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Childhood obesity who is to blame
Childhood obesity who is to blame
Childhood obesity who is to blame
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In the documentary film “Fed Up”, sugar and the sweeteners in our food(s) or beverages is presented to be the prime ingredient that is making most of our young adolescents obese. So, it says. It tells of families struggling with obesity, and how these families have been trying to do everything they can to help their children lose weight. It shows how through no fault of theirs that the weight problem is because of the food that is being served at schools and also the thousands of products that contain sugar that we buy at the supermarkets. The film shows that low wage earner has no choice, but to buy the unhealthy food(s) because healthier food(s) cost more. “While healthier diets did cost more, the difference was smaller than many people might …show more content…
No so, “However you may choose which side of this debate you prefer, I am inclined to favor the argument that sugar is problematic even though the effect is less scientifically qualified than we all tend to believe.” (Campbell) There are other things involved that are also causing obesity. According to another documentary film “What the Health”, on nutrition; meats of all kinds, beef, poultry, fish, processed or not, dairy products of any kind have a vital part in the health of a person. It has been found that the over consumption of these meats, dairy products are also the cause of the obesity pandemic in America, not just sweeteners. If we put our health and that of our family first and watch what we eat and how much we eat, it will make a big difference in our …show more content…
“The reports from the Food and Agriculture Organization of the U. N. and other factory farming has made animal agricultural the No. 1 contributor to global warming. And the Top 2 or 1 causes of the most serious environmental problems; affecting water, air, and deforestation”. (Foer) Air pollution: Over 37 percent of methane emissions results from factory farming. Methane has a global warming potential 20 times higher than carbon dioxide. Deforestation: In the United States alone, over 260 million acres of forest have been cleared to make room for crop fields, most of which are used exclusively to grow livestock feed. Water Pollution: Sucks up 70% of fresh water supply, 75% of rivers and streams show water quality problems in America. Monoculture: Crops that are grown mostly to feed farm animals, and a small percentage to feed people. Fossil fuels and carbon admissions: Animal food that is really concentrated pills of fossil fuels”.
Humans are damaging the planet to live comfortably, we must change the way food is distributed worldwide, support local farmers and switch to a healthier diet in order to stop global warming. The current global has been getting better for us humans over the years, from eating bread and eggs 3 times a day in the XV century, now we can eat better than the kings of those times, however the much of the food in not healthy and the global food system still fails in getting food to every individual in the planet and in addition it contributes to the destruction of our world. Ms. Anna Lappe explains how the food system contributes to around 1/3 of the global warming issue in her essay “The Climate Crisis at the End of Our Fork”, while a group of Plos one explains the issues about the export and import of food growth over the last 50 years in the
One of the biggest problems facing the world today is global warming. The main reason behind it is the production of carbon dioxide from our cars, factories, power plants and other greenhouse gases, which is having a heating effect on the atmosphere, and this affects our ocean weather and agriculture, thereby dangerous to human life. “In Climate Crisis at the End of Our Fork “Anna Lappe gives her views on how global warming can lead to many problems, what are its probable causes and potential solutions to it. Whereas in “Research and Development on Climate Change and Greenhouse Gases in Support of Climate Smart Livestock Production and a Vibrant Industry” Scholtz discusses the impact of global warming and continued, uncontrolled release of greenhouse gases on the livestock industry and consequently food security as well as
The American diet is becoming extremely harmful to the health of especially children. The new generation has different trends in regard to health compared to those of perhaps their parents. In the documentary Fed Up, Soechtig uses data and statistics, as well as narratives of emotional events to highlight the long run issues with American’s poor diet and also to criticize the food industry. By doing this, the director hopes to spark a change in diet.
Fed Up (2014), directed by Stephanie Soechtig and narrated by Katie Couric, attempts to tackle to feat of exposing the big secret about why America is so overweight. The film opens with disturbing images and clips of obese people and unhealthy habits in action. The film really focuses on advertisement as a main culprit for childhood and adult obesity. Fed Up attempts to appeal to adults and young adults in order to educate them on the obesity epidemic. More specifically, it attempts to reveal the improbable cause for our weight problem. Sugar.
