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Obesity and fast food
Obesity and fast food
Fast food industry and obesity
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It has become common today to dismiss the topic of obesity due to the fast food diets. In discussions about obesity, one controversial issue has been the effect fast food restaurants have on health. Many people today do not want to realize how badly fast food affects the human body. They also do not want to accept the fact that obesity has become such a major problem in today’s world. “Today, one in three adults is considered clinically obese, along with one in five kids, and 24 million Americans are afflicted by type 2 diabetes, often caused by poor diet”(Moss 477). On the other hand, companies president 's argue that it’s not their fault that people are becoming obese and developing other health issues due to their products. These companies …show more content…
Scientists are attempting to persuade these companies, such as Nestle, Coca-Cola, Frito Lays, Pillsbury, etc. to discuss new ingredients that are healthier or decrease the amount of each ingredient in their products. Also, scientist want these companies to place warning labels on each package that contain high amounts of sodium and sugar. Food, nutrition and obesity all contribute to one another. All across the world, people are too busy to really sit down and think about what they are consuming into their bodies and how it affects them. Parents are ignoring the facts about proper nutrition for growing children and instead making quick trips to fast food restaurants when they are too busy to create a healthy meal for their children. Unfortunately, my views on food, nutrition, and obesity in America differ from the views that these authors have, but some of my opinions and theirs are …show more content…
Creating healthy snacks and foods is a great way to maintain a healthy diet. Especially if these healthy snacks are involved in schools. Obesity in children has increased from “5% in 1994 to 30% today”(Zinczenko 462). By introducing healthy snacks at a young age will help aid in a healthy lifestyle. Instead of offering chips at school with less sugar and salt offer a bag of baby carrots or a mixture of fruit and vegetables. I personally would’ve loved to had vending machines in school that were filled with healthy snacks that could be purchased at any time of the day. Scientist who published a study in The New England Journal of Medicine stated, “The largest weight-inducing food was the potato chip. The coating of salt, the fat content, the starch of the potato itself- all of this combines to make it the perfect addictive foods”(Moss 490). An easy inexpensive snack that has become one of the main causes of obesity is the potato chip. I love potato chips but just reading this makes me want to never grab another bag. Moss makes greats points that I strongly agree with. The unhealthy food is out there and the problem is, it’s very accessible to society and inexpensive. Moss makes point how
In the documentary “Supersize Me” by Morgan Spurlock, America’s obesity issue was exposed and pinpointed at one of the giant contributor and fast food marketer “McDonald's”. Throughout the documentary, many rhetorical devices were utilized to provide reasons as to how America’s obesity issue is dangerous and how Mcdonald's and major food companies contribute to this disaster in the American society. Drastic continuance of unhealthy eating habits on top of an increasingly growing population calls for an alarm to everyone. He then stresses the dangers of obesity and addresses the issue’s cause. Morgan creates a strong visual and effective argument that eating fast food is the key reason to America’s obesity issue.
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.
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
Millions of American people buy fast food every day without thinking about where, how and why. The ramifications of fast food is impacting the American people both around the waist line and the community where they live at. “As the old saying goes: you are what you eat.” (Schlosser) The customer have made the choices to eat fast food or not. The industry doesn’t care about the customers; studies have shown that the fast food industry is the reason for the rise of American obesity. “Live fast and die young” (Moore); this could not be more true when looking at the impact of the fast food industry.
Obesity has become an epidemic in today’s society. Today around 50% of America is now considered to be over weight. Fast-food consumption has been a major contributor to the debate of the twenty-first century. Chapter thirteen, titled “Is Fast-Food the New Tobacco,” in the They Say I Say book, consists of authors discussing the debate of fast-food’s link to obesity. Authors debate the government’s effects on the fast-food industry, along with whether or not the fast-food industry is to blame for the rise in obesity throughout America. While some people blame the fast food industry for the rise in obesity, others believe it is a matter of personal responsibility to watch what someone eats and make sure they get the proper exercise.
