John Steinbeck of Mice and Men

John Steinbeck called his novel about migratory farmhands during The Great Depression. The title Of Mice and Men is Steinbeck alluding to Robert Burns’ poem â€Å"To a Mouse â€Å". Burn states â€Å"the best laid plains of mice and mean oft go awry â€Å". Therefore there are many reasons why this quote can relate to the relationship of George and Lennie and also others of this book. Here are my three main reasons why this quote is the main idea of the story and why Steinbeck’s message is true about the real world. First of all, the simplest reason is that George and Lennie’s best laid plans went awry. Lennie and George want to work on the ranch in the hopes of making enough money to buy their own farm, where they can be independent and in charge of their own destiny and rabbits. With the certainty of payment, it seems the pair will get what they’ve hoped for all along. While this is something we can call the plan stage, it has a bit of a twist, hinted at by the way George tells Lennie and us as the reader of their dream. The story of the little farm, with the rabbits and vegetable patch and so on, is less like a plan and more like a fairy tale. The dream-like unreal quality of their dream doesn’t assure well for the hope that it will ever come true. Lennie and George learn that Candy would like to live on the farm, too; he can even offer three hundred dollars toward its purchase which is his life support money. Everyone is very excited at the possibility of the dream actually coming true. With the entrance of Candy’s money into the story, it seems like the dream could come true after all. Candy has three hundred dollars to contribute, and George even knows the couple he’d buy the land from. As Lennie smiles to himself about the possibility of the ranch, Curley is on the prowl for his wife and a fight. He thinks Lennie is laughing at him or wants to fight him and begins to punch the big guy. Lennie is horrified and does nothing until George urges him to fight back. Lennie promptly reduces Curley to a crying little man with a mangled hand. Slim makes sure Lennie and George are protected from getting in trouble, but it’s clear that working on the ranch will be a lot more complicated from now on. Lennie accidentally kills his own puppy, and then accidentally kills Curley’s wife. If Curley was waiting for Lennie to slip-up, he needs to wait no longer. Though Lennie doesn’t at all mean to kill Curley’s wife, this act pretty much decides his fate. Any promise of safety or happiness he had on the dream farm is over. Now we’re certain Lennie will have to pay for what he’s done, one way or another. George realizes that if Lennie is to go with any dignity or comfort, it’s up to George to take his friend out himself. Although this means the literal destruction of Lennie, in killing his friend, George gives Lennie the happiest ending he could have. George has to face the sarcastic loneliness of the open road. George describes to Candy the life he’ll have without Lennie: it’s a future made of whorehouses and pool halls – places where lonely men stay lonely. Worse than just losing a friend by accident, George’s act seems to kill any last hope that the loneliness of the open road could ever be beaten. Without Lennie, George has nothing that makes him different from the other sad wanderers. He’s lost his best friend, and along with losing Lennie, George has also lost his dreams. The plan become very awry obviously. Secondly, Steinbeck's characters are often powerless, due to intellectual, economic, and social circumstances. Lennie possesses the greatest physical strength of any character, which therefore establishes a sense of respect as he is employed as a ranch hand. However, his intellectual handicap undercuts this and results in his powerlessness. Economic powerlessness is established as many of the ranch hands are victims of the Great Depression. As George, Candy and Crooks are positive, action- oriented characters, they wish to purchase a homestead, but because of the Depression, they are unable to generate enough money. Lennie is the only one who is basically unable to take care of him, but the other characters would do this in the improved circumstances they seek. Since they can not do so, the real danger of Lennie's mental handicap comes to the fore. Lastly, Most of all Steinbeck clearly believes The American Dream cannot always be considered as happiness, love, peace, etc. This is his message to the true real world. In my opinion Steinbeck is saying that sometimes the things you plan don’t succeed and what you think is truly your life longing it turns out to be your worst nightmare or not the real destiny of your life. It’s the thinking man, who can look backwards and forwards, that suffers the most from the awful things he’s done. The last verse is a nice way to think of Lennie and George’s respective fate. Whatever happens to Lennie is done, but George is left to spend the rest of his future thinking of his past deeds. OF Mice and Men Essay By:

Carol Ann Duffy’s anthology Mean Time Essay

Carol Ann Duffy’s anthology Mean Time is littered with references to the past. With the title Mean Time in its self referring to time in an ambiguous ways, like Greenwhich mean time, or time associated with angry emotions. The most common interpretation being that the characters represented in many of Mean Times poems as in between two states, past and present. The characters are trapped, escaping, or reminiscing about past times retrospectively from a present time. Much of there past is what is now influencing there present situation or state of mind and Duffy accentuates this factor by being explicit and drawing attention to language that would draw a conclusion to that notion. The Captain of the 1964 Top of the Form Team is a 1960s quiz show between competing teams of school children who, representing their school and in school uniform, would answer general knowledge questions in front of an audience of school children. The individually competitive suggestion of the name of the show individual competition was emphasized in the education system of the 50s and 60s (it would not be unusual for a class to be sat in their rank order according to the last set of exams) and it precedes the change to a comprehensive system. This competitive tone, the sense of a hierarchy, is an important element in the poem. This poem questions the romantic view of the past forming a persona to there present as he characterises his children as his â€Å"thick kids† and his wife as â€Å"stale†. He ambiguously illustrates his past in that he want â€Å"it back, The Captain†. The captain is a symbol of his youth and past in that he wants it back but it’s so isolated and remote that he can’t obtain it and only exists as memories in his mind. The comparison between the first six stanzas’s representing the past and the last stanza representing the present exhibits a barrier between the two. The constant music references mentioned within the poem to past artists and songs reflects the rich memories that are illustrated to the reader, by appealing to more senses, the eyes and hears. Duffy’s purpose for inclusion of these songs is not only that they are connected to the time period and create a richer spectacle but they clearly reveal the more desired time period of the character, showing him to feel nostalgia. We see the nostalgia form as he describes his family and current situation in the last stanza previously discussed. Carol Ann Duffy’s dramatic monologue The Suicide provides an intriguing insight into the forces of the past having an effect on a situation in the present. This poem establishes how the past and present are interconnectivly dependant on each other. This is explained as, without a past of experience and events that shape u as a person there can be no present effects. This notion is also reversed in that without a present the past would never be expressed fully either emotionally or physically with no results or effects seen from past causes. The poem title explicitly provides the reader with exactly what the context of the poem is. The reasons for this is possibly to engage the reader into how is Duffy going to describe the feelings of suicide appealing to our macabre sides of personality. It is commonly thought that language fails to describe many feelings especially that of suicide. The poem analyses the nature of suicidal impulse, by letting a would-be suicide talk to us in the moments before her death. It compares with The Captain of the 1964 Top of the Form Team (The captain), as it is also a dramatic monologue but fails in comparison similarities to that poem. It does refer to the past like The Captain does, however not as explicitly. In The Suicide the reference to the past is, â€Å"Kisses on a collar. Lies. Blood. † The above is a strong reference to a past event of what implicitly seems to be infidelity by the partner. This is followed by short sharp sentences of â€Å"Lies† and â€Å"Blood†. These single emphasised words almost tell a complete story; the history of a relationship, written in lies. Lies that lead to blood (perhaps the blood of the suicide). There is a sense that the whole story is told in these few words. But this whole event can not be ignoring the fact that it was all triggered by a past event that is now influencing if not directly causing the present situation of suicide. The Good Teachers is one of Duffy’s explicit references to the past but written in present tense which instantly makes the reader form the opinion of reminiscence and living in the past letting past events form the future. We believe to be a male because of the hints to passion for female teachers, as he reveals that â€Å"you love Miss Pirie†. It describes his memories of his life in school as a child but most significantly how he retrospectively looks back and regrets the tom foolery that took place then and how he wasted his time in school. This forms similar themes to â€Å"End of innocence† about regret of the past and wants to escape it. The short sentences in the last stanza can be symbolic of time and how it speedily passed by to leave him where he is now which we never quite find out. Again a barrier is formed between the past and the present by the line â€Å"But there’s the wall you climb†. The wall denoting the barrier between past and present and shows how the two are separate. The context before the â€Å"wall† line is about the past, the context of the poem after the â€Å"wall† line is about the present. This structure reinforces the separation of the past and present. Also this show how the past forms a barrier that forms the future and weather or not you accomplish successfully by getting over or around the barrier will have an impact on your life to come. The Captain of the 1964 Top of the Form Team, The Suicide and The Good Teachers all portray the past, but in separate ways. In The Captain†¦ the past is seen as a rich rejoicing memory, with dignity and pride at the forefront of it where the past was contrasted to the future to reinforce how commendable the past was. The nostalgia was accentuated by the language and references to his current situation of him having a â€Å"stale† wife and â€Å"thick kids†. The suicide depicts the past consuming the character and a direct cause for her present situation. The language illustrates a dyer situation and forms the opinion that â€Å"suicide is not chosen, it happens when pain exceeds resources for coping with pain†. It fails to by the inadequacy of language and context fully describe the emotion and direct feeling of suicide caused from the past events. It only refers to four words to describe the past, â€Å"kisses on a collar†. This is a classic example of the notion that the past is represented as irretrievable and irreplaceable. Also that not being able to alter the mistakes made in life will undoubtedly form the situation of present and which is suicide in this case but also that those events will characterise you for the future. The Good Teachers forms a view of the past being one of regret and wanting to escape from it. This also, like The Captain†¦ and The Suicide, forms a barrier separating the past and present by language and contrasting stanzas.

