Obesity In Guatemala Chapter 1 Summary

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The Weight of Obesity not only focuses on the modern rise of obesity seen in postwar Guatemala, but is able to detail the changes that have contributed to the obesity epidemic. In Chapter One, Emily Yates-Doerr describes different aspects of Guatemalan life that have played a part in widespread obesity. From technology becoming a stationary part of everyday life, therefore contributing to new generations getting less exercise, to food quality being diminished. The consequences of urbanization are shown throughout this chapter, and are very important to changes seen in Xela, which is a city being studied throughout The Weight of Obesity. Urbanization creates a divide between previous access to fresh foods and calorie dense and fried foods, …show more content…

Even those who did not solely eat processed and high calorie foods still were not educated on how nutritious foods were for their bodies. It was commonly thought that nutrition was only something that impoverished and starving communities had to focus on, yet the obesity epidemic was formed partially because so many people did not know what affects the food they consumed had on their bodies. Since there was no previous nutritional education that the people of Guatemala received, groups such as INCAP worked to educate and provide for such communities. Schools had nutrition education courses, obesity clinics provided information on nutrients and minerals necessary to keep the body working. Chapter Two focuses on the education of nutrition, while also noting how ingrained eating habits can be difficult to …show more content…

Schools have begun to teach their students how to make sure they are eating better, exercising, and making sure that the foods they are eating provide them with enough nutrition. Overall, this chapter ends by discussing the importance of health, not only because people need to lose weight, but because they need to take care of their bodies from a nutritional standpoint. Even though the people of Guatemala have received education on their dietary needs, Yates-Doerr finishes by saying that she is aware of blocked paths. Not everyone is able to receive proper education, or the food that they are being directed to consume.
Emily Yates-Doerr writes her book in a way that allows readers to see the progress that has been made in Guatemala to assist in the diminishing of the obesity epidemic. The problem at hand is that even with the opportunities to be educated and change their lifestyle, eating habits are ingrained into these communities. The Weight of Obesity frames this theory successfully by taking readers through the steps of the obesity epidemic, and using her experience to assist in understanding

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