Physical Health and Sociological Theories: An In-Depth Analysis

This essay delves into the intricate relationship between physical health and sociological theories, particularly focusing on the detrimental effects of modern technology and social behaviors. It highlights the rising obesity rates among young people in Britain, linking it to a lack of exercise and excessive social media use. The essay explores how sociological theories, such as self-determination theory, explain the motivations behind these behaviors and their impact on mental health. It discusses the role of socioeconomic factors, lifestyle choices, and the influence of external factors on health outcomes. The essay also examines the impact of social media, unhealthy eating habits, and smoking on the physical and psychological well-being of individuals, emphasizing the need for a balanced approach to health in the modern age. The essay concludes by summarizing the key arguments, reinforcing the influence of technology and social factors on overall health.

Running head: PHYSICAL HEALTH AND SOCIOLOGICAL THEORIES
Physical Health and Sociological Theories
Name of the student
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Introduction
The modern day living can be said to be a multifaceted compendium of the evolving
technology that bears a great influence on the lives of the people. Technology have been able
to improve various aspects of our life and at the same it have proved to be hazardous for the
physical health of the people. The young people in Britain who belong to age group of 18-19
have been found to have highest obesity rate within Europe (Dailymail.co.uk 2020). Lack of
exercise is an important factor which is making the young people suffer from brunt of obesity
in UK. The number of the people who make use of the social media have increased from 7 %
to that of 65 % in between the years 2005-2015 that have brought about the deterioration in
the physical health of the people (Medicalnewstoday.com 2020). They refrain themselves
from healthy eating and exercise that have made them suffer from consequences of poor
health. The teenagers have become addicted to the different social media platforms that have
been responsible for the decline of the physical health of the people. This essay throws light
on the curse of the poor physical health of the people in the modern age in the light of the
sociological theories.
Discussion
The technological advances made in the present age have made the people obsessive
and they indulge themselves in checking the social media accounts and the e-mails from time
to time. They spend a great deal of time over the social media platforms and they neglect
their physical health in the present age which have paved the path for their obesity. Obesity in
childhood is related to various kinds of health conditions like asthma, diabetes and
cardiovascular diseases (Flint, Hudson and Lavallee 2016). The children who are obese
suffer from psychological problems like depression and low self-esteem. There have been an
increase in the consumption of soft drinks in present age which have made people suffer from

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obesity. The people in the modern age suffer from the psychological problems that makes it
difficult for them to engage themselves in the functional and the occupational activities. It
have been found that the people who experience the poor physical health also suffer from
some kind of the mental illness (Gov.uk 2020). The socioeconomic deprivation like social
stress along with poverty results in the poor physical health of the individuals in the present
time (Mentalhealth.org.uk 2020). The research have brought out the fact that the people who
are suffering from the brunt of the severe mental illness also suffer from the consequences of
the poor physical health.
The poor physical health of the people in the present age makes them prone to the various
kinds of the conditions like diabetes, cardiovascular condition along with the respiratory
illness in the people. The obesity is a rising problem among the people that takes place on
account of the lack of the physical exercises among the people. The people having the mental
illness also suffer from the brunt of the chronic physical conditions that have a further
debilitating effect on their condition in the present age. The overweight people have more
chances of losing psychological benefits of the exercise and they feel rejected in society
which makes them suffer from various kinds of mental illness problems (Simmonds et al.
2016).
There are various kinds of the lifestyle factors that have an effect on the physical
health of the people in the present age. The physical exercises can keep an individual healthy
and it can improve the mental condition of an individual. An individual in the event of doing
the exercise releases the chemicals called the endorphins within brain. It have been found that
brisk walking is instrumental in increasing the mental alertness and the energy of an
individual and it can aid in the prevention of obesity. The body movements makes an
individual make use of the muscles which can expend the energy of an individual (Rougeaux
et al. 2017). It can improve the quality of life of an individual and it can make an individual

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feel content in their life. The good nutrition can be stated to be a crucial factor which
influences feelings of an individual. Healthy balanced diet comprises of the healthy amount
of the proteins and the fats that can help an individual in his development. The people are
addicted to the smoking in the present age which have the detrimental effect on the physical
health of the people. The people have the depression in the present age that makes them
addicted to smoking in present age (Sewdas et al. 2019). The nicotine which is present in the
cigarettes interferes with that of chemicals which are present in the brains of an individual.
The self-determination theory refers to macro theory of the human motivation which
deals with the innate psychological needs of an individual. It talks about the fact that the
choices that are made by the people are related to the motivation that is felt by an individual
(Ryan and Deci 2017). It talks about the influence of the external factors that have an
influence on the formation of habits of an individual. It can be stated on the basis of the
theory that the people spend a great deal of time over the platform of the social media so that
it can fulfil their desire of getting the recognition in the society (Cassidy et al. 2017). The
people have the psychological need of getting praise which on the other hand makes them
susceptible to the poor physical health. The individuals in the present age want to make the
connection with the other people and devoting the time on the social media platforms satisfies
the inner desire of an individual (Veronese et al. 2017). The millennial in the present age
want to get the acclaim from the people so that they feel themselves to be accomplished in
the society.
There occurs a trend in the present age of going outside for eating that is instrumental
in giving rise to poor physical health of the people. The families have been found to go out on
the weekly basis for the purpose of eating which proves to be detrimental for the physical
health of the people (Akers and Jensen 2017). The teenagers have the friends and the parents
who take recourse to smoking that makes them addicted to smoking in their life. The tobacco

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use is also shown in the video games and on television that makes the young people prone to
smoking in the present age (Straatmann et al. 2018). It creates the way for the poor physical
health of the people and it have a bad impact on their lives. The young people do not consider
the long-term consequences that makes them addicted to smoking in their life.
Conclusion
Technological advances which have been made in modern age have been responsible
for making the people obsessive in their daily life. It have made the people obese as people
spend a great deal of time on social media that proves to be detrimental for their health. The
people spend a large amount of time on social media which makes them neglect the physical
condition in modern age. The people have psychological problems which makes them stay
away from any kind of the functional activities which have the bad consequences on their
health. Self-determination theory talks about innate psychological needs and the various
kinds of social media platforms satisfies the desire of getting attention among the young
people. The young people are attracted to the convenience food which have the bad effect on
their health.

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