Ch8 Test Bank

CHAPTER 8 SECTION 1: CONTINUOUS PROBABILITY DISTRIBUTIONS MULTIPLE CHOICE 1. Which of the following represents a difference between continuous and discrete random variables? a. Continuous random variables assume an uncountable number of values, and discrete random variables do not. b. The probability for any individual value of a continuous random variable is zero, but for discrete random variables it is not. c. Probability for continuous random variables means finding the area under a curve, while for discrete random variables it means summing individual probabilities. d. All of these choices are true. ANS:DPTS:1REF:SECTION 8. 1 2.Which of the following is always true for all probability density functions of continuous random variables? a. The probability at any single point is zero. b. They contain an uncountable number of possible values. c. The total area under the density function f(x) equals 1. d. All of these choices are true. ANS:DPTS:1REF:SECTION 8. 1 3. Suppose f(x) = 0. 25 . What range of possible values can X take on and still have the density function be legitimate? a. [0, 4] b. [4, 8] c. [? 2, +2] d. All of these choices are true. ANS:DPTS:1REF:SECTION 8. 1 4. The probability density function, f(x), for any continuous random variable X, represents: a. ll possible values that X will assume within some interval a ? x ? b. b. the probability that X takes on a specific value x. c. the height of the density function at x. d. None of these choices. ANS:CPTS:1REF:SECTION 8. 1 5. Which of the following is true about f(x) when X has a uniform distribution over the interval [a, b]? a. The values of f(x) are different for various values of the random variable X. b. f(x) equals one for each possible value of X. c. f(x) equals one divided by the length of the interval from a to b. d. None of these choices. ANS:CPTS:1REF:SECTION 8. 1 6.The probability density function f(x) for a uniform random variable X defined over the interval [2, 10] is a. 0. 125 b. 8 c. 6 d . None of these choices. ANS:APTS:1REF:SECTION 8. 1 7. If the random variable X has a uniform distribution between 40 and 50, then P(35 ? X ? 45) is: a. 1. 0 b. 0. 5 c. 0. 1 d. undefined. ANS:BPTS:1REF:SECTION 8. 1 8. The probability density function f(x) of a random variable X that has a uniform distribution between a and b is a. (b + a)/2 b. 1/b ? 1/a c. (a ? b)/2 d. None of these choices. ANS:DPTS:1REF:SECTION 8. 1 9. Which of the following does not represent a continuous uniform random variable? . f(x) = 1/2 for x between ? 1 and 1, inclusive. b. f(x) = 10 for x between 0 and 1/10, inclusive. c. f(x) = 1/3 for x = 4, 5, 6. d. None of these choices represents a continuous uniform random variable. ANS:CPTS:1REF:SECTION 8. 1 10. Suppose f(x) = 1/4 over the range a ? x ? b, and suppose P(X > 4) = 1/2. What are the values for a and b? a. 0 and 4 b. 2 and 6 c. Can be any range of x values whose length (b ? a) equals 4. d. Cannot answer with the information given. ANS:BPTS:1REF:SECTION 8. 1 11. What is the shape of the probability density function for a uniform random variable on the interval [a, b]? a.A rectangle whose X values go from a to b. b. A straight line whose height is 1/(b ? a) over the range [a, b]. c. A continuous probability density function with the same value of f(x) from a to b. d. All of these choices are true. ANS:DPTS:1REF:SECTION 8. 1 TRUE/FALSE 12. A continuous probability distribution represents a random variable having an infinite number of outcomes which may assume any number of values within an interval. ANS:TPTS:1REF:SECTION 8. 1 13. Continuous probability distributions describe probabilities associated with random variables that are able to assume any finite number of values along an interval.ANS:FPTS:1REF:SECTION 8. 1 14. A continuous random variable is one that can assume an uncountable number of values. ANS:TPTS:1REF:SECTION 8. 1 15. Since there is an infinite number of values a continuous random variable can assume, the probability of each individual value is virtually 0. ANS:TPTS:1REF:SECTION 8. 1 16. A continuous random variable X has a uniform distribution between 10 and 20 (inclusive), then the probability that X falls between 12 and 15 is 0. 30. ANS:TPTS:1REF:SECTION 8. 1 17. A continuous random variable X has a uniform distribution between 5 and 15 (inclusive), then the probability that X falls between 10 and 20 is 1. . ANS:FPTS:1REF:SECTION 8. 1 18. A continuous random variable X has a uniform distribution between 5 and 25 (inclusive), then P(X = 15) = 0. 05. ANS:FPTS:1REF:SECTION 8. 1 19. We distinguish between discrete and continuous random variables by noting whether the number of possible values is countable or uncountable. ANS:TPTS:1REF:SECTION 8. 1 20. In practice, we frequently use a continuous distribution to approximate a discrete one when the number of values the variable can assume is countable but very large. ANS:TPTS:1REF:SECTION 8. 1 21. Let X represent weekly income expressed in dollars. Since there is no set upper limit, we cannot identify (and thus cannot count) all the possible values. Consequently, weekly income is regarded as a continuous random variable. ANS:TPTS:1REF:SECTION 8. 1 22. To be a legitimate probability density function, all possible values of f(x) must be non-negative. ANS:TPTS:1REF:SECTION 8. 1 23. To be a legitimate probability density function, all possible values of f(x) must lie between 0 and 1 (inclusive). ANS:FPTS:1REF:SECTION 8. 1 24. The sum of all values of f(x) over the range of [a, b] must equal one. ANS:FPTS:1REF:SECTION 8. 1 25.A probability density function shows the probability for each value of X. ANS:FPTS:1REF:SECTION 8. 1 26. If X is a continuous random variable on the interval [0, 10], then P(X > 5) = P(X ? 5). ANS:TPTS:1REF:SECTION 8. 1 27. If X is a continuous random variable on the interval [0, 10], then P(X = 5) = f(5) = 1/10. ANS:FPTS:1REF:SECTION 8. 1 28. If a point y lies outside the range of the possible values of a ran dom variable X, then f(y) must equal zero. ANS:TPTS:1REF:SECTION 8. 1 COMPLETION 29. A(n) ____________________ random variable is one that assumes an uncountable number of possible values.ANS:continuous PTS:1REF:SECTION 8. 1 30. For a continuous random variable, the probability for each individual value of X is ____________________. ANS: zero 0 PTS:1REF:SECTION 8. 1 31. Probability for continuous random variables is found by finding the ____________________ under a curve. ANS:area PTS:1REF:SECTION 8. 1 32. A(n) ____________________ random variable has a density function that looks like a rectangle and you can use areas of a rectangle to find probabilities for it. ANS:uniform PTS:1REF:SECTION 8. 1 33. Suppose X is a continuous random variable for X between a and b.Then its probability ____________________ function must non-negative for all values of X between a and b. ANS:density PTS:1REF:SECTION 8. 1 34. The total area under f(x) for a continuous random variable must equal _________ ___________. ANS: 1 one PTS:1REF:SECTION 8. 1 35. The probability density function of a uniform random variable on the interval [0, 5] must be ____________________ for 0 ? x ? 5. ANS: 1/5 0. 20 PTS:1REF:SECTION 8. 1 36. To find the probability for a uniform random variable you take the ____________________ times the ____________________ of its corresponding rectangle.ANS: base; height height; base length; width width; length PTS:1REF:SECTION 8. 1 37. You can use a continuous random variable to ____________________ a discrete random variable that takes on a countable, but very large, number of possible values. ANS:approximate PTS:1REF:SECTION 8. 1 SHORT ANSWER 38. A continuous random variable X has the following probability density function: f(x) = 1/4, 0 ? x ? 4 Find the following probabilities: a. P(X ? 1) b. P(X ? 2) c. P(1 ? X ? 2) d. P(X = 3) ANS: a. 0. 25 b. 0. 50 c. 0. 25 d. 0 PTS:1REF:SECTION 8. 1 Waiting TimeThe length of time patients must wait to see a doctor at an emergen cy room in a large hospital has a uniform distribution between 40 minutes and 3 hours. 39. {Waiting Time Narrative} What is the probability density function for this uniform distribution? ANS: f(x) = 1/140, 40 ? x ? 180 (minutes) PTS:1REF:SECTION 8. 1 40. {Waiting Time Narrative} What is the probability that a patient would have to wait between one and two hours? ANS: 0. 43 PTS:1REF:SECTION 8. 1 41. {Waiting Time Narrative} What is the probability that a patient would have to wait exactly one hour? ANS: 0PTS:1REF:SECTION 8. 1 42. {Waiting Time Narrative} What is the probability that a patient would have to wait no more than one hour? ANS: 0. 143 PTS:1REF:SECTION 8. 1 43. The time required to complete a particular assembly operation has a uniform distribution between 25 and 50 minutes. a. What is the probability density function for this uniform distribution? b. What is the probability that the assembly operation will require more than 40 minutes to complete? c. Suppose more time was allowed to complete the operation, and the values of X were extended to the range from 25 to 60 minutes.What would f(x) be in this case? ANS: a. f(x) = 1/25, 25 ? x ? 50 b. 0. 40 c. f(x) = 1/35, 25 ? x ? 60 PTS:1REF:SECTION 8. 1 44. Suppose f(x) equals 1/50 on the interval [0, 50]. a. What is the distribution of X? b. What does the graph of f(x) look like? c. Find P(X ? 25) d. Find P(X ? 25) e. Find P(X = 25) f. Find P(0 < X < 3) g. Find P(? 3 < X < 0) h. Find P(0 < X < 50) ANS: a. X has a uniform distribution on the interval [0, 50]. b. f(x) forms a rectangle of height 1/50 from x = 0 to x = 50. c. 0. 50 d. 0. 50 e. 0 f. 0. 06 g. 0. 06 h. 1. 00PTS:1REF:SECTION 8. 1 Chemistry Test The time it takes a student to finish a chemistry test has a uniform distribution between 50 and 70 minutes. 45. {Chemistry Test Narrative} What is the probability density function for this uniform distribution? ANS: f(x) = 1/20, 50 ? x ? 70 PTS:1REF:SECTION 8. 1 46. {Chemistry Test Narrative} Find the pr obability that a student will take more than 60 minutes to finish the test. ANS: 0. 50 PTS:1REF:SECTION 8. 1 47. {Chemistry Test Narrative} Find the probability that a student will take no less than 55 minutes to finish the test. ANS: 0. 75PTS:1REF:SECTION 8. 1 48. {Chemistry Test Narrative} Find the probability that a student will take exactly one hour to finish the test. ANS: 0 PTS:1REF:SECTION 8. 1 49. {Chemistry Test Narrative} What is the median amount of time it takes a student to finish the test? ANS: 60 minutes PTS:1REF:SECTION 8. 1 50. {Chemistry Test Narrative} What is the mean amount of time it takes a student to finish the test? ANS: 60 minutes PTS:1REF:SECTION 8. 1 Elevator Waiting Time In a shopping mall the waiting time for an elevator is found to be uniformly distributed between 1 and 5 minutes. 1. {Elevator Waiting Time Narrative} What is the probability density function for this uniform distribution? ANS: f(x) = 1/4, 1 ? x ? 5 PTS:1REF:SECTION 8. 1 52. {Elevator Wa iting Time Narrative} What is the probability of waiting no more than 3 minutes? ANS: 0. 50 PTS:1REF:SECTION 8. 1 53. {Elevator Waiting Time Narrative} What is the probability that the elevator arrives in the first minute and a half? ANS: 0. 125 PTS:1REF:SECTION 8. 1 54. {Elevator Waiting Time Narrative} What is the median waiting time for this elevator? ANS: 3 minutes PTS:1REF:SECTION 8. 1