The consequences of obesity are clear: various metabolic problems, high cholesterol, insulin resistance and high blood pressure. Risk of heart diseases more as we gain more fat. Sleep apnea can also result, as well as joint problems. Obesity is not only a result of lack of exercise, but of the kind of food people consume. The film “Fed Up” does not address whether “real food” as solution to this endemic is feasible, assumes that people have the time, money and energy to control their health by buying, preparing and cooking real food, and leaves the audience wondering whether their laziness that prevents them from investing time, energy and money to cook and consume slow food at home. However, health is not just a personal battle left to individuals; the food industry and the government should take more part in conscienscious research and education to provide truly healthy choices at reasonable
Unhealthy foods are what make the money for schools and that is why they serve them for students. (Schlafy) Schools feel like they need the extra money in the budget, even though it is at the student’s expense. Data shows that nearly 60% of all middle schools in the US serve soda from vending machines. (Schlafy) Soda is very high in sugar and is not at all good for children, but it is still sold in school vending machines. The ways food in schools is now are way too high in fats and sugars. This is not good for the children and very bad in the long run. Elementary schoolchildren have an estimated $15 billion of their own money that they can use to buy whatever they want in schools, and parents have almost another $160 billion to give students for food money. (Schlafy) Big businesses see this as a big source of profit and therefore encourage children to buy their products, and want them to be offered in school because of th4e likelihood of children buying the business’s product. All in all, obesity in the US is greatly influenced by the foods offered in schools
In the documentary “Fed Up,” sugar is responsible for Americas rising obesity rate, which is happening even with the great stress that is set on exercise and portion control for those who are overweight. Fed Up is a film directed by Stephanie Soechtig, with Executive Producers Katie Couric and Laurie David. The filmmaker’s intent is mainly to inform people of the dangers of too much sugar, but it also talks about the fat’s in our diets and the food corporation shadiness. The filmmaker wants to educate the country on the effects of a poor diet and to open eyes to the obesity catastrophe in the United States. The main debate used is that sugar is the direct matter of obesity. Overall, I don’t believe the filmmaker’s debate was successful.
The film presents this set of facts, “Eighty percent of American high schools have contracts with soft drink companies, with fifty percent of school cafeterias serving fast food” Fed Up (Soechtig, 2014). The Center for Consumer Freedom criticizes Fed Up, warning that people should equate calories in with calories out and the media helps by promoting the lack of exercise and over-eating as the cause of obesity. The film counteracts this to a degree with Maggie Valentine. She is the twelve-year-old in the film who weighs 212 pounds. She swims four days a week, runs, walks her dogs, and at the end is seen learning how to kayak. Her mother attempts to feed her a good diet at home, of low fat products, and Maggie tries to make good choices at school, but is hindered by what is offered in the cafeteria. She exercises, eats what the food companies tell her is good and still fails, so who then is to blame? The movie hypothesis it is the food companies, advertising and lack of government regulations concerning children and how they are exposed to junk food brainwashing everywhere they
In addition, the fast food industry’s main goal is to produce profit, and advertisements for unhealthy nutrition options flood schools, television, billboards, and multitudes of other outputs, all places where young children can view endorsements for fast food. Drawing a parallel between fast food and tobacco, Fed Up claims that soda resembles the cigarettes of the 21st century and that both of these toxins present many future health implications. While continuing to discuss long term effects of unhealthy food and eating habits, various scientific researchers and individuals share that up to “40% of non-obese people have metabolic diseases” (Fed Up). While not everyone may appear overweight or obese, they may have diabetes, heart related problems, high blood pressure, and/or numerous other health concerns. Overall, Stephanie Soechtig’s Fed Up discusses the issues of obesity and how private provide and special interests place themselves above public
In “Bad Food” – What’s the Best Food? Tax it, and Subsidize Vegetables”, Mark Bittman suggests that the people of America should stop eating unhealthy foods so often. In the article, Bittman tells his audience that people with “heart disease, diabetes and cancer are all in large part caused by the standard American Diet” (page 35). He also states that eating healthy can result in a better health care system, saving millions of lives. The big issue is Americans eating unhealthy every day, but proposing a plan to help stop it from happening.
