According to the readings of chapter 19 and the extra evidence supplied throughout the articles and the videos it has been said that the socioeconomic status gap in the United States is reported to be the highest it has been in 80 years. 1 in 6 Americans is reported to not have enough food each …show more content…
It has been widely studied and reported that the higher education an individual attains, the higher the chances of that persons socioeconomic status improving. Along with the improvement of the socioeconomic status of an individual comes the improvement of their health-related awareness. The further one is educated on their lifestyle and the effects of their choices being reflected upon their health brings about a sense of awareness and lifestyle habit of making better choices whether it is in health or in another aspect of health. A person with a higher level of attained education will proceed to carry out a more alert and educated decision whereas someone of a lower socioeconomic status will not have as much time or as many options to make such decisions, thus they will follow the societal norms. Societal norms are another large determinant of the health of a …show more content…
In the United States for example the societal norm of drinking and smoking is widely accepted, although the government and other non-profit organizations have been trying to reduce the risks and reduce the amount of users, the population is doing nothing to present a united front against the risks and harms of alcohol and tobacco use. Another societal norm in the United States is also the high rate of fast-food consumption as well as lack of awareness of dietary choices in general. As seen in the videos, many rural families hardly ever pay attention or realize their intake of sugars, fats, and other excessive harmful ingredients. They were constant consumers of fast-food and processed foods, which they chose without hesitation, not only because of socioeconomic status, but their lack of awareness and the societal norms and wide acceptance of fast-food as an acceptable dietary choice on a daily