Fast-Food Advertising Causes Obesity Essay - 1395 Words

There has been a long term concern that youth or children who eat from fast food restaurants have a big risk for becoming overweight. Some research shows that greater familiarity with fast food advertising on television is associated with obesity in young people (Pediatric Academic Societies parag.1). It is known that these children and adolescents are being extremely exposed to fast food advertising including the internet, social media, and particularly on television. The marketer and owners of these fast food restaurants use many techniques to attract children and help cause childhood obesity. Not only are they mainly targeting children but also they target low income families and helping cause obesity in their income groups, with†¦show more content†¦3). This shows how badly children are actually exposed to these advertisements everyday on the television constantly being persuaded into having their parents buy them the unhealthy food. Harper Collins argues that the probl em of childhood obesity has grown dramatically in recent years, with between 16% and 33% of children and adolescents being obese or overweight due to unhealthy weight gain due to poor diets and lack of exercise (parag. 1). These percentages arent very good when every day almost â…“ of U.S. children from the eat fast food, which most likely helps them gain extra pounds per child or adolescent per year and heightens the risk of obesity . These numbers may be startling but they are not surprising, since billions of dollars are spent every year on advertising that is targeted specifically to children this is how big the numbers should be. Some studies have shown that fast food contributes to increased calorie intake and obesity risk in children meaning that all those healthy food these fast food restaurants have been advertising have been falsely advertised may be thats why fast food advertising is causing childhood obesity. Fast food advertising has been a big contributor in causing obesity in the U.S by targeting children. Fast food advertising has caused obesity by targeting low income families. Authors Shiriki Kumanyika and Sonya Grier emphasize that low-income youths are exposed to a greatShow MoreRelatedThe Effects Of Advertising On Children s Obesity Rate1056 Words   |  5 PagesThe Effect of Advertising on Children’s Obesity Rate It has come down to this, there is an obesity epidemic. It s like people can’t stop themselves from eating so much. Well, I guess eating isn t necessarily the big problem here... It s the type of food that people are consuming, fast food. America tops the list of world s most obese countries. It s just sad and something needs to be done about it. The worst part is that there are so many children being affected by obesity. According to CDCRead MoreFast Food And The Obesity Epidemic933 Words   |  4 PagesFast –food Industries are to be Blame for Obesity Visualize the world somewhere a school-age child can step out of his school and walk into a McDonalds. Fast-food causes an array of problems in your body. The food is often high in sugar, fat, and calories while providing very few nutrients. The obesity epidemic Americans face today is a growing problem that affects more than half of the population with growing body sizes and serious medical problems associated with obesity. It is a problem thatRead MoreFast-Food, Causes And Effects Of Fast Food1348 Words   |  6 Pagesin America is the fact that people seem to be eating too much fast food that is causing obesity. Not only does fast food cause obesity but you are also at risk of other illnesses such as, heart disease, diabetes, and blood pressure. The leading cause is due to all the fast food that we have available at all times. Everywhere you look you see billboards, commercials, and restaurants. Fast food is also very addictive and is what can cause a person to become obese. And it also has a lot to do where youRead MoreFast Food and Obesity in Adults990 Words   |  4 Pages2013 Fast Food and Obesity in Adults In Aprils addition of Men’s Health magazine there is a picture of salted golden French fries inside a white cup. This advertisement invokes hunger for unhealthy and cheap fast food to consumers. The fast food industries false advertisements, unhealthy food, and long term effects of consuming fast food all lead to the causes and effects of adulthood obesity in the lives of thousands of Americans today. McDonalds, Burger King, Wendy’s, and other fast food industriesRead MoreObesity : Obesity And Obesity1472 Words   |  6 PagesObesity in our society continues to grow at an alarming rate. America is the richest country but has the largest population of obese people in the world. â€Å"Nearly 36.5% of American’s are obese (Adult Obesity Facts).† It is important to note that obesity is defined as having a Body Mass Index (BMI) of â€Å"30% or more† (The Socioeconomic Causes of Obesity). People become obese over times for many reasons like feeling there is less of a need to exercise and eat healthy. There are also more fast food selectionsRead MoreObesity : Causes And Effects1090 Words   |  5 Pages Causes of Obesity Obesity refers to the condition of having an extra amount of body fat. Obesity is caused by eating too much and moving too little. When an individual’s amount of body fat becomes too high, they are at a greater risk of being affected with life changing diseases such as heart failure, hypertension, type II diabetes, cancer, gallbladder disease, osteoarthritis, and others. This shows that people should become more physically active and attempt to make healthierRead MoreThe Negative Effect Of Youth Health Essay1734 Words   |  7 Pagesis consumed by advertising. Everywhere we look, everywhere we go our eyes are continually be exposed to some form of advertising; televisions, media, magazines, bill boards and shops are some examples of places where we gather information from certain types of commercial advertising. Our lives are ruled by screens; it is inevitable that during our daily lives we are going to experience a sponsored ad, a TV commercial or a sexy, skinny model on th e front of a mag. All these advertising elements mayRead MoreChildhood Obesity : A Major Health Issue1314 Words   |  6 PagesChildhood obesity is a major health issue. The number of overweight children in the United States is at an all time high and rising at a steadfast pace. For us to understand the impact of obesity and why we should prevent it, we will need to take a look at what has contributed to the epidemic in the first place. First we need to take a look at childhood obesity, even if children are slightly overweight and not quite obese at childhood, their childhood is laying the foundation for possible obesity in theirRead MoreFast Food Industry in U.S1040 Words   |  5 PagesProfessor Johnson 03/06/2012 Fast Food Industry in U.S A variety of different regulations have been set for people that are concerned with tobacco either on a personal level or commercially. Tobacco is associated with damages and thus it has been attacked by medical authorities and social observers. The fast food industry is no exception since it has also contributed to different damages to people’s health. Obesity is just one of the many ailments caused by fast food joints. FDA has made sureRead MoreCauses of Obesity in the United States Essay616 Words   |  3 Pageswill soon learn what the obesity hype is all about. Fast food stores are advertising more food for less money with quicker service. The media tends to misrepresent images of their target customer in television and magazine advertisements. Laziness is probably one of the main causes of obesity in our country. When you mix poor diet with poor exercising habits the outcome is far from being healthy. Obesity in the United States is at an all time high due to increasing fast food popularity, media influence

The Canadian Business Report 2013 - 1822 Words

2015F- WDI-1001-MB2-Workplace Diversity Canadian Business Comparison Report Professor: Ruth Drewitt Submitted by: Sri Harsha kodali Student Id: c0665398 Date: November 24, 2015 Introduction:- The Canadian business report consists of the comparison of Canadian business with one of my home country business. For this I have choose, The Book Keeper (Queen of Reading), Sarnia, ON and Crossword store in India. Crossword store is a retail store which is owned by Shoppers Stop Ltd which was launched on 1992 August 15. It has more than 90+ stores across 28 states in India. It is one of stores which is increasing its customers day by day with their ideas, sales, books and their offers for their customers. Since its inauguration it has got a worldwide recognition for its achievements and various articles about the crossword in India. It has been featured in Advertising Age International, USA, as one of the Marketing Superstars for 1994. The Bookseller, UK, has also described it as being on the cutting edge of retailing’ in India. (Crossword, 2015) The Book Keeper store is located in Sarnia, Ontario. The store is commenced in 1980 in Sarnia. Its carrying its activities from last 35 years and the owner Susan took over the store’s responsibilities from 15 years i.e. 2000. It’s the most popular book store in Sarnia among the few. It has a caption of BOOKS are DREAMS. The name itself shows their interest in books. (Sarnia Bookkeeper, 2015) Observation:- I chooseShow MoreRelatedFuture Of Fdi During The Oil And Gas Sector Essay1022 Words   |  5 PagesFuture of FDI in Canada in oil and gas sector Even though Canadian government are showing protective approach presently because of several factors that have affected the land, and has taken the country s wealth to other country. But some believe that because of the foreign investment the wealth of the country has increased, and this has contributed to the overall development of the Canada and the world. Today, there are so much investment done and this looks like it is going to increase in futureRead MoreFuture Of Foreign State Regulation And Economics Essay1703 Words   |  7 PagesFuture of FDI in Canada in oil and gas sector The future of government regulation and Economics Even though Canadian government is showing protective approach presently because of several factors that have affected the land, and has taken the country s wealth to another country. But some believe that because of the foreign investment the wealth of the country has increased, and this has contributed to the overall development of the Canada and the world. Today, there is so much investment done andRead MoreThe National Of Public Policy1194 Words   |  5 PagesMoore, Turcotte, Winter and Walp, of the University of Calgary’s School of Public Policy, recently undertook a series of surveys of Canadian residents to establish baseline energy literacy levels in the general population and within the business and policy leader and Aboriginal-Canadian populations (Moore, Turcotte, Winter, 2012; 2014, Moore, Turcotte, Winter Walp, 2013). For the purposes of their study they defined energy literacy as â€Å"a term that reflects a composite of consumer’s values and knowledg eRead MoreCanada s Flag Carrier And Largest Domestic, U.s. Trans Border Market1045 Words   |  5 Pagesinternational airline and the largest provider of scheduled passenger services in the Canadian market, the Canada-U.S. trans-border market and the international market to and from Canada (Annual Report 2014). Historically speaking, it was founded in 1937, provides scheduled and charter air transport for passengers and cargo to 178 destinations worldwide. Canada s national airline originated from the Canadian federal government s 1936 creation of Trans-Canada Airlines (TCA), which began operatingRead MoreTim Hortons Will Encounter Accounting Problems1161 Words   |  5 PagesTim Hortons will encounter accounting difficulties if it were to open a business in Brazil. Canada and Brazil have many similarities and differences when it comes to accounting standards. Employees have to keep in mind these differences if Tim Hortons wants to smoothly transition into Brazil’s restaurant industry. Canadian companies such as Tim Hortons need to follow either the Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP), the International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS), or theRead MoreIndigenous Peoples Of Aboriginal Communities1592 Words   |  7 Pageslife. For Canadian Aboriginal cultures, land means far more than property- it â€Å"encompasses culture, relationships, social systems, ecosystems, spirituality, and law†. (University of British Columbia, 2009). These close ties of Indigenous people with the land must be recognized and understood as the fundamental basis of their cultures, spiritual systems, and economic survival. Claims to their traditional lands and the right to use the resources of these lands are central to Indigenous Canadian communities’Read MoreTarget Consumers : Target Customers And Marketing Mix1339 Words   |  6 PagesApproximately 35% of Canadian households have a dog and approximately 38% of Canadian households have a cat (Canada’s pet wellness report, n.d.). Let’s say no house had a cat and dog, which would be 73% of the Canadian population with a pet. Cuddles Are Us will also target higher income homes seeing as they are the ones who travel more often therefore needing help with their pets as well as customers who work long hours and need us to watch their pet(s). (Brough, 2013) b) Product/Service –Read MoreTim Horton765 Words   |  4 Pages(Tim Horton) - Business Model: The Company’s main business is franchising and collecting royalty revenues from Tim