Group+Five

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=Social Conflict and Gender Inequality =  **Introduction:** How can an organization promote gender equality in the workplace? We will address this question by providing a solution to gender inequality concerning salaries through the eyes of a social conflict theorist. By promoting gender equality, the quality of life and work for professional women will increase. This in turn will end the cycle that gender inequality creates. First off we will provide an overview of our theory, then offer statistical analysis of gender inequality in the professional world, and conclude with a solution to the problem of gender inequality. Solving this problem will call for the awareness of the disadvantages associated with being a woman in the business field. Affirmative action will also be applied to the problem through the eyes of the American Association for Affirmative Action.

**Theory** The social conflict perspective states that the groups with more resources will inevitably enjoy more advantages than groups lacking resources. It theorizes that the inequality in society is due to an unequal distribution of resources (Class Notes 2010). A social problem our world is facing today is gender discrimination in the workplace which is heightened by the practices of large corporations when it comes to salary distribution. The major difference in salaries paid to men verses the amount women are paid is undeniable (Class 2010). Employers pay their men employees starting salaries that are noticeably more than the starting salaries for equally qualified female employees in the same positions. The issue in America today is the very definition of social conflict. Men who are paid more by their employers than their equally qualified female co-workers will obviously have greater access to resources of all kinds simply because their salaries are larger. According to the social conflict it is clear that social inequality in the workplace will be lessened if men and women of equal abilities and qualifications receive equal salaries.

**Bibliographies ** Heilman, Madeline E. //Description and Perscription: How gender Stereotypes Prevent Women’s Ascent Up the Organizational Ladder.// Journal of Social Issues No 4 Vol 57. Pg 657-671. 2001. Print.

Does stereotyping and also prescriptive and descriptive norms have an effect on how statistically equal men and women are analyzed. If the above is true, does it create the glass ceiling for women?
 * Question**

Descriptive norm: what women are like, in this study this is would be the performance of the woman. Prescriptive norm: How women are expected to perform, refers to the expectations that women are stereotypically perform well in the communal sense and poorly in an agentic sense. Communal: Socially oriented characteristics such as kindness, sympathy, helpfulness, and concern for others Agentic: success oriented characteristics such as aggressiveness, forcefulness, independence, and decisiveness.
 * Terminology**

Many of the evidence found for this research required employees to describe both men and women in the workplace who were described as equally successful. They were given a list of words to describe the male and female worker. Before the employee described the employee they were primed for either success, competence, or a certain occupation that was either gender neutral, masculine, or feminine. This means that the man and/or woman they were asked to describe was said to be successful, competent or to have a gender neutral, masculine or feminine job.Findings The findings showed that stereotypes did have an effect on the answers that were given. For women that were primed as performing a predominantly feminine job they were given communal characteristics. If they were primed for success they were given negative traits and viewed as unlikable by the employee. They also received fewer positive characteristics. Men when primed for success though received positive feedback and also were described with agentic characteristics. This was the same when primed for masculine jobs. The research also mentioned that it was a fact that women were often credited less for success and competence when they worked in a successful group or performed a task successfully on their own. The researchers explanation for this was that the female worker went against prescriptive norms and was not excepted by co-workers. The tests give evidence that stereotyping is psychological and in some ways instinctive because of prescriptive norms.
 * Methods**

This study shows that stereotyping takes effect when evaluating female employees. It has both negative effects for both successful and average employees because their qualities are not seen as good as men even when they are equally qualified and perform the same. Prescriptive norms create a subconscious stereotyping that is activated by evaluations that are presently used. Because of this their pay can be lowered based on evaluations even when discrimination is trying to be avoided.
 * Relation to Topic**

Ball, Sarah. "Sexism at Work: Young Women, Newsweek, and Gender." Newsweek, 2010. Print.

1) Have the gains of women since the 1970 Newsweek lawsuit achieved fully their goals of gender equality in the workplace? 2) What is the field of business for like today?
 * Main Questions:**

1) Women have struggled with equality in the workplace for decades, but one of the first public attempts at gaining equality was in the 1970s, where 46 female employees of Newsweek sued the magazine for gender discrimination in employment. Since then, the writers of Newsweek survey the perceived progress made in business since this lawsuit. The current female staff at Newsweek explains their situation as being between a rock and a hard place. At one point, they cannot say their former female counterparts have been unsuccessful; indeed, they have made some gains so that females create 49% of the staff at Newsweek (p.2). However, they do not feel that this is adequate to be called “equality”: the average of professional women’s salaries only amounts to 80% of male salaries for equal professions (p.1) and women have felt the pressure to remain grateful enough for their achievements in the last 40 years. Although the company’s employment figures remain balanced, only 39% of editorial staff is comprised of women (p.1).
 * Findings:**

2) One of the fears that has sprung since the battle against sexism is the pressure that women will be seen in poor light if given leadership positions, despite their actual abilities or dispositions. Women have the tendency to be labeled with masculine (in a derogatory manner) qualities, yet the double standard lies in their desire to have career advances: if they shy away from major roles in companies or politics, they are blamed for avoiding their opportunities while in reality they are avoiding unnamed sexist branding. They must contain stereotyped feminine qualities such as gentleness and acceptance while attempting to become competitive, aggressive business(wo)men. Three of the four most common female professions of 1960 remain today, with the fourth new popular career being nursing (p.3) while in the past four years alone the Global Gap Index has lowered below Cuba’s national standard (p.3).

Many women in the workforce today still feel the stifling effect of gender-discrimination due to unequal wages between both sexes. This gender gap creates a social inequality that lowers the value of women in the business world; the symbolism of a business person remains massively male, whereas females are associated with the symbols of family life and homemaking. Although neither of these symbols is innately incorrect or wrong, they limit the role of women and men by placing them in a single category. Because of the consenting majority, these symbols are prolonged and prevent career advances from extending across the borders of gender.
 * Relation to Topic:**

