Group+Ten

Wiki #5: Creating Social Change


 * Introduction: **

Under-aged drinking has become an epidemic in the United States. With this corruption of the youth, their decisions are impaired, leading to an increase in the crime rate. Young adults and teenagers believe that they can handle the consumption of alcohol but often the substance is abused. This Wiki will address the issue of under aged drinking through the perspective of the structural functionalism. Through research we will prove that if the drinking age is lowered the abuse of the substance will decrease. Once the research has been complied we will create a probable solution with the infatuation to break the law. The overall focus of this research will be to help decrease the abuse of alcohol.

According to Durkheim, “the functionalist perspective views society as akin to a living organism in which each part of the organism contributes to it survival. The functionalist approach focuses on stability and consensus” (Witt, 2009, p. 13). As functionalists, we are suggesting that a law be implemented to lower the drinking age from 21 to 15, with a gradual decrease of restrictions. Our proposed law would be to implement a permit for young people ages 15-17, meaning that they would only be allowed to drink when in the presence of parents or legal guardians. Those ages 17-21 would be allowed to drink only when with individual(s) over 21 or their parents/legal guardians. At the age of 21, individuals will be able to drink without a permit provided they use their license. With the new drinking law and the implementation of permit drinking, alcohol dependence after the age of 21 will decrease. Because minors will be exposed to alcohol throughout their minor years, they will be accustomed to it; therefore, less likely to abuse it in their future. The functionalist perspective includes three components, manifest functions, latent functions, and dysfunctions. Manifest functions are the intended consequences. If our law is applied correctly, these will be the manifest functions: to limit the abuse of alcohol and to lower crime rates. Latent functions are the unintended positive or neutral outcomes. In our case, the latent functions include the increase in revenue and jobs for alcoholic corporations. Dysfunctions are the unintended negative outcomes. For youths in the 15 to 21 year age range, their brains are more susceptible to damage; therefore, by allowing them to consume alcohol at an earlier age, there is a health risk factor.
 * Theory: **

=**Literature Review:**= The influence the media has on American under-aged youth concerning alcohol has been linked to an increase of illegal under-aged drinking. Richard Bonnie stated in his book, //Reducing Under-aged Drinking: A Collective Responsibility//, that “despite these serious concerns, the media continues to make drinking look attractive to youth, and it remains possible and even easy for teenagers to get access to alcohol (Bonnie)”. However some companies that advertise alcohol have an obligation to promote drinking alcohol responsibly. This does not decrease the appeal of the advertisements, but only promotes responsible drinking which beer company Anheuser-Busch works hard in promoting (Responsibility Matters, Para 1).

With under-aged drinking comes increased binge drinking and likelihood of alcohol abuse in the future. “In 2005, about 10.8 million persons ages 12-20 (28.2% of this age group) reported drinking alcohol in the past month. Nearly 7.2 million (18.8%) were binge drinkers, and 2.3 million (6.0%) were heavy drinkers (SADD, //Statistics// 1).” “Adults age 21 or older who had first used alcohol before age 21 were more likely than adults who had their first drink at 21 or older to be classified with alcohol dependence or abuse (9.6% vs. 2.1%) (SADD, 8).” Along with increased binge drinking and alcohol dependence or abuse, comes driving accidents. It has been found that minors cause many of the drunk driving accidents and deaths. “Twenty-eight percent (28%) of 15- to 20-year-old drivers who were killed in motor vehicle crashes in 2005 had been drinking (SADD, 11).”

“Instead of stigmatizing alcohol and trying to scare people into abstinence, we need to recognize that it is not alcohol itself but rather the abuse of alcohol that is the problem” (Underage Drinking & Alcohol Abuse, para 32). To address extreme under-aged drinking, we have found that the legal drinking age should be lowered with specific regulations. The new law stated in the solution was inspired by the European view of alcohol use. Time Magazine stated that “France, Romania, Italy, Spain and Portugal--get drunk at about the same rate as American teens (or slightly less often) even though a typical kid in these countries can buy wine or beer in any shop from early adolescence (Time, 2). ” But, Italy and Spain report very low rates of alcohol dependence or abuse (Time, 2).” With the new drinking law and the implementation of permit drinking, alcohol dependence or abuse will decrease not only with minors but also those older than 21. Because minors will be exposed to alcohol throughout their minor years, they will be accustomed to it; therefore, less likely to abuse it in their future. The new drinking law will be paired with a higher driving age of 17. We decided upon the addition of implementing this law because the American Medical Association stated, “drinking and driving among youth may not be as great a problem in Europe as in the U.S. Compared to their American counterparts, European youth must be older to obtain their drivers' licenses, are less likely to have a car, and are more inclined to use public transportation”. These laws will decrease the binge drinking and alcohol abuse rate as well as alcohol related motor-vehicle accidents and deaths.

After deciding on the social problem of underage drinking we thoroughly researched the topic. We found several articles that pertained to underage drinking. Once the articles had been analyzed as a group we discussed our research and came to an alternative solution to the problem of underage drinking. We now propose a new law to fix this social problem of underage drinking.
 * Methods: **

=**Solution and Results:**= Our proposed law would be to implement a permit for young people ages 15-17, meaning that they would only be allowed to drink when in the presence of parents or legal guardians. Those ages 17-21 would be allowed to drink only when with individual(s) over 21 or their parents/legal guardians. At the age of 21, individuals will be able to drink without a permit provided they use their license. Currently, young people under the age of 21, feel the desire to drink in part because it is illegal and forbidden. By lowering the drinking age to 15, young people will no longer feel compelled to drink excessively because it will no longer be rebellious or a prohibited act to part take in. They will learn to drink responsibly in the safe context of their family, who will be able to help them determine their personal alcoholic limitations. By having IDs for students that clearly state their age, vendors that sell alcoholic beverages will be able to easily enforce the law. Also, the state of Kansas recently raised the driving age to 17 from 16 ( [] ). If all states lower the drinking age and raise the driving age young people will not be driving while under the influence of alcohol. Because young adults will be able to establish their boundaries before they are able to drive, there will be fewer drunk-driving accidents. Once the law is implement over time young people will not find being drunk appealing, rather drunkenness will seen as an embarrassing act. There will also be fewer instances of inebriated persons being taken advantage of sexually because individuals will be less likely to be intoxicated. Through our research it is evident that the drinking age should be lowered because everyone can benefit from our suggested law.

=**Annotated Bibliography:**= 1. American Medical Association (AMA). //Facts about Youth and Alcohol//. Date Retrieved: April 27th, 2010. []
 * Main Question**

What are the benefits of a minimum drinking age?


 * Main Findings**
 * “When the MLDA is lowered, motor vehicle crashes and deaths among youth increase. At least 50 studies have evaluated this correlation” (AMA, para. 4)
 * “Regarding Europeans and alcohol use among youth, research confirms that Europeans have rates of alcohol-related diseases (such as cirrhosis of the liver) similar to or higher than those in the U.S. population” (AMA, 9)
 * “drinking and driving among youth may not be as great a problem in Europe as in the U.S. Compared to their American counterparts, European youth must be older to obtain their drivers' licenses, are less likely to have a car, and are more inclined to use public transportation” (AMA, 9)

This article relates only in two ways. The first is that it states that when the legal drinking age is lowered more vehicle accidents and deaths occur with youth, supporting our reason to lower the legal drinking age but increase the driving age. The second is that the lower drinking age in Europe is effective in keeping drunk driving accidents minimal when implemented with an increased driving age.
 * Relates**

2. Bonnie, Richard and Mary Ellen O’Connell. //Reducing Underage Drinking: A Collective// //Responsibility//. The National Academies Press, 2004. Date retrieved: April 25, 2010. []


 * Main Question**

What are some strategies for preventing underage drinking amongst teenagers?