Two behavioural finance problem sets related to Temporal Discounting Assignment

Two behavioural finance problem sets related to Temporal Discounting and Bayesian Learning vs Reinforcement Learning in Financial Decision making - Assignment Example The exponential discounting graph has a positive slope due to its positivity index. This person should sign an agreement in period zero due to income effect and substitution effect. The high interest rate increases income a certain amount of time. Therefore, increase in consumption during the first and second period makes the income effect of the borrower to be negative in the period. Additionally, due to substitution effect, the gross interest rate is relative to consumption price during period zero compared to period 1 and 2 (Nielsen, 2005). Hence, it will be more expensive in the first and second period compared to period zero. As such, for a person, a rise in interest rate in the first or second period may rise or reduce the rate during period zero. Assuming that Mr. Spout has an expected payout of $1 when he invests in stock A, Mr. Spout will not choose the guaranteed stock A. Stock has an expected uncertainty of 1/3; therefore, Mr. Spout will take his chances and invest in stock B. He will not have preference between investing in either stock A or investing in stock B (Forbes, 2009). To state this in a different way, Mr. Spout will later select the investment that has a higher expected return. Mr. Spout, will invest in stock B in future, since he does not consider taking into account the investment risk in his decision. As a Bayesian learner, Mr. Spout decision will be influenced by uncertainty knowledge and the time is linked through the process of learning of the stocks. As a risk neutral investor, Mr. Spout will be indifferent between investing in stock A or in Stock B. Since he has an experience in stock A, Mr. Spout will invest in stock B. As a Bayesian investor, Mr. Spout experimented in the first period and observed the results. Therefore, he will invest in stock B due to its uncertainty element attached to the stock. He will not have preference between

Marvin v. Marvin Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Marvin v. Marvin - Case Study Example The case between Martin v Martin highlights the challenges that marriage couples face. The case was determined in 1976 with the outcome serving as reference point in the US because of the relevance. The case involved two individuals in a non-marital relationship enforced through oral agreement. The couples made several agreements concerning their economic and social status. According to the case, the couples lived and made significant wealth and resources jointly. They had an agreement to share the acquired property and other belongings equally upon dissolution of the union. In 1971, the defendant withdrew the support he accorded the wife and called for the dissolution of marriage. The complainant launched a suit to enforce the agreement that they entered into prior to their dissolution. The complainant told the court that they entered into an oral agreement to work and share the property equally upon dissolution of their relationship (Laskin & Niff, 2010). The court heard the case and determined that individuals in any form of marriage whether implied or express have the right to claim their share. The court found that the complainant’s issues were valid and subjected the defendant to fulfill the agreement. The court stated that couples in non-marital relationships have the right to launch legitimate claims for property based on express or implied marriage contracts. The case gave a clear direction that sought to ensure fairness and equality between couples upon marriage dissolution. Living together contracts involve gay and non-gay couples who form relationship are either formal or non-formal. These non-marital contracts pose several complications when it comes to sharing property upon dissolution of the marriage. The contracts threaten to erode the moral and cultural practices of various societies. As noted by Strong, DeVault & Cohen (2011) these marriages disobey the moral standards that

Leadership and management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 1

Leadership and management - Essay Example Palpably, Claire Fagin applies visionary leadership in her quest to research and establish a niche for the psychiatric nurse in the medical fraternity. She is an American academic, educator nurse and consultant who was born on 25 November 1926. Her academic credentials are a series of documents received from various universities in New York City including a Ph. D from the New York University, a Master’s degree in Nursing from the Columbia University and Bachelor’ s Degree in Science from the Wagner College. In her life, she has participated in programs involved in leading practice and thinking in education of nurses, geriatric nursing, policies of nursing and health, administration as well as leadership programs (Houser, Player and Sigma, 2004). Her career has involved covering major milestones and holding important posts. Between 1977 and 1992, Claire served on the University of Pennsylvania as the Dean of the School of Nursing before she joined the Institute of Medici ne, National Academy of Sciences as a scholar in Residence participating in geriatric nursing research (Houser et al 2004). The year 1993 was a good year for Fagin. She was Presidential Chair of the University of California, San Francisco, in the early weeks of the year. It was in the same year that she became the first woman Interim President in the Ivy League universities. She was the Interim President of University of Pennsylvania a post she held from July 1, 1993 until June 30 1994. In the same year that Claire held the office, she invested heavily on energy while contributing significantly to the University through program ms such as the Commission on Strengthening the Community (Houser et al 2004). A Democratic Leader Her leadership skills during the one-year term drew wide admiration and contributed to her being a Professor of leadership Emerita at the University of Pennsylvania. There are a number of styles incorporated by persons holding positions of leadership in group set tings of any scale. The ideas incorporated as well as the relationship between the leader and the members rely on the style applied by the leader. Claire Mintzer Fagin held a number of leadership posts in her long career (Houser et al 2004). The administration of her authority in these posts closely resembles the leadership style labeled democratic. According to Clark (2013), democratic style of leadership involves the participation and listening to the views of members of the group in the decision making process before the leader finally makes decisions. Clare encouraged the participation of the people in the organizations she managed. She believed and still does believe that communication using open channels is a key ingredient in the makeup of a successful leadership role administration (Houser et al 2004). Clare aimed to replace the atmosphere of distrust created by distance with a homely family-type environment in the university. Comparing Leadership Styles Based on the â€Å" Leadership Style Survey†, the delegate system of leadership scored highest in similarity to Claire Fagin’s leadership style. Participative leadership has been shown to increase employees’ motivation, feeling of power, and job performance in various countries and it has been reported as an effective leadership style for all cultures (Effects of participative, 2011). In contrast, delegate styles are the least effective of all three-leadership styles, which are authoritative,

2013 Protests in Turkey - Gezi Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

2013 Protests in Turkey - Gezi - Essay Example The main issues that could be discerned included freedom of assembly, freedom of speech and expression, freedom of the press, and the violation on secularism. The Slovenian philosopher Slavoj Zizek, on supporting the protests, noted that when considering that Turkey has always been considered a moderate Islamic state, the protest were indeed astonishing. He argues that the protests are proof that a free market does not always lead to social freedom but can exist with authoritarian politics. Basically, Zizek points out that the existence of a free market does not always mean that a democratic state exists. A country can employ a free market system but withhold sharing of power between the ruling few and the majority public. In considering the protests in Turkey, it can thus be concluded that neo-liberalism in the country led to the decline of the government’s responsibility to its people and thus leading to a very angry citizenship that reacted in the best way that they could. Democracy is an integrated political system that is based on the principle of involvement. Democracy is based on two concepts; liberty and self-government2. Liberty often referred to as freedom belongs to individuals while popular sovereignty belongs to the public as a whole. Liberty encompasses what governments are prohibited to do to their citizens, that is, curtail individual freedoms. Self-government as a property of democracy on the other hand deals in the manner with which those who govern are chosen. In this way, self-government deals with who leads while liberty sets rules that impose limits on what those who govern can do. In the past thirty years, democracy has enjoyed an extraordinary rise. Incorporating social welfare with liberty and sovereignty has led democracy to be widely popular. It has however can be noticed that most governments are unable to maintain democracy as in the case of Turkey. Markets and Democracy Free markets nurture democracy in four main ways3. It i s in these four ways that the government of Turkey failed and which led to the unrest that was witnessed in a country that was considered a promising example of change in the Islamic world. The first manner in which free markets promote democracy is free markets are founded on the principle of private property. In a free market society, governments have to uphold the right of every citizen to own property as well as protect public property. According to4, one of the main reasons that the protest spread across Turkey was that the citizens were protesting the sale of public spaces, streams, forests, urban symbols and beaches to private companies and individual investors. The plans to demolish Gezi Park to erect a shopping mall were a tipping point of the anger the citizens harbored on the privatization efforts the government was conducting. The second manner in which free markets promote democracy is that they generate wealth5. As a country acquires wealth through the free market syst em, the middle class also referred to as the social backbone of democracy, arise. In turkey, the government grew complacent and forgot about the needs of the middle class in favor of the rich and elite. The people grew frustrated when their government increasingly went out of its way to create conducive environments for big companies while slowly decreasing public spending on social welfare. The third manner in which free markets foster democracy is by creating a civil society6. This occurs where groups and organizations such as religious associations, labor unions and professional

Operations Management Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3250 words

Operations Management - Coursework Example This study will firstly reflect upon the strategic business focus of both these firms. Nando’s and WAGAMAMA have different business strategy and target market. Their operations are mainly related to acquiring raw materials from suppliers, processing food, taking order from customers, delivering food items, checking payment details and maintaining high levels of customer satisfaction. These internal operations are similar for both the firms. Lead time is another issue discussed in this particular study. It has been stated that lead time should be less in case of restaurant business since it affects the operation flow. Quality management has been indicated as the prime focus for both the firms. Nando’s and WAGAMAMA take proper actions to sustain high quality level ranging from dealings with suppliers to product delivery. A process flowchart has been drawn for both the firms including a physical layout for the selected restaurants. The study also includes certain recommend ed solutions for the firms which shall help to address certain operation management issues witnessed by Nando’s and WAGAMAMA. Main focus of the study is on inventory control, demand planning and importance of safety stock in restaurant business. Operations management is a kind of management associated with controlling, overseeing and designing production process. It involves redesigning wide array of business operations in production of services and goods. The concept encompasses responsibility of ensuring that there is efficiency in business operations. Optimization of resources is a major concern in dimension of operations management. Fulfilling customer requirements is also taken into consideration in this approach. Operations management is concerned with managing the overall process through which inputs are successfully converted into outputs. Inputs are usually in the form of raw materials, energy and labour. Output is in the form of services or products.