Brunner, Borgna. “The Wage Gap: A History of Pay Inequity and the Equal Pay Act.”  www.infoplease.com, 2008 Pearson Education, Inc 1. Why is there still such a large wage gap between men and women four decades since the passage of the Equal Pay Act in 1963? 2. On average, how much more did women make in 2008 than they did in 1963 when compared to their male counterparts? 3. How much less of a wage gap is there between men and elderly women vs. men and younger women? 1. The passage of the Equal Pay Act in 1963 should have solidified equal pay for both men and women who perform the same job, but unfortunately it provided only a small boost for the feminist out there. There are a number of reasons why this is true: Older women were included within the men vs. women wage gap equation. This presents a problem since the majority of these women still remain in low-paying, non-promotional type jobs. The other contributing factor has to do with younger women who have yet to reach their prime age, so as not to be in the same well paying positions as men yet. The younger generation of women in the 90’s has just begun to make noticeable advances, cutting the wage gap by 26% since 1963. None the less, a wage gap still persists; on average women earn 80 cents for every dollar men earn. 2. On average, women in 2008 earned 77% of what men made vs. only 59% in 1963. This is due to a generation of hard working women and drawn out court battles. The cases in particular, that strengthened the Equal Pay Act of 1963, where Schultz v. Wheaton Glass Co. and Corning Glass Works v. Brennon. The wage gap situation for women is still quite significant when analyzing it from a mathematical perspective, however. The increase in women’s salary from 1963 to 2008 represents only about a half a penny per every dollar gain over their male counterparts each year. 3. Studies have found that when the wage gap is compared between men and elderly women vs. men and younger women there is a major difference. In 2005, women working full time 25 and under, earned 93.2% of men’s salaries, as opposed to women working full time 25 and older, who earned just 79.4% of what men earned. This article provides appropriate data that supports the social conflict perspective on gender pay inequality, within the workplace. It shows that although many actions have been taken in years past to decrease the wage gap between males and females, something more significant must be done. The social conflict theorists view individuals who posses more that other individuals as having the advantage. This advantage then promotes inequality. This is the same advantage that men have over the opposite sex. So, in order to provide equal pay for women, strong and direct action must be taken.
 * Main Question:**
 * Findings:**
 * Relation to Topic:**

Findings from the literature show that even though the gap between male and female salaries has decreased women still only earn, on average, 80% of what men earn. This is true even when men and women have the same knowledge base and qualifications. When broken into categories of males and females under 25 and over 25 we see that women under 25 make 93.2% of men’s salary and Women over 25 make 79.4% of men’s pay. As a group we made the assumption that most women under twenty five are paid on an hourly wage system (The majority of these women are high school and college students or employees without a college degree, with only a small amount being college graduates). This leads to equal pay for men and women and raises based on years worked and quantitative evaluation. Although the difference is 10% it is surprisingly better than 20%. Looking at the 25 and older group we can include women that have received a college degree into the mix (Brunner). These women would be paid on salary and therefore receive raises not only because of quantitative evaluation but also qualitative evaluation. Research on the effects of stereotyping show that depending on the evaluation process and the way in which the questions are asked there can be a negative outcome for the evaluation of women. Women both in average and higher positions are effected negatively by the psychological effects of stereotyping. Women who are put in group work were often less credited with the success of the group. In individual cases were women showed competence co-workers stated that it was influenced more by the situation than by the woman’s actually competence (Heilman). Women are left with the struggle of fitting the norms of their stereotypes which lead to better acceptance by co-workers but they also want to reach higher positions in their field. This however leads to less acceptance and negative views by others because they have broken their norms (Ball) Research proves this by showing evidence from evaluations. When a women was in a managerial position they were described with less likeable characteristics than a man in the same position. Women described as successful also received less likeable characteristics. This, however did not happen when the woman was not mentioned as successful or having masculine traits or job positions. The research showed that the evaluation process can have a negative effect on the evaluation of women in the work place (Heilman)
 * Literature review**

"About the AAAA." //Access, Equality, and Diversity American Association for Affirmative Action//. AAAA, n.d. Web. 28 Apr 2010. .

**Solution** Our solution supports the emphasis of affirmative action. This is an anti-discrimination belief that began in the 1960s, in order to promote equal opportunities in jobs, promotions, and educational programs for men and women alike (Witt). The American Association for Affirmative Action is already working towards ensuring equal opportunities nationwide (AAAA). We suggest that the government should form an organization to assist the AAAA, that requires businesses to prove they are not being discriminatory. This new organization would go above and beyond the current actions of AAAA by changing the quality of workplaces and careers post-hiring. These changes affect the current employment of individuals through evaluating the conditions by which the employees are being paid, in particular the reasons by which they associate pay raises and base salaries. Through this, individual companies are required to hold a standard for their salaries based on quality of work, outstanding work ethic, and other aspects unrelated to gender.The organization would also create and mployee evaluation that could be used by the companies. This evaluation would be created through research and would allow for psychological stereotyping to be eliminated from the eavluation process. The organization would inspect and evaluate businesses on a semi-annual basis. During these evaluations, the association would ensure that businesses are paying men and women of equally qualified statuses the same salary. (This, however, does not require //all// businesses to offer the same salary for a given position, because that would discourage competition within the market.) If the business is found to be discriminatory with the salaries or treatment of women, the company would have two warnings to comply with the government’s rules. If the business fails to fulfill these regulations, it would face a law suit. This organization would take affirmative action a step further, as well as prevent discrimination within businesses.

The American dream is a concept broadly understood as a freedom and the ability for anyone, anywhere to rise above his or her assumed position in society in order to achieve his or her goals. These goals range anywhere from marriage and a healthy family life to education and ultimately success in a career. Unlike the American dream, the American reality cannot always be seen as an equal playing field. Despite overcoming sexism and racism as a country, our society continues to struggle with creating equal opportunities for citizens from every class (Notes 2010). Through the symbolic interactionist perspective, we will discover the issues associated with self- and world-view of classes and how they affect social stratification. In order to understand further, we will use statistics and statements to determine the significance of the wealth distribution in the U.S.; this will also help us attain a general understanding of the class system and the effects of stereotyping classes. The symbolic interactionist’s viewpoint suggests that one possibility for a rigid class system is not actual capabilities of a group, but the assumption of one’s place in society through the symbolic relation of a family’s class. By assuming a role in society according to our class, we associate firm symbolic meaning from which we rarely stray. The American dream is unequally available for all American citizens strongly due to the symbols attached to our class system based on race, gender, wealth, and other determinants (Notes 2010).
 * Introduction**:

The symbolic interactionist looks at a situation and works to see how the situation applies to the culture of the society that is included. It also observes the relationships between members of the society to see how they affect the group as a whole. In the case of social stratification, we must consider which parts of a culture have formed the multiple classes of the system. How do these classes interact with each other and what effect does the action of any class have on other classes? We will also discuss the different ideas of each class that make them distinct from other classes. How do the members of a class work together or against each other? Through statistical data we can see how these relationships and ideas have impacted each class. Other questions that will be considered include whether certain understood ideas of each class have an effect on those in the class and those in other classes. Can certain views hinder or increase the chances of people in a class to overcome obstacles and achieve the American dream (notes 2010)?
 * Theory**:

Inequality is an issue in America and distinction can be made between those of little wealth and the most wealthy in society. This distinction is most often made because members of each group, whether it is poor, middle, or upper classes in society, tend to associate with each other. This grouping allows for the members to share similar ideas and experiences. Most of these communities include a place of worship, education, living, and recreation. It is easy to see that each community shares the same ideas and similar occupations; therefore, members are able to socially support each other while reinforcing the ideas set forth by the majority of the community. Because these groups share many similarities, society as a whole is able to categorize them into classes based on wealth and other universal social concepts. Another observation that should be made is that the youth in these communities are raised with the same views of the community and will likely assume the same occupations of others in the community unless alternative options become available. Whether or not these alternative options are available decide whether or not the American dream is in fact available (Jackson 2007).
 * Literature review**:

There are many views created by society that can hinder the chances of certain members to the availability of the American dream. Two major ideas are discrimination based on gender and race. It can be seen through statistical data that women, African Americans, Hispanics, and other races receive lower pay or obtain fewer “good jobs” than dominant groups in society (Characteristics 2007) (Good 2008). For obvious reasons this can have a great effect on whether or not one can attain the American dream. A lower income makes it difficult to afford quality education, and enjoyable and healthy living, which can increase ones chance of achieving the American dream. It is fair to say then that unfair pay based on social ideas that women and minorities should be given a lesser opportunity to employment and equal pay decreases the availability of the American dream to them (Notes 2010).