· “Alcohol use by young people is extremely dangerous - both to themselves and society at large. Underage alcohol use is associated with traffic fatalities, violence, unsafe sex, suicide, educational failure, and other problem behaviors that diminish the prospects of future success, as well as health risks (Intro). · Despite these serious concerns, the media continues to make drinking look attractive to youth, and it remains possible and even easy for teenagers to get access to alcohol. · And when underage youths drink, they drink more heavily and recklessly than adults. They report that they “usually” drink an average of four and a half drinks, an amount very close to the threshold of five drinks typically used to define heavy drinking (also referred to as binge drinking). In contrast, adult drinkers report usually drinking fewer than three drinks. · Alcohol companies, advertising companies, and commercial media should refrain from marketing practices (including product design, advertising, and promotional techniques) that have substantial underage appeal and should take reasonable precautions in the time, place, and manner of placement and promotion to reduce youthful exposure to other alcohol advertising and marketing activity. · The minimum drinking age laws of each state should prohibit purchase or attempted purchase, possession, and consumption of alcoholic beverages by persons under 21; possession of and use of falsified or fraudulent identification to purchase or attempt to purchase alcoholic beverages; provision of any alcohol to minors by adults, except to their own children in their own residences; and underage drinking in private clubs and establishments.”
 * Main Findings**

Creating a solution for underage drinking is a big task to tackle. This article illustrates some of the dysfunctions of underage drinking and proposes a few solutions to solve this wide spread act.
 * Relates**

3. Cloud, John. //Should You Drink with Your Kids?//. Time Magazine, 2008.


 * Main Question**

Would lowering the legal drinking age and being allowed to drink with parents decrease the high rates of binge drinking, alcohol dependence and abuse, and the rates of drunk driving accidents?


 * Main Findings**
 * “When Congress passed the National Minimum Drinking Age Act in 1984, it explicitly allowed kids to drink at home or in "private clubs or establishments." (Cloud, page 1)
 * “Similarly, under most state laws, it's legal for those under 21 to consume alcohol under certain conditions. Only six states, mostly rural ones, ban underage alcohol consumption completely.” (Cloud, 1)
 * With more laws and enforcement on alcohol use and minors “Stanton Peele writes, ‘When alcohol is presented as impossibly dangerous, it becomes alluring as a 'forbidden fruit' ... The choice between abstinence and excess is not a good one to force on children.’” (Cloud, page 2)
 * “There's evidence that drinking with your kids--not buying them alcohol for a party but actually drinking with them at home--is a good way to teach responsible drinking behavior.” (Cloud, 2)
 * “Foley and her colleagues wrote in a 2004 Journal of Adolescent Health paper, ‘Drinking with parents appears to have a protective effect on general drinking trends.’” (2)
 * “Drink a "few sips" of alcohol at family meals until she was about 16, when she could have a full glass of whatever the adults were drinking. "You give them sips as smaller kids, and you don't make a big deal about it," says Peele, 62. "Around 16, give them a glass of wine. A second glass probably doesn't make sense, but making hard-and-fast rules creates the sense that alcohol is some magical potion.”” (2)
 * “Kids from the Southern European countries of the Romance languages--France, Romania, Italy, Spain and Portugal--get drunk at about the same rate as American teens (or slightly less often) even though a typical kid in these countries can buy wine or beer in any shop from early adolescence.” (2)
 * “The Southern European model of moderate, supervised drinking within families seems to be the most promising approach” (2)
 * “Italy and Spain report very low rates of alcohol dependence or abuse (less than 1% and 2.8%, respectively) compared with the U.S., where the rate is 7.8%, slightly lower than France's 8.7%. (All the figures are from the World Health Organization.)” (2)
 * “Because alcohol is harder to obtain now than in the '70s and '80s, more kids are delaying their first drink. But most people will drink before 21, and it's a reasonable goal for parents to be there when it happens. "What if a kid has never had alcohol and drinks for the first time at 21?" asks Peele, the author of Addiction-Proof Your Child. "If they haven't developed a capacity to regulate themselves with alcohol at all, you can be headed for trouble."” (Cloud, page 3)

This article relates to our problem in that it supports our theory and solution to lower the legal drinking age but with that, enforce parental/guardian guidance till a certain age and “adult” (21 and over) supervision till the age of 21.
 * Relates**

4. Hanson, D. (n.d.). Underage Drinking & Alcohol Abuse. //WWW2 Webserver//. Retrieved April 26, 2010, from []


 * Main Question:**

Alcohol abuse by underage citizens is becoming a significant problem in the United States. When underage people drink they do not know when to stop, and therefore continue to drink. This then leads to actions that can be harmful to themselves and other citizens. The question then becomes why is this a problem? Is society or the media causing the problem? Is the media overdoing the headlines?

· “Similarly, a nation-wide survey of students at 168 U. S. colleges and universities found that: o 98% have never been in trouble with a college administrator because of behavior resulting from drinking too much o 93% have never received a lower grade because of drinking too much o 93% have never come to class after having had several drinks o 90% have never damaged property, pulled a false alarm, or engaged in similar inappropriate behavior because of drinking (Para 11). · Hype and exaggeration are actually an important part of the problem. A negative spin on drinking statistics has a negative impact on drinking behaviors by contributing to a "reign of error. When people believe that "everyone is doing it," abusive drinking increases as they try to conform to the imagined behaviors of others. This is especially true among young people” (Para 21). · “Research has demonstrated that reducing misperceptions of alcohol abuse is an effective way to reduce actual abuse among adolescents” (Para 22). · Teaching students how religions use alcohol can also be helpful. These organizations are using the alcohol for good and not to transform into something different (Para 26). · “Instead of stigmatizing alcohol and trying to scare people into abstinence, we need to recognize that it is not alcohol itself but rather the abuse of alcohol that is the problem” (Para 32).
 * Main Findings:**

This article relates to our topic because it focuses on the other half of the problem; the media influencing misconceptions about alcohol use. This article says that the number of college students not drinking is the numbers we should look at. This article is also important because it has useful suggestions to fixing the problem.
 * Relates:**

5. Students Against Destructive Decisions. “Statistics: Underage Drinking”; Found in: Aldworth, Jeremy. “National Survey on Drug Use and Health: National Findings”. Department of Health and Human Services, 2005; Found in: Johnston, Lloyd D. “Monitoring the Future: National Results on Adolescent Drug Use”. National Institute on Drug Abuse, 2005. Date retrieved: April 27, 2010. [].


 * Main Question**

What are the age groups of under-aged drinkers and with what prevalence do they drink illegally?

· “In 2005, about 10.8 million persons ages 12-20 (28.2% of this age group) reported drinking alcohol in the past month. Nearly 7.2 million (18.8%) were binge drinkers, and 2.3 million (6.0%) were heavy drinkers (SADD, //Statistics// 1).” · “Three out of every four students (75%) have consumed alcohol (more than just a few sips) by the end of high school (SADD, 2).” · “About two fifths of students (41%) have consumed alcohol (more than just a few sips) by 8th grade (SADD, 6).” · “More than half (58%) of 12th graders report having been drunk at least once in their life. One fifth (20%) of 8th graders report having been drunk at least once in their life (SADD, 7).” · “Adults age 21 or older who had first used alcohol before age 21 were more likely than adults who had their first drink at 21 or older to be classified with alcohol dependence or abuse (9.6% vs. 2.1%) (SADD, 8).” · “Motor vehicle crashes remain the number one cause of death among youth ages 15-20. There were 7,460 youth motor vehicle deaths in 2005. (This includes both drivers and passengers) (SADD, 10).” · “Twenty-eight percent (28%) of 15- to 20-year-old drivers who were killed in motor vehicle crashes in 2005 had been drinking (SADD, 11).”
 * Main Findings**

This article relates to our topic because it highlights the prevalence of under-aged drinking and gives the needed statistics to provide the evidence for our argument.
 * Relates**

6. Responsibility Matters. (n.d.). //Welcome to Beeresponsible - Beeresponsible.com//. Retrieved April 28, 2010, from http://beerresponsible.com/


 * Main Question:**

What stance do large corporations such as Anheuser-Busch have when it comes to drinking?