In the book Fast Food Nation, Eric Schlosser writes about the fast food industry. Schlosser tells the story of J.R. Simplot, the man behind McDonald’s source for potatoes. He started his own business right out of the eighth grade, after dropping out. He started out small but eventually became one of the riches men in America. He owned then 160 acres of land to start off this business. He sold his potatoes to companies at first all natural. But he soon discovered that if you dry out the food it will keep for longer, more companies then bought from him. Then in the 1950's he found out about freezing them, and the method of frozen food. McDonald’s started buying and selling Simplot fries. The customers seemed to like it, they didn't mind the change or even realize it. As a result though from freezing the potatoes, they lost a lot of the natural flavors. Companies began cooking their food in a high percentage of animal fat to capture that flavor, but soon they switched. They traded beef fat for more chemicals. The fries flavor all depends on the chemicals, it is all fake, and there is even more saturated fat from their fries than in their burgers.
Obesity is an epidemic in America, greatly impacting youth, the health care system, and economically vulnerable populations. Among all of the high-income countries in the world, obesity rates remain the highest in the US. According to Harvard, US obesity rates have more than doubled since 1980, although they have remained the same since 2003. (Harvard School of Public Health) Approximately 31.9% of children and adolescents from the ages of 2 to 19 are obese or overweight (NPLAN), while roughly 69% of adults fall into the category of overweight or obese. (Harvard School of Public Health) With obesity rates this high, America is facing a huge crisis that could become greater in the future. In order to understand the issue of Obesity in America it is important to evaluate the extent to which the problem effects large populations of children and adults and how the fast food industry has served as one of the major causes of this epidemic.
High levels of trans fat, sugar, and salt have become prominent in many processed and fast foods, causing Americans to become addicted to these unhealthy preserving additives. In many school settings, students only have access to junk food when searching for something to eat in either the cafeteria or school vending machines. Many high school students consume three hundred and thirty-six calories a day purely on school vending machine snacks. (Koebler) Possible solutions to the growing childhood obesity problem are to provide healthier options, such as fruit...
Obesity has become a major health issue in America. According to the Centers for Disease Control, in 1990 the majority of the fifty states had an obesity rate of 20% or lower. In 2014, all but one of the states has an obesity rate of 20% or higher. The obesity rate has been escalating, especially over the last twenty years. There is an ongoing debate over who is responsible for the rise in obesity. Radley Balko’s article “What You Eat Is Your Business,” expresses his belief that the responsibility lies with each individual, not with the government. While Yves Engler’s article “Obesity: Much of the Responsibility Lies with Corporations,” places much of the blame on corporations, he blames the government as well. Even though Balko and Engler disagree on the government’s involvement on the issue of obesity, their articles share similarities in their tone, logical writing style, and weaknesses.
In the end, fast food companies and individual faults should not be targeted as the main epidemic of obesity in the United State is increasing tremendously. Our lifestyles and poor 'convenient ' diets we can all say is an appropriate blame for the increase in obesity. Heaney acknowledges Oliver’s admonition “to stop worrying so much about our weight” is premature, although his advice to start caring more about diet and exercise is sensible. Eating well, eating less, and exercising regularly is what we must do to if we want to increase our life span and feel better about ourselves
Obesity was considered an epidemic once people started to realize it was the second biggest cause of death in America. Since obesity was considered an epidemic many started to consider if banning fast food restaurants or making fast food restaurants illegal, would help decrease the obesity rate. An unhealthy lifestyle can cause obesity, health problems, and death.
As many people are trying to put the blame of obesity on restaurants, others, like myself, have a strong opinion that the restaurants have nothing to do with obesity and the customer has the right to order what they would like. Some supporters believe that government should take action to...
Over the years obesity rates have risen to alarming rates. For decades health professionals have treated the symptoms with medications and procedures but no one has addressed why our country is in the middle of an obesity epidemic. In the past, I have viewed obese people as lazy more recently I have even come to believe that are genetics or thyroid issues have been to blame. However, if we could find the source of the problem we could end obesity. The goal of this essay is to determine who is to blame for the obesity in America, and by looking at food companies marketing, overindulging, and additives we will discover the root problem of obesity.
It is said that fast food advertising is linked to rising childhood and teen obesity. The childhood obesity epidemic is a serious public health problem that increases morbidity, morality, and has substantial long-term economic and social costs (opposing viewpoints). Approximately 20% of our youth are now overweight with obesity rates in preschool age children increasing at alarming speed (opposing viewpoints). U.S. Surgeon General Richard Carmona said, “obesity is the fastest-growing cause of illness and death in the United States.” When I read this I was shocked. This is something that can change, but its up to ourselves to make that commitment. No one else has the power to do so but us. Did you know that treating obesity-related problems cost Americans $117 billion annually, that’s $420 per person (CQ Researcher).