Hortons restaurants located in Canada and the USA. The franchised restaurants serve a broad menu of drinks (premium coffee, smoothies, tea, espresso-based hot and cold specialty drinks) and food (fresh baked goods, classic sandwiches, wraps, soups, prepared food) (Tim Hortons: Annual Report, 2012). - The General Strategy in Canada (Tim Hortons: Annual Report, 2012): ImproveRead MoreDefinition Of Corporate Social Responsibility1007 Words   |  5 Pagessupported by their 2013 CSR report are organizational governance, fair operating practices, consumer issues, community involvement and development, and the environment. The weaker attributes of the Rogers CSR definition supported by their 2013 CSR report are human rights and labour practices. Organizational governance and fair operating practices were evident in both Rogers Telecom’s CSR definition and report as they were frequently mentioned as an important factor in all business activities. SpecificallyRead MoreMarketing Plan For The Target Corporation1600 Words   |  7 Pagessegments: U.S Retail, U.S Credit Card and Canadian. The U.S Retail Segment includes all of their U.S Merchandising operations, which offer everyday essentials and fashionable, differentiated merchandise at discounted prices. Their U.S Credit Card Segment offers credit to qualified guest through their branded proprietary credit cards: Target Credit and the Target Visa. The Canadian Segment includes cost incurred in the U.S and Canada related to their 2013 Canadian retail market entry. The Corporation 1

Americans Making Shoes Essay Example For Students

Americans Making Shoes Essay Americansacross this beautiful nation do not want to spend time making shoes in thistechnological society. Americans would not want to also spend even moremoney on shoes today, so society allows third-world countries to make shoesa lot cheaper, and gives money to meager families. With technology risingrapidly every day, machines could even be made to make shoes, instead ofpaying people to make them. With machines, the world works faster andcheaper. Some people may say that making shoes gives the unemployed ajob, but those people making those shoes are not really happy. They are justgetting by with the money they make. Picking up trash for the neighborhood isa job, but most of the trash collectors do not like their job. Americans wouldlike, to some extent, to sit in from of a computer being paid good money,rather than standing on an assembly line making shoes. UnemployedAmericans, though, might not mind working for a company who makes shoesin the United States. These unemployed Americ ans would, moderately, notmind any job that paid money. Americans like good things at reasonableprices. If shoe companies would employ workers in the United States tomake shoes here, with prices already high, would rise even higher. Americanswould then not even buy American made shoes. Americans would not likeAmericans making shoes in the United States, because shoe prices wouldrocket. Americans look at their jobs as a way of expressing themselves. When talking about their job, they would not enjoy describing how they sewon the symbols for the shoes they make. Instead, they would like to talk abouthow good their pay is or how their job challenges them or even how muchthey like working at their job. If their job were to make shoes, they would notrelish in the fact that they made shoes. Americans like good paying jobs, agood foundation for a family, and good working places. With a shoe factory,jobs are not that great, it is not a reliable foundation for a family, andespecially they are not good working conditions. Some argue that makingshoes is in some manner like making clothes. It is not, for the fact that theworkers follow the same design throughout the entire day. Most clothes wornby Americans are not American made either. They are made in third worldcountries, just like the shoes. America is no longer relying on industry to carryit to the next millennium. Instead, America is relying on the rapid growth oftechnology and free enterprise. In Americas early years, after the taking thiscountry away from the Indians, society relied heavily on industry toaccomplish the tasks needed to grow this country. Today, that is not the case. America is putting industries in the back of its mind, and bringing forth newand exciting technologies. Americans would like to sit in front of a computerscreen and type away, rather than working in labor factories. Americans wantgood quality, with cheap prices. If America would employ shoe factories,shoes would not be cheap or even good quality for that matter. Most ofsociety knows that some of what Americans make is not of the highest quality. Instead, it is made fast and poorly. Americans do not want Americans tomake shoes, because they know that if Americans did make shoes, their feetwould surely hurt even more. Miscellaneous

Social Science Potential Dimensions of Social Structure

Question: Discuss about theSocial Sciencefor Potential Dimensions of Social Structure. Answer: Introduction According to Webers theory of social class, class divisions determine social conflict. The analysis of Weber indicates that one of the potential dimensions of social structure is social structure (Beetham 2013). On the other hand, social honour is another aspect that determines social difference (Nadel 2013). With the help of the defined theoretical aspect of Weber, the essay would focus on different social classes and their structure in the Australian society. Possible Thesis Statements The thesis that the essay is desiring to achieve is that Australian society does not prioritize class distinction and does not believe in social differences. Therefore, the motive would be to establish the society of Australia that follows the egalitarian perspective. In this section, the essay would define the fundamental aspects of Australian society and would elaborate the existing social structure of Australia. Thereafter, the paragraph would concentrate in emphasizing the theoretical perspective of Weber. Therefore, an elaboration would be included in this paragraph about the sociological ideas of Weber. In the second paragraph, the discourse would concentrate in analyzing the social structure of Australia keeping in mind about the fundamental aspects of Webers concept. The focus of this paragraph would be to discuss the Australian social structure and identify whether Webers defined traits are identified similar with the social structure of Australia or not. In order to do the mentioned motive, the paragraph would elaborate the influence of Aboriginal people as well as the Anglo-celtic heritage and its impact on Australia society through an in depth style. The penultimate paragraph would consider making a critical analysis about whether the existing Australian society