· “They believe drinking needs to be done responsibly at all times and they fight against alcohol abuse” (Para 1). · “Anheuser-Busch has invested over $750 million in education programs and campaigns that promote responsible drinking for those that are of age and are allowed to drink. · Responsible drinking is the norm, not the exception” (Para 2). · “According to a recent survey conducted by Harris Interactive of those adults 21 and older who drinks beer, 97 percent do so responsibly and in moderation” (Para 3). · “To address alcohol abuse issues, Anheuser-Busch has developed programs that remind adults to be responsible when they drink” (Para 2).
 * Main Findings:**

Overall it is evident that alcoholic beverage companies do not promote the abuse of alcohol including underage drinking. They try and provide help to prevent such things from happening. Large companies do not sell alcohol to youth because it is against the law but if there different law implementing a lower legal drinking age, they would most likely advertise to that audience as well as the current audience while still promoting alcohol responsible drinking.
 * Relates: **

Wiki #3: Understanding American Inequality

=**Introduction:**=

The American Dream consists of leading a successful life which is measured by wealth and status. Individuals strive toward the American Dream; however, this dream creates a hierarchy resulting in inequality. The American Dream is not equally available to all American citizens because of the social barriers it creates. Some of these barriers are gender, race, income, and age. With the material we have been provided, we will explain how interactions in American society prevent some individuals from reaching the American Dream.

=**Theory:**=  The Symbolic Interactionist perspective, “generalizes about everyday forms of social interaction in order to explain society as a whole” (Witt, 2009, 15). Interactionists focus on the subjective aspects of social life and help shape our world. Through interactions with others, people can change how they view the world. In regard to the American Dream, symbolic interactionism focuses on different social classes that are defined by the variables of wealth, unemployment, wages, and poverty. As a result of these variables a hierarchy is created defining the social classes. Relationships with others help shape how individuals achieve their idea of the American Dream.

=**Literature Review:**=

What is the American Dream? Do all Americans view this //dream// in the same way? Can everyone in American society achieve it equally? Over time, the definition of the American Dream has developed from striving for equality to creating inequality. According to //The Learning Page,// the American Dream is defined as: "that dream of a land in which life should be better and richer and fuller for everyone, with opportunity for each according to ability or achievement. It is not a dream of motor cars and high wages merely, but a dream of social order in which each man and each woman shall be able to attain to the fullest stature of which they are innately capable, and be recognized by others for what they are, regardless of the fortuitous circumstances of birth or position"(//American Memory from the Library of Congress - Home Page//, para. 1). //Wise Geek// had a different opinion of the American Dream. It was defined as “ an idea that suggests that all people can succeed through hard work, and that all people have the potential to live happy, successful lives” (//Wise Geek,// para. 1). //The Learning Dream// definition promotes equality and the //Wise Geek// promotes inequality and the implementation of a hierarchy. The //Wise Geek// definition pertains to how the American Dream is viewed by the present American society.

Research shows that poverty and welfare have become a powerful reality in American society due to the inequalities created by the American Dream. Sixty percent of Americans have experienced poverty during adulthood. “By age 30, 27% of Americans have been in poverty, and 34% fall below or near poverty line. By age of 50, 42% have experienced one year of poverty and 50% fall below or near poverty line. By age 75, 59% have spent one year below poverty line and 68% have faced a year in the near poverty level. By age 65, 2/3 have received assistance for need based welfare programs for at least a year. 40% will have used these programs in at least five separate years” (Rank, 2003, page 160-161). Loss of employment, divorce, and illness all contribute to unexpected poverty. Governmental aid, when these unexpected events occur, is minimal. “Twenty-five of full time workers are classified as low-wage workers or workers who earn less than 65% of the national median for full time workers” (Rank, 2003, page 160-161). This disproves the statement provided by //Wise Geek// stating that hard work provides a “successful” life, when these individuals work hard and yet have not achieved the American Dream determined by society. Some individuals have fewer opportunities available to them than others, which creates inequality. Inequality creates a hierarchy (Jackson, Max, 2007, page 1). Because of this hierarchy, status is the only way for society to view individuals and success. Removing status barriers (age, gender, and race) would allow individuals oppressed by those barriers obtain a hierarchal status; making the individuals who previously held hierarchal positions fight to sustain them.

Those with more opportunities have a higher potential for success and it is up to them to take advantage of this potential. If a society is based on inequalities, equality then becomes an issue. Impoverished individuals understand equality and want to obtain it but are unable to know the experience and feeling of being privileged (Jackson, Max, 2007, page 1). People of the same economic status interact as equals because of their similar surroundings and experiences. If there were no hierarchy, there would be no motivation to obtain a higher status in society through success. Between the higher and lower ranked individuals there has been a struggle for power this is illustrated through acts of resistance and deviance (Jackson, Max, 2007, page 1).

=**Methods**=

Our Hypothesis is, if an individual comes from a lower socio-economic status (SES), then the American Dream is more out of reach and harder for that individual to achieve. The inverse of this situation is if one comes from a higher SES the American Dream is more attainable. Our independent variable is SES which is an ascribed status at birth but can be changed by an individual’s choices. To change SES an individual must go through an achieved status change, which means to change one’s status largely through one’s own actions, whether it is a positive or negative change. Changes in status do not occur that often due to a structured system called Intergenerational mobility. Intergeneration mobility is, “changes in social position of children relative to their parents,” (Witt, soc, p374). What this essentially means is that most individuals will stay the same status that their parents were while they were growing up as children. This is important to recognize because it proves that the SES you are born into is hard to change. Our dependent variable is job status and its effect on the American Dream. Through research of data we will support our hypothesis by proving that job status and SES are directly correlated with one another and have an overall effect on successfully fulfilling the American Dream.

