The Role of Technical Teacher Education Essay Example for Free

The Role of Technical Teacher Education Essay Countries of the world are classified as developed or under developed based on the level of education of its citizenry and their ability to use knowledge, skill and attitude to translate scientific ideas in attending to the problems of mankind. Technical education is the right kind of education that is capable of training individuals to translate ideas into products that will assist mankind to do things with ease. The teaching of technical subjects is conducted by the technical teacher. This paper is of the view that the technical teacher who is properly trained and is working under ideal environment can train younger generation that will be free of poverty, achieve universal basic education, empower women, reduce child mortality, combat HIV/AIDS and develop global partnership, thus achieving the MDGs target. The paper made recommendations among which is for the MDGs to adopt the bottom to top mode of funding and the need for the MDGs to integrate provision of funds particularly for purchase of training tools, equipment and infrastructure for technical teacher training. Introduction Education is seen as an agent of development in any society of the world, that is why societies that are educated are looked at as developed societies and less educated as underdeveloped societies. This is so because the developed societies use education to develop things that will solve prevailing problems of mankind in the form of products of technology. These products are developed by citizens of these countries using skills, knowledge and attitudes acquired through training in sciences and technical based subjects. It is in realization of these facts that the Federal Republic of Nigeria (FRN) (2004) stressed that, science and technology shall continue to be taught in an integrated manner in the schools to promote in the students the appreciation of practical application of ideas. This type of education if acquired will provide students with sellable skills that can be used to generate job opportunities and alternatively reduce poverty. It  should however be noted that, training cannot take place unless there are teachers that are properly trained in technical teacher training institutions to impact the required skills, knowledge and attitudes in the students. That is why Olaitan (1986) sees the teacher as an agent of changing people attitudes, beliefs and values using the right technique. Similarly Adeoye (2008) noted that the teacher is the king-pin of quality in education and development of the society. In the same light Garba (2002) posits that the success of technological development of any nation begins with the quality of technical teachers as no education system can rise above the quality of its teachers (FRN, 2004). The millennium development goals (MDGs) is a global strategy aimed at reducing poverty, hunger, insecurity, gender inequality, achieve universal basic education, reduce child mortality, improve maternal health, combat HIV/AIDS, malaria, ensure environmental sustainability and develop a global partnership for development. This paper is of the opinion that the achievement of the MDGs can best be aimed at if the right quality and quantity of technical teachers are produced. The paper therefore discusses technical teachers preparation and production in Nigeria, the MDGs and the objective relating to education, the role of technical teacher education in realization of MDGs target, Factors affecting technical teacher education in realizing the goals of the MDGs and recommendation were offered. Technical Teacher Preparation and Production Programme in Nigeria. There is always the need to create an awareness of the problems, which arise in a particular profession and to improve on the level of competencies for dealing with such problem (Adetunji and Victor (1997) that is why the National Policy on Education (2004), indicates that, teacher education shall continue to be given major emphasis in all educational planning and development, it further stated that teacher education shall be structured to take cognizance of changes in methodology and the curriculum, by ensuring that teachers are fully exposed to innovation in their profession. This is most needed by the technical teacher because of the dynamic nature of the world of technology and its effect on the teaching of technical subjects. Ali (1992) stressed that with the advert of the 21st century technologies, the requisition of sound academic knowledge and professional skills are fundamental in the training of teachers, especially in the use of modern methods and technologies for teaching their subject area. Foel and Fritz (1998) noted that teacher education is experiencing new formats that combine conventional (Traditional education delivery system) with evolving technology in order to transfer knowledge to students. That is why Goro (2000) call for a new look at the training of teachers, especially the technical teachers because the present educational system’s particular concern is that teachers must be oriented towards development of practical skills in the trainees. The technical teacher is he who is a master of the trade, in the same manner is able to impart the correct and up-to-date skills (Olaitan 1986), in a similar view Dambe and Garba (2007) looked at the technical teacher as a teacher who posses practical and theoretical knowledge