is egalitarian or not. In order to accomplish this, the distinct paragraph would discuss as class as a political indicator in Australia. Furthermore, this paragraph would illustrate the Australian performance for arriving at the five-class model. However, prior to accomplish that, there would be a brief elaboration about the five-class model, which would provide explanation about the variation among individuals underpinned by different class cultures (Seidman 2016). Conclusion In form of conclusion, the final paragraph would jot down all the key points discussed in the entire discourse in a brief manner. Most importantly, the last paragraph would not forget to describe the indication made by the fundamental essentials of the Webers theory on social class. At the same time, the conclusion would finally establish whether the anticipation for accomplishing the thesis statement has been achieved by the profound discourse or not. However, the conclusion would highlight the Australian societys arrival at the five-class model and its self-declaration of being classless. Bibliography Beetham, D., 2013.Max Weber and the theory of modern politics. John Wiley Sons. Fincher, R., 2014. Class and gender relations in the local labor market and the local state.The Power of Geography (RLE Social Cultural Geography): How Territory Shapes Social Life, p.93. Nadel, S.F., 2013.The theory of social structure. Routledge. Seidman, S., 2016.Contested knowledge: Social theory today. John Wiley Sons. References Beetham, D., 2013.Max Weber and the theory of modern politics. John Wiley Sons. Nadel, S.F., 2013.The theory of social structure. Routledge. Seidman, S., 2016.Contested knowledge: Social theory today. John Wiley Sons.

Eating Disorders Essays (1173 words) - Body Shape, Self,

Eating Disorders In America today, we often here of people who suffer daily from illnesses such as cancer and AIDS. What we dont often here about is the illness that takes away millions and millions of Americans each year, that being eating disorders(Understanding). But, what does that term eating disorders mean. Think about it. Did your answer center around, food, weight or dieting? If so, then you understand something about the symptoms of an eating disorder. But if that's all you're thinking about, you may be unaware of the underlying causes of this disease. One of the biggest causes of this sometimes-fatal disease has to do with body image. The impact of a disturbance in body image on a persons life may be frustrating or debilitating depending on how severe the disturbance is. A large percentage of men and women in our culture struggle with dissatisfaction with some aspect of their appearance. Kim Chernin supports this point by stating, One women disliked her thighs, another her stomach, a third the loose flesh under her arms. Many would grab their skin and squeeze it as we talked, with the grimace of distaste language cannot translate into itself.(58). In 1996, a survey found that fifty-six percent of women and forty-three percent of men disliked their overall appearance with an even larger percentage dissatisfied with individual attributes such as weight and mid torso(Understanding). A person with an eating disorder typically suffers from a body image disturbance that can impact many areas of his or her life. Most women are given the message at a very young age that in order to be happy and successful, they must be thin. Every time you walk into a store you are surrounded by the images of emaciated models that appear on the front cover of all fashion magazines. Thousands of teenage girls are starving themselves this very minute trying to attain what the fashion industry considers to be the ideal figure. The average model weighs 23% less than the average woman. Maintaining a weight that is 15% below your expected body weight fits the criteria for anorexia, so most models, according to medical standards, fit into the category of being anorexic(The Mind). Teenagers need to realize that society's ideal body image is not achievable. The photos we see in magazines are not real either. Many people don't realize that those photos have gone through many touch ups and have been airbrushed to make the models look perfect. Teenagers striving to attain societies unattainable ideal image will just end up increasing their feelings of inadequacy. Teenagers are under a lot of pressure to be thin. They are lead to believe that the only way they can be accepted and fit in, is if they are thin. They resort to starving, vomiting and eating only diet foods to try and be thin. Television is a big influence on them. They watch shows like Beverly Hills 90210 and Melrose Place and feel they need to look as thin as the actresses on these shows. Many actresses we see on TV have endured hours of exercise and have deprived themselves of the proper nutrition in order to maintain a thin figure. Some even resort to plastic surgery, such as liposuction and breast implants. You just have to watch an episode of Baywatch to know that statement is true. Society is brainwashing young people into believing that being thin is important and necessary. Another problem is, diet commercials are constantly appearing on our television screens telling us that once we lose the weight, we will be happy. While your standing in the check out line at the grocery store you are surrounded by magazines claiming to have the newest and best diet. Each month another new diet appears claiming to be the diet to end all diets. Whatever happened to last month's diets that claimed the same thing? Dieting has become an obsession in the United States. We spend billions of dollars each year trying to look the way society tells us we need to look. If diets really worked, then why are there so many of them? The reason a new diet pops up each month, is because last's month's diets did not work. You

Motivational Program and Alcoholics Anonymous