=**Results**=

We have discovered through analyzing several graphs and charts that the American Dream is not equally available to all American citizens because not all Americans come from the same SES. From the graphs, we can see that much of the wealth in the country is concentrated in the hands of a small percentage of the population. Since 1980, the gap between the average income of the upper 1% of the population and the bottom 90% has increased from 12.6% to 32.7% (Pikkety and Saez, 2001). We have deciphered how different variables such as gender, race, achieved education, and criminal record, play a large role when it comes to job status which is directly related to SES. According to the Demographic trends in unemployment chart, in December of 2007, before the recession began, there were 5.1 men for every 4.9 women who were unemployed. Currently, there are 11 men for every 8.8 women who are unemployed. Although equality between men and women in the work place is prevalent, we still see a gap when it comes to gender in the work force. According to the US Census Bureau, African Americans have been at the highest poverty rate from 1973 to 2006. The poverty of Hispanics has been rising steadily since 1973 and is currently almost equal to that of African Americans. As shown in the table “Share of Good Jobs by Race, 1979 and 2008,” Whites occupy the majority of good paying jobs. This table also shows that White males have the highest percentage of good paying jobs. No matter what gender or race one is ascribed, education level completed plays a pivotal role in being employed by good jobs (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2009). Devah Pager (2003) recorded that less than 5% of Blacks with a criminal records will receive a call back when for a job, whereas, over 30% of Whites without a criminal record will receive a call back. From what we have concluded it is evident that the inequality of different races correlates with SES. Due to this correlation between race and SES, it is difficult to achieve the American Dream. To change stereotypes prescribed to certain socio-economic statuses which are often associated with race, every individual must work to break the trends that have been formed by these two variables throughout the history of our country. =**Annotated Bibliography**=

1. Rank, R. Mark (2003). “As American As Apple Pie: Poverty and Welfare” //Poverty and Welfare.//

Poverty has little to do with motivation or lack there of. The only way a person is going to live an ideal life is by having a successful job that pays the bills. Motivation is not the only factor that contributes to acquiring and marinating a job. Factors that are necessary include: opportunity, family background and socioeconomic status. Poverty and welfare are common occurrences in American life; it is not exclusive to the minority of the population. Poverty in America is predominantly burdened the lower class and working class the most due to the fact they live pay-check to pay-check and one mistake can lead to economic deficiencies. However, it also troubles the middle and upper classes because they are the individuals paying the majority of the increasing tax rates. The American government appears to have the means to overcome the poverty problem, however it is not making effective use of its resources.
 * Main Question**

· Poverty is apart of all of our lives. · 60% of Americans have been in poverty during adulthood. · 11-15% have lived under the poverty line in United States for at least a year. · Most people are poor for only a short amount of time (One year-three years). · By age 30, 27%of Americans have been in poverty, and 34% fall below near poverty line. By age of 50, 42% have experienced one year of poverty and 50% fall below near poverty line. By age 75, 59% have spent one year below poverty line and 68% have faced a year in the near poverty level. · By 65, 2/3 have received assistance for need based welfare programs for at least a year. 40% will have used these programs in at least five separate years. · Illness, family splits, and loosing a job are all unexpected emergencies that can lead to poverty. Safety nets or government help for households faced with these types of household emergencies is relatively small. · Americans fight for work, but suffer more than any other country due to the lack of governmental income support. · 25% of full time workers are classified as low-wage workers or workers who earn less than 65% of the national median for full time workers.
 * Main Findings** (Numbers only take into account adulthood)

This article relates to our topic because it shows the major struggles all people face how hard it truly is to attain the American Dream. The numbers include in the main findings tend to be from single parent homes and those with a lower education level. This is likely to be because of the increasing divorce rates across America. Fighting to survive and succeed is a challenge because as stated above, the majority of people have been in the poverty level for at least a year. It is also a challenge to reach the American dream because there is not enough jobs to employ individuals in the working class to create a successful future for all individuals.
 * Relates**

2. Jackson, Robert Max. (2007). “Keyword: Inequalities” //Contexts.// American Sociological Association.

What is an inequality and is it what based on and how does the hierarchy works with equality and inequality.
 * Main Question:**

· Some individuals have fewer opportunities available to them than others, which creates inequality. Those with more opportunities have a higher potential for success and it is up to them to take advantage of this potential. · Inequality creates a hierarchy. Because of this hierarchy, status is the only way for society to view individuals and success. · If a society is based on inequalities, equality then becomes an issue. · Privileged individuals understand inequality but do not know the experience. Impoverished individuals understand equality and want to obtain it but are unable to know the experience and feeling of being privileged. · People of the same economic status interact as equals because of their similar surroundings and experiences. Examples: Schools, neighborhoods, houses of worship, and places of recreation such as parks and bars. · If there were no hierarchy, there would be no motivation to obtain a higher status in society through success. · Removing status barriers (age, gender, and race) would allow individuals oppressed by those barriers obtain a hierarchal status; making the individuals who previously held hierarchal positions fight to sustain them. · Between the higher and lower ranked individuals there has been a struggle for power this is illustrated through acts of resistance and deviance.
 * Main Findings:**

This article is relevant to our topic because it shows the struggle for power and striving for a higher status in the hierarchy of our society. It demonstrates how the effort to achieve the American Dream is difficult because of the barriers that hinder individuals.
 * Relates:**

Wiki #2: Crisis Pregnancy Center's

=**Introduction:**=

Crisis pregnancy centers are organizations where women can go when they are in need of comfort, support, love, hope, stability and everyday essentials for themselves and their baby. They can also provide free pregnancy tests, counseling and support for the mothers and fathers as well as several abortion alternatives such as adoption. With the material we have been provided, we will explain how crisis pregnancy centers promote their organization’s causes and goals, and voice the struggles they experience in operating due to lack of funding.

=**Theory:**=

The social conflict perspective “assumes social behavior is best understood in terms of tension between groups over power or the allocation of resources” (Witt, 2009, 15). It considers how the status quo is established and maintained and who benefits and who suffers from the existing system. We view society as an area of conflict and believe society is an arena of power struggles. The existing system involves a base and a superstructure.The base creates and maintains the superstructure and the superstructure legitimates and maintains the base (Classroom Notes, 2010). Within the superstructure there are various types of institutions. One example includes Crisis Pregnancy Canters (CPC’s.) The problem between the base and the superstructure lies within the lack of distribution of wealth that is encompassed through Capitalism. This issue has been noticeable in rural communities due to the lack of wealth not brought in by big businesses. The base is capitalism and the superstructure is non-profit organizations such as Crisis Pregnancy Centers. This oppression includes a deficiency in funding which leads to a lack of advertising resources (promoting the cause, gathering supplies, and recruiting unpaid volunteers) This pertains to our issue because Crisis Pregnancy Centers in rural areas struggle with obtaining appropriate funding. Insufficient funding leads to inconsistent volunteers followed by a decrease in clientele, ending in the closing of Crisis Pregnancy Centers.

=**Literature Review:**=

Crisis Pregnancy Centers are a place of refuge for unprepared expectant mothers. Finding a community to go where a mother can feel love and support can be a challenging task especially during an unintended pregnancy. A woman can search the yellow pages and read handouts, but needs to make the hardest decision of all: abortion, adoption, or keeping the baby. According to the Pro-Life dilemma article, hope is the factor all women need (Frederica Mathewes-Green, 2010, 1). These women need to feel that there are people around who will love and support the new family. The next phase for new mothers and babies is the hardest of all. Most of the babies end up in single parent homes and live in low poverty levels (Frederica Mathewes-Green, 2010,1, 2). Along with being in poverty, these new families also tend to have more problems with the law and have lower education levels (Frederica Mathewes-Green, 2010, 2). CPC’s are struggling getting the adequate funding to support these women and babies in a way to help them the best. CPC’s are trying to help the funding dilemma by creating an environment that the woman feels comfortable about speaking about adoption (Frederica Mathewes-Green, 2010, 4). This can be challenging for CPC’s because it is such a touchy issue for pregnant mothers, and several of these people are never heard from again (Frederica Mathewes-Green, 2010, 4). CPC’s are trying to show new mothers that the journey to making a decision about adoption is just as important as the adoption itself (Frederica Mathewes-Green, 2010, 6). Overall the most difficult task for CPC’s is creating an environment where mothers are treated with respect and have the money to survive and give the child the best life possible. Unintended pregnancies create the need for Crisis Pregnancy Centers.