Another aspect that can have a positive or negative impact on an individual’s ability to attain the American dream considers the effect of impression management. Does one's understanding of the situation or class they are in affect how they act? Everyone knows the expectations associated with each class. Is it possible then, that members of a class assume that they must adhere to these expectations? If this is so, someone in the lower class may feel that he or she must remain poor because society makes it a point that members of the lower class will not (Notes 2010).

The independent variable is one that is manipulated by the observer in order to observe and record change in the dependent variable, one that is affected by the change of the independent variable (Notes 2010).
 * Methods**:

To discover the reality of how evenly distributed job opportunities and income are in America, we read detailed previous research on what affects a person’s ability to receive income through government aid or salary. Although there are a variety of reasons for a person’s depleted income, a major factor includes the lack of job opportunities. Our dependent variable becomes the availability of the American dream, namely the opportunity for reasonably paid employment.

By altering the parameter of job restriction through removing symbolic meaning from class or career status (achieved through breaking stereotypes and assumptions based on class), the interaction between classes become a result of the dependent variable change. The symbolism of a class as superior or inferior becomes insignificant to the culture as a whole and causes a radical change in view point. This change would hypothetically result in a perspective on hiring based on qualified individuals. Another perspective would emerge from the individual, resulting in their outlook on their own class being expanded beyond previous family achievement and the assumptions placed on their class.

Our observations and readings can conclude that, while there is no simple solution for a multi-faceted problem, we have a few distinct options. Poverty in America is the definite and direct opposite of the American dream, and in order to achieve equal opportunities for all Americans, we must focus on what has tied down our class system. The racial and ethnic boundaries of poverty provide a symbol for the masses as to what poverty looks like, which unfolds into a bigger issue of labeling. By promoting opportunities for minorities and those already in poverty to gain high positions in companies and businesses, we can begin the removal of stereotypes of classes. The option of also promoting career opportunities through training may relieve those in poverty of the cycle of low-paying jobs and begin a pattern of excellence through work. Not only do these promotions focus on the quality of the individual, it extends past and diminishes value based on social class.
 * Results**:

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">**Annotated Bibliographies:**

Rank, Mark R. “As American as Apple Pie: Poverty and Welfare.” American Sociological Association, 2003. Print. 1. Who experiences poverty? 2. Why is it that the majority of Americans experience poverty in their lifetimes?
 * Main Questions:**

1. The research presented in the article shows that while most Americans tend to think of the poor as a “them,” that is, a part of society different and separate from themselves, the fact is that 30% of American citizens will have lived below the poverty line for at least a year of their adult life by the time they turn 30. As Americans get older, the likelihood that they have experienced at least a year below the poverty line as an adult increases significantly. 42% of adults have lived at least a year in poverty by the age of 50 and 59% by the age of 75.
 * Findings:**

The proportion of Americans who have received assistance from one of the major needs-based welfare programs is even greater. By the age of 65, two-thirds of Americans will have utilized food stamps or been assisted by programs like Medicaid, AFDC or Supplementary Security Income.

Stereotypes about the poor are disproven by this research. “We” are the ones who experience poverty—not “they”.

2. Over the course of a lifetime, there are many circumstances that could cause a family to fall below the poverty line. These include life-changing events such as a divorce, the loss of a job, or the death of a working member. However, one must take into consideration that these circumstances are experienced world-wide, yet the citizens of the United States are far more likely to live in poverty than Canadians or Europeans. When compared to welfare systems in Canada and Europe, the amount spent by the United States government on aiding those in need is minimal. The programs in Canada and Europe give aid to families in danger of falling below the poverty line. Unemployment benefits are provided to families for over a year after a job loss. In addition, the government normally provides universal health care and support for child care. Currently, America has the highest rate of poverty in the industrialized world. Furthermore, the American labor market has failed to provide enough jobs with adequate pay for the population. Jobs that are available are low-paying or do not have benefits. It has also been found simply that there are more people who need jobs than there are jobs to go around. If every American were to be employed, an additional five to nine million jobs would have to be filled.

This article is greatly relevant to the question of how available the American Dream is to all citizens. In order to achieve the American Dream and rise above one’s predetermined circumstances, it is vital to have employment opportunities. As stated in the article, the rate of unemployment is due largely to the fact that there are simply not enough jobs to go around. The unemployed frequently settle for low-paying jobs or part-time jobs, or jobs with no benefits. In the meantime, the unemployed do not receive adequate government assistance to keep them from falling below the poverty line.
 * Relation to Topic:**

However, the research provided shows that poverty becomes a reality for the majority of Americans but does not specify which types of people make up this majority. The symbolic interaction theorist would go further in dissecting the statistics to reveal that the percentage of the population which experiences poverty is largely of one particular class. This class, the theorists would argue, are trapped by the stereotypes and stigmas placed upon them. They are trapped in poverty not because of the shortage of jobs or the lack of adequate government assistance, but because society does not allow them to break free of the negative symbols associated with their class.

Jackson, Robert Max. “Keyword: Inequalities” 2007. //American Sociological Association//, p 59-61.

**Main Questions:** 1. How is society influenced by inequality ? 2. Which two societal inequalities are considered to be the most influential and why? 3. Why do people tend to occupy the same occupational status as their parents? 4. What makes inequality such an important aspect within society?