of his vocation, has clear understanding of the student he teachers, and ensures that he increases in the knowledge of his field at all time. The training process of a technical teacher therefore calls for a balance of theoretical and practical knowledge. In a bid to train teachers that will posses the required knowledge that Ali (1992) looked at training the technical teacher, by using the concurrent cause approach, where professional trade skills and academic content are pursued in parallel. This mode of training is the most popular approach used for technical teacher training. However, another school of thought was that the technical teacher should first be practically skilled in that subject matter before embarking on pedagogical skill acquisition. Goro (2000) shares the same view as he indicates a support for post graduate training in education after a professional training in trade. Whatever the approach, the emphasis should be on striking a balanced knowledge that will enable the teacher impart the required skills in an appropriate manner. This is necessary because the success or failure of technological development of a society begins with the quality of manpower (teachers) responsible for training the technology teachers. Olaitan (1996) looked at the technical teacher training in Nigeria to include the formal and informal training. The informal is done at the home or family level, and the apprenticeship level, the graduates of which will be serving as masters to train others. However, the formal training of teachers is in three stages, the Nigeria certificate in education (NCE) which prepares teachers for teaching in junior secondary schools. There is also the graduate and postgraduate technical teacher education programme. In the same view Abdullahi and Sa’i (1998) pointed out that technical teacher training is provided in three stages namely the postgraduate, the bachelor and the Nigerian Certificate in Education (Technical) levels. There are however two modes of preparing technical teachers at the NCE level for teaching in the junior secondary schools’ the two modes are in agreement with two vocational administrative theories of dual and single controls (Olaitan 1996). Accordingly, the single control is a situation whereby technical teacher education is housed in institution that are offering purely technical teacher education courses e. g. Colleges of Education (Technical), whereas the dual control is when technical education Porgramme are run in the same institution with other courses like arts, social studies, history, pure science as obtains in conventional colleges of education. Students of Technical Education Programmes at the NCE level are expected to take courses from general area in Technical/Vocational Education, general Education, Education and Entrepreneurship Education, and are later expected to specialize in one area before graduation. Students are further expected to spend twelve (12) weeks of industrial attachment (NCCE 2002) after graduation; the products are expected to teach introductory technology at the junior secondary school level. As of now there are twenty five (25) Colleges of Education offering NEC (Technical) courses in Nigeria. (NCCE, 2007). At the graduate and post graduate levels, the training of vocational technical teachers take place in the Universities. As at now the five Universities of technology namely, Federal Universities of Technology, Akure, Bauchi, Minna, Owerri and Yola are running degree and postgraduate programmes in Technology Education and other Vocational areas. Other Unversities such as Ahmadu Bello Unversities Zaria, Benin, Calabar, University of Nigeria Nsukka, Uyo, and Ibadan run degree and postgraduate programmes in vocational technical education. It should be noted however that, some colleges of education are currently running programmes leading to the award of a bachelor degree in Technical and vocational Education as affiliate colleges of Universities (NCCE 2002). The millennium Development Goals (MDGs) The vision of developers of the MDGs was on the general concern to do away with problems affecting the citizens of their nations. That is why they aimed at creating strategies towards reduction of poverty, hunger, diseases, increase access to education, health, housing and sustainable management of the environments resource. In the development of the MDGs and strategies for achieving the goals, 189 countries of the world met in New York in September 2000, and signed the millennium declaration which has come to be globally known as the millennium Development Goals (MDGs). The primary goal of the leaders of these nations in developing the MDGs is to address the problems facing fellow men, women and children such as abject poverty and dehumanizing conditions to which more than a billion people across the world are subjected to. (Umar, Suleiman Adamu, 2009). Accordingly Dung-Gwon (2009), noted that the MDGs have 8 goals, each has one or more targets and several indicators. He further report that, in 2002, there were 18 targets and 48 indicators. In 2007, 4 more targets were added. To this effect, countries of the world have also added their own targets and indicators to meet their aspiration. This is so because the levels of development of various nations are not the same, so also prioties vary among nations. The MDGs is therefore, a general blue print for development of nations of the world. Dung-Gwom (2009) states that the