Anna Mae Obesity In America

Obesity is a largely spread issue throughout America. Did you know that 35.7% of Americans are considered to be obese? Not only that, but 1 in 20 are considered to be extremely obese (The State of Obesity). These seem to be some pretty high numbers, and in many peoples lives the label of “overweight” or “obese” can cause many other issues throughout their life. Just as Anna Mae is addicted to McDonalds in the play “French Fries”, many Americans have addictions to things such as fast food chains. Are restaurants, such as McDonalds to blame for issues such as obesity in Americans? Many would argue yes.

I mentioned the amount of Americans that are considered to be obese in the United States, but lets break those numbers down a bit more. It is

said that 3 of every 4 adult males is considered to be obese, that makes up for 75% of the men living in America. It is said that 64% of adult women living in the United states are said to be obese. Not only are these numbers extremely high and at times life threatening. But, its also said that 1 in every 3 children is overweight. These numbers seem to be insanely high in comparison to countries such as Russia where only 26.5% of the population is said to be obese (World Obesity Foundation). One cant help but question why Americas numbers are so high in comparison to other country’s around the world.
America is the home to more than 500,000 fast food restaurants. McDonalds being the leading franchise with 14,157 restaurants across the United States (Challenging Obesity). This leaves Americans with easily accessible food at every turn. After a long day at work, heading to the local McDonalds seems to be an easier solution for dinner than heading home and having to cook a meal. Many Americans have this mind set. It is said that as many as 3% of Americans eat fast food daily (Challenging Obesity). With the average fast food meal containing 836 calories, this one meal quickly adds up to be most of your daily allowed calorie intake. Not to mention the fat and sodium that you take in anytime you consume a meal from a restaurant such as McDonalds.
Not only is it physically unappealing to be severely overweight, but its also extremely dangerous for your health. Obesity can lead to things such as diabetes, heat disease, high blood pressure, fatty liver disease, and even certain types of cancer. Not to mention minor things such as fatigue and lack of energy (Overweight America). It seems crazy that in the past 35 years, obesity rates have doubled within Americans. With more than 29 million Americans being diagnosed with type 2 diabetes.
Many Americans are taught from a young age that eating copies amounts of fast food is acceptable. It is said that 1 in every 3 children consumes a fast food meal on a daily bases and that on average American children are provided with fast food meals or snakes 6 times a week (Challenging Obesity). How are these children supposed to learn as adults that this is a danger to their health and well being if their parents are providing them with copious amounts of fast food on the daily. Is it the fast food branches that we have to blame for this or the negligence of these parents as to the health of their children?
In the play “French Fries” Anna Mae seems to be the kind of woman who's parents would have fed her a lot of fast food throughout her childhood. Possibly neglecting to give her the attention and well balanced diet that children require. Anna Mae refers to the golden McDonalds arches as being like part of a rainbow. She goes on throughout the text about how McDonalds is almost a safe haven. She refers to herself as being “Just like some ol’ french fries they forgot” in the way she comes as soon as the doors open and doesn't leave until they close for the night. To Anna Mae McDonalds is a safe place where as the rest of the world is not.
It is never mentioned throughout the text that Anna Mae is an overweight woman herself, but we can only assume based off of the fact that she sits in her local McDonalds day in and day out that she is consuming all of her daily meals there.

With the average meal consisting off 800 calories, Anna Mae would be consuming almost 3,000 calories a day.