1. Inequality has permeated society throughout history. In the 17th and 18th centuries, thinkers such as Thomas Hobbes, John Locke, and Jean-Jacques Rousseau, produced Enlightenment ideas based on the modern concept of social inequality (Jackson). Their ideas highlighted the influence of institutions and groups on social equality, rather than fate. It is through our experiences with the institutions and groups around us that we form our ideas of inequality. Similarly, it is through our ideas of inequality that influences our experiences with the surrounding institutions. These corresponding ideas and experiences are based according to one’s social status. It is through our statuses that we can see the inequalities within our own group, but they prevent us from fully empathizing with the inequalities of other groups because “the meaning of that experience differs according to our status” (Jackson). **
 * Findings:

2. Race and gender/sex are deemed to be the most influential of all social inequalities. This is because gender and racial barriers are present in all parts of society. Battles between different sexes to earn that promotion have made this a particularly influential inequality. Racial inequalities are seen in all aspects of life, but perhaps the most common form of racial inequality comes from trying to start a career. This poses difficulties for African Americans that many white males do not have to endure. This is because white males tend to grow up in wealthier families than their African American counterparts, so they are provided with multiple economic and political advantages. As noted, racial and gender inequalities provide for a major influence that is often gone unnoticed by a busy American society. 3. <span style="font-family: Arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">According to the article, over the past two decades, specifically, the influence of family background has increased. The parents’ social statuses are becoming strong catalysts in determining the social statuses of their children. For instance, if the parents are not wealthy, the children are less likely to receive the same advantages of those who come from a wealthy family, such as a privileged education. Educational privileges are large factors in determining the children’s rates of success in lucrative occupations. Ultimately, because social statuses are predominantly passed on from generation to generation, it is more likely for the children in a family to occupy the same jobs as the parents.

4. In the 1940‘s, sociologists Kingsley Davis and Wilbert Moor argued the importance of inequality in society (Jackson). Mainly, they believed that, “inequality is necessary to keep things running” (Jackson). Without inequality, competition in the economy would not exist. Without it, there would be no need for competition within job fields or education in order to built up one’s social status and wealth. The high rewards offered to higher ranks in social statuses produce inequality, thus a necessary competition required to motivate people to work harder in life. Though it seems today that equality should envelope all people, inequality determines, is stimulated by, and runs through, all areas in life. According to scholars, it is essential to a modern society.


 * Relation to Topic:**

Inequality plays a crucial role in attaining the American Dream because a part of The Dream is to have acquired equality. Inequality, however, hinders one from achieving a quality job and education, two crucial pillars of the fantasy. For example, in the article, //Keyword: Inequality//, Jackson mentions the falsehood of the United States’ belief of providing equal opportunities to all. In reality, the opportunities are quite unequal. It appears that status determines the caliber and success of education, relationships, and occupations. However, with the existence of inequality among people, the desired, high-ranking social statuses are difficult to gain- leaving the rewards more difficult to benefit. It is with this struggle for equality that desire for the American Dream bolsters, and it becomes a beacon of hope for all of which to strive.

Structural Functionalism and Crisis Pregnancy Centers

**Introduction:** <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 81%;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 10.8pt;">Crisis Pregnancy Centers focus on “ providing support and resources that parents need to meet the mental, physical, and spiritual needs of their unborn child/children (Interview 9).” These centers help unexpectedly pregnant mothers learn more about the options that are available for their unborn children while providing them with some of the most important needs such as baby food and clothing. In order for crisis pregnancy centers to function at a high level of performance, they must “do research into current practices which is an organized attempt to learn from the experience of others. The next step is to separate mistakes [they] shouldn't replicate from successes [they’d] like to emulate. In other words, zero in on effective or so-called "best" practices and look deeper into the characteristics that led to success (Eglene pg 2).” From the research we will gather throughout this study, we hope to answer the question “What are the best practices for crisis pregnancy centers located in rural communities?” This question will be addressed through the structural functionalist view and will include our theory on what will influence crisis pregnancy center’s success, a review on literature that discusses the problems and how they can be confronted, methods that work the best for the centers, and results of our interviews <span class="xapple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">.

**Theory:** The sociological theory of structural functionalism views the world from a functionalist perspective. It emphasizes that parts of society are structured to maintain stability. Society is seen as a vast network of connected parts, each of which helps to preserve the system as a whole. Each structure of society, including the family, educational systems, politics, and the economy has a specific part or job. The structures work together to maintain society. A society with a web of successful connections would allow people to "adapt to their environment, realize their social goals, create social cohesion and maintain cultural patterns" (Class Notes 2010).

When deciding upon the best practices for a crisis pregnancy center, the structural functionalist perspective must take into account several different variables. Social institutions have profound effects on the clients of crisis pregnancy centers. In order to find the best practices, the centers must observe these effects and make decisions about how to best serve and protect their clients. Mass media, sex education in school, and family involvement (or lack thereof) are the most potent variables the crisis pregnancy centers should study if they are to provide the best care for the women they serve. By comparing the success of crisis pregnancy centers and their methods in responding to social institutions, we will be able to see which methods are best from the perspective of structural functionalism.

**Literature Review:** Unintended pregnancy is a major issue in America. About half of all pregnancies in the US are unintended. Over half of these unintended pregnancies end in abortion. The issue of abortion is very serious on a political and ethical level. The level of abortions for older, unmarried women is higher than that of younger women and married women. A decrease in unintended pregnancies was most noticed when alternate contraceptive methods were introduced. This has led researchers to believe that an increase in the awareness of contraception should decrease the number of unintended pregnancies and therefore, abortions (Henshsaw 1998). From the structural functionalists perspective, we see that sex education is an important factor in reducing these numbers. It is also noticeable that married couples are less likely to get an abortion. From this observation we can conclude that marriage is an important structure in society that may reduce abortion rates. For our research, we can look at crisis pregnancy centers and see how they apply sex education and emphasize marriage to their clients, while observing the success of the center.

Another issue that applies to crisis pregnancy centers is that of their influence on clients choosing single parenting or adoption. Adoption is often not encouraged enough as an otion for expectant mothers. Often times, volunteers at centers only think about influencing clients to choose life over abortion but don't go into detail about the possible choices other than the option of single parenting. Evidence shows that when adoption is discussed along with single parenting, the mother is more likely to choose adoption. The major problem that is seen with crisis pregnancy centers and adoption is that some centers are not licensed adoption agencies. Also, volunteers are not properly trained on how to present the idea of adoption without forcing the idea upon the clients. There are successful centers that include volunteers who present the options for the mother and the child in and educational sense (Mathewes-Green 1996). Once again, this allows us, from the functionalist perspective, to see a crisis pregnancy center's ability to educate pregnant mothers on the options that are available and analyze the connection with the success of the center. With the knowledge that these aspects are important, we must know which sex education programs are effective, how the institutions of family and marriage make a difference, and what can be done to encourage these two things. We can also find out the best ways to present all possible options to an expectant mother without influencing her towards the CPC's individual oopinion of the best option.