general MDGs goals statement across the nations are as follows: 1. Eradication of extreme poverty and hunger 2. Achieving universal primary education 3. Promote gender equality and women empowerment 4. Reducing child mortality 5. Improve maternal health 6. Combat HIV/AIDS 7. Ensure environmental sustainability 8. Develop a global partnership The general goals of the MDGs have within it three that are education related. Iyortyer (2010) noted that, the three goals that mainly impacts on the education sector are: Achieving Universal Basic Education (Goal 2) Promotion of gender parity or equality (Goal 3) Combat HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases (Goal 6) Three goals out of eight focusing on education surely indicates that a priority to education is a step towards the attainment of other objectives, as stated by Iyortyer (2010) that education is an instrument for development of any nation, an antidote to poverty and the key for unlocking natural resources. In spite of these and the laudable goals and strategies towards achieving the MDGs in Nigeria, records still reveals that much is desired. In line with this Ibrahim (2006) states that, Nigeria Millennium Development Goals Report for 2004 and 2005 shows that Nigeria is far off the mark in terms of implementation of many goals of the MDGs. Similarly Igbugo in Umar, Suleiman and Adamu (2009) asserted that, there is a serious doubt if Nigeria can achieve the MDGs by the target 2015. So also Igbuzor (2007) reported that even though Nigeria is a signatory to the MDGs, it is yet far from achieving the MDGs, furthermore he maintained that it is lack of political will that is the greatest stumbling block to the achievement of the MDGs, in Nigeria. Based on the MDGs report and personal observations of the indices it is clear that much is desired. This paper is of the opinion that provision of training that equip the individual with saleable skills will greatly lead Nigeria to the achievement of the MDGs. Role of Technical Teacher Education in Realization of the MDGs Technical teacher education programme is a programme that train teachers of technically based trades who are expected to teach in junior secondary schools and technical colleges. The product of which are the country futures engineers and inventors. The role of technical teacher in the achievement of MDGs will be discussed in line with the eight MDGs as follows: 1. Eradication of extreme poverty and hunger. Even though report of MDGs 2005 shows slide decline in poverty from 65. 5% in 1996 to 54. 4% in 2004. Much is still desired as the 54. 4% is still high and should attract concern bearing in mind that Nigeria is a rich country with poor citizenry. With a technical teacher programme that is able to produce highly trained technical teachers. The teacher should be able to train future generation of students that will possess the required skill in various trades. The skill acquired will create jobs that will make the individual either self employment or be employed by any employer of labour. Federal Republic of Nigeria (2004) indicates that, technical education is a means of preparing for occupational field and a means of alleviating poverty. 2. Achieve Universal Primary Education The MDGs report 2005, shows that there is great improvement in literacy level, however, Iyortyer (2010) revealed that the target of the MDGs indicators maintain that adult literacy rate for 15-24 years will improve to reach 89% in 2015. While gender equity and equitable access to basic and continuing education for adult will be pursued towards meeting up the target. To achieve this target, there is the need for teacher that will be responsible for teaching of craft, poetry and the Basic technology. The teacher that is trained for such is the technical teacher. 3. Promote Gender Equality and Empowerment One of the targets of the MDGs is to ensure that gender disparity is eliminated, and equal access to education is same for both boys and girls. However Dung- Gwom (2009) indicates that the percentage of boys is 82% in 1990 and 79% in 2004. This shows that boys still account for greater percentage of primary school pupils. Much is still desired, and it is one of the responsibilities of the teacher to sensitize parents as they live in the society with the parents and the pupils. 4. Reduce Child Mortality With more educated mothers who have acquired skills for employment, mortality rate of the child will be highly reduced, as most of the causes of child mortality are poverty related. Similarly with a generation of young talents equipped with technical skill, the skill can further be used in the  provision and maintenance of medical equipment that will be used in reduction of child mortality. 5. Improve Maternal Health The MDGs report 2004 shows that maternal mortality was 74 per 1000. This rate is high and can only be reduced if mothers are equipped with skill to earn a living. The skills of the technical teacher can be directed to the mothers for empowerment. 6. Combat HIV/AIDS, Malaria and other Diseases In Nigeria the incidence of HIV/AIDS has been on upward trend since the diseases was discovered in the country 1. 8% 1999, to 5. 