In the United States, unintended pregnancy is an important factor contributing to the high abortion rate, which is often overlooked in studies (Stanley K. Henshaw, 1998, 1). High rates of unintended pregnancy are gaining national attention as the “immediate cause of both abortion and unplanned birth” (Stanley K. Henshaw, 1998, 1). Researchers found that rates of unintended pregnancy declined with the use of more effective methods of contraception and an increase of contraceptive use. Although unintended pregnancy decreased as a whole, unwanted pregnancy (ending in abortion) were unaffected or increasing. A study conducted in 1982 by the National Survey of Family Growth (NSFG) found that 46% of women ages 15-44 experienced one or more unintended pregnancies (Stanley K. Henshaw, 1998, 2). By the time these women are 45 years old, researchers predicted that 46% of them will have had at least one abortion (Stanley K. Henshaw, 1998, 2). Between 1990 and 1995, the NSFG recorded that 31% of unintended births were experienced by women who did not intend to have a child at that time; however, 21% of women who had unintended births that year never intended to have more children (Stanley K. Henshaw, 1998, 6). In 1994, it was estimated that 1.22 million births resulted from unintended pregnancies. During that time, there were 2.65 million (including abortions) unintended pregnancies, which accounted for 49% of all pregnancies that year. Also, 309,000 miscarriages occurred that year, which might have ended in abortion or unintended births as well (UPUS 6). Including miscarriages the total number of unintended pregnancies in 1994, add up to 3.04 million. Of all unintended pregnancies in 1994 (excluding miscarriages), 54% had an abortion and 46% carried their children to term (Stanley K. Henshaw, 1998, 8). Forty-eight percent of these women were using some sort of contraceptive method during the “month they became pregnant” (Stanley K. Henshaw, 1998, 8). Of “contraceptive users, 51% had abortions, 37% had births, and 12% had miscarriages” (Stanley K. Henshaw, 1998, 8). Of those that did not use contraception, “43% had abortions, 44% had births and 13% had miscarriages” (Stanley K. Henshaw, 1998, 8). Teens younger than 18 were found responsible for 82-83% of all unintended pregnancies that year. With these findings of high prevalence of unintended pregnancies in this age group, Crisis Pregnancy Centers can gather that the majority of their clientele will be 18 years of age or younger. In addition to these findings, 33% of women between the ages of 20 and 24 and 51% of women ages 40 or older experienced unintended pregnancies. During the survey researchers reported that “for every 1,000 women ages 15-44, about 45 had an accidental pregnancy” and for women ages 18-19, the total number of unintended pregnancies for every 1,000 women was 105 (Stanley K. Henshaw, 1998, 8). Researchers predict that “14% of women can expect to have had an abortion before age 20, 37% by age 30 and 43% by age 45” (Stanley K. Henshaw, 1998,13). All of these shocking statistics affect not only the way CPC’s approach their mission, but also how the general public chooses to respond.

The relatively high rates of unintended pregnancy are relevant to the topic because it is specifically the women who experience unintended or unexpected pregnancies which the Crisis Pregnancy Centers wish to target. The research in this article can help CPC’s prove the great need for the availability of their services in all communities, both rural and urban. If CPC’s seek to educate others about their cause, influence informed decisions of women with unintended pregnancies, and prevent abortions while promoting Christian values, they need sufficient funding in order to do so. The alarming data and statistics stated in this article could aid economically struggling CPC’s in showing that there is a desperate need for the services they can provide, but can only operate successfully if they are able to gather enough committed volunteers, donations, and clients.

=**Methods:**= The data was collected from a group of crisis pregnancy centers around the Midwest. These centers were identified as residing in small, rural towns in the Midwest. Students called these centers and asked questions that were provided by the instructor and reviewed by the IRB. These interviews gave professional perspectives into Crisis Pregnancy Centers. The interviews provided questions regarding funding, status of clientele, and how they promote their center. All of this data is now available for review. After the interviews became accessible we analyzed the responses and specifically noted the questions and answers that pertained to the social conflict perspective. The answers that pertained to our study the mostincluded: 7 out of 11 interviews directly said word of mouth was the best way to promote CPC's. 5 out of 11 stated that volunteers were either hard to find and or maintain. We then integrated those questions into our research by breaking those questions down and identifying the real problem facing Crisis Pregnancy Centers.

=**Results:**= = = Our research showed that there are many best practices for overcoming funding obstacles for Crisis Pregnancy Centers. Collectively we discussed the best practices and brainstormed our opinions of the best ideas to overcome the funding problems. The data suggests that funding is a problem. For example, “the greatest obstacles/challenges were finances and volunteer help”(interview 7). This problem manifests itself through difficulty in recruiting and maintaining unpaid volunteers and purchasing supplies to help support the women that are aided by the Centers. The common thread through the interview responses is that the Centers rely primarily on word of mouth and on networking within their local communities in order to receive funding. After reviewing the current best practices, here are some suggestions to help fund Crisis Pregnancy Centers. To solve the problem of maintaining paid employees and purchasing supplies, the Centers need to approach local corporations, churches and families about sponsoring specific projects, such as baby supplies and employee salaries. Alternative funding resources to further alleviate the problem include, placing “change jars” around town to collect community members’ spare change to support the center. Additional fundraisers could include auctions, bake sales, and entertainment nights. Because recruiting volunteers is difficult, increasing community involvement is essential. When the community becomes increasingly involved, they are able to support the general upkeep of the facility. The Crisis Pregnancy Center can incorporate the youth of the community by inviting local scouts, youth groups, and school organizations to become involved. In conclusion, Crisis Pregnancy Centers are in constant need of funding to provide services to women in crisis pregnancies, and word of mouth and networking are the best practices for doing this.

=**Annotated Bibliographies:**= = = 1. Eglene, Ophelia. "Conducting Best and Current Practices Research: A Starter Kit." Center for Technology in Government. 2000. Web. 3 March 2010.

When conducting research there are a few steps that make it the process easier. Conducting current and best practices research generally involves three basic steps; formulation of the question, gathering preliminary information, and conducting in-depth interviews.
 * Main Question:**


 * Main Findings:**
 * The first step in conducting the best research is looking at the big picture then focusing on fragments or subtopics of the matter. While doing this think of synonyms that are relevant to the topic, this will allow you to expand on your topic to make internet search easier. This will also help you better understand your issue.
 * After breaking down the big picture, the research process can start. This involves getting on the web, heading to the library, or picking up your phone. Send e-mail messages or call the people you think may know something themselves or may be able to direct you to someone else who does. Start with some of the major search engines such as Google, Yahoo and ASK.com, using different keywords and word combination
 * This kind of research is incomplete if it does not involve interviewing knowledgeable people identified during the information gathering stage. Written material tends to highlight the positives and gloss over the negatives of most stories. Consequently, it is very important to talk to people involved in the projects that interest you to get an insider's view.
 * When conducting an interview it is crucial that knowledgeable people be identified. It is important to talk with them because they provide an insider’s view on the subject, and written materials tend to illustrate the positives and gloss over the negatives of the major issue. The ideal interviewee should be comfortable communicating and interacting with people. They should be able to accurately restate briefly the project proposed. As the interviewer it is crucial to speak to the right person that is one that is knowledgeable and knows what they are talking about. It is also important to ask target questions and to ask difficult questions. Lastly, it is important to have a standard method of documenting the results.