**Methods:** In order to discover the best practices for crisis pregnancy centers, we conducted anonymous interviews with different individuals who either direct or volunteer at crisis pregnancy centers across the country. The data gathered by each group was compiled into one reliable source. In addition, “Conducting Best and Current Practices Research: A Starter Kit”, “Unintended Pregnancy in the United States” and “Pregnancy Centers and The Welfare Trap” provided us with present statistics, personal stories and general information concerning the processes of determining the best practices. After becoming familiar with the information available to us we were able to draw conclusions on the most effective practices from a structural functionalist’s perspective. Specifically, we looked for interview responses that connected crisis pregnancy centers to various social institutions. These relationships, we found, provide “a stable ordered system of interrelated structures which help to maintain the system as a whole” (Class Notes 2010).

**Results**: Best practices research is an ongoing field of study. Crisis pregnancy centers must always strive to better the quality of care they provide. By studying the practices of other centers and learning from their mistakes, the crisis pregnancy centers are improving their own practices on a regular basis (Eglene 2000).

Families and marriages, mass media and schools are the institutions that the crisis pregnancy centers have found to have the most profound effect on abortion and unintended pregnancy rates. Sex education programs in schools have a vast influence on pregnancy rates. If sex education programs emphasized the undeniable effectiveness of abstinence, the rate of unintended teenage pregnancies would dramatically decrease. While crisis pregnancy centers do not offer sex education, they can still promote the abstinence only outlook. They may send representatives to the schools to advocate for abstinence only programs. The best practices for crisis pregnancy centers include promoting sex education (preferably with an abstinence only outlook) in high schools. By teaching students the true facts and statistics about sex, what can be done to prevent pregnancy including abstinence, condom use, contraception, natural planning, and the effectiveness of each method, students will have a better understanding of how to deal with sex and prevent unwanted pregnancies. We can also emphasize the importance of good family life by encourageing both the mother and father of the child along with their parents, to come to the pregnancy center and teach them to work with and support each other. They can also confront their own school aged clients about the value and effectiveness of abstinence (Interview 4 2010).

Working against the mass media’s message that what one //wants// to do is the //right// thing to do is also important. Crisis pregnancy centers can send their message by producing ads on tv and in magazines that show an alternate otptions to abortion. Another option would be to sponsor concerts that send out the pro-life or sex awareness message. it is important to send a message of the importance of a true marriage that help stop the view of pregnancy out of wedlock as acceptable. This is very important because news article on actors multiple divorces, shows that express sex as a way to have fun, and other media make it seem as if the sacred nature of marriage and the structure of the family have all but disappeared. The institutions of marriage and the family are incredibly influenced by the mass media. Crisis pregnancy centers must work against the mass media’s constant influence. They can do this by allowing the adopting families to visit the mothers of the child, which would emphasize the importance of strong family life, which can offer boundless support to mothers in need (Interview 2 2010).

Eglene, Ophelia. //Conducting Best and Current Practices Research: A Starter Kit//. Albany: Center for Technology in Government, 2000. Print. 1. What do the practices of agencies offer to other agencies that are similar? Do differences matter? 2. How do we learn from success stories as well as mistakes? The issue for agencies today is the method by which they communicate to other agencies (organizations, etc) the success they have had in certain practices or reaching out for help to prevent inefficiency or to fix an issue that other agencies have solved. The lack of connection among these organizations does not coincide with a lack of similarities; in fact, the differences in organizations of any kind do not separate them from being able to share experiences and prevent redundancy in mistakes. The government is a central initiator of promoting best practices because of the incentive to find the most effective ways to act at the least cost. The endorsement of finding the “more effective, less expensive, innovated ways to get work done” is attractive to many struggling organizations seeking long-term solutions that others have already found (p.2). 1) What do the practices of agencies offer to other agencies that are similar? Do differences matter? The article defines current practice as “an organized attempt to learn from the experience of others” (p.2). Individual agencies and organizations that have been around for some time are no different than newer agencies that have come to a problem previously not encountered. The issues that rise may be unique to the agency as a new problem, but the issue itself may also appear to multiple other agencies. By uniting in the “organized attempts” to tackles problems as a whole and sharing the success, many small agencies are able to stay afloat and eventually contribute with their own successes. 2) How do we learn from success stories as well as mistakes? On the other side, the stories of failure provide an equal learning opportunity. The trials that are endured can show others the effects of a disorganized method or poor decisions. The article emphasizes the importance of focusing on the “best practices” that are repeated successes in a variety of organizations. By understanding the reasons for failure as well as the path to success, the practices that will most likely positively affect the organizations come into view. The CTG (Center for Technology in Government) staff suggests a view steps towards conducting research as an individual agency. The first step is to isolate the issue through defining what it is and is not, and also by specifying issues related to it or other perspectives of viewing it. The next step would be to brainstorm sources and seek them out; by retrieving information at a basic level on the issue, a very large problem becomes accessible. Their suggestions include the library, internet, similar organizations, and close contacts that may be of assistance. This is also useful if contacts are made in similar (and somewhat similar) organizations in order to see if similar problems can have similar solutions, giving an idea of what a reasonable solution could be and if it has happened before. The third step promotes interviews with these contacts that circle around the issue at hand and whether other organizations have encountered (or solved) these problems. Through these actions, movement towards a better practice can be achieved. The research in the “Best and Current Practices” article supports the structural functionalist perspective through the reliance upon other organizations for solutions and eventual achievement of a fully accessible organization. The functionalist perspective focuses on the utilization of other structures in society, including other agencies or organizations, to build upon each other towards success. By seeking out the best practices used by other agencies, smaller and less effective (or newer) agencies ultimately become a larger means of support for the society and allow other agencies to learn from their successes and failures. The means by which crisis pregnancy centers attempt to succeed should include the employment of other centers that have experienced problems and issues they will most likely also stumble upon. Also, other structures in society that could be useful for crisis pregnancy centers to seek out would include adoption agencies, orphanages, hospitals and trauma centers, psychological centers and therapists, churches and religious organizations, and other women’s crisis centers that may include assistance for domestic violence or single parent upbringing.
 * Main Question**:
 * Findings**:
 * Relation to Research Question**:

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Stanley, Henshaw//.// // Family Planning Perspectives // : Unintended Pregnancy in the United States. Volume 30, Number 1, January/February 1998 <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; letter-spacing: 0px;">The National Survey of Families and Growth (NSFG) have concluded a number of fertility surveys within the United States. These are a compilation of nationally representative surveys that are designed to collect detailed contraceptive and reproductive histories in order to review statistical data within the United States. These surveys were used to compile the statistics represented within the article. 1. What were the past percentages of intended vs. unintended births, and pregnancies in the United States, including the years from 1981 to 1994? 2. What was the abortion percentage in 1994 and among which age group did we see the majority of abortions occur? What races tended to have the most abortions in 1994? How did abortion percentages change, from 1981 to 1994? 3. What were the chances of a woman having a lifetime experience by encountering an unintended birth or pregnancy in 1995 and in comparison to a year later in 1994? 1. **A.** Many American couples intentionally have children because they want to nurture and love them as their own. However, in the past there has been a large number of women who have had children who did not want to be parents and/ or the child was unexpected. An unintended pregnancy is one where the woman was practicing contraception when she became pregnant, or if she had not wanted children. 2. **A.** The annual percentage of abortions within the United States in 1994 does not follow the typical age pattern (teenagers representing the highest percentile), but shows flocculation in the age groups predominantly represented. The abortion rates stood at 26.6% in the 1994 NSFG survey. The highest percentages of abortions occurred between ages 15-17, but as abortion decreased with age, a spike suddenly appears at age 40. This is representatively due to the percentage of poor women (a majority blacks) who felt they could not afford a child and/or more children. African American women represented a staggering 43.7% of abortions in the year of 1994. 3. **A.** Over an entire lifetime the percentage of women experiencing an unintended pregnancy is considerable. Women were surveyed by the NSFG in 1995, and 28% mentioned that they had one or more unplanned births and 30% of women had one or more abortions. When compared to the more conclusive 1994 NSFG research, we see similar trends. The National Survey of Families and Growth has provided us with conclusive unintended pregnancy research from within the United States for the years of 1981 and 1994. This article supports the structural functionalist perspective because the NSFG has provided us with an effective way of representing unintended pregnancy rates within the United States, from within a given time period. This in turn, provides us with the knowledge necessary to understand how important contraception is. Realizing the importance of contraception allows for an effective way to reduce the number of unintended births and pregnancies, and the abortions that occur due to these occurrences.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Main Question: **
 * Findings:**
 * B.** According to the NSFG in 1994, 49.2% of births were due to unintended pregnancies and 30.8% were due to unintended births, with the highest percentage of unintended pregnancies and births occurring between the ages of 15-19, which is to be expected. This is because teenagers are typically more careless and less understanding of the consequences of not using contraception. Also, poverty played a major role in affecting the unintended pregnancy rates, but was not representative of the unintended birth rates.
 * C.** Intended pregnancies within the United States were presented at 46.1% in 1994. This statistic seems rather unforgiving considering 44.1 % of pregnancies were not intended, leaving only 10.2% unaccounted for.
 * D.** From 1981 to 1994 the unintended pregnancy rates within the United States decreased by 10.5% and birth rates decreased by 4.1%.
 * B.** Abortions rates decreased by 5.7% from 1981 to 1994 as an entity. However, a higher percentage (54%) of unintended pregnancies ended in abortion, which showed an ever so slight increase from 1981 statistics, but a rather dramatic 4% increase from the 1987 percentiles.
 * C.** The NSFG also states that abortions are underreported in population surveys so the finalized data was most likely skewed, reflecting a smaller number of abortions than what actually occurred. This is most reasonably due to the fact that many abortions go uncharted.
 * B.** The highest percentage of unplanned births occurred between ages 30-44, with the teenage years representing only a small percentile.
 * Relation to Research Question:**

Mathewes-Green, Frederica. "PRO-LIFE DILEMMA: Pregnancy Centers and the Welfare Trap." //Policy Review// (1996) Web. 26 Feb 2010.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; letter-spacing: 0px;">**Main Question**: What are the challenges facing Crisis Pregnancy Centers?

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; letter-spacing: 0px;">Findings: Crises pregnancy centers are actively pro-life centers that provide counseling for unexpectedly pregnant women. These centers save thousands of lives each year by preventing abortions through their aid. The Policy Review magazine article, “Pro-life Dilemma,” points out the issues CPCs cannot address after producing single-parent households. Crisis pregnancy centers are being faced with the moral dilemma of producing single-parented households, and the repercussions they entail financially and ethically. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;"> The article states that despite the saving of thousands of children’s lives, there are growing concerns toward the production of single-parented households. The numbers show that 80 to 90 percent of the clients result in these homes, leaving about 200,000 women with the singular responsibility of providing for the family (Mathewes-Green). Naturally, it is difficult for these women to find the means of, and time for, a job while taking care of a baby. These struggles leave the parent in the hands of Welfare. The displacement of so many single-parents into the reliability of Welfare creates a public issue which places the government in responsibility for thousands of young women. In the article, Pat Evans, a director of a crisis pregnancy center, shares the concern for these women. She comments that the parents would only receive about $225 per month on Welfare, and they would most likely also rely on food stamps, medical support, and WIC (nutrition aid to women, infants, and children). With hundreds of thousands of women depending on the assistance of the government, the article stresses the pressure of the pregnancy centers finding the new born children a stable, two-parent household. 2) What are CPCs’ roles in the adoption process? Due to the mass production of single-parent homes, pregnancy centers are expected to emphasize the option of adoption. Despite this, the duties of a crisis pregnancy center do not entail serving as an adoption agency. Research shows that girls who are raised without a father are more than twice as likely to also give birth out of wedlock (Mathewes-Green.) Statistics, such as this, display the cyclical effect of the influence family has on children. For this reason, pregnancy centers offer counseling for the undecided, soon-to-be mothers, to prevent such a cycle to continue. By law, counseling is all pregnancy centers can offer for the women. According to a 1991 study, the National Council for Adoption found that clients were seven times more likely to choose adoption if the option was discussed in their counseling programs. However, June Ring, the coordinator of adoption resources for Presbyterians Pro-life, states that only 60 percent of counseling sessions bring up the possibility of adoption (Mathewes-Green.) The article reveals that, increasingly, pregnancy counselors are assenting to adoption becoming a more prominent alternative in the counseling process. Some centers have begun the use of individual and group projects (such as twenty week adoption classes and electronic infants) to bring to light the responsibilities of single-parenting, and emphasize the possibility of the clients placing their children up for adoption. Adoption would ensure the children’s lives and safety. Frederica Mathewes-Green’s article, "PRO-LIFE DILEMMA: Pregnancy Centers and the Welfare Trap,” addresses the issues facing pregnancy centers by utilizing the structural functionalism approach. It displays the pressing matters caused by the production of single-parented households, by revealing its effects on the structures of the government and, especially, family. Single-parented homes are most likely to rely upon Welfare, and other government aid. Hundreds of thousands of women turn to the government for support, due to financial insufficiency. This great number of displaced women, yearly, affect the government spending on a national level. Also, the research displayed in the article often refers back to the effects of single-parenting on the family unit. A parent holding sole responsibility for a family takes a tole on the future of the children. Norms, which are predominantly learned within the family, shape the way in which people interact in the world (Witt). Being a single parent might set the wrong example of sex outside marriage. From the structural functionalist perspective, it has the possibility of exhibiting premarital sex, with the outcome of a child, as a norm. This will most likely result with the children demonstrating the same actions as parent (Mathewes-Green).
 * 1) <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; letter-spacing: 0px;">How do CPCs effect Welfare?
 * 2) <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; letter-spacing: 0px;">What are CPCs’ roles in the adoption process?
 * 1) <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; letter-spacing: 0px;">How do CPC’s effect Welfare?
 * Relation to Research Question:**

INTRODUCTION: Structural functionalism in sociology focuses on the institutions in society and how they affect the individual. Obesity has been a growing epidemic in the United States since the 1980’s and continues to increase exponentially. It currently causes the second most deaths annually, making it one of the United States’ most challenging problems. There have been numerous studies concluded that show obesity is caused by a number of factors working together; it is not directly linked to one single problem, but a number of problems, creating a widespread epidemic. The people of Atchison, Kansas can address their own obesity epidemic starting in their homes. If families make a certain number of meals at home, using unprocessed food and fresh produce, the obesity rate will decrease.