8% in 2000 (Nigeria, MDG Report 2005). A good number of the infected persons are equally, living under poverty, with no job and so they could not afford the feeding requirements even if the drugs are free. The situation would have not been the same if they have learnt technical skills to provide services for pay. 7. Ensure Environment Sustainability To sustain the environment, there is the need to have the knowledge, skills and attitude of doing such. Umar, Suleiman and Adamu (2009) reports that about 70% of the urban dwellers in Nigeria live below poverty bench mark and their condition is not bound to improve much between now and 2015. This can be better if a good number of Nigerians are equipped with skills in technical trades such as Building maintenance, Design and plumbing, Vehicle maintenance etc 8. Develop a Global Partnership for Development The world is becoming a global village, this is much so because of the advent of technological product especially in the area of information and communication technology (ICT). With ICT information is obtained and utilized. However to do that one need the basic training to understand the technology and the kwon how of applying it. Challenges of Technical Teacher Education in Realizing the MDGs. Technical teacher education can do a lot in the realization of the MDGs, but the followings have stood as a barrier. 1. Lack of adequate funding Technical teacher education being a technical oriented programme requires tools equipment and infrastructure without which technical education cannot be said to be offered. It is however clear that general funding to education in Nigeria is far from the expected. Onyidoh (2006) noted that, the money allocated to education falls short of the UNESCO’s recommended 25% of annual budget; he further noted that the allocation from 2003 to date is barely in the range of 1. 83-5% allocation to education. This might surely not be enough to cater for the funding of institutions that are characterized by, leaking roofs, unpaved floors, unsanitized conditions and general picture of neglect. This situation cannot guarantee training of technical teachers with the needed skills for the training of younger generation in our junior secondary schools that are expected to pave way for the technological advancement of Nigeria 2. Administrator’s attitude. Even with the low level of funding in the budget, other agencies such as the Education trust fund (ETF) do intervene. It is however regrettable that a lot of institutions of higher learning cannot accesses the fund due to stringent conditions for accessing the ETF money which does not give much room for diversion of the fund. And for the fact that most of these administrator are not there because they have interest in the system,. they prefer to forfeit the ETF than follow due process to access it. Speaking on the administrator’s attitude Onyidoh (2010) noted that administrators have little interest in institution they are heading, because vice chancellors, provost and rectors appointed in Nigeria today are politicians in the academic robes. 3. MDGs approach to funding Due to corruption and non-commitment of leadership of institutions they have found the MDGs money easy to grab than the ETF, because the MDGs money do came directly to them in the name of so call desk officers who in most cases are the good boy and girls of the leaders of the institution. That is why in many cases projects already financed through other means are tagged MDGs project and after inspection, tags can be replaced, that is the game as usual. 4. Absence of infrastructure Technical teacher education require infrastructure such as workshops, classrooms and the needed equipment. This infrastructure is absent or not enough in most of the institutions that are responsible for training the technical teachers. The situation will make the teacher unable to provide the right training to the junior secondary school students who are expected to be the future engineers, technician etc that will move Nigeria forward. 5. New Technologies The training to be given in junior secondary schools by technical teachers should be to introduce them to the world of technology and arose interest of the students in choice of vocation and to lead students to have intelligent understanding of the increasing complexity of technology (FRN, 2004). The continuous inventions of new technological products that most of the institutions teachers are not familiar with the operation principles of the new technologies. For the training to be relevant, it must bear a direct relationship with that in the industries, firms or business required to enable students fit into their vocations after graduation (Aguisiobe, in Garba and Nuhu, 2007). The existing situation in institution is far from the state of art as some of the machines were in existence since the 1970s or 1980. They cannot provide any training on new technologies of whatever level. 6. In-sincerity of Nigerian leaders. Most policy statements in Nigeria sound good, but when it comes to implementation the problem arises. This is so because as policies are implemented those in authorities will begin to skim for what to personally get out of it. Take for instance the issues of universal basic education programme, it has a policy that pupil will be provided meals during school hours and that primary school teachers salaries will be 5 times through 2015. At the beginning skeletal feeding was provided but as it is, the whole money targeted for that purpose are in peoples pocket or used for purchase of expensive vehicles. Secondly there is no record apart from the 27% increase which some states are even yet to pay that teacher have ever experienced. But yet these governors and their agent are part of the agreement and receive much for such. Recommendations In order to address the challenges the following recommendations are provided. 