Social Problem Theories Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Social Problem Theories - Essay Example The aim of Symbolic interactionism is to encourage people to help one another in social matters. A critical focus will be put on the subjective meaning among small groups of people including the popular and non-popular viewpoints. This aids in the understanding and acceptance of the problem. Functionalists will explain the problem of suicide or homicide by looking at the social behavior of an individual in the larger society. This entails the collection of information from the members of the society who may be familiar with the individual in terms of social status (Mooney, Knox, & Schacht, 2012). Since the main focus of the theory is the steady patterns of social relations or structures of the victim, for instance the consequence of social cohesion patterns on the rates of suicide or homicide. In explaining the issue of suicide or homicide, the Functionalist theorists demonstrate how social structures uphold or challenge social stability (Mooney, Knox, & Schacht, 2012. Functionalists will offer a proper analysis on the effects of some members of the society on an individual’s behavior. Basing on the theory therefore, it will be argued that in order to address the problem of suicide or homicide, societal issues must be addressed for instance poverty, unemployment, and relationships. Conflict theorists will explain the problem of suicide or homicide basing on the differences in the societal, political, or material status of the members of the social group (Zetterberg, 2002). The analysis of the socio-political structure differentiates the theory from the functionalism. Conflict theory, will address the issue of differences in power. In most cases, the privileged members of the community always try to uphold their benefits while the poor groups continue to suffer. According to the theory, under special circumstances, steady discrimination patterns in the society might lead to social stability (Zetterberg,

Incapacitation Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Incapacitation - Term Paper Example In the cases that the criminal is not conditioned, by remaining in prison they remain unable to commit further crimes. Collective incapacitation is the implementation of crime-control effects of the present criminal justice system due to incapacitation. Collective incapacitation attempts to prevent crime by increasing the rate and length of time that a broad range of offenders spend in prison. This is done without taking into consideration possible future offenses. Selective incapacitation is an altered form of incapacitation that justifies the practice of giving more dangerous and indefatigable offenders long prison sentences, some of which can be indefinite or extend over numerous life terms. Selective incapacitation focuses more on criminals who are more likely to repeat their offenses in the future or else engage in more dangerous activity upon being released from their initial prison sentence (Auerhahn, 2003). Selective incapacitation is sometimes used on people who are less likely to commit further offenses, ensuring that their one sentence is going to be enough to rehabilitate them. Though collective and selective incapacitation both deal with the implementation of prison time to enable criminal offenders to avoid future offenses, there are differences between the two concepts. The greatest difference between collective and selective incapacitation is the purpose. Collective incapacitation is used for criminal defenders as a whole, though focuses especially on offenders that are not believed to commit further offenses in the future. Selective incapacitation is more picky, focusing on criminals that are at risk for being repeat offenders, or criminals that have no chance at repeating their mistakes after being imprisoned. The effect of incapacitation varies from criminal to criminal (Hawkins & Zimring, 1997). The majority of criminals that

Economy of China Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Economy of China - Research Paper Example Contextually, with respect to commercial activities, national limitations are lessening in terms of legitimate administrations where independent federations are performing as the principal power over their respective regions (Kojima, 2002, pp. 1-2). A similar notion can also be held true in the context of China’s relation with major global powers, including the US, UK, and other countries. On political and economic grounds, serious economic conflicts have transpired in recent times between China and other economies, especially those concerning the US in numerous aspects. Besides, the Chinese economy is also facing problems which are likely to have the profound impact on the world economy (Xuetong, 2010, pp. 267-269). Considering these aspects, this essay will review the world politics on international business causing conflicts, majorly between China and US along with other nations. Therefore, the prime focus of the essay will be on the economic problems witnessed by China concerning its relations in the global arena. Stating precisely, the objective of the essay is to evaluate the economic issues currently witnessed by China in the international context from different perspectives. In the global political history, two most apparent changes in power have been identified in the recent occurrences; one being the rise of European economy after ‘Industrial Revolution’ and the other being the rise of the American economy in the post-Civil War era (Zhou, 2008, pp.171). These power moves have resulted in international conflicts with the motive to acquire more authority in the global trade systems. It was during this era that weakening nations became more probable to lose the governing position in the international business system, thereby increasing the gap in relation to international power distribution.  Ã‚  

Schedule Work Essay Example for Free

Schedule Work Essay Carter Cleaning Centers does not have a formal wage structure nor does it have rate ranges or use compensable factors. Wage rates are based mostly on those prevailing in the surrounding community and are tampered with an attempt on the part of Jack Carter to maintain some semblance of equity between what workers with different responsibilities in the stores are paid. Needless to say, carter does not make any formal surveys when determining what his company should pay. He peruses the want ads almost every day and conducts informal surveys among his friends in the local chapter of the Laundry and Cleaning Trade association. While Jack has taken a â€Å"seat – of – the pants† approach to paying employees, his salary schedule has been guided by several basic pay policies. While many of his colleagues adhere to a policy of paying absolutely minimum rates, Jack has always followed a policy of paying his employees about 10% above what he feels are the prevailing rates, a policy that he believes reduces turnover while fostering employee loyalty. Of some what more concern to Jennifer is her father’s informal policy of paying men about 20% more than women for same job. Her father’s explanation is, â€Å"They’re Stronger and can work harder for longer hours, and besides they all have families to support.†The New Pay Plan:The New Pay Plan:

Self-Esteem, Control and Well-Being in Obesity

Self-Esteem, Control and Well-Being in Obesity Obesity in the UK – individual problem or national plague? Introduction: Levels of obesity are on the rise in the UK and following calls from doctors and other health professionals, the government has pledged to fight obesity with promises to help British society to fight the problem on a number of levels. Predictions are that in 2010 almost one third of adults will be obese (Lean et al., 2006), and the obesity epidemic, which is running out of control could bankrupt the health service (Haslam et al., 2006) adding to the calls for something to be done about the problem. Tony Blair has offered to provide money for prevention and fighting the existing symptoms of obesity. Obesity is arguably the greatest challenge to public health in Britain today and there is a need for effective action. One of the major warning signs is the rising levels of obesity among children and there is a growing recognition that if the problem is not tackled with some degree of urgency in this group the long term health of the nation will suffer. While there are now a number of wel l established potential treatments for obesity in the UK, it has been suggested that measures for enhancing self esteem would be particularly important in those groups identified as being at risk from later eating disorders and obesity (Button et al., 1997, p.46). The issue of health in general concerns the nation, with the government, consumers and businesses sharing the burden of addressing health related issues. The National Audit Office has estimated that obesity accounts for eighteen million days of sickness absence and 30 000 premature deaths each year (Bourn, 2001). Obesity has physical and psychological causes and symptoms but the nature of the psychological mechanisms involved in adjusting to obesity are unclear (Ryden et al., 2001). There are a number of health problems associated with obesity, with mortality rising exponentially with increasing body weight (Wilding, 1997).Despite the growing level of the problem, questions have been asked in respect of whether Britons really need this help at a national level and if they realise that obesity is a problem for individuals and the nation as a whole. The purpose of this study is to assess the views of Britons on the obesity issue. Levels of psychological well being, the locus of control and self esteem will be measured in relation to being overweight. Differences between men and women will be considered. In addition two different age groups will be investigated – under thirties will be compared with over thirties to ascertain similarities and differences. There is also an investigation into the effects, if any, of ethnicity on obesity. The main focus of interest will be to determine if there is a difference in self perception between those who consider themselves to be overweight and those who do not. In order to investigate the issue the body mass index will be calculated for all participants and compared with the perceptions they have of themselves in terms of being overweight. It is hypothesised that men will have higher levels of self esteem and will score more highly on measures of psychological well being than women. Previous studies have suggested that there are no significant differences between men and women in terms of locus of control in respect of weight (Furnham and Greaves, 1994). In order to investigate if this finding is still valid, the study will test the above variables taking into consideration differences in age and weight. Methodology: The sample will consist of a selection of individuals attending Weight Watchers meetings and sessions at the local gym. There will be sixty participants consisting of men and women aged over eighteen. Materials: A questionnaire will be designed to examine the variables discussed above and any relationship between them. The questionnaire will be divided into four parts:  · Part One – will ask questions about gender, age group (under thirties and over thirties), weight, height and will ask participants to declare whether o nt they believe themselves to be overweight;  · Part Two – will ask questions in respect of self esteem;  · Part Three – will ask questions in respect of locus of control;  · Part Four – will ask questions about psychological well being. In order to measure the effects of the various variables the following instruments will be used: Rotters Internal-External Locos of Control Scale (Rotter, 1996), Radloffs CES-D Depression Scale (Radloff, 1977) and Rosenbergs Self-Esteem Scale (SES) (Rosenberg, 1965). Procedure: Half of the questionnaires will be given to those attending Weight Watchers sessions and the other half will be administered to those attending the local gym. Participants will be informed of the nature and purpose of the study and will be given assurances tat all information given will be treated in the strictest confidence and will not be used for any other purpose. It will be stressed that participation in the study is voluntary and participants are free to withdraw at any time. Participants will also be free to omit any questions which they do not want to answer. Written consent will be obtained before participants take part in the study. Contact details will be given to the researcher in case of follow up queries. Analysis of Data: Data collected will be analysed using quantitative statistical analysis in the form of TTests. Discussion: The obesity epidemic in the UK continues to run out of control, with none of the measures that have been taken showing any sighs of halting the problem much less reversing the trend (Haslam, 2006, p.640). A number of areas have been identified which need to be addressed. There is the recognition that mental health problems in the context of low self esteem are associated with eating disorders. Mental well being is affected in the context of the workplace, with obese people often facing some degree of discrimination in their professional and social lives. There is also a growing body of evidence to suggest that the problem is more widespread in some ethnic groups than in others. Many of the medical problems and complications associated with obesity are found in adults, but the increasing prevalence of obesity or the tendency to become obese in children, is also a worrying trend, further strengthening suggestions that prevention rather than cure is the key to tackling the problem in th e long term. While prevention in terms of maintaining weight loss and preventing people from putting on weight in the first place is the ideal, maintaining weight loss has been a major limitation of many of the approaches so far adopted (Wliding, 1997,p.998). Self Esteem: Although there is a general consensus that there are a number of factors at work in the context of eating disorders, self image has frequently been thought of as having a high profile role in the nature of these disorders (Button et al., 1997, p.39). Research in this area has been to a large degree unclear as those who have typically participated in the research have been those who have been in the process of seeking help and may therefore not be representative of the obese population in general (Ryden et al., 2001, p.186). It has often been suggested that a low self image is present and can be a contributory factor in causing individuals to develop eating disorders. Dyken and Gerrard gathered considerable empirical evidence to suggest that patients with eating disorders had slower levels of self esteem than their counterparts who are of normal weight (Dyken and Gerrard, 1986). A great deal of the research has been speculative in nature with very little evidence to suggest a causal l ink between low self esteem and the onset of eating disorders. As discussed above, it has been documented that obese individuals face discrimination on a number of levels. This can lead to their accepting these negative perceptions which can reduce self esteem even further and can lead to mental health problems (Ryden et al., 2001). Studies carried out in Sweden have supported this idea, with individuals who were obese experiencing significantly psychological distress than not only their healthy counterparts, but than those who had been involved in various forms of accidents or who were chronically ill (Sullivan et al., 1993). Studies carried out by Button found that girls aged 11-12 who had low levels of self esteem were, indeed more likely to have developed an eating disorder than their counterparts when they took part in a follow up study some years later when they were aged 15-16. These girls also displayed a range of other psychological problems (Button, 1990 cited in Button et al., 1997). Dieting usually results in weight loss and the lower the calorie intake, the more weight will be lost. Weight is usually regained and there is evidence that cognitive behaviour therapy may be a more successful approach, particularly if it is coupled with physical exercise. This may have more long term success, making it an effective approach with children and adolescents as good behaviour patterns in terms of adopting a healthy lifestyle can be developed and maintained (Wilding, 1997). In order to investigate the area of self esteem further Button and colleagues investigated rates of self esteem in a much larger sample of girls aged 15-16. Those who were identified as having eating disorders did display lower levels of self esteem than their counterparts, and the area in which they had the lowest levels of self esteem was in respect of their external appearance, cited as an area of low self esteem by 75% of the respondents who were problematic eaters (Button et al., 1997). Gender Differences: Eating disorders have been viewed as largely affecting women, with relatively few studies having been carried out in respect of men who have problems with weight and weight control. Since the 1990s there have been increasing numbers of males being identified as having eating disorders (Fernandez-Aranda et al., 2004, p.368). Research has begun to focus on whether there are gender differences associated with eating disorders. It has been suggested that men who develop eating disorders have higher levels of the personality traits associated with these disorders as overall rates are less for men than they are for women. Research has shown that men had less of a preoccupation with ideal body size and the drive for thinness than females (Fernandez-Aranda et al., 2004). Mental Health: Eating disorders in general, and obesity in particular have been attributed to underlying psychological problems such as depression or an inability to cope with certain aspects of life (Leon and Roth, 1977). This has led to the increasing adoption of cognitive therapy methods, providing training in better ways to deal with the difficulties in ones life which can lead to obsessive eating behaviour. Ryden and colleagues have proposed that the coping mechanisms which individual shave at their disposal can have an enormous impact on whether or not they will become obese (Ryden et al., 2001). The Extent of the Problem: The body mass index has been increasing in a number of countries and in the UK the National Audit Office have found that in the period from 1984 to 1993 rates of obesity doubled for both men and women (National Audit Office, 1994) and have been on the rise ever since. Not only are the rates of obesity continuing to rise, with 17% of men and 21% of women currently obese in the UK, but they are rising at a faster rate than in the past, with people being fatter than they were in the past (Clark, 2006, 123). Obesity levels are rising faster in the UK than elsewhere (While, 2002, p.438). There are also some quite startling differences, with women in the UK who are the heaviest weighing up to twice as much as their counterparts of the same height who are not overweight. Despite an increasing awareness about obesity and the benefits of healthy eating and exercise, the obesity problem continues to rise, being attributed to a complex interplay between a number of environmental factors. In the ir work in respect of eating disorders and self esteem Button and colleagues found that the rates of partial eating disorders were quite high at about 8% (Button et al.,1997). Obesity is starting to overtake smoking in the UK as the greatest preventable cause of illness and premature death (Haslam, 2006, p.641). Obesity has been strongly linked with poverty and with a lack of available public information, with many individuals realising that high fat products were unhealthy but they were unable to judge which products were high in fat and by how much (Vlad, 2003p. 1308). Psychological Well Being: Eating disorders in general have been linked to overall psychological well being. This means that in addition to the nations physical health, obesity must be addressed in the context of the effect it is having on the nations psychological well being. Button et al. found that those who had been identified as having eating disorders scored low on the self esteem scale but also had higher scores on the anxiety scale than their counterparts. The authors pointed out that their work which involved school students, was carried out close to examinations which may account for increases in levels of anxiety, and they could therefore not suggest a causal link without further follow up work (Button et al., 1997). Button and colleagues used a questionnaire in order to elicit further information in respect of self esteem in their subjects. When girls expressed general dissatisfaction with themselves, this was most often referred to in the context of physical appearance, with those identified as having eating disorders being more likely to make globally negative comments about themselves (Button et al., 1997, p.45). The same research found that family was an important factor in negative perceptions and low self esteem with a significant number of those identified as having eating disorders reporting that their family lives were characterised by arguments and an inability to communicate. The growing recognition that obesity has a psychological component, with low self esteem being recognised as an important factor, has led to suggestions that support needs to be given to people who are obese rather than ridiculing them (Mayor, 2004). Causes of Obesity: If obesity is to be successfully tackled in the UK and elsewhere, a sound understanding of the root causes must be established. The spiralling levels of obesity in the UK and elsewhere over the past thirty years have prompted suggestions that it is the environment which is playing the largest part in the problem as genes could not have changed to such a degree in such a short space of time (Clark, 2006, p.124), although there is recognition that there is a genetic component (Barth, 2002, p.119), with research from twin studies suggesting that the tendency to become obese is inherited. Not only are people eating more than they did a generation ago, but there have been a number of changes to the types of activities in which people are engaged. There has been a steady decline in the need for active working at home or in the workplace and an associated increase in sedentary jobs and occupations. In real terms physical activity has been seen as having shifted from something which people w ere paid to do, to something which people must now pay for in the form of joining a gym or similar pastimes. Considerable criticism has been levelled at the food production industry which produces high calories foods which are being eaten as snacks, taking daily calorie allowances above the recommended allowances. There has been an attempt to address this problem in the form of a number of initiatives such as those