LITERATURE REVIEW: Research indicates that obesity has not yet reached equilibrium. This means that people are becoming obese at a quicker rate than they are losing their weight. Obesity accounts for over 400,000 deaths per year, a staggering statistic (Finkelstein et al.). According to our data, by 2015, 75% of adults will be overweight or obese. As obesity rates continue to raise, so will the number of cardiovascular diseases, including congestive heart failure and stroke (University of Virginia Health System). These are just a couple of the serious problems that may be caused by obesity. Unfortunately, the obesity rate in the United States doubled from the years 1980 to 2000 (Beydoun, Wang). According to the CDC, (Center for Disease Control and Prevention) obesity-related healthcare costs totaled approximately $117 billion in the year 2000. These numbers relate to one another by displaying that the rate of obesity is continuing to increase, while costing thousands of lives, as well as amounting to billions of dollars worth of legal expenditures. In attempts to resolve these pressing issues, the CDC, for years, has created many ideas for families to take use of, in hopes of decreasing or preventing obesity. All of the steps stress the importance of the communal aspect of the family, such as exorcising together as a unit. One important point the CDC continues to make, is that of <span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; line-height: 19px;">focusing on the intake and availability of healthy foods over processed unhealthy foods.

THEORY: Our theory promotes the use of unprocessed and home-cooked meals for the family. It emphasizes the importance of the family’s influence towards a healthier lifestyle, for the present and future. With the use of fresh produce (as opposed to the means of fast food or other processed goods) beginning in the home, the foundation for a wholesome diet is firmly planted. This would also be a wise, economic method to prevent extraneous spending at costly dine-in or take-out venues. Globally, this theory supports the conservation of household income and acts to prevent potential obesity within the family. If each family were to hold this belief firmly, society may have the prospect of decreasing, or curbing the growth of, the over-all obese population.

METHODS: To address the issue of obesity at hand, according to our theory, the hypothesis would be: //If families make homemade meals at home, using unprocessed and fresh produce, the obesity rates will decrease.// In this proposition, the independent variable would be the number of healthy, homemade meals cooked during a week, with the dependent variable being obesity. The data that would need to be collected in order to conduct an effective study would be basic statistics on food and obesity. Such statistics would be the availability of fresh produce compared to the availability of processed foods. Also, the cost of preparing fresh food over processed food for the average family. In order to produce a note worthy study, one would also have to take into account the true health benefits of eating fresh produce over processed foods.

Finkelstein, Eric A. Christopher J. Ruhm, and Katherine M. Kosa. “Economic Causes and Consequences of Obesity.” Annu. Rev. Public Health, 2005. web.

MAIN QUESTION: What may have caused the sudden rise in percentage of obese Americans around 1980? 1) What are some of the known causes of obesity and do they correlate with the change around 1980? 2) How does the cause create a greater opportunity for obesity? 3) How does obesity relate with the economy and wages? 4) What can be done to change the percentage of obese Americans? Eric A Finklestein, Christopher J. Ruhm, and Katherine M. Kosa tried to find the reason for the sudden increase in obesity after 1980. In order to do so, they first came up with causes of obesity. Then they took data from past researches and compared these changes in data before 1980 and after 1980, to see if they could find numbers that correlated with the rise in obesity. Once all possibilities were considered, they were able to come up with an idea of why obesity increased and how it could be reduced. FINDINGS: 1) A. An idea considered for the cause of the obesity epidemic was the increase in technology use, which would allow a decrease in manual labor. This was refuted because data shows that a decrease in manual labor was seen much before 1980. B. Researchers also considered a decrease in activity/exercise time, but it was shown that this actually increased in many families. C. Another consideration was that energy intake increased. Data did show that calorie intake had increased after 1985, but had not changed much between 1910 and 1985. Knowing that calorie intake was a related cause for the increase in obesity, the researchers looked at causes for this increase in calorie intake. 2) A. The first consideration was of food pricing. The researchers knew that a decrease in food pricing would allow an increase in food consumption. They saw that between 1960 and 1980, prices of food increased at a slightly higher rate than the inflation rate. After 1980, inflation rates were higher than food prices. It was also noted that the price of calorie dense foods rose at a lower rate than less energy dense foods, such as dairy, fish, and vegetables. Another considered cause was the increase in serving size. Cookbooks with the same recipes that require the same amount of ingredients show a smaller number of servings. B. Screen time was considered as another cause. Studies showed that most snacking occurred in front of the TV, not other screens like computers. Though watching more TV would lead to increased snacking, the amount of TV watched per household increased more before 1980 than it did after. The average amount of TV watched per household increased more from 1965-1975 (158-191 min) than it did from 1975-1995 (191-112 min). 3) A. Another idea that was brought up was the costs of obesity and government spending on health issues caused by obesity. It was seen, however, that there was a negative correlation. The government would pay more for a healthy person, who would most likely live longer, than it would pay for an obese person, who’s life span would be shorter. It was seen that obese employees are more likely to be absent from work, which can be costly for a company. B. Wages were compared between non obese and obese women. The results show that obese females earn up to 12% less than those who are not obese. The findings also revealed that females who were overweight during adolescence have a 22% lower annual household income, seven years later, than those who were of normal weight during their youth. Through these studies it can be inferred that employees may make less money because of their unhealthiness and lack of ability to perform strenuous tasks. 4) A. The research concluded that changes that have occurred over the past three decades have had a large impact on obesity. It also stated that these changes make it much harder for someone capable of maintaining a healthy weight before 1980 to do so now. Although obesity is a controllable problem, it is difficult for many people to control and reduce obesity. Many obese people have disorders that make it difficult to control their eating habits. More than just motivation and incentive from the government and other organization is needed to prevent this epidemic from growing. RELATION TO RESEARCH QUESTION: The economy has allowed for inexpensive, unhealthy, calorie dense food that is greatly available. Therefore, Americans consume more of what is bad for them and can cause them to become obese. This decrease in the price of unhealthy food correlates with the increase in the percentage of obese Americans.

