In the Article “Don’t Blame the Eater”, the author, David Zinczenko discounts many details while adverting his notion that Fast Food Corporations are at fault for obesity in adolescents. Zinczenko uses rhetoric, and personal experience to divert the reader’s attention to the emotional aspects of the above mentioned argument instead of showing genuine refutable actualities. At the start of his article Zinczenko complicates matters when he writes “And the problem isn’t just theirs- it’s all of ours.”, implying that we contribute to obesity misfortunes among children. However, his personal account about being a teen who acquired a large quantity of weight because of an assiduous mother, and lack of food alternatives contradicts the statement …show more content…
However, contrary to what the author stated, no factual evidence was exhibited to support this. Zinczenko refutes his own personal experience with his overall argument by further explaining how he turned his life around. As a teen Zinczenko was able to lose weight and maintain his diet by going to college, and later joining the Navy Reserves. This shows that he was able to engage into physical activities that would prompt his weight loss and healthy dieting. In the opposing viewpoints database, the author states that “…changes in caloric intake cannot solely account for the observed trends in national weight gain.” (Church, Timothy S. "The Rise in Obesity Is Due Mainly to Physical Inactivity.”). This means that Fast Food Corporations cannot single-handedly be held responsible for the ramifications of obesity . Zinczenko’s assertion that a person will endure a lifetime of obesity from regularly consuming Fast Food does not fit his reflection of his own personal experience with obesity, therefore creating paradoxes in his above- mentioned …show more content…
Zinczenko himself writes “Drive down any thoroughfare in America, and I guarantee you’ll see one of our country’s more than 13,000 McDonalds restaurants.” Basically he is informing us that lack of healthy food options attributes to obesity. Zinczenko additionally states “Now drive back up the block and try to find someplace to find a grapefruit.”, insinuating America has a scarcity of healthy food alternatives for its people. He utilizes imagery symbolism to further emphasize his point of food alternatives towards the reader’s attention. While using imagery, the author fails to use factual information that would represent this focal point. Adding to Zinczenko’s argument, I would point out that there are many grocery stores, gas stations, and other restaurants that offer healthier food choices for affordable prices, and that almost in every vicinity, or neighborhood lies a supermarket, and other food establishments. Zinczenko makes it seem like obesity occurs on account of the large presence of fast food restaurants, and an inadequacy of healthy food alternatives. This hyperbole Zinczenko applies in the article refutes his argument because it is too far-fetched, exaggerated, and is used to push the emotions out of the reader, rather than proving any facts towards the overall
In discussions of Zinczenko, one controversial issue has been whether we should blame fast food restaurant on obesity. On the one hand, Zinczenko argues that we should blame the fast food restaurant, for their lack of warning labels. My own view is that they both play a big part , yes fast food should label their foods nonetheless consumers should know to control themselves and not buy extra-large drinks and just sit on the
He begins by saying that while it may seem easy to avoid fast food and eat relatively balanced meals, it is easier to fall victim to than you may assume, based on life circumstances. His mother, for example, had custody of him after his parent’s divorce and was too busy working to provide for him to have time to shop for and prepare healthy meals. “Advertisements don 't carry warning labels the way tobacco ads do. Prepared foods aren 't covered under Food and Drug Administration labeling laws. Some fast-food purveyors will provide calorie information on request, but even that can be hard to understand.” is an example Zinczenko gives that even though consumers often times know fast food is bad for your body, but not to the full magnitude. These companies find loopholes to justify projecting calorie/content information that is either insufficient or perplexing enough that you would be forced to go to great lengths to uncover exactly how many calories are actually in your meal. Another one of his main points is the lack of alternative options. With a McDonalds on every corner and a busy schedule, it is almost inevitable to choose a drive thru burger rather than going into a grocery store to buy something you then later have to go through the trouble of preparing, especially for
Before that, Zinczenko was editor-in-chief of Men’s Health magazine as well as editorial director of Women’s Health magazine. He was able express his information about how there isn 't enough alternatives to lower the amount of citizens in the U.S that have diabetes and obesity. This is a portion from his essay that displays what he was trying to accomplish. Complicating the lack of alternatives is the lack of information about what, exactly, we 're consuming. There are no calorie information charts on fast-food packaging, the way there are on grocery items. Advertisements don 't carry warning labels the way tobacco ads do. With this Zinczenko was able to attract the readers attention and point to them a realization that gets the audience to look back and think about the last time they go to a fast food place and they don’t see any chart of the
He begins his argument by commenting about kids suing McDonald’s for “making them fat” (Zinczenko 462). Zinczenko ponders the absurdity of this claim considering how food choices are based on personal responsibility. However, he then considers the overwhelming availability ratio of fast food to fresh food while sympathizing he was once obese himself (Zinczenko 462). Zinczenko uses the primary argument that fast food companies are deceiving consumers with misleading advertisement, hidden nutrition facts, and calorie risks. He believes companies are encouraging the public to eat their unhealthy foods by omitting alarming information and levying “good” deals. In consequence, fast food companies are increasing the chances of obesity and diabetes in consumers by stimulating poor eating
Zinczenko explains, “Where are consumers supposed to find alternatives? Drive down any thoroughfare in America, and I guarantee you’ll see one of our country’s more than 13,000 McDonald’s restaurants.” He continues, “Now, drive back up the block and try to find someplace to buy a grapefruit.” (Zinczenko 463). What’s the chances of finding a fruit stand rather than a fast food restaurant? In addition, consumers are not being informed on what exactly they are taking in. There are no calorie charts posted on the food, nor are there warning labels connected to it. Thus, the purchaser is becoming unhealthy and eventually obese. Zinczenko stated fast food restaurants, “Would do well to protect themselves, and their consumers, by providing the nutrition information people need to make informed choices about their products.” Furthermore, without warnings, there will consequently be a higher number of ill and obese
