Sociological Imagination Essay Example for Free

sociological Imagination EssayThe term Sociological Imagination refers to the awareness of the relationship between personal experience and its connection with society as a whole (Mills 1959). The purpose of this essay was to examine a social issue in contemporary Australia, and contend how sociology might explain it. The social issue chosen is obesity, in particular, childhood obesity. Overweight and obesity pass judgment have growingd rapidly over the past 20 years, not only in Australia, unless in developed countries around the world. Nearly two-thirds of Australian adults and one-third of Australian children are classified as overweight or obese (MacKay 2011). While an item-by-items body weight is determined by many factors, it has been widely recognised that an increase in obesity is due to changes in the social, environmental and natural environment (MacKay 2011). This issue affects people of all ages, genders, social classes and geographical locations. Take a look at an average day in society. Most of us have jobs, we rise at a redress time every day, go to work or university usually driving or public transport, occupy lunch usually on the run, come home after a long day of sit down down to crash out in front of the TV, grabbing whatever is easiest along the way.Compared to our ancestors active lives of hunting and gathering, its very unnatural, yet its what we do. We, as individuals, have a skewed work/life counterpoise due to societys firm pace style of living and the lifestyle we have as adults, has serious repercussions on the children of today. A report by Cleland et. al (2012) found that people from lower socio economical backgrounds were more likely to be less active and less healthy than their higher socioeconomic counterparts. some other report by Van Dyck et. l (2012) found that people living in lower economic areas tended to exercise less due to areas cosmos deemed un-walkable or unsafe to exercise outside in.The increase in s edentary behaviour among children, in particular the increase in screen time, is another factor that has contributed to the increase in childhood obesity (Stanton 2009). While this is a factor affecting all social classes and socioeconomic areas, it may be slightly higher in lower economic areas due to outside being unsafe, however I have not found evidence to support this.Many people attribute childhood obesity to bad parenting (Olds et. al 2010) which could be one cause due to busy lifestyles and the go cost of living however I feel it is not the sole cause. Children are bombarded with information on healthy foods yet unhealthy food options are constantly at their fingertips. Children receive information on healthy eating and the importance of exercise in schools and in society, alongside TV advertisements advertising fast foods and canteens stocking unhealthy snacking alternatives.In conclusion, responsibility for both causing and preventing obesity lies with many different play ers. While it is an individuals choice to eat certain foods and be active it is much harder for a child who relies on parental figures to achieve this. It is not only parents responsibility to encourage healthy eating and active lives, they must also practice what they preach and provide these options for their children. Children are, after all, the future of Australia.