This article is relevant to our topic because it showed the proper technique on how to gather data by conducting interviews. Also described how to apply best practice research and by knowing this we were able to successfully complete the methods for this experiment.
 * Relates:**

2. Frederica Mathewes-Green. Pro-Life Dilemma. 2010. //The Board of Trustees of Leland Stanford Junior University.//

Throughout this article the author address the major conflict pregnant women face. The decision to keep, abort, or adopt the child can be a very challenging concept for women to face. This article also addresses and states many times their beliefs on the best practice for children: being raised in a two-parent home.
 * Main Question:**


 * Main Findings:**
 * Pregnancy centers appear to be places full of //hope.// They show signs of caring relationships full of smiles and courage. The workers and volunteers have so much love for the women for savings the baby’s life (Dilemma: paragraphs 1 & 3).
 * The nest phase for new mothers can be challenging. Most of the time single parents (usually mothers) live off of public housing, welfare, food stamps, WIC, and medical assistance. The children often struggle to have an adequate education, live in poverty their entire lives, and have troubles with the law. (Dilemma: paragraphs 4, 5, &10).
 * There are over 3,000 pregnancy centers in the U.S. which seek to help all women. It is a shame to see that 80-90 percent of the 200,000 clients end up caring for a baby alone (Dilemma: paragraphs: 7, & 10).
 * In the pas there have been two options for women: aborting the child or keeping the baby. The goal now is to show women that adoption is an option or marrying the father (Dilemma: paragraphs 14 & 15).

There are many challenges facing Crisis Pregnancy Centers especially in rural communities. One of the biggest struggles is funding. These centers struggle with seeing women and children struggle to survive because of their income and employment rates. Researchers call this the welfare trap. This is because most of single parent homes end up on welfare, medical pension, and are at high ricks of poverty. There are some interesting facts listen in the article that go hand in hand with the need for more funding for CPC’s.
 * Relates:**

3. Stanley K. Henshaw. Family Planning Perspectives Volume 30, Number 1. 1998. //Unintended Pregnancy in the United States//.

Unintended pregnancy is an important factor contributing to the high U.S. abortion rate, that is often overlooked in studies (p. 1). High rates of unintended pregnancy are gaining national attention as the “immediate cause of both abortion and unplanned birth” (p. 1). Data for this article was collected from mainly the National Surveys of Family Growth (NSFG).
 * Main Question:**


 * Main Findings:**
 * Researchers concluded “rates of unintended pregnancy have declined, probably as a result of higher contraceptive prevalence and use of more effective methods” (UPUS1).
 * Pregnancies were “considered intended if the woman had not been practicing contraception and reported that she had not cared whether she became pregnant.” All pregnancies ending in abortion were assumed under unwanted and unintended ( 2). Data on the characteristics of women who had abortions such as age, marital status, race, and ethnicity was also collected (UPUS 2).
 * “1982 NSFG concluded that 46% of women aged 15-44 at the time of the survey had experienced one or more unintended pregnancies and that 46% of them would have at least one abortion by age 45” (UPUS 2).
 * An estimate of the proportion of women who have ever had an unintended pregnancy was calculated by adding the number of women who had had an unplanned birth to the number who had had an abortion, and then subtracting those who were counted twice because they had had both an unplanned birth and an abortion. Miscarriages were excluded from the totals. (UPUS 5)
 * During the five years leading up to 1995, NSFG recorded that 31% of births were reported unintended (the woman did not want to have children when she did) and 21% of wanted no births ever. (6)
 * In 1994, it was estimated that 1.22 million births resulted from unintended pregnancies. During that time there were 2.65 million (including abortions) unintended pregnancies, 49% of all pregnancies that year. Plus 309,000 miscarriages that would have ended in abortion or unintended births. (6)
 * Including miscarriages the total number of unintended pregnancies in 1994 add up to 3.04 million. Of all unintended pregnancies in 1994 (excluding miscarriages), 54% had an abortion and 46% carried to term (8).
 * 48% of these women were using some sort of contraceptive the “month they became pregnant” (8). Of “contraceptive users, 51% had abortions, 37% had births, and 12% had miscarriages; nonusers, 43% had abortions, 44% had births and 13% had miscarriages” (8).
 * Teens younger than 18 had 82-83% of unintended pregnancies, women between ages 20-24 had 33%, and ages 40 or older 51%.
 * “For every 1,000 women aged 15-44, about 45 had an accidental pregnancy” in 1994. For ages 18-19 unintended pregnancies for every 1,000 women were 105. From this, “100 women will have experienced 142 unintended pregnancies, or about 1.42 per woman, by the time they are 45” (UPUS 8).
 * Having unplanned pregnancies and abortions increased with age due to “increased years of exposure to pregnancy risk” (11).
 * “14% of women can expect to have had an abortion before age 20, 37% by age 30 and 43% by age 45” (13).

The relatively high rates of unintended pregnancy are relevant to the topic because it is specifically the women who experience unintended or unexpected pregnancies which the Crisis Pregnancy Centers wish to target. The research in this article can help CPC’s prove the great need for the availability of their services in all communities, both rural and urban. If CPC’s seek to educate others about their cause, influence informed decisions of women with unintended pregnancies, and prevent abortions while promoting Christian values, they need sufficient funding in order to do so. The alarming data and statistics stated in this article could aid economically struggling CPC’s in showing that there is a desperate need for the services they can provide, but can only operate successfully if they are able to gather enough committed volunteers, donations, and clients.
 * Relates:**

Wiki #1 Obesity =**Introduction**= Obesity is a disease and is defined as the condition of excess body fat to the extent that health is impaired. It is measured by body mass index (BMI) (Youfa and Beydoun, 2007, 2). The cut off points for obesity on the BMI scale are 25 kg/m2 as being overweight and 30 kg/m2 as obese, this is based on the relationship of weight and height (Youfa and Beydoun, 2007, 2). Obesity has become an epidemic in the United States posing issues and great consequences for the nation. Without intervention from the government and other leading corporations, obesity will continue to rise rapidly and remain a crisis. Economic social standings play a large role in obesity rates (Youfa and Beydoun, 2007, 6). From statistical observations obesity seems to be linked to households and individuals of low socio-economic status (SES). With the material that we have been provided, we will explore how obesity and low SES correlate. From our research we hope to provide the answer to; how can Atchison, Kansas address its growing obesity epidemic?

=**Theory**= The social conflict perspective “assumes social behavior is best understood in terms of tension between groups over power or the allocation of resources” (Witt, 2009, 15). It considers how the status quo is established and maintained and who benefits and who suffers from the existing system. We view society as an area of conflict and believe society is an arena of power struggles. The existing system involves a base and a superstructure. The base is capitalism and the superstructure is factors that shape our environment. These include: level of education, occupation and income level.. This pertains to our issue because in the overall population, households and individuals of lower SES suffer from increasing obesity rates substantially more than those of higher SES. Lower SES have a higher obesity level than the wealthy or higher SES do. The following are results of lower SES; high unemployment rates, poor neighborhoods, and low educational attainment of individuals. These three factors are also directly related to increasing obesity rates. Consequently, obesity has also been shown to be a leading cause of low SES.

=**Literature Review**= The Department of Health and Human Services Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has stated that 33% of U.S. adults are overweight and 34% are obese, including nearly 6% as extremely obese. The consequences of obesity are causing more and more health problems among young children (Making Healthy Eating Easier, 2009, p. 2). From 1960 to 1980 a slow increase in obesity in males and females occurred. Then after1980 there began a rapid increase in obesity for both males and females. (Annual Review of Public Health (ARPH) 239). In 1960 the obesity rate was 13%. By 1980 it increased to 15%. By 1990's it had reached 23%and grew to 31% by the year 2000. Because of this increase in obesity, there is more prevalence in obesity related diseases (ARPH 239). Obesity is the cause of approximately 400,000 deaths per year… 2nd to tobacco (239). The researchers used data from the National Center for Health Statistics, Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System, and the National Longitudinal Survey of Adolescent Health to test their hypothesis that there are differences in the obesity rates between gender, age, socioeconomic status, racial/ethnic groups and geographic regions in the United States. They found that there were strong differences between the groups. More men than women were found to be obese and the prevalence of obesity increased with age. Minority groups (Pacific Islanders, non- Hispanic Blacks, Native Americans and Mexican Americans) had a higher prevalence of obesity than non-Hispanic Whites while obesity prevalence was lowest among Asian Americans. In general, the prevalence of obesity increases as the level of education and Socioeconomic Status decreases in America. The western and northeastern states had a lower prevalence compared with all of the other states.

