The Medicalisation of Obesity: A Sociological Perspective and Analysis

This essay delves into the medicalisation of obesity, examining it as a significant social issue, particularly within the Australian context. It begins by defining medicalisation and obesity, exploring how non-medical problems are increasingly treated as medical conditions, and how obesity is now viewed as a disease. The essay then analyzes the patterns, trends, and changes in obesity's treatment over time, including the rise of pharmaceutical interventions and surgical options, while also highlighting the role of lifestyle factors. Furthermore, it incorporates sociological perspectives like functionalism, conflict theory, and social interactionism to provide a comprehensive understanding of the issue. The report presents data on the prevalence of obesity in Australia, drawing from the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare and analyzing the impact of media and marketing on the perception and treatment of obesity. Finally, the essay concludes by emphasizing the multifaceted nature of obesity as a social concern. The analysis reveals the growing trend of medicalization and its implications for individuals and society.

Running head: MEDICALISATION OF OBESITY
MEDICALISATION OF OBESITY
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Introduction
There has been several transformation and manipulation of human nature by
biomedical technology. It is believed that we are constantly living in a society which has
become bionic as mentioned by Binns et al. (2016). There are mainly two factors that have
affected the lifestyle of the people living in the society that is biology and genetics. This has
significantly affected the life of the people along with the other social factors which plays a
small role. The purpose of this essay is to understand the concept of Medicalization and
explore the Medicalization of obesity. Further, it analyzes the patterns, trends and changes in
the treatment of over time. It determines the social problem of issue in the Australian context.
Discussion
Medicalization
Medicalization can be defined as the process by which the non medical problems and
issues of human life are being increasingly treated as medical problems and increasing need
for medical treatment. Medicalization has been considered as a serious issue since the year
1960s (Binns et al. 2016). The increase in Medicalization has been due to the growth and
advancement of medical facilities and technology. It has been encouraged by the drug
companies. Therefore, it can be said that technology and its advancements has been a driving
factor for Medicalization. The advancement of new diagnostic tools implies an increase in the
chances of discovering sickness (Bombak and Monaghan 2017). However, the risks factors
have been considered to be pathological and therefore it can be treated. Consumers are also a
factor for increase in Medicalization since health has become a commodity. The medical
terminology is being increasingly used by the people of the society highly influenced from

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browsing the internet or by watching television. There have been instances of idealized
beauty and cosmetics surgery (Buchmueller and Johar 2015). Therefore, it has been
increasingly considered as a text through which the signals are being transmitted. Further, it
has been analyzed that managed care is also a cause of Medicalization. For example,
depression among the people is causes by chemical imbalance; the treatment is based on
medication and pills instead on expensive psychotherapy(Busfield 2017). Therefore, social
issues and social problems are transforming into medical ones. There has been increase in
Medicalization of death, Medicalization of beauty and Medicalization of pregnancy.
Medicalization of obesity
Obesity in a person can be defined as the state in which the people have more weight
than what is considered normal (Buchmueller and Johar 2015). A person is considered to be
an obese if they are having 20 percent over the normal weight that a person should have. The
ideal weight of a person must be taken into consideration by analyzing the person’s height,
weight, sex and their age. It has been defined as a “BMI of 30 and above” by the National
Institutes of Health(Carl 2011). Obesity is also based on behavioural factors and genetic
factors and it is considered to be multifactorial (Busfield 2017).
Medicalization of Obesity has increasing become a trend throughout the world in which the
doctors and the medical professional consider obesity as a disease and as a medical problem.
Various professionals in medicine have considered it to be profound act of Medicalization
(Carl 2011). People of the society approaches Medicalization for various reasons one being
the hope of reducing the excess fat in their body. Medicalization of obesity has emerged to
treat the disease and it has become an obligation to for the professionals in medicine to treat
and diagnose obesity. There are various differ counter medicines and pills to treat obesity.
Medicines and pills are being used to decrease appetites and increase the metabolism of the

