WRITING ASSIGNMENT – EUREKALERT #1
EDUCATION PROTECTS WOMEN FROM THE OBESITY ASSOCIATED WITH URBAN LIVING
This article was very informative on the issue of obesity in the low and middle income countries. Researchers at the University College of London (UCL) conducted a study that consisted of 2,465 older women (ages 60+) from the four Chinese Provinces and found that education is major player in reducing obesity. Women who worked in sedentary occupations were twice as likely to be centrally obese than women who worked in agricultural jobs. On the other hand, no correlation could be made with women that had some formal education an either occupation. Detailed data was representative of the Chinese population. The study included measuring centrally around the waistline of each participant. It also asked if educated women had lower levels of obesity than the women with no formal education when they made a move from agricultural to nonagricultural jobs. More studies are being done to delve deeper into this issue and to explain these findings.
I chose this article because if more research finds these facts as well as further studies and experiments to be accurate, this could be important in education others on how to shrink the obesity rate. Obesity is associated to diabetes and heart disease and educating people on obesity could ultimately save lives. I also chose this article as it affects me personally as I have family members who struggle with obesity and diabetes. It hurts me to see the constantly struggle to do things in everyday life that should be easy and natural. No one should have to live their life constantly injecting themselves with insulin shots. I understand that these studies won’t directly eliminate obesity as a whole, but every little bit helps.