The question on many peoples minds is if fast food chains are the cause of obesity in Americans. Many would argue yes, the amount of calories in these meals are insane and the only choices offered by fast food restaurants seem to be unhealthy ones. There are many different options provided at fast food restaurants, but the only healthy option that is normally offered is something like a salad. Many people do not enjoy salad, but do prefer to eat healthy. Could the answer to this problem be to simply add more healthy options to fast food restaurants

menus?
Had the play “French Fries” been based on a woman spending her days sitting in the local subway chain restaurant, the assumption I'm sure we all made about this woman being overweight probably wouldn't have been made. When we think of chains such as McDonalds, the first thing that comes to my mind is grease, fat, and copious amounts of calories. As much as we would all like to believe that Anna Mae was sitting around eating salad at her local McDonalds, her love of big macs is strongly depicted throughout the text and leaves me to believe that she is one of the many Americans that have been sucked into the delicious, yet unhealthy fast food franchise that is McDonalds.
I once tried this diet called the palio diet. It’s simply eating things that would of only been available to the pioneers. Anything processed or unnatural is against the diet. I dropped 20 pounds in a single month. It really opened my eyes to how bad processed food really is for you. Maybe thats why obesity grows more and more over time. Back when the pioneers first settled in America there was no such thing as McDonalds or Chic Fil A. Everything was natural and came from the land. Have you ever received a smoothie from McDonalds and had it separate in the cup. Or bitten into a chicken sandwich and realized theres no possible way that is actually chicken. The food that fast food restaurants provide has been so processed that it is said the french fries can sit out for days and still be edible. There have even been studies in which a burger will be left out and still look the same weeks later. When did processed food become a substitute for fruits, vegetables, and real meats?
Many Americans argue that fast food restaurants provide food at such a cheaper rate than it would be to go to a grocery store and buy the necessities. Its gotten to the point that fast food restaurants offer almost anything you could desire for either a $5 meal or an extensive dollar menu that offers anything from french fries to hamburgers. If it were as cheap and easily accessible to get things such as fruits and vegetables we would probably see americans eat much healthier. But, when given the option of a hamburger, fries, and a soda all for $5 versus a watermelon for $6, many people go for the processed food and cheaper price even if not the healthiest option.
We cant solely blame fast food restaurants for obesity amongst Americans though. There will always be other reasons including lack of exercise and stress. Many people would even go so far as to make the argument that Americans are lazy. When were constantly on the go and surrounded by so much good, cheap, easily accessible food it makes it hard to resist such temptations. More and more healthy fast food restaurants are popping up all over the United States, but in small town areas such as Queen Annes county, we didn't even get a McDonalds until more so recent years. Sadly big city’s and large towns will get to experience healthier fast food options much more quickly than us small towns will.
Another great point that was raised throughout some of the articles I read is that no one can be blamed for obesity, but the obese person themselves (World Obesity Foundation). Yes, I will agree that fast food restaurants lure people in with commercials that advertise delicious looking foods and cheap prices. But, we as Americans are free to eat, exercise, and provide ourselves with the lives that we wish to live. I remember reading an article a few years back in which 3 teenage girls were suing McDonalds for making them obese. Everyone thought it was so silly that these girls thought it was okay to sue a huge franchise when they were the ones eating this unhealthy food. But, when we say that fast food restaurants are the reason that America has so many overweight people due to fast food chains, were essentially doing the same thing that these teenage girls did. When all is said and done you really are in control of your own body weight and there are ways in which you can avoid becoming obese.
There are many different attempts being made to end obesity in Americans. Celebrities and influential people such as Michelle Obama go to great extremes to teach people about healthier ways of living and ways to get active. Nickelodeon even goes so far as to turn off all programing twice a year and encourages kids to use those days to get out and play. As for our everyday lives, simple steps usually make for the greatest long term effect. If we make an effort to eat healthier meals or even to get out and be active an hour a day, it could make for a total change in your everyday lifestyle, provide you with more energy, and lead us one step closer to reducing obesity in Americans.
Between the play “French Fries”, multiple articles, and books on obesity I have come to the conclusion that although their are many different fast food chain options in the United States, no one is being forced to eat these unhealthy food options.

Although they can be extremely tempting, not to mention easy on the wallet. That in no way makes them a good food option. Americans are obese by personal choice, thats why anyone is obese in all honesty. If we choose to eat unhealthily, not exercise, and let stress rule our lives then weight gain is sure to follow. If we as Americans want to lower the rates of obesity, we need to focus on healthier lifestyles. Weight loss and an improved way of life will

follow.