Motivational Program and Alcoholics Anonymous Introduction Alcoholism is one of the issues that have affected mankind for a long time. Millions of dollars have been spent on alcohol and alcohol related issues. Thousands of families have been adversely affected, not to mention the talents that have been lost or not fully exploited due to taking of too much alcohol.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Motivational Program and Alcoholics Anonymous specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More We are not in a position to measure all the impacts that indulgence in alcohol has on mankind. The society understands the weight this issue has and different approaches have been taken aiming at helping the people who are struggling to stop taking alcohol. Scientists, theoreticians, philosophers, doctors and counsellors have all come up with suggestions meant to help people struggling to stop taking alcohol. Many theories have been developed in an attempt to find strategies which can help alcohol users to quite taking alcohol. Motivational theories are widely used to explain how motivation can be used to address the alcoholism issue. Motivational theories have been developed by different psychologists over time and most of the alcohol recovery programs indeed use at least one or a combination of motivational theories to help victims recover from alcoholism. Alcoholic Anonymous is one of the widely renowned alcoholism recovery programs operating in almost 200 countries and helping millions of alcohol addicts recover from alcoholism. This paper discusses Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) motivational program, motivational theories and then analyses how successful or not the AA program has been basing on the motivational theories. Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) The history of AA can be traced from a group called the Oxford Group which was a Christian organisation. Its purpose was to help men struggling to quite taking alcohol possible. It is believed that their concept of deal ing with alcoholism was more of a spiritual approach as they believed that surrendering to God would help solve the sinful nature of alcoholism. AA is said to have been formed in 1939 by Bill Wilson who borrowed most of the ideas from the Oxford Group and broadened the concept to include psychological and physical treatment as well. Since then the membership has increased and the program has increased its boundaries from America and Canada, where it was originally based to different parts of the world (Kurtz, 1979). How AA works AA motivational program works on a voluntary basis whereby whoever is willing to quite taking alcohol join the group. In order to encourage alcoholic victims to join the program and at the same time protect them from public ridicule the program calls for anonymity of the members hence the name alcoholics anonymous. The program not only helps alcoholics but also people struggling from other forms of addiction as well.Advertising Looking for research p aper on psychology? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More It is worth noting that the program is self-sustaining with no any external financial help, but works from voluntary contributions from its members and literature sales. There are no employed workers but rather the counselling is carried out by the previously recovered individuals through the mentorship program which is also voluntary. AA believes that the only qualification for membership is the decision and will to quit taking alcohol (Kurtz, 1979). There are meeting centres distributed over 200 countries and a willing member is expected to join in any of the AA group meetings close to them. Once in the group, one is expected to confess and share personal experiences as an alcoholic with other members within the group and this would thus mark the beginning of the healing process (Kurtz, 1979). Sponsorship can be seen as a mentorship program whereby members who have underg one much of the recovery program have the responsibility of mentoring and helping new entrants into the 12 principles of AA treatment program. This works both ways, the new members are able to learn from the already experienced members and on the other hand the sponsors are able to improve on their recovery process by helping the new individuals. The basic principle of AA motivational program is that the victims of alcohol addiction must admit that there is a higher power, that is, God for those that believe in him or just any higher power for those that may not believe in God. By submitting oneself to this higher power instead of working on self-reliance, the high power will somehow give them assistance as they try to recover from their addiction (AA, 2008). It is worth noting that AA takes the approach of self-involvement whereby there are no organisational structures, no managers neither CEO’s. There are no documentations or regulatory official requirements but rather the organisation is only accountable to its members. One unique characteristic of AA is the fact that individuals are not assessed by qualified experts but rather every individual does personal diagnosis and checks the progress from the 12 stepwise procedures (Dick, 1998). The course of treatment at AA is based on giving in to external greater power rather than relying on personal will and strength. In contrast to the mostly used approach of working towards improving on self-esteem, AA takes a different approach of exercising humility and submission to a greater power.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Motivational Program and Alcoholics Anonymous specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More According to AA, if the alcoholic just follows the simple plan that is suggested then he/she would have more chances of recovering (Galanter and Kaskutas, 2008, p. 10). In addition they believe that there is no free will in alcoholics si nce the alcoholic has already lost personal control to alcohol. AA, according to Galanter and Kaskutas (2008), defines alcoholism as: Spiritual, mental, and physical illness and recovery requires healing all aspects of the illness; abstinence from alcohol in and of itself is regarded as â€Å"being dry† and is insufficient because alcoholism is but a â€Å"symptom† of underlying character defects. (Galanter and Kaskutas, 2008, p. 10) The success or failure of AA recovery program can arguably be attributed to the strength of an individual to undergo total change in the way of thinking. The expectation of change of thought to surrender to an external powerful authority is expected to help the person quite taking alcohol. Simple suggestions are made to new individuals especially those who want to take drastic changes at a go. AA believes that the simple and few steps will help someone to stabilise before making tougher decisions later. It is claimed that one of the streng ths of AA is its cognitive approach to dealing with alcoholism. â€Å"AA meetings provide an atmosphere in which cognitive restructuring can take place† (Galanter and Kaskutas, 2008, p. 10). In addition the AA’s12 steps, attendance to meetings and being a mentor or sponsor all works positively towards mental restructuring. Self-diagnosis is one of the most important elements of the program as individuals can develop their own alcoholic individuality which, according to psychologists, creates self-recovery on one’s inner self. Motivational theories Motivational theories are thoughts and assumptions that attempt to explain the nature of a human being in terms of what prompts or triggers actions towards a certain direction. Huitt (2001) defined motivation as â€Å"internal state or condition that activates behavior and gives it direction, or desire or want that energizes and directs goal-oriented behavior, or influence of needs and desires on the intensity and dir ection of behavior† (Huitt, 2001, p. 1). The AA program uses the ideology of motivation to help alcoholic victims recover from their alcoholic behavior.Advertising Looking for research paper on psychology? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Biological motivation Biological motivation is based on the fact that human actions may be driven in such a way to satisfy an internal biological need such as need to satisfy hunger or thirst. It is believed that there are internal subconscious drives that make a human being behave in a certain way (Bernstein Nash, 2006). Drive reduction theory explains how human actions are biologically motivated in order to reduce the causative agent inside the human nature. This theory is based on the fact that inside any organism are physiological or biological needs and requirement such as hunger, thirst, sexual desire, among others which, unless met, will trigger and maintain an unstable state of body which is believed to increase with time if the need is not satisfied in time (Bernstein Nash, 2006). The process can be viewed as a feedback mechanism (Deci and Ryan, 2008). When the physiological need is satisfied the organism will go back to the normal or stable state. When the physiological need is met either directly or indirectly then, there is a reduction of the drive. Arousal theory explains that it is in human nature to sustain a definite degree of arousal that makes us feel stable and comfortable. It can mean emotional, rational or even physical activity (Shah Gardner, 2008). The AA program certainly uses biological motivation though in a simplistic approach. The program appreciates the fact that total abstinence at once may never give any desirable results. This is because a sudden stop of use of alcohol especially for addicts will definitely trigger one of the strongest biological needs to quench the alcoholic thirst. The biological motivation principle of maintaining the physiological homeostasis will be triggered by sudden cut off of alcohol. What the program advocates is continual gradual reduction in the amount of alcohol taken which will eventually reduce to manageable level where total cut off can be done. In addition the AA principle of relinquishing on eself to a higher power to take over the alcoholic problem can arguably be seen as a diversion of the alcoholic biological motivation to an external agent and in that way, the biological drive and arousal are somewhat compressed. This is likely to enable the alcoholics recover quickly. Cognitive/social motivational theory This theory explains how behavior patterns of individuals are influenced by, among other factors, physical environmental, people and situations. This theory connects between the individual, environment and the behavior. The environment can be seen as a combination of all the external factors that are likely to influence a person’s behavior (Deci and Ryan, 2008). The person’s perception about the different aspects of the environment is believed to influence the person’s behavior. The behavior can also be influenced by a person’s perception of other people’s behaviors through either watching them or even when interacting with them. Tolman Purposeful behavior theory Tolman was one of the social cognitive theorists. Through his numerous experiments with rats and mazes he came up with the theory of purposeful behavior. According to Daltonâ€Å" Tolman proposed that learning could occur without reinforcement and without an observable change in behavior. In addition, Tolman found that behavior is affected by an organism’s expectations, often resulting goal-oriented, purposeful behavior† (Dalton 1). This is arguably one of the most applicable motivational theories in the AA program. The success or failure of any given case in the AA program depends, to a large extent on the expectation of the individual. If the individual has a predetermined mind about recovery his behavior in the AA program will certainly lead him to recovery. Asch attribution and conformity theory Solomon Asch presented his theories conformity and attribution. According his attribution theory, individuals attribute actions in life to an agent either external or internal. Alcoholics may attribute their drinking habit to lack of self control. AA program counter attacks the different attributions by offering a supernatural, powerful being in which the drunkards can attribute their weaknesses and hence relinquish their inner self to the power. In addition his conformity theory which revolves about voluntary yielding to situations despite personal preferences also applies. Being in the presence of a group of similar individuals in the AA meetings creates a favorable condition for conformity to the behavior of the group. This does help in motivating the alcoholics towards recovery. The physical environment such as the condition of a house or a class may play a significant part in motivating someone. The physical environment may also be a source of materials, opportunities or even societal support; this is one of the motivation strategies employed by the AA program. The fact that members meet in places far away from p ublic ridicule and in the presence of other like members makes the environment conducive for the recovery program (Bernstein Nash, 2006). A given situation may either motivate or discourage someone to behave in a certain way. In addition how an individual perceives a given situation may have an effect on the course of action to be taken depending on whether the situation was perceived as encouraging or discouraging. AA uses this technique to make the newcomers feel comfortable in the knowledge that they are in the presence of people who have gone through a similar situation and this is actually a motivation for new members to continue with the recovery program (Bernstein Nash, 2006). Expectancies which can be viewed as valuable or the importance an individual places on the expected results or rewards may have a great impact on the level of motivation for that person. People who place a higher value on the outcome are more likely to be more motivated than those who do not value the outcome as much. In AA the 12 principles places a lot of importance to the kind of life one is likely to enjoy after recovery from alcoholism. The new members actually get a chance of interacting with the already recovered members and this is a motivation enough to make them stick to the program however difficult it may seem to be. Self-control plays a very important role in motivation. People who have the internal strength of self-control may exhibit a result oriented behavior and as such they are likely to be more motivated if they are presented