In "Economic Causes and Consequences of Obesity” several trends in food consumption which have lead to increasing obesity rates are discussed. When the price of food decreases, consumption of that particular food will increase causing people to buy more foods and eat larger portions. The unhealthy prepackaged food is cheaper than the healthy food, making healthy food a luxury for some. Between 1985 and 2000 the price of fresh fruits and vegetables, fish, and dairy products increased by 118%, 77%, 56% respectively. The prices of sweets, fats and oils, and carbonated beverages increased at much lower rates. (ARPH 244). Production of higher calorie foods was made cheaper and faster by technological advancements. Because of the cheaper food prices for restaurants, portion sizes also increased. The foods that increased in size the most were French fries and sweetened beverages (ARPH 245). “Serving sizes, which began to increase in the 1970s, continued to increase in the 1980s and 1990s at the same time that obesity rates rose” (245). Calorie intake increased especially when families had two working parents, which created larger income making them more likely to eat out. The consumption of food away from home increased from 18% to 32% of total calories between 1977 to 1978 and 1994 to1996. In 1995, “27% of meals included away-from-home foods, and 34% of calories came from these foods” (245). Also, increased televisions in homes promoted “sedentary lifestyle” in the 1970’s. The increasing availability of other medias and technology since the 1980’s has continued to promote a “sedentary lifestyle”. All of media together explains rise in obesity rates better than just television alone (ARPH 246). However, television directly increases snacking and portion sizes, and “percentage of calories from fat” due to the fact that “children are exposed to ~ 10 food commercials per hour of viewing, most for fast foods, soft drinks, sweets, and sugar-sweetened cereals” (246). All of these factors combined to continue to fuel the growing obesity epidemic in the United States.

Diet and exercise play large roles in weight, but so do environmental facts as well. Realizing we are never going to find a concrete answer to why people are obese, research has proven that the environment in which we live is contributing largely to the growing numbers of obesity. They created many websites to assist and train people about the harmful effects of this disease (Making Healthy Eating Easier, 2009, p. 3-4). There are several suggested ways to remedy this epidemic. The first is to encourage physical activity; this includes programs to facilitate physical fitness, the infrastructure to provide safe environments for physical activity, and convenient locations and facilities for physical activity. The second remedy deals with nutritional and healthy foods as a big factor in reducing obesity. One problem is that those of a lower SES do not have healthier foods available to them, or they cannot afford it. They also have created many conferences and have continued research to find trends and execute interventions to help the growing problem. Partnerships with 23 states have also lead to success for the CDC. They are now able to provide money and tools to help reduce obesity rates (Making Healthy Eating Easier, 2009, p. 2).

By making healthier foods more popular and restricting less healthy foods both in size and venue, healthier living is promoted, and over time the obesity rate will decrease. The best way to reduce rates is by providing the people the facts and ways to attain and maintain a healthy lifestyle.

=**Methods**= Our hypothesis is; if the government in Atchison, Kansas places a subsidized tax on healthy food, then obesity in the area of Atchison, Kansas will be reduced. If we do not do this, we are starving people instead of making food affordable. Our independent variable is the higher cost of unhealthy food due to taxation; consequently relatively lower cost of healthy food. The dependent variable is obesity. We will measure the success of this plan by monitoring the sales of healthy food as compares to the sales of unhealthy food. According to our hypothesis, the tax will cause a decrease in the sales of unhealthy foods and then more people will buy healthy food. The increase in healthy food consumption should result in a decrease in obesity rates in Atchison, Kansas. We will also measure the obesity rates in Atchison over the span of five years to monitor its decrease.

=**Annotated Bibliography**= 1) Youfa Wang and Beydoun, May A. 2007. The Obesity Epidemic in the United States – Gender, Age, Socioeconomic, Racial/Ethnic, and Geographic Characteristics: A Systematic Review and Meta- Regression Analysis. //Epidemiologic Reviews.//

The past three decades, the United States has witnessed a dramatic increase in the prevalence of obesity which has become a public health crisis. This article contains information on obesity and the difference between age, gender, socioeconomic, Racial/ethnic and geographic characteristics. The study was conducted using various surveys such as, NHANES, BRFSS, YRBSS and Add Health Study.
 * Main Question:**


 * Main Findings:**
 * When looking at gender difference, the major statistic that stands out the most is that men are 7 percent more overweight then women. The prevalence of obesity in both men and women has increase by a third over the past twenty years.
 * Non- Hispanic Whites have a 64.2 percent obesity prevalence compared to minority groups (Pacific Islanders, non- Hispanic Blacks, Native Americans and Mexican Americans) who have 76.1 percent prevalence. Asian Americans have a 25 percent lower prevalence in obesity than Non- Hispanic whites.
 * “The prevalence's of obesity were 27.4 percent, 23.2 percent, 21.0 percent, and 15.7 percent for persons with less than a high school education, a high school degree, some college, and college or above, respectively.” (Epidemic:6)
 * When it comes to geographic and urban rural differences western and northeastern states had a lower prevalence compared to all the other states.
 * In 2005, three states in the south had a obesity prevalence of 30 percent or more and 17 states in the southeast had a percentage of 25 percent or more.
 * Over the last 15 years we have seen a rapid increase in obesity within the United States.
 * The prevalence of obesity among low SES individuals is 20 percent compared to 12.9 percent for individuals with a higher SES.

These statistics support the idea that low SES is associated with high obesity rates. Since much of the population of Atchison, Kansas is considered to have a low SES, this links the problem of obesity to Atchison, Kansas.
 * Relates:**

2) Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 2009. Obesity: Halting the Epidemic by Making Healthy Eating Easier.


 * Main Question:**

Obesity is becoming a matter of heath and cost issues in the United Stated. Throughout this article the National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion or CDC’s Nutrition branch laid out the evils of obesity then established ways to prevent the growing epidemic. With the growing number of obese adults and children, how can we [The CDC] inform the population of the ways they can attain and maintain a healthy weight and lifestyle?


 * Main Findings:**
 * According to research, one-third of the U.S. adults and 16% of U.S. children are obese. Adult rates have doubled and children rates have tripled since 1980 (paragraph 1)
 * There are many consequences and risk factors of this disease, which are becoming increasingly more evident in children ages 5-17. (These include, but are not limited to: cancer, stroke, diabetes, heart disease, and high blood pressure).
 * Another problem caused by obesity is the cost. Costs in 2000 for obesity-related health care were about $117 billion. Rates have increased 27% since 1987. Hospital rates when dealing with obese children have also increased; in 1979-1981 costs were $35 million compared to $127 million in 1997-1999. It has also been found that medical expenditures for obese workers are between 29%-117% greater than workers with a normal weight (paragraph 3).
 * Finding an answer to the age-old question, “what causes people to be obese”, can by very challenging and complex. Research is concluding that the environment in which people live is a huge factor into the problem.
 * The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has created many programs, conventions or conferences, and partnerships to try and decrease the epidemic. The first creation is known as the Nutrition and Physical Activity and Obesity (NPAO) Cooperative Agreement. Currently 23 states are funded through the program. The program is based on environmental change and seeks to create a plan for each state (paragraph 6).

