Discussion board

Discussion board

1. What do you consider to be a “healthy” lifestyle? What are the social norms about health and fitness in American culture? You might want to look at a few magazines, do some online searching, flip through a newspaper, pay attention to commercials/advertisements, listen to a few conversations, etc. in order to recognize these norms. What do we believe about health and fitness in our society, and what do we value in terms of health, health care, bodies, fitness, and food?What Americans consider to be a healthy body? What do you consider to be a “healthy” lifestyle? What would you consider to be an “unhealthy” lifestyle?

1. Do you consider yourself to be “healthy”? What are your eating, sleeping, and exercise habits like? Do you believe that you are in good “mental” health? What about good “social” health? Why? Finally, what would you change about your everyday habits to make them more healthy? Is being more healthy even a goal for you? Why or why not? What might some obstacles be in preventing you from making changes toward a healthier lifestyle?

1. Pick TWO social institutions. Describe what messages YOU received from each institution about being healthy.For example, if you choose family, what did your parent(s) say about food, exercise, sleep, and good health habits? What were their experiences with diets, exercise, stress, etc.? What did or do they continue to say (or not) to you about being healthy?Describe the specific messages that you received from both social institutions.

1. Do you think we have an obesity epidemic in America? Explain your position. Next, imagine a law that would prohibit fast-food restaurants from being built within one mile of any school and residential community. Choose a side (either for or against the law) and present an argument for why this law would either help (or not) to reduce obesity in America. Choose THREE terms/concepts from the textbook (please choose from chapters 12, 14, 15 and 16) to incorporate into your argument. When you refer to each term/concept, please BOLD/UNDERLINE each term/concept and cite the page number from the text directly after it.

Example: Fast food restaurants have nothing to do with health care (437) in America.

1. Finally, discuss how having a sociological imagination could possibly make both individuals and society healthier. What might C. Wright Mills say about our current social and individual struggles regarding diet, food, fitness, and overall health?