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Chronicities of Modernity and the Contained Body as an Explanation for the Global Pandemic of Obesity, Diabetes, and the Metabolic Syndrome

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Controversies in Obesity

Abstract

With the diffusion of modernity throughout the world, we see the rise of the global pandemic of obesity, diabetes, and metabolic disorders. Chronicities in diet and physical activity related to development and urbanization increase the numbers of people developing diabetes. Modern kinds of work, foods consumed, cultural beliefs, and living and work spaces all pattern and routinize behaviors. Obesity and the metabolic syndrome reflect the body’s biological response to social and cultural structures that routinize daily behaviors and contain the physical body. Throughout human evolution seasonal variation in physical activities, and the foods eaten, promoted good cardiovascular and metabolic fitness. Variation in physical activities and foods is the normal; chronic physical inactivity, overnutrition, and recurrent psychosocial stress are the abnormal.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Global and Sociocultural Studies, School of International and Public Affairs, SIPA 327, Florida International University, 11200 SW 8th Street, Miami, FL, 33199, USA

    Dennis Wiedman PhD Anthropology

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  1. Dennis Wiedman PhD Anthropology
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Correspondence to Dennis Wiedman PhD Anthropology .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Watton Place Clinic, Watton-at-Stone, Hertfordshire, United Kingdom

    David W. Haslam

  2. Department of Medicine, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada

    Arya M. Sharma

  3. Department of Pathology, Diabetes Complications Research Centre, University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland

    Carel W. le Roux

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Wiedman, D. (2014). Chronicities of Modernity and the Contained Body as an Explanation for the Global Pandemic of Obesity, Diabetes, and the Metabolic Syndrome. In: Haslam, D., Sharma, A., le Roux, C. (eds) Controversies in Obesity. Springer, London. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4471-2834-2_14

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4471-2834-2_14

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, London

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-4471-2833-5

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4471-2834-2

  • eBook Packages: MedicineMedicine (R0)

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