//The Obesity Epidemic in the United States—Gender, Age, Socioeconomic, Rachial/Ethnic, and Geographic Characteristics: A Systematic Review and Meta-Regression Analysis.// Baltimore: Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, 2007. Print.

MAIN QUESTION: The Center for Human Nutrition in the Department of International health at Johns Hopkins Bloombeg School of Public Health recently published a study which was conducted to find trends of obesity in the United States. The study observed two views of obesity, one defined by an individual’s body mass index (BMI) and another defined by waist circumference. 1. How do the trends relate to gender? 2. How do the trends relate to age? 3. How do the trends relate to racial/ethnic groups? 4. How do the trends relate to socioeconomic status? 5. How do the trends relate to geographic regions? FINDINGS: 1). The epidemic of obesity is affecting the nation in severely negative ways. It is the second leading preventable cause of death and has been deemed a public health crisis. It was found that more men were overweight than women, though the women’s rate of increase across the age group of 20-34 years was significantly faster. 2) This study showed that obesity affects every age group. Of all men and women in America aged 20 and upward, 32.42 percent were obese. Prevalence of the disease increased with age. From 1980 to 2000 the rates of increase for both men and women were the same, with numbers doubling for both genders. 3) The study also came to conclude that racial/ethnic disparities are clearly represented in the epidemic of obesity. The numbers showed that non-Hispanic Blacks prevailed the most in the statistics. When added together, the prevalence of minority groups was higher than that of non-Hispanic Whites by nearly 10 percent. Native Americans are also more obese than Whites, with similar prevalence to Blacks. However, young Asian adults were found to be the least obese. It was also seen that Asians born in the United States were four times more likely to be obese than Asians who were born in foreign countries. 4) The study then reached the conclusion that there is a bidirectional relation between socioeconomic status and obesity, since being obese may hinder one’s chances when it comes to succeeding in education, occupation and marriage. It was observed that individuals who did not complete high school are more likely to be obese than those who sought higher education. 5) In regards to geographic region, obesity occurs in greater percentages in the southeastern states. The West coast and Northern border are the least affected. RELATION TO RESEARCH QUESTION: The study revealed that two-thirds of adults and one-third of children and adolescents are overweight or obese, and this epidemic affects all kinds of groups. Healthy eating habits would therefore benefit the majority of United States citizens. Though disparities are clear between age groups, gender, racial/ethnic groups, socioeconomic classes, and geographic regions, improving eating habits in the home is an action all groups can take.

//Obesity: Halting the Epidemic by Making Health Easier//. Atlanta: Center for Disease Control and Prevention, 2009. Print.

MAIN QUESTION: A recent article posted by the CDC (Center for Disease Control and Prevention) released new information about the obesity epidemic and outcomes. They include information on the current state of obesity in the US, risk factors that are attached to obesity, and what is necessary to alleviate obesity from our society. The questions addressed by this article are: 1. What are the issues of obesity? 2. What has the CDC done to resolve them? FINDINGS: 1) What are the issues of obesity? Obesity has increased exponentially over the last few decades, and the trend of increasing weight is not slowing down. The health risks are primarily centered on heart and cardiovascular diseases. Diabetes 2, for example, is now appearing in younger generations when it was previously limited to adults. 70% of obese children have at least one risk factor of cardiovascular disease, while 39% have at least two. The concern with obesity and health are concentrated on heart disease, but almost every area of health is affected. Sleeping disorders, gynecological problems, and cancer have all been identified as possible complications with obesity. The risking costs of healthcare are attributed partially to obesity, since there are multiple findings that obesity and related diseases are a direct cause of rising medical costs. Obesity-related healthcare costs totaled approximately $117 billion in the year 2000. Although it is common knowledge that obesity has its roots in our society’s dysfunctional mentality of instant gratification, there is not a single institution alone that could introduce change. 2) What has the CDC done to resolve them? The article refers to America as “obesogenic”, that is, a society that promotes obesity through unhealthy opportunities for food and little promotion for staying active. Not only are these promotions for obesity widespread in society, but throughout every institution. Schools, work places, and other communities are all responsible for creating a healthy environment. The CDC has implemented programs throughout 23 states to promote healthier lifestyles. They are beginning to offer training and interventional programs for those who are already obese and promoting healthy habits for the general public, including instruction for health practitioners and research focused on the programs to maximize their efficiency. Prevention and early assessment policies are in place to put an end to the American obesity epidemic. RELATION TO RESEARCH QUESTION: The CDC has employed several different operations to promote healthy eating habits, since it is central to obesity. The Health Eating Active Living Convergence Partnership has combined the efforts of major food companies and other systems (including transportation systems and companies) to promote the accessibility for health foods. Since our concept focuses on healthy eating through unprocessed, home-cooked foods, the food industry is vital to having healthy foods and ingredients available.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. “Recommended Community Strategies and Measurements to Prevent Obesity in the United States.” //Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report// 58 (2009). Web. 30 Jan. 2010.

MAIN QUESTION: An article by the CDC (Center for Disease Control and Prevention) recently released information about the growing obesity problem in the United States and the preventative measures that needed to be taken in order to control the problem. In the article, obesity was contributed to diet, exercise, and environmental factors. Many steps were presented in order to help with the growing problem. FINDINGS: In order to decide on strategies that would work to reduce obesity, the CDC took five preliminary steps. Step one included literature review in order to identify possible strategies. Step two involved prioritizing and selecting the most accessible and promising strategies. Step three was summarizing the twenty-six steps chosen. Step four involved selecting and measuring certain strategies for each community. The final step was the testing of each strategy and its revisions. Each set of strategies had a specific goal in mind. The first set would focus on the intake and availability of healthy foods over processed unhealthy foods. This group of strategies included improving and increasing the availability of healthy food in public venues, improving geographic availabilities of supermarkets in under served areas, improving availability of mechanisms for purchasing food from farms, and that communities should provide incentives for production, distribution, and procurement of foods from local farms. The next strategy encouraged breast feeding. It supported the increase of breast feeding because of scientific data that showed a child’s ability to regulate the intake of energy increased which cut down on the possibility of obesity. The next set of strategies encouraged the increase in physical activity and the decrease in sedentary lifestyles. The strategies included requiring physical education in schools, increasing physical activity in physical education courses and the increase in physical extracurricular activities. The last set of strategies focused on creating safe communities that support physical activities. The strategies included improving access to outdoor recreational facilities, enhancing infrastructure supporting bicycling and walking, locating schools within walking distance of residential areas, enhancing traffic safety, and participating in community coalitions or partnerships to address obesity. RELATION TO RESEARCH QUESTION: The CDC stated that the final step would be for communities and local governments to establish these strategies and play a major role in helping control the epidemic of obesity. This study pertained to our question of addressing obesity in the United States and Atchison because it gave us an idea of where to start with attempting to solve the problem of obesity.