These findings are very important to research and finding a //cure// to this problem. By educating obese people and educating the younger population we can hopefully try and ratify the disease by taking actions to reach a healthy body weight. Finding ways to reach all obese people is going to be impossible, but by creating a way for them to take control of their own life by providing them support and resources is the answer we are looking for.
 * Relates:**

3) Laura Kettle Khan et al. Recommended Community Strategies and Measures to Prevent Obesity in the United States. 2009. //Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report// 58: RR-7.

The Department of Health and Human Services Centers for Disease Control and Prevention proposed 24 strategies for communities to lower the obesity rates throughout the United States.
 * Main Question**:


 * Main Findings:**
 * Throughout the United States two thirds of adults and one fifth of children are classified as be overweight or obese.
 * Over the past twenty five years obesity rates have doubled. Specifically 33% of adults are overweight, 34% are obese and this includes almost 6% being extremely obese.
 * The article offered 24 suggestions to help reduce obesity in America. They broke down the suggestions into five main categories that would effectively work they are: Promote the availability and affordable of Healthy food, support healthy food, encourage physical activity or limit sedentary activity among children, create safe communities, and encourage communities to organize for change.
 * Promoting availability and affordable healthy foods in one study statistically showed that when markets were placed within their community they ate 32% more fruits and vegetables.
 * Supporting healthy food proved to be successful when advertisements of less healthy foods were limited. It showed that overweight children aged 3-11 could be reduced by 18% and adolescents aged 12-18 could be reduced by 14%.
 * Because of the lack of safe communities the amount of students who walked to school decreased from 90% to 31% between the years 1969-2001.

In relationship to Atchison, Kansas, obesity rates can be reduced by purchasing healthier foods at the local famer’s market. Also, multiple schools are easily accessible and are well within walking distance. Therefore these suggestions are effective and can be applied within any community.
 * Relates:**

4) Eric A. Finkelstein; Ruhm, Christopher J.; Kosa, Katherine M. 2005. Economic Causes and Consequences of Obesity. //Annual Review of Public Health. 26. 239-57//

"Economic Causes and Consequences of Obesity” discusses how obesity causes more than just health problems. Economically, obesity is linked to technological advances, increased snacking, and rising unhealthy food costs. This document also focuses on how obesity results in increased medical expenditures and how obesity affects the workforce.
 * Main Question:**


 * Main Findings:**
 * From 1960 to 1980 a slow increase in obesity in males and females occurred. Then after1980 there began a rapid increase in obesity for both males and females. (Annual Review of Public Health (ARPH) 239).
 * In 1960 the obesity rate was 13%. By 1980 it increased to 15%. By 1990s, reached 23%. By 2000 31%. Because of this increase in obesity, there is more prevalence in obesity related diseases (ARPH 239). Obesity is the cause of approximately 400,000 deaths per year… 2nd to tobacco (239).
 * With change in technology, energy expenditure was decreased therefore creating less rigorous jobs for employees (ARPH 241). But the energy expenditure happened in 1960s and 1970s so the rapid increase of obesity may not be linked to this change. So, other factors are more likely to be linked to obesity epidemic.
 * Calorie intake increased by 12% between 1985 and 2000, due to increased consumption of added grains, fats, and sugars, carbohydrates, soft and fruit drinks (ARPH 244). Specifically in children, snacking became more popular. Between 1988 and1994, 20% to 24% of calories that children consumed were from beverages. For 12 to 19 year olds, 8% came from soft drinks and 4% from fruit juices (244).
 * When the price of food decreases, consumption of that particular food will increase causing people to buy more foods and eat larger portions. The unhealthy prepackaged food is cheaper than the healthy food, making healthy food a luxury for some. Between 1985 and 2000 the price of fresh fruits and vegetables, fish, and dairy products increased by 118%, 77%, 56% respectively. The prices of sweets, fats and oils, and carbonated beverages increased at much lower rates. (ARPH 244). Production of higher calorie foods was made cheaper and faster by technological advancements.
 * Because of the cheaper food prices for restaurants, portion sizes also increased. The foods that increased in size the most were French fries and sweetened beverages (ARPH 245). “Serving sizes, which began to increase in the 1970s, continued to increase in the 1980s and 1990s at the same time that obesity rates rose” (245). Calorie intake increased especially when families had two working parents, which created larger income making them more likely to eat out. The consumption of food away from home increased from 18% to 32% of total calories between 1977 to 1978 and 1994 to1996. In 1995, “27% of meals included away-from-home foods, and 34% of calories came from these foods” (245).
 * Also, increased televisions in homes promoted “sedentary lifestyle” in the 1970’s. The increasing availability of other medias and technology since the 1980’s has continued to promote a “sedentary lifestyle”. All of media together explains rise in obesity rates better than just television alone (ARPH 246). However, television directly increases snacking and portion sizes, and “percentage of calories from fat” due to the fact that “children are exposed to ~ 10 food commercials per hour of viewing, most for fast foods, soft drinks, sweets, and sugar-sweetened cereals” (246).
 * The next section of the article focuses on the consequences of obesity.
 * From 1988 to 1994, physician visits increased among the obese population 88% (ARPH 247). Moderately to severely obese individuals have 14% to 25% more physician visits (247). Inpatient days for obese individuals also have a higher percentage, 48% (247).
 * The article also discusses annual medical costs due to obesity. Medical costs for obese individuals are 36% higher than for normal weight individuals. “Finkelstein et al. (20) used data from the 1998 Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS) linked to the National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) and found that the average increase in annual medical expenditures associated with obesity is 37.4% ($732) and ranges between 26.1% ($125) for out-of-pocket expenses, 36.8% ($1486) for Medicare recipients, and 39.1% ($864) for Medicaid recipients” (ARPH 248).
 * Finkelstein- “the average taxpayer spends approximately $175 per year to finance obesity-related medical expenditures among Medicare and Medicaid recipients (20, 21)” (ARPH 247).
 * Obesity rates also increase nonmedical expenditures and influences the workforce. Obese women are likely to have absentee days at a much higher rate than their co-workers of normal weight. “Obese employees are 1.74 and 1.61 times more likely to experience high (7 or more absences due to illness per 6 months) and moderate (3-6 more absences due to illness per 6 months) levels of absenteeism, respectively, than were their lean counterparts” (ARPH 248). These circumstances end up costing employers around $2.95 billion dollars a year (248).
 * Obesity also affects occupational choices and their resulting wages.
 * It has been found that obese women have lower income occupations. “Haskins & Ransford (36), using data from one employer in the aerospace industry, reported that 65% of normal-weight women are in managerial/professional positions compared with only 39% of overweight women (ARPH 249). Long-term unemployment is 2.5 times more likely in obese women than in normal weight women (249).

The information in this document is relevant to our topic of the Social Conflict Theory and its take on obesity because it shows the vast amount of economic causes and consequences of the growing obesity epidemic. The struggle for power and resources among the different classes is evident when looking at the dramatic increases in healthy food prices, which makes them completely unaffordable for low income families and thus increases obesity. Middle class is also affected because they are often plagued by two busy working parents in a household which causes families to eat out more often, follow the norms of snacking and larger portion sizes, and spend leisure time in front of various media devises. Medical consequences of obesity are becoming more and more expensive, and while a large amount of money is paid by individuals each year, the costs and treatments and help remain much to great for lower income families and individuals to afford. The dilemma then becomes a cycle because obesity is shown to directly affect how easily one can enter into the workforce, be hired, what jobs are chosen, and salaries.
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