You Are What You Eat: Combating Obesoty in the United Stated

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Recommended: how much control does the government have over our diets

Those who are governed are permitted to be governed how they choose. Those who govern must put the needs of the governed first.1 Philosopher John Locke believed that humans needed to be governed similar to what Thomas Hobbes. However, John also believed that people had the right to their own personal freedoms. Currently, America is perceived as an overweight and obese country.2 In response to the speculation of the health and well being of American citizens steps have been taken to hopefully prevent the increase of the percentage of obese Americans, and also decrease the percentage altogether. John Stossel once stated in his interview “Food Nannies” “What business is yours what I put in my body?” John Stossel believed that the government should not have control over what Americans eat or even try to influence what their diet consists of. America was founded on the ideas of freedom yet, governmental interjection with what people eat directly goes against the morals that America was founded upon.
Steps have been taken to decrease the percentage of obese Americans such as restaurants posting calorie charts and taxes being implemented. First Lady Michelle Obama strives to decrease the percentage of overweight and obese Americans. As of 2010 the percentage of overweight and obese American adults was documented at 69.2 percent.3 Michelle Obama ran multiple campaigns towards fitness and healthy choices by exercising on the lawn of the White House and also advertising healthy choices on broadcasting stations such as PBS. With the use of public advertisement and national broadcasting, Michelle Obama is able to spread the facts about health and nutrition. State Governors follow her lead by having restaurants and fast food chains to display...

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...ght and freedom even through the consumption of food. Modern society favors the freedom to choose compared to the stern implementation of taxes.

Bibliography
"Adult Obesity Facts." Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 16 Aug. 2013.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 21 Nov. 2013.
Doyle, Kathryn. "Despite Obesity Rise, U.S. Calories Trending Downward." Reuters. Thomson Reuters, 06 Mar. 2013.
"John Stossel - Food Police Fatheads." YouTube. YouTube, 31 Oct. 2013. Web. 09 Jan. 2014.
Stewart, Duncan,. "Thomas Hobbes." Stanford University. Stanford University, 11 Mar. 2009.
Tuckness,, Alex. "Locke's Political Philosophy." Stanford University. Stanford University, 09 Nov. 2005.
Uzgalis,, William. "John Locke." Stanford University. Stanford University, 02 Sept. 2001.

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