1. There is the need for the MDGs to integrate provision of fund particularly for the provision of training tools, equipment and infrastructure. 2. The attitude of the administrators needs to be checked by the involvement of host communities and various trade unions in the execution of all MDGs projects through close monitoring and evaluation. 3. MDGs approach to funding should adopt the bottom to top approach, just as is done by the ETF. This will reduce the rate of corruption. 4. There is the need to re-train the technical teachers on ground, in the area of new technologies, and the integration of the new technologies, such as phone repairs, computer circuit design etc in the curriculum of technical teacher training institutions by so doing the curriculum will be functional and relevant. 5. Leaders should be honest in handling issues to do with the MDGs target, for the programme to succeed. Conclusion. The paper was of the focus that, to achieve the MDGs in Nigeria, there is the needs to have a kind of education that will enable the learner acquire skills, attitude and knowledge that will lead to job creation. And that kind of education can be provided by the properly trained technical teacher. However challenges abound for the technical teacher training and the teaching of Basic technology at the junior secondary schools. REFERENCES Adullahi, M. L. Sa’I, H. R (1998). Strategies for improving vocational and technical teacher Preparation in Nigeria. A paper presented at the second annual National conference on Improving the quality of Vocation and Technical Education in Nigeria for sustainable Development: organized by the school Vocational and Technical Education, Federal College of Education: Kastina 25th May. Adetunji, O. Victor, A (1997). Science technology and economics revitalization in the year 2000 A. D and beyond the role of teacher education in Nigeria: Proceedings of the conference of the Nigerian association of Teachers of Technology on â€Å"production approach to the teaching of concepts in technology for national development. Ali, H. (1992). Teachers’ evaluation for instructional improvement. The Nigeria Teacher Today 1 (2) .14-19. Federal Republic of Nigeria. (2004). National policy on Education 4th ed Lagos. NERC. Foel, N. A. Frit, R. L. (1998). The influences of technology on vocational teacher education, -e-Journal of vocational and technical education. Retrieved: 16/01/2009 http://scholar. lib. vt. edu/ejournals/ej-search. html. ,. Garba, E. Y. Dambe, N. (2007). Reorganizing the NCE technical programme for effective skill acquisition. Journal of issues in technical teacher education 4 (1). 119 -126. Goro,C. A. (2000). Technical teacher production and utilization in nigerian secondary education: relevance for developing skills of craftsmanship and humanistic discipline. Teacher production and turnover patterns in Nigeria; National commission for colleges of education; Kaduna. National Commission for Colleges of Education. (2002). Minimum standard for Nigeria certificate in education vocational and technical education 3rd edition Garki, Abuja,. Author. National Commission for Colleges of Education. (2006). National commission for colleges of education: Brochure. Abuja: Author. National Commission for Colleges of Education. (2007). National commission for colleges of education, Digest of statistics on colleges of education in Nigeria 2005/2004 and 2004/2005 vol. 8 Abuja: Author. Olaitan S. O. (1986). Vocational education and national manpower development constraints and strategies. Vocational education association journal 2 10-12. Olaitan,S. O. (1996). Vocational and technical education in Nigeria: Issues and analysis. Onitsha. Noble Graphic Press. Olaitan, S. O. (1986). Vocational education and national manpower development Construct and Strategies. Vocational education association journal 2, 10-14 Umar, A. J. , Suleiman, H. J. Adamu, A. M. (2009). Role of vocational and technical Education realization of the millennium development goals (MDGs) in Nigeria. A paper presented at the 2nd COEASU North-East zone annual Conference held at college of education jalingo. Dung-Gwon, J. Y. (2009). Vocational Technical Education and the millennium Development goals in Nigeria. An overview. Unpublished lead paper presented At the 7th annual Conference of the Nigeria association of vocational And Technical Educators (NAVTED), at COE Akwanga, Nassarawa State,Nigeria. Iyortyer, M. T. (2010). MDG Needs Assessment: A paper presentation of MDGs costing Workshop held at Government House Internet base station, Yola, Adamawa state 22nd -24th March. Ibrahim, A. J. (2006). Progress on MDGs in Nigeria: Education Where are we? Unpublished paper presented at the 12th Annual Nigeria Economic Summit 7th-9th June. Igbuzor, O. (2007). Nigeria and the Millennium Development Goals. Proceedings of 20th Annual Conference, Nigeria Association of teacher of technology 53-54 The National Planning Commission,(2005). Nigeria Millennium Development Goals 2005 report. Garba, E. Y Nuhu, D. (2007). Reorganizing the NCE technical programme for effective skill Acquisition. Journal of issues in technical teacher education 4 (1) 119-126 Onyidoh, H. (2010). The decline of the education system in Nigeria. Retrieved 6/07/2010. Htt://www. helium. com/knowledge/90654.