to increase physical activity to two hours per week in schools and the promotion of fruit and vegetables in schools, but there is little evidence of widespread success. Research carried out by Skidmore and Yarnell has suggested that the majority of obese adults were not overweight as children. This is suggestive of the fact that obesity comes about as the result of excess calorie intake over a period of many years. Education for healthy eating and living is therefore seen as vital in preventing future obesity and the associated health risks (Skidmore and Yarnell, 2004). Environmental factors: Despite the identification of a genetic component, it has been argued that obesity can be largely prevented, with lack of physical activity and chronic consumption of excess calories, being the main preventable causes of obesity (Skidmore and Yarnell, 2004, p. 819). It has been suggested that the environment provides a number of opportunities for the over consumption which leads to excessive weight gain. This has led to the conclusion that the obesity epidemic can only be effectively targeted if there are major changes in the environment and the ways in which people interact with it in respect of food and eating (Clark, 2006). Effects of Obesity: Obesity affects people of all ages including children and has damaging effects on all organs in the body. Long term consequences include diabetes and hypertension which can ultimately lead to strokes and coronary heart disease (Barth, 2002, p.119). The effects of obesity in relation to mortality can be marked. Research carried out has found that the risk of diabetes in men who were very overweight increased to a risk of being forty two times more likely than those who were not overweight and women and children have been identified by research as the groups most affected by obesity (Bhate, 2007, p.173). The governments proposed intervention has come about due to the realisation that many individuals are not able to make enough proactive changes to prevent excess weight gain and are simply reacting to their environment, one in which people eat larger portions, are more prone to snacking and are taking less exercise than their counterparts from a generation ago. Food is seen to be attached to a range of emotions, with eating being associated with celebration as well as a comfort when one is depressed. Because of the huge impact which the environment appears to be having on obesity, it has been argued that education alone will be insufficient in dealing with the problem, and environmental changes are urgently needed (Lean et al., 2006). Attempts to tackle the obesity problem have themselves brought difficult issues in terms of adverse outcomes such as the rise in eating disorders as more and more people battle with their weight. It has been suggested that long term monitoring of approa ches to treating obesity is required in order to deal with these associated problems (Skidmore and Yarnell, 2004). Obesity as a Disorder: There is a growing recognition that obesity comes about as a result of an addiction to food, and, as with all addictions those who suffer require help and advice. It would appear that many of those who are obese eat not when they are hungry but in the context of a wider social agenda, fuelled by the constant availability of food. Once the cycle of weight gain begins it becomes cyclical in its nature and is compounded by lack of exercise, which leads to greater levels of weight gain. Many commentators have suggested that the failure of traditional approaches to tackling obesity point to the fact that a more successful approach may be to take the view of obesity being a disability which is characterised by a range of adverse consequences. Like other addictions, obesity requires treatment and support. The benefits of effective treatment cannot be overstated as even a small weight loss can reduce health risk for obese individuals (Goldstein, 1992). Addressing the Obesity Issue: The problem of obesity is placing a strain on public resources in the National Health Service as well as endangering the nations health. Action is therefore required at the national level as it has been argued that many of the factors operating at the environmental level such as the availability if fast food and the lack of exercise cannot be dealt with at the level of the individual and must therefore be addressed through a number of public health initiatives. Guidelines for prevention and treatment have been introduced in the United States and the United Kingdom, but it has been suggested that their implementation may take a number of years due to their complex nature and the number of organisations involved in the process (Skidmore and Yarnell, 2004). It has been suggested that the issue can only really be addressed through changes in the environment which will enable individuals to make more healthy lifestyle choices. Suggestions include making public transport more appealing and parks more inviting in order that individuals will want to take some moderate exercise and will not have to make considerable effort and choice in order to achieve this end. Eating healthy food should become the norm as these foods should be more prominently displayed in shops and other food outlets. While it is recognised that prevention would be the best ideal outcome in respect of obesity, until there is some success with preventative measures, the goal should be to help patients to deal with some of the physical and psychological costs of the problem and to ensure that any treatment given does not compound the problems that obese individuals already have. Prevention: Prevention is more important and easier to achieve than weight loss, with research showing that one third of obese patients will not lose weight by any medical means. It is therefore necessary to focus on preventing obesity in the first place, and enabling individuals to maintain their current weight. The principles of losing weight and maintaining weight loss are well known, but an effective evidence base of effective measures for preventing obesity does not currently exist (Haslam, 2006, p.641). The promotion of healthy eating and regular physical exercise is essential for both the prevention of future obesity and for treating individuals who are already overweight or obese. It has been suggested that obesity management should be included as an important part of health service planning with increasing numbers of staff trained in dealing with the problem. Research has shown that not only is considerable weight loss achievable through a programme of diet and exercise, but that this c an also prevent the onset of type 2 diabetes, which is becoming more common due to the increasing obesity problem (Skidmore and Yarnell, 2004, p.821). Goals of Obesity Management: With the recognition that obesity is having a major effect on the health of the nation comes the realisation that something must be done to tackle the problem. The basic goal of obesity management is for individuals to reduce their weight in a way which is safe and not overly restrictive in terms of diet, which can lead to harmful adverse effects. Current recommendations from the World Health Organisation are that individuals should attempt to lose around 10% of their body weight (World Health Organisation, 1997), but for many individuals, particularly those who are unhealthy or physically inactive, this may not be realistic and it may be more reasonable to suggest not gaining any further weight as a realistic goal. Obesity in Children: One of the major areas of concern in respect of the obesity debate is the increasing prevalence of obesity in children. The government has set targets for the reduction of obesity in this age group but it has been suggested that the targets for reduction of the problem by 2010 are unlikely to be met because of confusion which exist among professional in respect of how to effectively tackle the problem. Even if preventative measures in respect of obesity were immediately successful, there would still be an epidemic of diabetes and related complications in the next two decades, because so many young people are already in the clinically â€Å"latent† phase of the disease, before clinical complications present (Haslam, 2006, p.641). As noted above one of the main problem areas is the issue of obesity in children, and many food preference choices are made in childhood, largely as a result of parental influence (Skidmore and Yarnell, 2004, p.821). In March 2005, the Health secretary John Reid, when announcing the governments three year strategy in respect of obesity, said that improving childrens eating habits is central to making Britain a healthier nation. The issue of childhood obesity is of concern due to the short term and long term effects. Most of the recommendations in this strategy concerned ways of tackling the problem of obesity in children. The Audit Commission has poi nted out that little progress has been made in the area o childhood obesity and if present trends continue, the next generation will have a shorter life expectancy than their parents (The Audit Commission, 2003, cited in Cole, 2006). The British Medical Association has recommended a series of preventative measures for schools, including provision of healthy food in schools and the development of a curriculum pertaining to healthy eating. Advertising of unhealthy foodstuffs particularly aimed at children has largely been banned, and there have been calls for the Food Standards Agency to develop new standards in nutritional content, food labelling and marketing. It has been shown that there is a correlation between socioeconomic status and poor diet, so it has been suggested that efforts should be particularly concentrated on less well off parents to enable them to make better choices for their children (Skidmore and Yarnell, 2004, p.821). Reilly and colleagues have investigated a number of risk factors for obesity in children. A number of factors have been identified but the causal links are largely unclear. One of the factors identified is the level of parental obesity, but it is unclear whether this is the result of a genetic component or the shared environment of the parents and their children (Reilly et al., 2005). Their study provides evidence for the early intervention in childhood obesity. Traditional methods have tended to focus on preventative measures in childhood and adolescence, an approach which Reilly has suggested is not beginning early enough and would go some way to explaining why these interventions have been largely unsuccessful. These authors have suggested that future preventative strategies should focus on short periods in early infancy, early childhood or even in utero. Self Perception: The effects on physical health of being obese are well documented, but recent years have seen an increasing focus on the psychological effects. Attention has increasingly focused on how having a body weight that deviates from that regarded as normal, may affect the way in which people evaluate themselves. There is some support in the literature that satisfaction of physiological, love and belonging, and self esteem needs are related to eating behaviour or weight management (Timmerman and Acton, 2001). A variety of theoretical perspectives suggest that overweight people should have lower levels of self esteem than their peers, but data in this respect have been inconsistent with reviewers unable to agree on a consensus of opinion (Pokrajac- Bulian, 2005). Obese individuals do tend to suffer from low levels of self esteem, and the lives of children can be made exceedingly difficult as they suffer considerable rebuke from their peers (While, 2002). The relationship between self esteem and health behaviours has had mixed results, suggesting that there may be additional factors to be taken into consideration, suggesting the need for further research in this area. Evidence indicates that in addition to low self esteem, those who are overweight suffer feelings of stigmatisation, indulge in binge eating and have a lower quality of life than their peers who do not have weight problems (Clark, 2006, p.123). It is more likely that those who have weight problems will experience depression and associated illnesses with one fifth of obese patents reporting having at least one period of clinical depression which required treatment. Obesity is associated with a number of problems in respect of self perception. It has been shown that diets which improve weight loss are often ineffective in the long term with individuals regaining the weight. This has been shown to led to binge eating (Polivy and Herman, 1995), which can further damage self confidence and self esteem. This can lead to further eating disorders with research showing that females who had dieted were eight times more likely to develop eating disorders than their counterparts who had not dieted (Patton et al., 1990, cited in British Dietetic Association, 1997, p.95). Research has also shown that there is a positive correlation between high levels of self esteem in women and prolonged weight loss and maintenance. This has important implications in the context of developing self esteem as it is women who are most at risk from the effects of obesity. Emotional Eating: Eating in response to emotions has been identified as a possible cause of the consumption of excess calories (Timmerman and Acton, 2001, p.691). These negative emotions can occur when basic needs as defined by Maslows hierarchy of needs are not satisfied and can cause stress to an individual. An individuals ability to care for himself or herself is based on the availability of a number of resources internal and external to the individual. Self esteem has been identified as part of a persons internal resource base, and if the basic needs of love and so on are met continually over time, this will be well developed and built upon. This means that in times of stress an individual can call on this bank of resources to deal with stress in a way which is not detrimental to overall well being. If needs are consistently not met the individual is unable to build up a bank of resources and may experience a decreased ability to deal with stressful situations which can in turn lead to emotional e ating and the risk of obesity and associated health problems associated with this. Whose responsibility? While it is now recognised that obesity is a problem for the country as a whole, questions have been asked about who should take responsibility. The increased levels of obesity have raised questions in respect of who should take responsibility for the nations health. This has caused ideas about corporate social responsibility to impact on the debate at a number of levels including the economy, the food industry and public perception of the food industry (Bhate, 2007). Research carried out by Bhate sought to investigate who was perceived by the public as having responsibility for the problem of obesity. There was a clear finding that consumers thought that the public should take responsibility for growing levels of obesity. Individuals were aware when they were eating unhealthy foods that there were certain health risks associated with these and may feel personally responsible for their actions (Bhate, 2007, p.174). Individuals did feel that there was not enough information given in respect of some foods and that this was the responsibility of manufacturers who should be put under pressure for adequate labelling by the government. Education and Training: As mentioned above, one of the danger areas in respect of obesity, is the fact that the problem is so widespread in children. Education is vital, not only in addressing and preventing the obesity, but in tackling the prejudice that is associated