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How much control does the government have over our diets
Obesity in america research paper
Obesity and its effects on americans
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Those who are governed are permitted to be governed how they choose. Those who govern must put the needs of the governed first.1 Philosopher John Locke believed that humans needed to be governed similar to what Thomas Hobbes. However, John also believed that people had the right to their own personal freedoms. Currently, America is perceived as an overweight and obese country.2 In response to the speculation of the health and well being of American citizens steps have been taken to hopefully prevent the increase of the percentage of obese Americans, and also decrease the percentage altogether. John Stossel once stated in his interview “Food Nannies” “What business is yours what I put in my body?” John Stossel believed that the government should not have control over what Americans eat or even try to influence what their diet consists of. America was founded on the ideas of freedom yet, governmental interjection with what people eat directly goes against the morals that America was founded upon.
Steps have been taken to decrease the percentage of obese Americans such as restaurants posting calorie charts and taxes being implemented. First Lady Michelle Obama strives to decrease the percentage of overweight and obese Americans. As of 2010 the percentage of overweight and obese American adults was documented at 69.2 percent.3 Michelle Obama ran multiple campaigns towards fitness and healthy choices by exercising on the lawn of the White House and also advertising healthy choices on broadcasting stations such as PBS. With the use of public advertisement and national broadcasting, Michelle Obama is able to spread the facts about health and nutrition. State Governors follow her lead by having restaurants and fast food chains to display...
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...ght and freedom even through the consumption of food. Modern society favors the freedom to choose compared to the stern implementation of taxes.
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"John Stossel - Food Police Fatheads." YouTube. YouTube, 31 Oct. 2013. Web. 09 Jan. 2014.
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Obesity in America is a very serious problem affecting many Americans currently and is a problem that continues to grow each year. “Over the past 40 years, the prevalence of obesity has more than doubled in the United States” (Wimalawansa). This issue is known to many but believed not be an issue to care much about but this is not true. Obesity in America affects everyone regardless if they are obese or not. In order to resolve the problem, we can slaughter all the adults that are currently obese in America.
According to the American Heart Association, 23.9 million children ages 2 to 19 are overweight or obese. In addition to them, 154.7 million adults are pudgy. That means more than one-third of children and two-thirds of adults in the United States are overweight (Pages 1-3). Many Americans know about the high rates of obesity in our country. Michelle Obama, along with several other politicians and health professionals, push for recognition of these facts. They believe too many citizens are overweight and something has to change. The statistics raise several questions and problems, but of these conflicts, which ones are worth solving?
In 1990, obese adults made up less than 15 percent of the population in most U.S. states. By 2010, 36 states had obesity rates of 25 percent or higher, and 12 of those had obesity rates of 30 percent or higher. (CDC) Today, nationwide, roughly two out of three U.S. ...
“Obesity Information.” American Heart Association Obesity Information. American heart Association, 27 February 2014. Web. 04 Apr. 2014
Flegal, K. M., Carroll, M. D., Ogden, C. L., & Curtin, L. R. (2010). Prevalence and trends in obesity among U.S. adults, 1999-2008. Journal of Medical Association. 303, 235-241.
Since the 1960?s obesity in America has more than tripled regardless of sex or race. Today 30.5 percent, or 69 million, American Adults are considered obese (?AOA Fact Sheets? np). In addition, 13 percent of children aged 6-11 years old are considered overweight, and well on their way to becoming obese. Obesity causes over 300,000 deaths a year and costs the country $117 billion dollars, prompting health care providers and the government to label it an epidemic (?Overweight and Obesity?? np).
According to the USDA, at the start of century 21st American people have increased their daily caloric intake by consuming five hundred calories more than in 1970. As cited by Whitney & Rolfes (2011), there are many recognized causes of obesity such as genetics, environment, culture, socioeconomic, and metabolism among others; but the cause most evident is that food intake is higher than the calories burned in physical activity. Excess of energy from food is stored in the body as fat causing an increase of weight. During the course of the last 40 years, obesity has grown enormously in the United States and the rates remain on the rise (pgs. 272-273).
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Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 04 Feb. 2014. Web. The Web.
According to CDC (Center for Disease Control and Prevention), obesity in adults has increased by 60% within the past twenty years and obesity in children has tripled in the past thirty years. A staggering 33% of American adults are obese and obesity-related deaths have climbed to more than 300,000 a year.
...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.
Farmington Hills, MI: Gale Cengage Learning "Obesity and Overweight for Professionals: Data and Statistics: Facts." (2012). Retrieved from http://www.cdc.gov/obesity/data/facts.html Modern Technology Adds to Worldwide Obesity Woes: Report. (2012) Retrieved from http://health.usnews.com/health-news/news/articles/2012/08/23/modern-technology-adds-to-worldwide-obesity-woes-report
The fact is that in our country, any government intrusion looks undesirable. We are so used to making free choice and to having access to everything we need and want that we have already forgotten the value and usefulness of the government control. No, that does not mean that the government must control everything and everyone. What I mean here is that the government control should be balanced with the freedom of choice. Unfortunately, plentiful foods do not lead to improved health conditions. We cannot always make a relevant choice. Our hurried lifestyles make us extremely fast, and eating is not an exception. We eat fast, but fast does not always mean useful. I believe, and in this essay I argue that the government must have a say in our diets. Because there are so many obese people, because obesity is an expensive disease, and because very often it is due to poverty that people cannot afford healthy foods, the government must control the amount and the range of foods which we buy and eat. Healthy foods must become affordable. Poor populations must have access to high quality foods. The production of harmful foods should be limited. All these would be impossible if the government does not take active position against our diets.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Rep. N.p., 26 Sept. 2013. Web. 11 Apr. 2014.