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person with obesity (Henderson 2015). However, there have been issues and problems
regarding medication in obesity. It has been research and analyzed that after the patient stops
their medicines they usually increase the weight of the person further. However, there are
alternate methods to overcome the problem of obesity among the people it includes dietary
and behaviour changes along with exercises (van Dijk et al. 2016). Having a proper diet and
changes in the behaviours or lifestyle of the person is a psychological method to deal with the
issues and problems of obesity. This method involves taking a step towards a healthy
lifestyle, exercise pattern and day to day routine of the people. In additional to changes in the
lifestyle of the people, it is essential for deal with the metal effects of increased weight
among the people. However, as per dieticians it has been suggested to increase daily
exercises can create long term effects of decreased weight (Monaghan, Colls and Evans
2013).
Changes in trends, patterns and treatments of obesity
Due to significant changes in the lifestyle of the people and due to rapid advancement
of technology there have been changes in the trends of the obesity. The unhealthy lifestyles of
the people especially in the western countries have given rise to obesity. It is considered to be
a metabolic disease and it’s responsible for around 5% deaths globally (Monaghan, Colls and
Evans 2013). The increase in urbanization in the 20th century, reduced manual work, increase
in the use of technology, having processed food items have increased the rate of obesity in
the recent years. The drug companies have produced various anti-obesity amphetamines. In
the 19th century there has been increase in the regulations of the drug development and there
are new efficacy requirements for losing weight which had reduced the anti obesity therapies.
It was recommended by the physicians to have a balanced diet, bring significant change in the
lifestyle of the people and increase physical exercises (van Dijk et al. 2016). This was an

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effective way to reducing weight of the people with obesity and attain cultural ideal of
slimness. However, in modern times, there has been increasing use of medication for
reducing fat and surgery. Amphetamines are used as primary drugs for reducing obesity; this
reduces the appetite and food intake of the people. It is used for short term treatment of
obesity. This however, has increased drug cravings among the people. There has been an
increase in unapproved ‘anti-obesity’ therapeutics. This must be avoided as they are
considered dangerous for health (Busfield 2017).
There are three basic theoretical perspectives
Functionalist’s theory: Functionalism is a framework which considered the whole society as
a complex systems, they working in collaboration to promote stability and solidarity. The
theory focuses broadly on the social structure which shapes the entire society as a whole(van
Dijk et al. 2016). A functionalist explains the social issue of obesity as a problem that is
caused by disorganization of society. It is caused by human behaviour and symbolic
interaction.
Conflict theories: The conflict theories are concerned about the benefits of the human social
arrangements. The theories consider society to be constantly evolving. Conflict is seen as a
primary engine of change. Conflict theorists consider obesity as the problem of society by
focusing on inequality in the quality of food between bourgeoisie and proletariats(Monaghan,
Colls and Evans 2013).
Social interactionists: This theory focuses on the micro sociological level on interaction
between a group of people and an individual. The individual being is socially constructed and
influenced by social interactions. The theorists define obesity as a complex condition by the

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interaction of a particular individual with his/her social and physical interactions. It has been
argued that social interactions are leveraged to reduce the risk of obesity(Busfield 2017).
Problem of Obesity in the Australian contemporary society
The problem of obesity has been a dominant problem in the western countries like
Australia and US. The western culture faces highest rate of obesity. The companies in
Australia have begun to advertise about the campaigns of weight loss and for surgeries.
There has been a rapid increase in the online advertising about the social problem of obesity
and increase in the weight of the people (Busfield 2017). There has been celebrity and media
attention since the Medicalization of obesity.
As per statistics, there are around 25% of children and adolescents with obesity in the
year 2017-18. There are 31% of the Australian adults with obesity in the year 2017-18 as
compared the 19% in the year 1995 (Australian Institute of Health and Welfare. 2019).
Children and adolescents of the age 13-17 are more likely to be overweight in the country. In
the year 2017-18, 67% of the adults were obese or overweight. There have been 22,700
weight loss surgeries in 2014-15 as compared to 9300 in 2005-06. The indigenous Australian
has high level of obesity. As per statistics, 31% of Aboriginal Australians and Torres Strait
Islanders were obese. The health of the people is becoming increasingly concerning
(Australian Institute of Health and Welfare. 2019).
The Medicalization of obesity has led to a form in which the disease of obesity has been
used as a method for profit of the companies. There have been TV commercials,
advertisements as well as film production. The companies have monetizes the disease of
obesity which is a medical problem (van Dijk et al. 2016) . There has been various profit
making companies who have used the disease of obesity as a platform to advertise their

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products and promote their offerings. There have been various theories which suggest it was
a ploy by the profit making companies and many pharmaceutical companies to maximise
their profits by diagnosing obesity (Buchmueller and Johar 2015). It has been researched and
analyzed as per the theories that obesity has become less of medical advancements but has
become a political and financial tool for the profit making companies.
Conclusion
Therefore, from the above analysis, it has been identified that Obesity has become one
of the major social cause especially in Australia among the children and the adolescents. It
has been analyzed that due to sudden change in the lifestyle of the people, the increase use of
technology to reduce human labour, lack of physical exercises and increase in processed food
items has led to increase in obesity among the people. In order to avoid the social problems,
people are undertaking medications in obesity. However, this is adversely affected the health
and lifestyle of the people. The report has analyzed the Medicalization of obesity, change in
the trends and patterns of obesity in the Australian context.

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