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Junk food and its effects
Junk food and its effects
Junk food and its effects
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Junk food is a favorite in this society. Fast food restaurants make it easier to grab food on the go. The greasier or sweeter food is the better. But junk food and sugary has caused many health problems. If there was a junk food tax, the government was target foods that contain partially hydrogenated vegetable oils, foods that the main source is salt, energy drinks, caffeinated beverages and foods, and soft drinks with high sugar content.(Todorova, Elena 1.1-1.4) I believe adding taxes to junk food could help the decrease many health problem, but I will do more research before I make a decision. In America over 300,000 people are obese and that number continues to grow because the about of junk food that is being consumed. This cost the economy one hundred billion dollars. That more damage done than smoking or drinking. (Crowley, Michael 5) There are other health problems, such as heart diseases, chronic diseases, and type-two diabetes that occur because of junk food. Increasing the price of junk food, by adding tax, researchers hope that this will prod people to reject unhealthy foods. Taxes will also encourage a healthier lifestyle, even in low-income families (Franck, Caroline 2). The population that are hit the hardest are low-income families. The reason, junk food is cheaper than healthier foods which forces low-income families to buy unhealthy …show more content…
Manitoba, a place knew for adoring new and high taxes, refused to add junk food taxes because they knew that it was going to be a waste of time and there would not be any positive results (5). The many studies of junk food taxes have soon other countries that it is not going to work. People will find other alternative to get the sugary high they need. A study in a small city showed that soda intake decreased for a small amount of time and then it increased again, as well as the sales on beer increased (Luciani P.
The essay Junking Junk Food written by Judith Warner, brings to the audiences attention the wicked problem of how there has been a decline in Americans health. Warner’s information speaks loudly about being forced into a healthy lifestyle by the Obama administration. The Obama administration tried to enforce a healthy lifestyle among the citizens by focusing on the youth and taking away sugar options for them. Warner, puts her voice into this by mentioning the system during the world war when the soldiers had to eat overseas so there was less food consumption in America, which helped stop over consumption of food. Back then food was also much healthier thought, with less hormones, chemicals and less options of fast food. Again making it easier
“This Article constructively critiques the two arguments that public health advocates have made in support of anti-obesity soda taxes or junk food taxes. Part II discusses and critiques the first argument, an economic externalities argument that government should tax soda or junk food to internalize the disproportionately high health care costs of obesity. Part III discusses and critiques the second argument made by public health advocates, that government should adopt anti-obesity measures to improve population-wide health. Consider possible unintended consequences of anti-obesity proposals. Obesity policy debates present a conflict of fundamental values, such as health, fairness, efficiency, and autonomy. Part TV attempts to reconcile these values and responds to the "personal responsibility" objection to soda taxes and food taxes. Part V considers various factors that would affect behavioral responses to proposed soda taxes and food taxes and addresses concerns that such taxes would be regressive and thus unfair to low-income consumers. Part VI suggests the way forward for public health advocates, including a proposal to enact a tax on nutritionally poor foods and drinks, paired with a salient benefit. This Part also recommends enactment of a federal system of food classification, based on nutrient-profiling methods, along with a federal system of front-of-package nutritional labeling.” (Pratt)
...d,” (Bittman). Bittman uses these statistics to show how hyperprocessed foods and sugary beverages have impacts America. Since the percentage of obese individuals continuously rises, Bittman believes that the government should step in and protect the health of individuals by establishing a new tax on junk food. People sense the urgency within Bittman’s article, since he believes it is time for the government to step in. Throughout history people have always wanted to limit the control of the government and only sought their help in dire situations; therefore, if the government is becoming involved in the weight gain problem, it must be a big problem.
Obesity has been a common lifestyle in the lives of North Americans for many years. According to the Harvard Public School of Health, “the words overweight or obesity are ways to describe having too much body fat” (Cheung, 2016). Childhood obesity and adult obesity are different due to the growth rate of children. Childhood obesity has been a rising factor in today’s world. Obesity in children puts them at major risk for diseases such as cardiovascular disease and health problems earlier in age and well as mental health issues like anxiety and depression. Junk food or fast food marketing is one of the major reasons why childhood obesity is on the rise.There are many different aspects that have to do with childhood obesity such as genetics,
Though sugary drinks are not the sole reason behind the obesity problem in the country, it is a significant contributor to the said problem. Similar to sugary drinks, junk food is also significant contributors to obesity among children, adolescents and adults. People make unhealthy choices in what they eat that is why they often choose junk food. Obesity as the studies show is a growing problem. The junk food available in the market continuously grows as well. The same with sugary soft drinks. This is why sugary soft drinks need to be taxed so that problems like obesity can be
It is sad. People from all races and backgrounds are obese. In a recent survey done at Henry Ford College, 43 percent of students were overweight. Whether it is because they do not follow a healthy diet or they inherited it from their parents. Being overweight is correlated with lacking exercise or physical activity and not watching what is on the plate. Obesity can cause many illnesses, including diabetes, which is very common. As the debate whether soda tax should take effect arises, critics say that the tax will help those with obesity-related illnesses. What about exercising and maintaining a healthy lifestyle? These two factors cannot be forgotten knowing they are the most important. Americans have consumed 12 percent of soda and become less active since 1970. A soda tax aims to stop consumers from buying soda to help those who are obese. This will not be effective. Therefore a soda tax will not be good public policy.