w Self-Esteem, Control and Well-Being in Obesity Self-Esteem, Control and Well-Being in Obesity Obesity in the UK – individual problem or national plague? Introduction: Levels of obesity are on the rise in the UK and following calls from doctors and other health professionals, the government has pledged to fight obesity with promises to help British society to fight the problem on a number of levels. Predictions are that in 2010 almost one third of adults will be obese (Lean et al., 2006), and the obesity epidemic, which is running out of control could bankrupt the health service (Haslam et al., 2006) adding to the calls for something to be done about the problem. Tony Blair has offered to provide money for prevention and fighting the existing symptoms of obesity. Obesity is arguably the greatest challenge to public health in Britain today and there is a need for effective action. One of the major warning signs is the rising levels of obesity among children and there is a growing recognition that if the problem is not tackled with some degree of urgency in this group the long term health of the nation will suffer. While there are now a number of wel l established potential treatments for obesity in the UK, it has been suggested that measures for enhancing self esteem would be particularly important in those groups identified as being at risk from later eating disorders and obesity (Button et al., 1997, p.46). The issue of health in general concerns the nation, with the government, consumers and businesses sharing the burden of addressing health related issues. The National Audit Office has estimated that obesity accounts for eighteen million days of sickness absence and 30 000 premature deaths each year (Bourn, 2001). Obesity has physical and psychological causes and symptoms but the nature of the psychological mechanisms involved in adjusting to obesity are unclear (Ryden et al., 2001). There are a number of health problems associated with obesity, with mortality rising exponentially with increasing body weight (Wilding, 1997).Despite the growing level of the problem, questions have been asked in respect of whether Britons really need this help at a national level and if they realise that obesity is a problem for individuals and the nation as a whole. The purpose of this study is to assess the views of Britons on the obesity issue. Levels of psychological well being, the locus of control and self esteem will be measured in relation to being overweight. Differences between men and women will be considered. In addition two different age groups will be investigated – under thirties will be compared with over thirties to ascertain similarities and differences. There is also an investigation into the effects, if any, of ethnicity on obesity. The main focus of interest will be to determine if there is a difference in self perception between those who consider themselves to be overweight and those who do not. In order to investigate the issue the body mass index will be calculated for all participants and compared with the perceptions they have of themselves in terms of being overweight. It is hypothesised that men will have higher levels of self esteem and will score more highly on measures of psychological well being than women. Previous studies have suggested that there are no significant differences between men and women in terms of locus of control in respect of weight (Furnham and Greaves, 1994). In order to investigate if this finding is still valid, the study will test the above variables taking into consideration differences in age and weight. Methodology: The sample will consist of a selection of individuals attending Weight Watchers meetings and sessions at the local gym. There will be sixty participants consisting of men and women aged over eighteen. Materials: A questionnaire will be designed to examine the variables discussed above and any relationship between them. The questionnaire will be divided into four parts:  · Part One – will ask questions about gender, age group (under thirties and over thirties), weight, height and will ask participants to declare whether o nt they believe themselves to be overweight;  · Part Two – will ask questions in respect of self esteem;  · Part Three – will ask questions in respect of locus of control;  · Part Four – will ask questions about psychological well being. In order to measure the effects of the various variables the following instruments will be used: Rotters Internal-External Locos of Control Scale (Rotter, 1996), Radloffs CES-D Depression Scale (Radloff, 1977) and Rosenbergs Self-Esteem Scale (SES) (Rosenberg, 1965). Procedure: Half of the questionnaires will be given to those attending Weight Watchers sessions and the other half will be administered to those attending the local gym. Participants will be informed of the nature and purpose of the study and will be given assurances tat all information given will be treated in the strictest confidence and will not be used for any other purpose. It will be stressed that participation in the study is voluntary and participants are free to withdraw at any time. Participants will also be free to omit any questions which they do not want to answer. Written consent will be obtained before participants take part in the study. Contact details will be given to the researcher in case of follow up queries. Analysis of Data: Data collected will be analysed using quantitative statistical analysis in the form of TTests. Discussion: The obesity epidemic in the UK continues to run out of control, with none of the measures that have been taken showing any sighs of halting the problem much less reversing the trend (Haslam, 2006, p.640). A number of areas have been identified which need to be addressed. There is the recognition that mental health problems in the context of low self esteem are associated with eating disorders. Mental well being is affected in the context of the workplace, with obese people often facing some degree of discrimination in their professional and social lives. There is also a growing body of evidence to suggest that the problem is more widespread in some ethnic groups than in others. Many of the medical problems and complications associated with obesity are found in adults, but the increasing prevalence of obesity or the tendency to become obese in children, is also a worrying trend, further strengthening suggestions that prevention rather than cure is the key to tackling the problem in th e long term. While prevention in terms of maintaining weight loss and preventing people from putting on weight in the first place is the ideal, maintaining weight loss has been a major limitation of many of the approaches so far adopted (Wliding, 1997,p.998). Self Esteem: Although there is a general consensus that there are a number of factors at work in the context of eating disorders, self image has frequently been thought of as having a high profile role in the nature of these disorders (Button et al., 1997, p.39). Research in this area has been to a large degree unclear as those who have typically participated in the research have been those who have been in the process of seeking help and may therefore not be representative of the obese population in general (Ryden et al., 2001, p.186). It has often been suggested that a low self image is present and can be a contributory factor in causing individuals to develop eating disorders. Dyken and Gerrard gathered considerable empirical evidence to suggest that patients with eating disorders had slower levels of self esteem than their counterparts who are of normal weight (Dyken and Gerrard, 1986). A great deal of the research has been speculative in nature with very little evidence to suggest a causal l ink between low self esteem and the onset of eating disorders. As discussed above, it has been documented that obese individuals face discrimination on a number of levels. This can lead to their accepting these negative perceptions which can reduce self esteem even further and can lead to mental health problems (Ryden et al., 2001). Studies carried out in Sweden have supported this idea, with individuals who were obese experiencing significantly psychological distress than not only their healthy counterparts, but than those who had been involved in various forms of accidents or who were chronically ill (Sullivan et al., 1993). Studies carried out by Button found that girls aged 11-12 who had low levels of self esteem were, indeed more likely to have developed an eating disorder than their counterparts when they took part in a follow up study some years later when they were aged 15-16. These girls also displayed a range of other psychological problems (Button, 1990 cited in Button et al., 1997). Dieting usually results in weight loss and the lower the calorie intake, the more weight will be lost. Weight is usually regained and there is evidence that cognitive behaviour therapy may be a more successful approach, particularly if it is coupled with physical exercise. This may have more long term success, making it an effective approach with children and adolescents as good behaviour patterns in terms of adopting a healthy lifestyle can be developed and maintained (Wilding, 1997). In order to investigate the area of self esteem further Button and colleagues investigated rates of self esteem in a much larger sample of girls aged 15-16. Those who were identified as having eating disorders did display lower levels of self esteem than their counterparts, and the area in which they had the lowest levels of self esteem was in respect of their external appearance, cited as an area of low self esteem by 75% of the respondents who were problematic eaters (Button et al., 1997). Gender Differences: Eating disorders have been viewed as largely affecting women, with relatively few studies having been carried out in respect of men who have problems with weight and weight control. Since the 1990s there have been increasing numbers of males being identified as having eating disorders (Fernandez-Aranda et al., 2004, p.368). Research has begun to focus on whether there are gender differences associated with eating disorders. It has been suggested that men who develop eating disorders have higher levels of the personality traits associated with these disorders as overall rates are less for men than they are for women. Research has shown that men had less of a preoccupation with ideal body size and the drive for thinness than females (Fernandez-Aranda et al., 2004). Mental Health: Eating disorders in general, and obesity in particular have been attributed to underlying psychological problems such as depression or an inability to cope with certain aspects of life (Leon and Roth, 1977). This has led to the increasing adoption of cognitive therapy methods, providing training in better ways to deal with the difficulties in ones life which can lead to obsessive eating behaviour. Ryden and colleagues have proposed that the coping mechanisms which individual shave at their disposal can have an enormous impact on whether or not they will become obese (Ryden et al., 2001). The Extent of the Problem: The body mass index has been increasing in a number of countries and in the UK the National Audit Office have found that in the period from 1984 to 1993 rates of obesity doubled for both men and women (National Audit Office, 1994) and have been on the rise ever since. Not only are the rates of obesity continuing to rise, with 17% of men and 21% of women currently obese in the UK, but they are rising at a faster rate than in the past, with people being fatter than they were in the past (Clark, 2006, 123). Obesity levels are rising faster in the UK than elsewhere (While, 2002, p.438). There are also some quite startling differences, with women in the UK who are the heaviest weighing up to twice as much as their counterparts of the same height who are not overweight. Despite an increasing awareness about obesity and the benefits of healthy eating and exercise, the obesity problem continues to rise, being attributed to a complex interplay between a number of environmental factors. In the ir work in respect of eating disorders and self esteem Button and colleagues found that the rates of partial eating disorders were quite high at about 8% (Button et al.,1997). Obesity is starting to overtake smoking in the UK as the greatest preventable cause of illness and premature death (Haslam, 2006, p.641). Obesity has been strongly linked with poverty and with a lack of available public information, with many individuals realising that high fat products were unhealthy but they were unable to judge which products were high in fat and by how much (Vlad, 2003p. 1308). Psychological Well Being: Eating disorders in general have been linked to overall psychological well being. This means that in addition to the nations physical health, obesity must be addressed in the context of the effect it is having on the nations psychological well being. Button et al. found that those who had been identified as having eating disorders scored low on the self esteem scale but also had higher scores on the anxiety scale than their counterparts. The authors pointed out that their work which involved school students, was carried out close to examinations which may account for increases in levels of anxiety, and they could therefore not suggest a causal link without further follow up work (Button et al., 1997). Button and colleagues used a questionnaire in order to elicit further information in respect of self esteem in their subjects. When girls expressed general dissatisfaction with themselves, this was most often referred to in the context of physical appearance, with those identified as having eating disorders being more likely to make globally negative comments about themselves (Button et al., 1997, p.45). The same research found that family was an important factor in negative perceptions and low self esteem with a significant number of those identified as having eating disorders reporting that their family lives were characterised by arguments and an inability to communicate. The growing recognition that obesity has a psychological component, with low self esteem being recognised as an important factor, has led to suggestions that support needs to be given to people who are obese rather than ridiculing them (Mayor, 2004). Causes of Obesity: If obesity is to be successfully tackled in the UK and elsewhere, a sound understanding of the root causes must be established. The spiralling levels of obesity in the UK and elsewhere over the past thirty years have prompted suggestions that it is the environment which is playing the largest part in the problem as genes could not have changed to such a degree in such a short space of time (Clark, 2006, p.124), although there is recognition that there is a genetic component (Barth, 2002, p.119), with research from twin studies suggesting that the tendency to become obese is inherited. Not only are people eating more than they did a generation ago, but there have been a number of changes to the types of activities in which people are engaged. There has been a steady decline in the need for active working at home or in the workplace and an associated increase in sedentary jobs and occupations. In real terms physical activity has been seen as having shifted from something which people w ere paid to do, to something which people must now pay for in the form of joining a gym or similar pastimes. Considerable criticism has been levelled at the food production industry which produces high calories foods which are being eaten as snacks, taking daily calorie allowances above the recommended allowances. There has been an attempt to address this problem in the form of a number of initiatives such as those