The Evolution of the Microprocessor Essay -- essays research papers

The Integrated Circuit: The Evolution of an Electronic Miracle The microprocessor evolved over the course of many years of research, and people all over the world enjoy the benefits of this electronic miracle. It is difficult to think of anything that has affected modern life more than this invention. Cellular phones, wristwatches, calculators, automobiles, stereos, televisions, and computers are just a few of the thousands of electronic devices that have a microchip at the heart of its operation. Over the years, three major breakthroughs occurred to accelerate the birth of the microprocessor: the vacuum tube, the transistor, and the integrated circuit. The Vacuum Tube American physicist Lee De Forest invented the vacuum tube in 1906. However, one must look back to 1879 when Thomas Edison first revealed the incandescent electric light bulb to understand how De Forest developed his idea. Edison’s invention consisted of a conducting filament mounted in a glass bulb. Electricity passing through the filament caused it to heat up and created a vacuum that prevented the filament from oxidizing and burning up. In 1883, Edison detected electrons flowing through the vacuum from the lighted filament to a metal plate mounted inside the bulb. This became known as the Edison Effect, but he did not develop this particular discovery any further. However, British physicist John Fleming found that the Edison Effect also detected radio waves and converted them to electricity. In 1904, Fleming first showed off his two-element vacuum tube known as the Fleming diode that converted an alternating current (AC) signal into direct current (DC) (Kuphaldt). The Fleming diode consisted of an incandescent light bulb with an extra electrode inside. Electrons boiled off the surface of the metal plate and into the vacuum inside the bulb as the filament became white-hot. When the extra electrode became more positive than the filament, a direct current flowed through the vacuum proving that AC signals could be converted into DC. One of the first uses of the Fleming diode was to detect weak signals produced by the new wireless telegraph. Later, the diode vacuum tube was used to convert AC into DC for power supplies in electronic equipment (Kuphaldt). Many inventors tried to improve the Fleming diode, but the only one who succeeded was American inventor Lee De Forest. In 1906, De Forest int... ...light bulb. References Bellis, M. The History of Computers. Retrieved Mar. 03, 2005, from About.com web site: http://www.inventors.about.com/library/blcoindex.htm. Hoff, T. Fascinating Facts about the Invention of the Microprocessor. Retreived Feb 28, 2005, from Idea Finder web site: http://www.ideafinder.com/history/inventions/microprocessor.htm IC Knowledge. History of the Integrated Circuit. Retrieved February 28, 2005, from IC Knowledge web site: http://www.icknowledge.com/history/history.html. Kuphaldt, T. R. Early Tube History. Retrieved Feb. 24, 2005, from All About Circuits Web site: http://www.allaboutcircuits.com/vol_3/chpt_13/2.html. Lindberg, A. A. The History of the Integrated Circuit. Retrieved Mar. 03, 2005, from Nobelprize.org Web site: http://nobelprize.org/physics/educational/integrated_circuit/history Maxfield, C. and Brown, A. Retrieved Feb. 24, 2005, from The History of Computers Web site: http://www.maxmon.com. Riordan, M. and Hoddeson, L. (1997). Crystal Fire-The Birth of the Information Age. New York, NY: W.W. Norton & Company Inc. Sullivan, J. (Ed.). (1988). The Chipmakers. Alexandrea, VA: Time-Life Books. (Understanding Computers Series)

Fast food is something that every American knows about Essay

Most likely you, the person reading this has had fast food before, and probably enjoyed it. Whether it may be Mcdonalds, Burger King, Taco Bell, Jack in the Box, KFC, etc. There is nothing as cheap, quick to get, and tasty as fast food. With the ever-growing population of obese Americans, people are looking for a reason and for most that reason is fast food. Now according to the CDC (centers for disease control) the definition of overweight is having a BMI (body mass index) of 25-29.9 and the BMI for an obese person is 30 or higher. Could it be that fast food is causing 78 million Americans 20 years or older to be obese, or that 17% of all children and teens in the US are over weight because of it? I think not. Sure, fast food may not be the healthiest choice for you, but seriously, no one is forcing you to eat that cheeseburger and no one is forcing you to drink that soda. You see fast food is not the problem, the decision making of the obese American population is. Now just so weâ €™re clear I have nothing against obese people and there is a big difference between a little chunky, which is okay and obese. Now just so your aware of the obesity problem here in America, here’s some cold hard facts about obesity. Here in the US more than 35% of adults are considered obese, that’s more than 78 million people across the country that are obese. Seventeen percent of children and young adults are obese, which is triple the rate of a generation ago. Studies have shown that obesity gives you a greater chance of getting type2 diabetes and even cancer. If you are wondering why there are so many obese people in America today just ask your self a few simple questions. Would you rather go for a nice evening jog or stay home and watch your favorite TV show? Would you rather eat a salad or something not as healthy like a burger or pizza? And finally would you rather go to the gym or hang out with friends? If I had to guess I’d say most of you would rather hang out with friends, eat junk food, and watch your favorite TV show. You see most people have the time to work out and eat right they just choose not to and just like every choice made in life it comes with it’s benefits and consequences. You don’t have to pay for a gym member ship just walk up some steps or play catch with your kids or take a