For years, the United States government has been trying to find a way to lower the obesity in the country. However, the approach it is using, i.e. taxing unhealthy food, is not the most effective one. People are going to purchase whatever products they wish, whether the price is increased a few cents or not. Junk food options are already set at a more reasonable price than healthy foods, enticing people to buy these less expensive goods. Even though putting a tax on other products, such as tobacco, has served the intended purpose, food is a necessity humans must have for survival. Society is used to consuming foods they want, and will continue to do so. Putting a tax on unhealthy food will not necessarily lower the obesity rate because there are other factors that contribute to this problem. Moreover, taxing measures are usually intended for the collective benefit of society rather than the individual. They are usually perceived as another way the government uses to take money out of the citizens’ pockets. Ultimately, thinking that higher taxes on unhealthy foods will help curb down the obesity rate in the country would be similar to say that cost is the sole contributing factor to this public health problem. Imposing taxes will not help lower the consumption level because these foods will still have lower prices than healthier choices. Taxes do not impact the nutritional value of foods, and their only predictable effect is to help in generating additional revenue for the government.
Policies implemented by the government have the potential to greatly impact the issues faced by Americans because of their food. One of the most serious epidemics to face Americans is obesity; a direct result of a lack of access to healthy, whole produce. The government has several options in solving this problem including food taxes, public education programs, and mandatory physical education in schools. A food tax on items high in process ingredients and low in nutrients should have a higher tax than whole foods. Much like the Cigarette Tax, a Processed Food Tax will persuade consumers to shy away from these nutrient-void foods and incorporate more healthy foods into their diet. Another solution to combating obesity is a series of public educational programs. By educating the public and even kids in school on the difference between processed and whole foods, individuals will be better able to distinguish between beneficial and non-beneficial foods. And finally, the most attention grabbing policy the United States government should be enacting is mandatory physical education. Including, but not limited to Michelle Obama’s “Let’s Move” campaign, the government should require mandatory physical education classes in schools because they found increased PE time raised the amount of time students were exercising or "engaged in strength-building activities" but lowered the amount of time spent in
Everyday Americans die from the diseases they carry from obesity. Many Americans over eat because their social problems or because they are hereditary. Many plans have been discussed but finding the solution is the problem. Junk foods and unhealthy beverages have corrupted children’s minds all over the nation and putting a stop on it could lead to other benefits. Unhealthy foods and drinks should be taxed and healthy foods should be advertised more to help prevent American obesity.
In the past 60 to 70 years the fast food industry has been one of America’s bittersweet phenomenons. Its the foods that people undeniably crave served all in the matter of minutes at a beyond reasonable low cost, sounds almost too good to be true. With 60 million Americans served fast food everyday its safe to say its very enticing ( “Fast food statistics”, 2014). All the deliciousness aside, most rational individuals are aware of the underlying immoral results from frequent consumption of fast food. Giving way to the cliche, fitting perfect for fast food supporters, “Everything is good in moderation.” With all the recents cutbacks and reforms towards child obesity, currently one of the nations biggest epidemics, the thought of an increase of tax on fast foods has become a hot topic. With sugared soda beverages already banned from public schools and multiple programs implemented against our nations problems with child obesity, a tax on fast only seems like the next logical step towards resolving this issue. Opposers believe it will have minimal effect and its just another tax on the poor. With that said a substantial gain of tax revenue that the government would receive from this decision and reducing highly fattening food consumption amongst adolescence, there seems to be cognitive reason to enforce such a law.
President Enrique Peña Nieto of Mexico issued a law stating that all junk foods and unhealthy products are to be taxed, aiming to tackle the rates of obesity. This action will have an effect on the economic scale of Mexico but the president aims that in the next few years fewer citizens will be diagnosed with obesity which will have a positive impact on medical expenditure [The Guardian,Sarah Boseley,2013].Several countries in Europe and Scandinavia has adapted to this law as
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), obesity now ranks as the 10th most important health problem in the world (“Obesity Seen as a Global Problem”). Childhood obesity has more than doubled in children and tripled in adolescents in the past 30 years. Centers for Disease Control and Protection estimates that obesity contributed to the deaths of 112,000 Americans in 2000 (“Obesity in the U.S. Fast”). It is estimated that annual medical care cost of obesity are as high as $147 billion (“Obesity in the U.S. Fast”). Government-provided food stamps are often expended on junk or fast food, because it tends to be less expensive than fresh or cook food. Governments fund producers of meat and dairy products to keep prices low. For now, governments are taking a smarter and more productive approach through regulation, and by working with manufacturers.
In the articles “Gap in Diet Quality between wealthiest and poor Americans doubles , study finds, and “Is Junk Food Really Cheaper” both focus on our food diet as a whole and why it is bad. They focus on the topics of what foods are good and bad for you, why it is cheaper to cook at home meal than go out to eat at a fast food place and where people have access to these food markets.
Junk food contains a high amount of unhealthy ingredients that affects our body in a bad way. Junk food also affects our brain negatively and obesity is also one of the effects of fast food on the humans body. In order to let young people and children stop eating fast food parents should help them with that. Eating junk food should be one day every week or also one day every month not more than that. There are many other reasons why junk food is bad but these three reasons are the most important one’s that people should be afraid of. Stop eating fast food from today and start a new healthy life. Our body needs to be clean and
Junk food has been proven to be unhealthy long time ago. Junk food started to grow more and more recently and spread fast all over the world. Junk food reveals any food with high calories and low nutritional value. A big problem with junk foods is that satiation value of them is low, that means people need to eat a large amount of that unhealthy foods to feel full. So it is like eating a lot of poisons for a long time, what do you think the result will be on the health condition of the humans? Another problem of junk foods tend to replace other healthy foods; people who drink a lot of soda there is no room for healthy natural fruit juice in their stomach, people who are snacking on cookies, they’re not eating fruits and healthy vegetables (WebMD