The health of the nation’s youth has been under scrutiny lately due to recent reports that are showing an increase in average body mass index (BMI), poor physical fitness, and elevations in blood sugar, blood pressure, and blood lipids (Eagle, Gurm, Goldberg, DuRussel-Weston, Kline-Rogers, Palma-Davis, Aaronson, Fitzgerald, Mitchell, Rogers, Breunger, Jackson, and Eagle 2010). Eagle et al. (2010) Attribute the decrease in health to “fast food, lack of physical activity due to increased TV and computer screen time, and there is also an expanding appreciation for an inherited basis for childhood obesity” (P.1185). Sugar sweetened beverages (SSB) account for on average 159 calories daily and an average of 9 tablespoons of added sugar daily (Briefel, Wilson, Cabili, & Hedley Dodd, 2013). ...
Cowspiracy : Do Cows put the “C” and “O” in CO2? “Raising livestock produces more greenhouse gases than the emissions of the entire transportation sector”(Cowspiracy). In other words, beef and dairy production contribute to global warming and climate change, more than that of every form of motorized vehicles combined. In the production of Cowspiracy, Kip Andersen a committed vegan environmentalist teams up with actor, environmentalist, and producer Leonardo DiCaprio--in order to investigate animal agriculture’s contribution to both global warming and deforestation. According to Andersen‘s research, "methane gas produced from livestock is 86 times more destructive than carbon dioxide from vehicles.
“Fed Up” is a documentary film made to scrutinize and educate people about the root cause of the increasing rate of obesity and diabetes in America. Different scientists worked on finding a solution to this complication that endangers people especially the youth. The “Fed Up” production interviewed and studied certain corpulent teenagers who are subjects of bullying, in the verge of getting sick for diabetes, heart attack and, even worse, the possibility of dying. Long before, ‘eat less and exercise more’ is the key to be fit and healthy which apparently would not entirely solve the case. Most locals are used to eat fast food almost every day in their lives that it became a normal routine.
A United Nations report states that land used for animal agriculture, both for grazing and production of crops fed to livestock, takes up an astounding 30% of land on Earth. ("Meat Production Wastes Natural Resources") To meet the industry’s demands, over 260 million acres of forest in the U.S. have been cleared to grow grain fed to farm animals. ("Meat Production Wastes Natural Resources") With that in mind, the meat industry also dumps disease-causing pathogens through animal waste that pollutes water and forces the need for waste lagoons to be constructed, which are susceptible to leaking and flooding. ("Facts about Pollution from Livestock Farms”) Scientists say that about 14% of the world’s greenhouse gases are released by said agriculture industries, which is a growing concern for climate change and global warming. (Silverman) The meat industry uses one-third of all the fossil fuels consumed in the United States. (Moore) There is no question that farming animals has a negative effect on the environment and steps should be taken to mitigate air and water pollution risks and future deforestation. If animal agriculture was phased out, land used for animal grazing could be returned to forest land and some of it converted into fields for cultivating crops for humans. A global shift toward veganism, resulting in the elimination of the meat and animal agriculture industries, would protect the environment from various detrimental effects.
One of the chief causes is unhealthy diets. On one hand, there are high-calorie foods in daily diets like chocolates, sugar, cheese and butter. Teenagers eat more and more high-fat burgers and pizza in fast food restaurants. For example, according to Altman and Leitch (2012), in Mexico, students drink cola rather than water due to the short of hygienic drinking water. Coca cola made agreements with many schools that they would exclusively sell Coca cola inside the schools. Therefore, Mexicans are considering being the most obese country which will have 70% overweight people including 30% obsess in the future. (Altman and Leitch,2012). The foods most commonly eaten by over 80% of kids are white bread, savoury snacks, chips, biscuits and chocolate confectionery. Besides, almost 20% kids do not eat any fruit at all. In general, kids eat about half the recommended five portions of fruit and vegetables a day. On the other hand, some people judge traditional food healthier; however, some traditional foods are extremely oily as well. For example, Chinese pay attention to use oil to heat the ingredients quickly. This makes the food fairly oily and high-fat. Furthermore, diets today are changing according to ...