with conditions or situations that will demand determination or control in order to achieve the desired results. The AA program calls for determination to accept one’s alcoholic condition and surrendering to a higher authority which has the power to heal the spiritual and psychological sickness. They advocate for stepwise self-control whereby one is not required to automatically quit drinking but rather practice self-control for sh ort durations which can then be extended to achieve the desired results. This is likely to motivate self-controlled individuals (Dick, 1998). There are individuals who learn from others and are more likely to be motivated not because of what they are doing or capable of doing but by simply admiring what other people around them are doing. Individuals who are addicted to alcoholism can be motivated by being exposed to individuals who have already quite taking alcohol. AA program offers the best opportunity for the individuals struggling with alcoholism to interact with the recovering or the already recovered individuals, otherwise known as sponsorship. Through sponsorship individuals are able to associate and take after their sponsors. This can be the best method of motivation for some of the members (Dick, 1998). Self-efficacy is also believed to influence the level of motivation in a person. Some people are more motivated in the belief and knowledge that they have what it takes to complete the given task. By understanding how different people are in terms of how they are motivated, then it becomes easier to help them achieve their goals and objectives. This is best applicable in the AA program whereby alcoholics are made to believe that the desired outcome can only come from their personal will to give up themselves to a greater power for healing (Dick, 1998). Eclectic theory Eclectic theorists try to explain motivation and behaviour of people by taking on pieces of what they believe to be the best from other theories. They claim that the human nature is so complex and as such not one approach may suffice to explain the relationship between motivation and human behaviour. The 12 principle AA motivational program employs all the methods as a mixture in order to achieve the desired results. Strengths of AA program Galanter and Kaskutas (2008) claimed that â€Å"AA program is complex, implicitly grounded in sound psychological principles, and more sophisticated than is typically understood† (Galanter Kaskutas, 2008, p. 10). Although much criticism has been thrown over the program, it can be claimed that such criticism may be due to the misunderstanding of the whole idea behind the program. In addition, the fact that the program works under anonymity makes it difficult and tricky to research, analyse and document success or failure of the program. We can arguably say that the program has achieved success as compared to other programs offering the same type of service. From basic knowledge the program started in 1935 and has only grown, gaining membership every year. Then we can claim that if there was no any considerable success then the program would have died long time ago. It is also claimed that â€Å"an increasing number of DUIs are court ordered to AA† (Galanter and Kaskutas, 2008, p. 13) arguably for a simple reason, the judicial systems have confidence in the AA program. Success can also be based on the methodology of the program. The program employs a self-healing process where the victim plays the major role in initialising and maintaining the recovery process with the help of other members of the group (Deci Ryan, 2008). The fact that the program allows for personal participation, motivational environment and a chance to put into practice what one has learned by sharing with others and mentorship program suffices that a degree of success is likely to be achieved (AA, 2008). The fact that the AA program seeks to change the way of thinking of the alcoholics and not merely helping them stop the drinking habit implies that the impact of the program will be astounding. AA defines alcoholism as â€Å"spiritual, mental, and physical illness and healing require healing all aspects of the illness† (Galanter Kaskutas, 2008, p. 14). This posits that either 100% success may be achieved when an individual has fully recovered from alcoholism and thus in a better position mentally, spiritually and physically or at least some degree of success when one is not able to recover in all aspects (AA, 2002). Another point worth noting is that AA provides a program that is fit and comfortable for everyone, both spiritual and non-spiritual. Each person can customise the recovery program according to personal preferences â€Å"the house that AA helps a man build for himself is different for each occupant because each occupant is his own architect† (Galanter Kaskutas, 2008, p. 18). Atheists, believers, radicals as well as conformists can fit in the program and that is arguably the greatest achievement of the AA program. Other recovery programs such as religious sponsored institution are not compatible to such a wide variety of individuals. A statistical approach to the question of the success of the program indicates that the program has met and even exceeded expectations. A report carried out to determine success rate claimed that: A total of 68% of the women in the survey repor ted that they had stopped drinking within a year of their first meeting as compared with only 63% of the men. At the same time, 74% of those under thirty reported they had stopped drinking within a year of attending their first AA meeting, compared with 63% of those over thirty. (AA, 2008, p. 6) One of the strengths of AA is in the structure. AA works as a community though anonymous. A community of people with a common challenge in life and this is perhaps one of the greatest advantages members have, to work and share with people who have or are already undergoing what one is going through. When a new person hears the testimonies of other members who have experienced to be AA community then they get encouraged that all is not lost for them (Medvene, 1989). Another advantage of the AA program lies in the fact that individuals who have the will to stick around for some time get a chance to accelerate their recovery through mentoring the young members in the group. This can be seen as a helper therapy which is believed to help mentors affirm the need to quit alcoholism. A research done to confirm whether indeed this was true found out that â€Å"those helping other alcoholics were less likely to relapse (60%) than those who did not help their peers (78%)† (Galanter Kaskutas, 2008, p. 24). The element of reciprocity in AA gives it an upper hand over other programs. Since the program works on the principle of self-help with the help of others and that there is no any