to increase physical activity to two hours per week in schools and the promotion of fruit and vegetables in schools, but there is little evidence of widespread success. Research carried out by Skidmore and Yarnell has suggested that the majority of obese adults were not overweight as children. This is suggestive of the fact that obesity comes about as the result of excess calorie intake over a period of many years. Education for healthy eating and living is therefore seen as vital in preventing future obesity and the associated health risks (Skidmore and Yarnell, 2004). Environmental factors: Despite the identification of a genetic component, it has been argued that obesity can be largely prevented, with lack of physical activity and chronic consumption of excess calories, being the main preventable causes of obesity (Skidmore and Yarnell, 2004, p. 819). It has been suggested that the environment provides a number of opportunities for the over consumption which leads to excessive weight gain. This has led to the conclusion that the obesity epidemic can only be effectively targeted if there are major changes in the environment and the ways in which people interact with it in respect of food and eating (Clark, 2006). Effects of Obesity: Obesity affects people of all ages including children and has damaging effects on all organs in the body. Long term consequences include diabetes and hypertension which can ultimately lead to strokes and coronary heart disease (Barth, 2002, p.119). The effects of obesity in relation to mortality can be marked. Research carried out has found that the risk of diabetes in men who were very overweight increased to a risk of being forty two times more likely than those who were not overweight and women and children have been identified by research as the groups most affected by obesity (Bhate, 2007, p.173). The governments proposed intervention has come about due to the realisation that many individuals are not able to make enough proactive changes to prevent excess weight gain and are simply reacting to their environment, one in which people eat larger portions, are more prone to snacking and are taking less exercise than their counterparts from a generation ago. Food is seen to be attached to a range of emotions, with eating being associated with celebration as well as a comfort when one is depressed. Because of the huge impact which the environment appears to be having on obesity, it has been argued that education alone will be insufficient in dealing with the problem, and environmental changes are urgently needed (Lean et al., 2006). Attempts to tackle the obesity problem have themselves brought difficult issues in terms of adverse outcomes such as the rise in eating disorders as more and more people battle with their weight. It has been suggested that long term monitoring of approa ches to treating obesity is required in order to deal with these associated problems (Skidmore and Yarnell, 2004). Obesity as a Disorder: There is a growing recognition that obesity comes about as a result of an addiction to food, and, as with all addictions those who suffer require help and advice. It would appear that many of those who are obese eat not when they are hungry but in the context of a wider social agenda, fuelled by the constant availability of food. Once the cycle of weight gain begins it becomes cyclical in its nature and is compounded by lack of exercise, which leads to greater levels of weight gain. Many commentators have suggested that the failure of traditional approaches to tackling obesity point to the fact that a more successful approach may be to take the view of obesity being a disability which is characterised by a range of adverse consequences. Like other addictions, obesity requires treatment and support. The benefits of effective treatment cannot be overstated as even a small weight loss can reduce health risk for obese individuals (Goldstein, 1992). Addressing the Obesity Issue: The problem of obesity is placing a strain on public resources in the National Health Service as well as endangering the nations health. Action is therefore required at the national level as it has been argued that many of the factors operating at the environmental level such as the availability if fast food and the lack of exercise cannot be dealt with at the level of the individual and must therefore be addressed through a number of public health initiatives. Guidelines for prevention and treatment have been introduced in the United States and the United Kingdom, but it has been suggested that their implementation may take a number of years due to their complex nature and the number of organisations involved in the process (Skidmore and Yarnell, 2004). It has been suggested that the issue can only really be addressed through changes in the environment which will enable individuals to make more healthy lifestyle choices. Suggestions include making public transport more appealing and parks more inviting in order that individuals will want to take some moderate exercise and will not have to make considerable effort and choice in order to achieve this end. Eating healthy food should become the norm as these foods should be more prominently displayed in shops and other food outlets. While it is recognised that prevention would be the best ideal outcome in respect of obesity, until there is some success with preventative measures, the goal should be to help patients to deal with some of the physical and psychological costs of the problem and to ensure that any treatment given does not compound the problems that obese individuals already have. Prevention: Prevention is more important and easier to achieve than weight loss, with research showing that one third of obese patients will not lose weight by any medical means. It is therefore necessary to focus on preventing obesity in the first place, and enabling individuals to maintain their current weight. The principles of losing weight and maintaining weight loss are well known, but an effective evidence base of effective measures for preventing obesity does not currently exist (Haslam, 2006, p.641). The promotion of healthy eating and regular physical exercise is essential for both the prevention of future obesity and for treating individuals who are already overweight or obese. It has been suggested that obesity management should be included as an important part of health service planning with increasing numbers of staff trained in dealing with the problem. Research has shown that not only is considerable weight loss achievable through a programme of diet and exercise, but that this c an also prevent the onset of type 2 diabetes, which is becoming more common due to the increasing obesity problem (Skidmore and Yarnell, 2004, p.821). Goals of Obesity Management: With the recognition that obesity is having a major effect on the health of the nation comes the realisation that something must be done to tackle the problem. The basic goal of obesity management is for individuals to reduce their weight in a way which is safe and not overly restrictive in terms of diet, which can lead to harmful adverse effects. Current recommendations from the World Health Organisation are that individuals should attempt to lose around 10% of their body weight (World Health Organisation, 1997), but for many individuals, particularly those who are unhealthy or physically inactive, this may not be realistic and it may be more reasonable to suggest not gaining any further weight as a realistic goal. Obesity in Children: One of the major areas of concern in respect of the obesity debate is the increasing prevalence of obesity in children. The government has set targets for the reduction of obesity in this age group but it has been suggested that the targets for reduction of the problem by 2010 are unlikely to be met because of confusion which exist among professional in respect of how to effectively tackle the problem. Even if preventative measures in respect of obesity were immediately successful, there would still be an epidemic of diabetes and related complications in the next two decades, because so many young people are already in the clinically â€Å"latent† phase of the disease, before clinical complications present (Haslam, 2006, p.641). As noted above one of the main problem areas is the issue of obesity in children, and many food preference choices are made in childhood, largely as a result of parental influence (Skidmore and Yarnell, 2004, p.821). In March 2005, the Health secretary John Reid, when announcing the governments three year strategy in respect of obesity, said that improving childrens eating habits is central to making Britain a healthier nation. The issue of childhood obesity is of concern due to the short term and long term effects. Most of the recommendations in this strategy concerned ways of tackling the problem of obesity in children. The Audit Commission has poi nted out that little progress has been made in the area o childhood obesity and if present trends continue, the next generation will have a shorter life expectancy than their parents (The Audit Commission, 2003, cited in Cole, 2006). The British Medical Association has recommended a series of preventative measures for schools, including provision of healthy food in schools and the development of a curriculum pertaining to healthy eating. Advertising of unhealthy foodstuffs particularly aimed at children has largely been banned, and there have been calls for the Food Standards Agency to develop new standards in nutritional content, food labelling and marketing. It has been shown that there is a correlation between socioeconomic status and poor diet, so it has been suggested that efforts should be particularly concentrated on less well off parents to enable them to make better choices for their children (Skidmore and Yarnell, 2004, p.821). Reilly and colleagues have investigated a number of risk factors for obesity in children. A number of factors have been identified but the causal links are largely unclear. One of the factors identified is the level of parental obesity, but it is unclear whether this is the result of a genetic component or the shared environment of the parents and their children (Reilly et al., 2005). Their study provides evidence for the early intervention in childhood obesity. Traditional methods have tended to focus on preventative measures in childhood and adolescence, an approach which Reilly has suggested is not beginning early enough and would go some way to explaining why these interventions have been largely unsuccessful. These authors have suggested that future preventative strategies should focus on short periods in early infancy, early childhood or even in utero. Self Perception: The effects on physical health of being obese are well documented, but recent years have seen an increasing focus on the psychological effects. Attention has increasingly focused on how having a body weight that deviates from that regarded as normal, may affect the way in which people evaluate themselves. There is some support in the literature that satisfaction of physiological, love and belonging, and self esteem needs are related to eating behaviour or weight management (Timmerman and Acton, 2001). A variety of theoretical perspectives suggest that overweight people should have lower levels of self esteem than their peers, but data in this respect have been inconsistent with reviewers unable to agree on a consensus of opinion (Pokrajac- Bulian, 2005). Obese individuals do tend to suffer from low levels of self esteem, and the lives of children can be made exceedingly difficult as they suffer considerable rebuke from their peers (While, 2002). The relationship between self esteem and health behaviours has had mixed results, suggesting that there may be additional factors to be taken into consideration, suggesting the need for further research in this area. Evidence indicates that in addition to low self esteem, those who are overweight suffer feelings of stigmatisation, indulge in binge eating and have a lower quality of life than their peers who do not have weight problems (Clark, 2006, p.123). It is more likely that those who have weight problems will experience depression and associated illnesses with one fifth of obese patents reporting having at least one period of clinical depression which required treatment. Obesity is associated with a number of problems in respect of self perception. It has been shown that diets which improve weight loss are often ineffective in the long term with individuals regaining the weight. This has been shown to led to binge eating (Polivy and Herman, 1995), which can further damage self confidence and self esteem. This can lead to further eating disorders with research showing that females who had dieted were eight times more likely to develop eating disorders than their counterparts who had not dieted (Patton et al., 1990, cited in British Dietetic Association, 1997, p.95). Research has also shown that there is a positive correlation between high levels of self esteem in women and prolonged weight loss and maintenance. This has important implications in the context of developing self esteem as it is women who are most at risk from the effects of obesity. Emotional Eating: Eating in response to emotions has been identified as a possible cause of the consumption of excess calories (Timmerman and Acton, 2001, p.691). These negative emotions can occur when basic needs as defined by Maslows hierarchy of needs are not satisfied and can cause stress to an individual. An individuals ability to care for himself or herself is based on the availability of a number of resources internal and external to the individual. Self esteem has been identified as part of a persons internal resource base, and if the basic needs of love and so on are met continually over time, this will be well developed and built upon. This means that in times of stress an individual can call on this bank of resources to deal with stress in a way which is not detrimental to overall well being. If needs are consistently not met the individual is unable to build up a bank of resources and may experience a decreased ability to deal with stressful situations which can in turn lead to emotional e ating and the risk of obesity and associated health problems associated with this. Whose responsibility? While it is now recognised that obesity is a problem for the country as a whole, questions have been asked about who should take responsibility. The increased levels of obesity have raised questions in respect of who should take responsibility for the nations health. This has caused ideas about corporate social responsibility to impact on the debate at a number of levels including the economy, the food industry and public perception of the food industry (Bhate, 2007). Research carried out by Bhate sought to investigate who was perceived by the public as having responsibility for the problem of obesity. There was a clear finding that consumers thought that the public should take responsibility for growing levels of obesity. Individuals were aware when they were eating unhealthy foods that there were certain health risks associated with these and may feel personally responsible for their actions (Bhate, 2007, p.174). Individuals did feel that there was not enough information given in respect of some foods and that this was the responsibility of manufacturers who should be put under pressure for adequate labelling by the government. Education and Training: As mentioned above, one of the danger areas in respect of obesity, is the fact that the problem is so widespread in children. Education is vital, not only in addressing and preventing the obesity, but in tackling the prejudice that is associated w