In American, has an obesity epidemic that is growing year after year. According to the CDC more than one third 34.9% or 78.6 million U.S adults are obese and it continues grow. In the FDA recorders people that are obese usually have type 2 diabetes, sleep apnea, asthma, heartburn and other digestive and mental health problems. The author David Zinczenko, the author of the article “Don’t blame the eater” thinks that fast food restaurants does not have alternative foods and not labeling their food products. Then there is Radley Balko the author of the article “What you eat is Your Business” believes that law makers should allow insurance companies to charge higher premium on obese people for their unhealthy eating habits. After reading both article, I disagree with Zinczenko idea of fast food restaurants not having fast food alternatives because fast food chains do have other alternative and they also label their food products
This documentary takes a look at how our school’s lunch programs and government play a role in the spread of obesity across the nation. The film really attempts to drive home the idea that our children are being immorally brainwashed into wanting unhealthy foods. At some points of the film, it appears that the director uses big companies and school lunches as a scapegoat for our nations crisis. It is a valid point that our nation’s children are being
Ever since the creation of the golden arches, America has been suffering with one single problem, obesity. Obesity in America is getting worse, for nearly two-thirds of adult Americans are overweight. This obesity epidemic has become a normal since no one practices any type of active lifestyle. Of course this is a major problem and many wish it wasn 't in existence, but then we start to ask a major question. Who do we blame? There are two articles that discuss numerous sides of this question in their own unique way. “What You Eat is Your Business” by Radley Balko is better than “Don 't Blame the Eater” by David Zinczenko due to its position in argument, opposition, and it’s reoccurrence in evidence.
In “Don’t Blame the Eater”, by David Zinczenko and in “What You Eat is Your Business”, by Radley Balko both authors discuss and make their stance’s clear on their believed cause of obesity in America. On one hand, Zinczenko argues that it is not the consumers fault for putting themselves at risk of becoming obese or being diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, but that it is the fast-food companies fault. While on the other hand, Balko argues that we as individuals hold responsibility on whether or not we are putting ourselves at risk for obesity.
Throughout the past years and more here recently obesity has become a fast growing problem in the United States and around the world. Since this has become such a problem certain authors are starting to take a stand in how they think the solution should be fixed. The solutions are discussed in the following articles: How Junk Food Can End Obesity by David H. Freedman and What You Eat Is Your Business by Radley Balko. Both articles have clear and distinct arguments, but the argument by Balko entices his readers and has a clear purpose and tone that allowed his article to be more effective.
David Zinczenko states numbers and facts that open the eyes of his reader along with state his position of how fast food states no warnings that it could make someone obese or develop type 2 diabetes. His first statement is telling his readers a little background about how fast food affected his life and how he was once obese because he consumed such meals. Zinczenko explains how the increase in diabetes (specially type 2) were linked to the high consumption of fast food meals. He then goes on to address how much money is being spent to help take care of the mass amount of children with type 2 diabetes, showing how the price has gone up substantially over the past couple decades. The author then claims how the restaurants don’t give any healthy alternative and how its easier to find a McDonalds in American than an healthy alternative such as fruit. To wrap up the article he shares how he feels that obese kids who sue these fast food restaurants have good ground to do so since these places don’t put warnings on their foods; From Zinczenko himself “I say, let the deep fried chips fa...
As consumers, we like to believe that the information we are told is truthful and unbiased however, this is not always the case in relation to the fast food industry. In his essay “Don’t Blame the Eater,” David Zinczenko builds a convincing argument by using logical reasoning that fast food companies should be more truthful with their caloric content. Zinczenko also uses this logical reasoning to show how ease of access and family structure can affect fast food consumption. However, Zinczenko’s use of hasty generalizations and cause and effect fallacies render his argument unconvincing overall.
Best selling author of Eat This, Not That, David Zinczenko’s article “Don’t Blame the Eater,” blames the fast food industry for the growing rate of obesity in the United States. Zinczenko’s main idea is that fast food companies should have warning labels on all the food they supply. Zinczenko believes that since health labels are put on tobacco and preserved food product, fast food industries should put labels on today’s fast food. Discussions about the availability of fast food compared to healthier alternative were brought up as well. Zinczenko states that when looked at, a salad from a fast food restaurant could add up to half of someone’s daily calories (155). He believes that because of fast food, Americans are having more health risks, which includes an insane rise in diabetes. Some agree with Zinczenko saying fast food companies should be the ones responsible to show people the truth about their foods. On the other hand Radley Balko, a columnist for FoxNews.com, states that fast-food consumption ...
“Don’t Blame the Eater” is an article by David Zinczenko that explains to Americans, specifically overweight young Americans, about the risks eating at fast food restaurants and its cause of affecting one’s health. In his article, he tries to address the issue about America’s food industries by using literal devices such as tone, logos, ethos, diction, and organization in order to spread his message. He begins his article by addressing the topic and as he continues writing, he supports his topic by writing about personal experience and moves onto the reasons why his topic in a serious issue. Although he shows an overall clear progress, he does tend to have a few problems with his writing that could be improved.
Research shows “the prevalence of obesity among U.S. preschoolers has doubled in recent decades” (May 629). This is not surprising because we live in a “fast food” world where convenience is king. Where the television is the babysitter, and staying indoors to play video games is preferred to playing outside. So is this the child’s fault? Sometimes, but it is my opinion that parents are mainly to blame for childhood obesity because they are the ones that buy the groceries, set the television limits, and rely on fast food to feed their children.