GLOBALIZATION AND ITS EFFECT ON CHILD OBESITY

GLOBALIZATION AND ITS EFFECT ON CHILD OBESITY

Globalization and Its Effect on Child Obesity

Introduction

Globalization is the creation and expansion of economic and social connections among people and organizations around the world. The movement of people, goods, ideas, technology, and money fuels the process across national boundaries. The populations of different cultures have interacted and established economic and cultural links for centuries. In the middle Ages, merchants and explorers exchanged goods and ideas throughout Europe, across North Africa, and between the Middle East and Asia. However, in recent decades, globalization has advanced at an increasingly rapid pace. Two major forces in this development have been the Internet, which has sped up communications, and businesses, which have expanded to reach markets on distant continents. Although people still identify with their local communities and national governments, many increasingly see themselves as part of a global society. However, globalization does not affect all regions in the same way. Individuals and corporations in industrialized countries tend to benefit more than those in developing countries do.

Undoubtedly, the globalization debate is not only the significant debate of our time but, given the complexity of the issues, it will continue for the near future. As Giddens (2000) has noted, the globalization debate, itself, is truly a global debate. To date, much of the discussion on globalization has focused on economic issues. However, as noted, although globalization is an economic phenomenon, it cannot exclusively be defined by economics. The upcoming generation of social science research will have to address in greater depth the relationship between globalization and culture, nationalism, and identity, as well as the shifting nature of state sovereignty and territoriality. The widely held view that globalization is here to stay is problematic. If history is any guide, globalization can be reversed. In the aftermath of the subprime-induced global financial meltdown, Americans (both the public and political elites), the world's staunchest supporters of globalization, appear to increase disillusioned with it, despite the fact that the seeds of the present crisis are domestic (although the globalization of financial markets deepened the impact). The future of globalization remains unclear. It also brings in some health concerns with it such as obesity (Croucher, 2004).

DiscussionImpact on Trade

However, childhood obesity is a major area of concern, both culturally and politically. Poor-food education, sedentary lifestyles, poor parenting and aggressively advertised, widely available, junk food are all blamed for increased obesity in children. In addition, the concern is increasingly framed as serious public health concern with, for example, the increase in diabetes incidence. Many children are unable to join in physical games at school and beyond. Children learn norms, habits and food tastes that stay with them into adulthood, and which they pass onto their own children. Subtle societal norms are difficult to measure and the onus is on social science researchers, to develop reliable, and valid measuring techniques to monitor causes and consequences of the new diet and habits in the Western world, and in those countries that ...