Dieting In America

This research documents the prevalence of following a specific diet plan and experiences with the level of worry about weight, being treated badly about weight, effect weight has on attractiveness and previous weight loss through a diet plan. The prevalence of dieting in America is common, even though obesity has continued to increase (Gracia-Arnaiz 2010). Obesity affects overall quality of life and social aspects of life. In order to understand how obesity and dieting are related a look into the reasons behind dieting must be observed. Dieting is a short term answer to a long term problem instead of looking for a healthy, nutritional, lifestyle choice for consuming food. Americans are surrounded with advertisements for weight loss products along with unhealthy food products that are cheaper than healthy food products. These advertisements are often coincided with beautiful thin people, whether it’s an advertisement for a cheeseburger or a diet plan. Social factors influence dieting more than health factors because of the strain and importance society places on the physical appearance of an individual (Gracia-Arnaiz 2010).
Individuals who worry about their weight are more likely to follow a specific diet plan than those who do not. The findings demonstrate that worry can increase the likely hood of following a specific diet, …show more content…
The prevalence of repeated dieting indicates that dieting is not a successful long term method of keeping the weight off. Previous research has found that individuals who participate in dieting often believe that will power is the key for being successful in losing weight and will partake on restrictive diets in order to lose weight (Stewart and Brook 1983). Those who fail at losing weight through dieting may blame lack of willpower for not losing weight successfully (Elfhag and Rossner