United States of America currently has the highest rates of obesity among developed countries, with an alarming rise in prevalence in recent decades which promises to affect the nation for years to come.

Anna Bellisari helps students to grasp the complex nature of this obesity epidemic, demonstrating that it is the consequence of many interacting forces which range from individual genetic and physiological predispositions to national policies and American cultural beliefs and practices. As much a social problem as an individual one, the development of obesity is in fact encouraged by the pattern of high consumption and physical inactivity that is promoted by American economic, political, and ideological systems.

With a range of up-to-date scientific and medical data, The Anthropology of Obesity in the United States provides students with a comprehensive picture of obesity, its multiple causes, and the need for society-wide action to address the issue.

Anna Bellisari is Professor Emerita of Anthropology at Wright State University, USA.

THE ANTHROPOLOGY
OF OBESITY IN THE
UNITED STATES

Anna Bellisari

First published 2016
by Routledge
2 Park Square, Milton Park, Abingdon, Oxon OX14 4RN

and by Routledge
711 Third Avenue, New York, NY 10017

Routledge is an imprint of the Taylor & Francis Group, an informa business

2016 Anna Bellisari

The right of Anna Bellisari to be identified as author of this work has been asserted by her in accordance with sections 77 and 78 of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reprinted or reproduced or utilised in any form or by any electronic, mechanical, or other means, now known or hereafter invented, including photocopying and recording, or in any information storage or retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publishers.

Trademark notice: Product or corporate names may be trademarks or registered trademarks, and are used only for identification and explanation without intent to infringe.

British Library Cataloguing-in-Publication Data
A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Names: Bellisari, Anna W., 1939 author.
Title: The anthropology of obesity in the United States / Anna Bellisari.
Description: Milton Park, Abingdon, Oxon ; New York, NY : Routledge, 2016. | Includes bibliographical references.
Identifiers: LCCN 2015035826| ISBN 9781138927858 (hbk : alk. paper) |
ISBN 9781138927865 (pbk. : alk. paper) | ISBN 9781315682211 (e-book)
Subjects: LCSH: ObesityUnited States. | ObesityUnited StatesHistory. | LifestylesUnited States.
Classification: LCC RC628 .B358 2016 | DDC 362.1963/98dc23
LC record available at http://lccn.loc.gov/2015035826

ISBN: 978-1-138-92785-8 (hbk)
ISBN: 978-1-138-92786-5 (pbk)
ISBN: 978-1-315-68221-1 (ebk)

Typeset in Bembo
by Swales & Willis Ltd, Exeter, Devon, UK

To Maria and the memory of Joyce

Figures

Tables

Many colleagues, friends, and family members inspired this book, and I thank them all for their many ideas, suggestions, and encouragements. Financial support, release time, and clerical assistance came from Sociology and Anthropology Department Chair Robert Riordan, College of Liberal Arts Deans Mary Ellen Mazey and Sharon Nelson, and Lifespan Health Research Center Directors Alex Roche, Roger Siervogel, Richard Sherman, and W. Cameron Chumlea. My colleagues in the Lifespan Health Research Center, in particular Ellen Demerath and Stefan Czerwinski, and the LHRC staff were especially helpful. To cultural anthropologists Erika Bourguignon and Mary Howard, I am especially grateful for pointing me to valuable sources. And to my teachers Professors Frank Poirier and Ojo Arewa of the Ohio State University Department of Anthropology, who taught me the biocultural approach, I owe immense gratitude.

To all, my heartfelt thanks and best wishes for a healthy future.

The problem of obesity

The United States faces an epidemic of obesity, an alarming rise that far exceeds levels for a healthy life. About 35 percent of American adults have obesity (Ogden et al. 2014b), the highest prevalence among high-income nations. The epidemic continues unchecked, despite continuing concern and advice from biomedical and public health experts. It is having a severe impact on the health and wellbeing of Americans, contributes to already disproportionate health care costs, and promises to affect the nation for years to come. In a constant stream of scientific and media messages Americans are alerted to the widespread impacts of the obesity epidemic.

Military leaders report that more than 60 percent of all young Americans are ineligible to serve in armed forces because of criminal records, inadequate education, and overweight and obesity ( MissionReadiness.org ). In five states 75 percent or more are ineligible.

The fashion industry has inflated clothing sizes so that a former size 12 dress is now labeled size 8 (Brody 2004).

About one-third of incoming and current U.S. firefighters have obesity; heart attacks cause more firefighters deaths while on the job than any other cause. In Oklahoma 15 percent of new police recruits in the states five largest cities failed the physical agility test (Levi et al. 2011).

A nine-year-old boy was removed from his mothers custody when his weight reached 200lbs, but he was returned to her after losing 50lbs (Sheeran and Franko 2012).

Teenagers trendy clothes, hotel beds, restaurant and theater chairs, and childrens car safety seats have expanded in size, as have hospital beds, stretchers, wheelchairs, and MRI and CT scanners (Fountain 2002; Haskell 2002; Perez-Pena and Glickson 2003; Trifiletti et al. 2006).

Longer hypodermic needles for intramuscular injections are required to reach the gluteal muscle in patients with thick fat layers at the injection site (Nisbet 2006).

Compared to 1994, 10 times as many stomach-reduction surgeries were performed in 2005 to promote weight loss in individuals with extreme obesity (Robinson 2009).

The London Royal Opera House canceled the contract of a famous American opera star because she had become too large for the role of Ariadne of Naxos (Pogrebin 2004).

A potential 2012 Republican primary election candidate for president was subjected to media evaluation of his weight and pronounced too fat to be President. He did not enter the race (Bruni 2001).

To avoid the embarrassment, individuals with obesity can now attend yoga classes for large persons only at Buddha Body Yoga or Mega Yoga in Manhattan and in many other establishments in the US (Eckel 2009).

Ohio pet dogs and cats are growing fatter along with their owners and for the same reason a glut of tasty foods and lack of opportunity to run around outdoors. Outcomes for the animals health are similar to those for humans with obesity (Frolik 2012).

Support organizations for persons with obesity are springing up all around the country to counter fatism, prejudice, and discrimination against large people (Goldberg 2000).

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