walk at the park, anything is obviously better than nothing. Now researchers will argue against my claims, and that’s understandable. They’ll mention that 33 percent of children and adolescents in the U.S. consume fast food on a typical day; they’ll also state that on average adolescents will visit a fast food restaurant twice a week. Well all I have to say to that is whose fault is that? How are these kids buying the fast food? With their parent’s money of course. Why can’t the parents make them something healthy and control what there kids eat instead of giving them money to eat fast food? It’s the parent’s fault that the kids are eating fast food so often. Fast food isn’t going to make you obese unless you eat it most of the time. If you eat it occasionally but you also eat your fruits and vegetables you’ll be fine. It is crazy to know that in the U.S. 49% of money spent on food is spent away from home. Which means people are choosing to buy food from restaurants and other place s rather than go to the grocery store and cook at home. That percentage is always increasing due to the fact that people now a days are looking for more convenient ways of getting there food. If your wondering just how much money is being spent on quick service restaurants, in 2011 quick service restaurants were expected to gain 168 billion dollars, 3% more than 2010. If people would just spend half the amount of money that they usually spend on fast food and cook a nice healthy meal instead there would be no problem with fast food. Once again the decisions of the American people are to blame. Hit the gym and help yourself get slim. Studies have shown that physical activity plays a big role in loosing weight but of course you knew that, its common sense. But what many people don’t know is that according to the CDC (center for disease control) fewer than 2 out of 10 Americans and less than 30 percent of adults get the recommended level of exercise. Also that more than 25% of U.S. adults do not devote any time to physical activity, the worst states being Louisiana, Alabama, Kentucky, Mississippi, Oklahoma, and Tennessee. It is very intriguing that correlations have shown that those states with the least amount of exercise have the most health problems. Type2 diabetes is mostly triggered by obesity, and in 1980 5.5 million adults had it; now approximately 25.6 million adults have type2 diabetes. The ever so increasing percentage of obesity and decreasing percentage in physical activity is definitely to blame. An interesting fact is that by loosing weight and getting from overweight to normal you can save on average $1400 a year on medication. If you don’t have time to hit the gym, there are a few tips that can help you get fit. First don’t drink soda; on average if you drink a soda can a day you’ll gain 15 pounds in a year, that is if you don’t work out of course. Take the stairs or walk around the block, a few extra steps could be the difference in burning some extra calories, and finally anything is better than nothing, curl some soup cans or do some crunches while watching TV. Any of those things can help you with your obesity, then you wont have to blame it on fast food. Fast food companies are now making a bigger push to serve healthier items in their stores, but it is up to the customers to get them otherwise it is all for nothing. McDonalds is taking the biggest step with there new items like the all fruit smoothies, apple slices, salads, and there brochures that show you there below 400,300,200, and 100 calorie items. Jack in the box is jumping on board as well with their 3 choices of salads, and serving grilled chicken instead of fried in there sandwiches. These fast food chains are realizing that healthy is the new way to go but yet the majority of people in America aren’t. We need to watch what we eat, eat healthier brown rice or bread instead of white, more fruits and veggies and less burgers, next time you go to mcdonalds get a salad instead of a Big Mac it might change your life. In conclusion the fast food industry is not to blame for Obesity in the United States of America. They’re taking steps in the right direction and the people of America should too. We need to start exercising more and getting active because that is the true reason for the increasing obesity. Make better decisions in your life style, choose a healthy one and like I said get a salad next time you go to McDonalds. – http://www.getamericafit.org/statistics-obesity-in-america.html – http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/08/14/obesity-rate-by-state_n_1774356.html –

Heart Disease Disease Control And Prevention - 1679 Words

Heart disease has been around as early as the 1900s and is the number one killer of men and women in the United States. According to the CDC about 610,000 people die of heart disease in the United States every year, which is 1 in every 4 deaths (Heart Disease Facts. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention). Killing roughly over 370,000 people yearly, coronary heart disease is clearly the most common type of heart disease (Heart Disease Facts. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention). Even though the cause and effects of heart disease began to become visible around the 1900s, the actual history of this disease dates as far back as ancient Egypt. During the 1800s, a German Egyptologist and novelist, Georg Ebers came across an Egyptian papyrus in Thebes. In it had data regarding information on how to detect heart failure. With his discovery, the Egyptians basically knew how the heart operates a nd how to spot the symptom and treat the problem. Other names for heart disease are: Arrhythmia, Broken heart syndrome, Coronary heart disease, Coronary microvascular disease, Heart failure, and Sudden cardiac arrest. Before I get any further, we must first know what heart disease actually is? Well, heart disease is a range of conditions that affect your heart. What Causes Heart Disease? Studies show that heart disease starts with damage to the lining and inner layers of the coronary heartShow MoreRelatedCenters for Disease Control and Prevention629 Words   |  3 PagesCenters for Disease Control and Prevention Weam Khadim PBHE501-American Public University May 21, 2013 Dr. Shalah Watkins-Bailey Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Center for Disease Control and Prevention is a national public health federal agency under Department of Health and Human Services headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia. It is division of Department of Health and Human Services responsible for managing national programs for control and prevention of communicable diseases and VectorRead MoreThe Newborn Screening : Genetic Diseases : Blood Samples Collected Bill No3458 Words   |  14 PagesAbstract The document examines the Newborn Screening: Genetic Diseases: Blood Samples Collected Bill No. 170, introduced by Assembly Member Mike Gatto on January 22, 2015. The law requires to amend Section 125000 of, and to add Sections 125003, 125004, and 125005 to, the Health and Safety Code, relating to newborn screening. According to the bill, the State Department of Public Health is required to establish a program for the genetic disease testing and follow up services for newborn children. All newbornRead MoreCardiovascular Disease And Heart Disease981 Words   |  4 PagesCardiovascular disease has reportedly been the number one disease killer for men and women in the United States of America. Every one out of four deaths is caused by heart disease in the United States alone (Centers for Diseases Control and Prevention). Heart disease refers to the different types of conditions and symptoms that can affect the one’s heart and its functions to the body (Mayo Clinic). Cardiovascu lar/Heart disease has many causes and conditions, prevention methods and symptoms, andRead MoreCenter for Disease Control Essay example1421 Words   |  6 PagesCenters for Disease Control and Prevention is example of a government run agency. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is one of the most important health agencies in the world. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is a federal government run agency that relies on stakeholders and partners to offer important insight in planning and evaluating, and contributions in helping Americans live long, healthy, and satisfying lives. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention TheRead MoreHeart Disease : The Highest Leading Cause Death For Men And Women Within The United States1592 Words   |  7 PagesStates is heart disease. The number of deaths for heart disease is 611,105; this is more than half of a million lives being claimed by heart disease. (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Leading Causes of Death). This disease tends to be preventable, even though it’s the highest cause of death. In order to prevent one self from having a heart disease, individuals should take the right precautions throughout their everyday lives to reduce the risk of contracting different types of heart diseases;Read MoreMaking the Better Choice-How Our Choices Affect our Health792 Words   |  3 Pagesmental health and mood. It also decreases one’s risk of cardiovascular diseases because it gives you more â€Å"good† cholesterol and keeps blood flowing smoothly (Fitness.). So, what about the things that can happen if you don’t ge t enough exercise? According to the web page Exercise Trends, â€Å"Each year at least 1.9 million people die as a result of physical inactivity. †Physical inactivity has also been linked to heart diseases (Woznicki). Plus, without exercise, one can become overweight, leadingRead MoreHealth Promotion and Preventions1489 Words   |  6 PagesHealth promotion and disease prevention are processes that enable individuals to improve their health. Health promotion seeks to increase an individual’s control over their health by addressing behavior under the control of the individual. Disease prevention is associated with medical and public health activities to prevent diseases. Health promotion and disease prevention have been utilized in the U.S. health care system for many of years and extensive research has been done on which preventiveRead MoreThe Vulnerability of African Americans to Heart Disease1347 Words   |  5 PagesAfrican Americans and Heart Disease in the United States Name: Professor: Institution: Course: Date: Introduction The American Medical Journal explains that the heart disease is one of the deadliest medical conditions. Medical experts reckon that heart disease is a lifestyle disease, which emanates from excessive consumption of the wrong dietary combination. Foods such as fats and carbohydrates often expose individuals to the threat of heart disease. Consuming fast foods from McDonalds alsoRead MoreHeart Disease And Its Symptoms And Identify Groups Most At Risk1278 Words   |  6 Pages Heart Disease Student name Instructor name Course name Date Heart disease is a term that describes many different varieties of heart conditions. This paper will define heart disease, list its symptoms and identify groups most at risk. It will also discuss prevention strategies and treatment options. Some are more prone to health issues than others but all can lessen their likelihood of contracting heart disease. Thankfully due to modern medical advancements treatment options are variedRead MoreEac Research Paper. â€Å"Where There’S Smoke, There’S Fire!†1085 Words   |  5 Pagescigarettes come to mind. I have personally witnessed the evils of smoking, some of them being small and others large. Problems anywhere from respiratory problems to severe health crises and even mortality can occur. Smoking can cause many different diseases, including cancer. According to Betabaccofree.gov, tobacco is comprised of more than seven thousand chemicals, of which seventy of those chemicals are proven to cause cancer (Effects of Smoking on Your Health). Nearly six million people perish every