monetary payments to be made, then the only way members can give back is by doing good to themselves by quitting alcoholism. It is claimed that â€Å"many follow moral norms or reciprocity found in society at large and believe that they should give back, if not to their immediate benefactor, to some generalized other in the future† (Galanter Kaskutas, 2008, p. 25). AA weaknesses It can be argued that one of the greatest weaknesses of AA lies in its structure. The fact that there are no any official or managerial structures makes the program vulnerable to abuse and expression of personal interests, for instance it is claimed that, at times â€Å"members of AA groups may dispel disruptive drunk attendees or treat newcomers in such a way that they feel unwelcome† (Galanter Kaskutas, 2008, p. 13). This may not be the case if there was some kind of management that may regulate the response and reaction of other members towards newcomers. The principle of freewill entry to anyone including disruptive drunkards may also be one of the disadvantages. Disruptive drunkards may be more of a discouragement than a motivation to others who may be trying to concentrate on their recovery program (Dick, 1998). The fact that the program is based on a spiritual background may not work for people who do not have any spiritual relation. The success of the program depends on the individual willingness and strength to change the way of thinking. This may be a goal hard to achieve given that the drunkards, in their state of drunkenness, have already given up and may not have the inner drive to change their way of thinking (Medvene, 1989). Conclusion The effect of alcohol on our community is such a great issue that it can simply not be ignored. The community always finds a way of helping those of us struggling with alcoholism and other forms of addiction. Alcoholic people need a lot of motivation in order to encourage and help them out of the alcohol menace. Different kinds of motivational theories such as biological, eclectic, social/cognitive do exist and their applicability in motivating alcoholics to recover is very instrumental. AA is one of the most widely used alcoholic recovery programs and its efficiency in its task mostly lies in the motivations that do exist in different aspects of the program. Though there has been much criticism about the program, it appeals to many and its strengths may far outweigh its weaknesses. References AA. (2002). The Twe lve Steps Of Alcoholics Anonymous. Web. AA. (2008). Alcoholics Anonymous Recovery outcome Rates. Web. Bernstein, D Nash, P. (2006). Essentials of psychology. New York, NY: Cengage Learning. Dalton, S. (n.d.). Synopsis Paper #2. Web. Deci, E Ryan, R. (2008). Intrinsic motivation and self-determination in human behavior. New York, NY: Springer. Dick, B. (1998). The Oxford Group and Alcoholics Anonymous. New York, NY: Good Book Publishing Company. Galanter, M Kaskutas, L. (2008). Research on alcoholics anonymous and spirituality in addiction recovery: the twelve-step program model. New York, NY: Springer. Kurtz, E. (1979). Not-God: A History of Alcoholics Anonymous. Minnesota: Hazelden Publishing. Medvene, M. (1989). Foilrigami. New York, NY: Astor-Honor Inc. Shah, J Gardner, W. (2008). Handbook of Motivation Science. New York, NY: Guilford Press.

Pharmacotherapeutics for prescribing Assignment

Pharmacotherapeutics for prescribing - Assignment Example Vomiting is the forcible involuntary or voluntary stomach contents emptying ("throwing up") through the mouth (Schnell F, 2003) .However vomiting, nausea and constipation might be as a result of gastric cancer related complications that the patient had. To really understand how this condition of the patient can be managed or treated, the Pharmacotherapeutics of these two suggested drugs has been discussed in detail. Metoclopramide 10mg is used in the treatment of vomiting, Digestive disorders, Nausea and Migraine. Metoclopramide increases the muscles contractions or movements in the intestines and stomach (Schnell F. 2003). These results to a decrease in the duration the stomach contents take to move through the digestive tract. On the other hand, Co-danthramer suspension and capsules have 2 active ingredients, Poloxamer 188 and Dantron. Both of these drugs are referred to as laxatives. Hence in combination it is called co-danthramer. Dantron is laxative type referred to as stimulant laxative. It acts by nerve endings stimulation in the intestines walls. This results to intestinal wall muscles to contract frequently with increased force. The gut’s contents are moved along the intestines as a result of these muscles contraction, hence relieving constipation. Poloxamer 188 is referred to as faecal softener. It aids in drawing water into the faecal material, hence the water content and stools volume is increased. This makes it easier and softer to pass. Therefore these drugs best suit the treatment of this patient condition and its Pharmacotherapeutics have been explored in the next section. Pharmacotherapeutics of Metoclopramide and Co-danthramer Pharmacokinetics of Metoclopramide Metoclopramide is well and rapidly absorbed. Relative to 10 mg intravenous dose, the absolute oral Metoclopramide bioavailability is 80% Â ± 15.5% (Baxter Healthcare Corporation, 2010) .This was indicated in a crossover study which had 18 subjects. Concentrations of Peak plasma are experienced at approximately 1 - 2 hours following a single oral dose. It is also observed that same time to peak can be experienced at steady state following individual doses (Baxter Healthcare Corporation, 2010). According to a single dose study carried out on 12 subjects, it was observed that the area under the drug concentration-time curve linearly increased with doses to 100 mg from 20(Jordan et al, 2004). This means that the Concentrations of Peak linearly increase with dose, but time concentrations of peak don’t change; whole body clearance doesn’t change; and the rate of elimination doesn’t change (remains the same) (Jordan et al, 2004). In normal renal function individuals, the half-life of average elimination is 5 - 6 hours. Processes of Linear kinetic describe the Metoclopramide elimination and absorption (Baxter Healthcare Corporation, 2010). In a certain study carried out, it was observed that about 85% of the radioactivity of Metoclopramide dos e which was administered orally appeared in the urine within 72 hours. Out of this eliminated 85% in the urine, approximately half of it was present as conjugated or free Metoclopramide (Jordan et al, 2004). It is known that the drug is never bound extensively to plasma proteins (approximately 30%). The whole body distribution volume is relatively high, approximately 3.5 L/kg, implying that there is always extensive drug distribution to the tissues (Naeimet al, 2008).