Being Fat Is Your Choice: Food Politics

Most people say that the government’s role, in our diets, is the key for a healthier life. While others may argue that it is freedom of choice to eat whatever we want. However depending on the point of view, the government’s role in shaping what we consume is either a compulsory intervention or a blatant interference on American free will. Even though we hear a good argument on the government controlling our diets, most research show that the involvement of the government on our diets has shown little to no results.

As many Americans know, there is currently an obesity epidemic that is sweeping the nation. With more food advertisements, bigger portion sizes, and Americans eating more calories than ever before; Linder makes his viewpoint very clear on how this is negatively affecting our nation. In his article “Fat of the Land”, Linder looks at all of the possible leading factors on who is to blame on the current situation in resulting of more than 60% of adults in America being overweight. The main contributing people to blame for the obesity epidemic is of course, the fast food industry. Linder’s main argument starts with his comparison of American’s calorie intake in the 1950’s, than comparing it to today. With stating the other side’s viewpoint on while advertisements and marketing are always surrounding the world around us; it is not forcing us to do anything. With his basic statement claiming that people will be people and at the end of the day, it’s their decision if they want to eat that 1,000 calorie filled Big Mac from McDonalds. Linder does a substantial job at informing the reader about the many dangers causing obesity, while also persuading them by giving tips to lead a well-balanced, healthier lifestyle.

After reading chapters 15 and 21 in our Current Issues and Enduring Questions book and viewing Forks Over Knives, I am afraid I do not see this worrisome food issue in America improving in the near future. Obesity is a known epidemic and it is widespread throughout the entire country. According to the documentary film, Forks Over Knives, “We spend $2.2 trillion a year on healthcare: over five times more than the defense budget.” This quote reveals the issue regarding the state of health and by maintaining a healthier diet not only do people benefit, but the government does as well. The current relationship between food and health industries brings an uncertainty that should be seen as a critical concern to the eyes of the public. Too many people

The United States of America is known for having a high obesity level. According to David Frum from CNN, except for Mexicans, American citizens are more likely to become obese than any other nationality. Some obese countries have enforced an extra high tax on fast foods and other high calorie foods, and many people believe that the U.S. should adopt the fat tax as well. According to Dictionary.com, the fat tax is “a tax imposed on or proposed for high-fat or otherwise unhealthy foodstuffs”. Although a tax on junk food could reduce obesity, the low prices could protect low income families from going broke, and therefore a tax on junk food would not be beneficial to America.

There are a variety of factors that can cause an individual to accumulate such high stores of fat (Wright & Aronne, 2012). Early researchers of obesity argued that the most common cause of obesity is a high caloric intake, or the consumption of high-calorie foods, that outstrips calories burnt via exercise (Wright & Aronne, 2012; Drewnowski et al., 2016). In other words, people accumulate excess body fat when they eat more calories than they burn, meaning obesity is caused primarily by the consumption of foods that are high in calories but low in nutritional value, and a sedentary lifestyle (Wright & Aronne, 2012; Drewnowski et al., 2016). More recently, however, researchers are recognizing the complex array of variables that interact to cause obesity, including environmental, social, and political factors known collectively as the social determinants of health (Wright & Aronne, 2012; Drewnowski et al., 2016). For example, research finds that our lived environments have been restructured in recent years to promote a culture of overeating: today, high-calorie fast foods are often more affordable than nutritious options, and are made conveniently accessible in the form of food trucks, pubs, and vending machines strategically placed on school grounds, college campuses, and near apartment buildings (Wright & Aronne, 2012; Drewnowski et al., 2016). Often, these foods are served in excessively large portions intended to promote the very over-eating that causes obesity (Wright & Aronne, 2012; Drewnowski et al., 2016). Moreover, the low priced, processed, ready-to-eat meals available in grocery stores tend to appeal to low-income families who cannot afford to purchase more expensive produce or take the time away from their work to prepare home cooked meals (Wright & Aronne, 2012; Drewnowski et al., 2016). Thus, recent research suggests that the

300 years ago, people immigrated to America to be free. These people did not want to have to worry about the government telling them what they can and cannot do, but that was a simpler time. Today, society is taking this freedom for granted, and are abusing their privileges as citizens, mostly with reference to their food choices. The government should regulate what we eat. A person may believe that this should happen because obesity has become such an issue in the US. One may also feel that the American public should let the government regulate their food choices because freedom of choice for the people of the US is a privilege that has been abused. Additionally, if the government does start to regulate Americans' diets, this country will have a healthier and happier population as a result.

The Declaration of Independence reads, “ We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men are created equal; that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights; that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.” Whether or not the government should have a say in our diets has become a controversial issue. Some people think that a controlled diet would aid all Americans because of all the processed foods, while others argue that it would negatively affect Americans. The government having a say in our diets would take away these freedoms that are stated in the Declaration of Independence, would make it difficult for the needy to buy these healthy foods because of how expensive these foods are, and since healthy foods aren’t available everywhere, would

This source provides a lot of study based research information on several topics that relate to obesity. The article gives a lot of information about the battle between for fighting obesity and advocates that want Americans to make their own choices about the food they consume. This article covers a wide range of informative data from food served in schools, to the rise of industrial farming. The author is a freelance reporter that does not seem to have a bias for the obesity subject. Instead this author provides information for the government to regulate or not regulate the food Americans consume on a day to day base. The article’s audience could be made up of people looking to for the pros and cons of government regulations to help fight obesity. This source provides information to help anyone with some research material to in order to form their own opinion on the problems of obesity in this country. I found this source while using the CQ researcher website and searched for obesity in America.

A fat tax would plague producers and outlets. Such was the case with the world’s first fat tax introduced in Denmark. This tax on foods high in saturated fat was dismissed after less than a year and left many consequences in its wake. It has been guilty of “increasing prices for consumers, increasing companies' administrative costs and putting Danish jobs at risk," as stated by the Danish tax ministry. As a result, the planned sugar tax has also been abandoned. As well, the tax was a costly procedure and failed to change the eating habits of people in general. A fat tax on fast food would have the same limitations and ultimately lead to failure.

The fat tax in America; an attempt to improve the obesity epidemic using the legislature. The fat tax will not cure obesity in America however, one idea is it will be used as an incentive to help improve the eating habits of Americans. The revenue collected can be used to enhance education as well as implement programs to teach healthy lifestyle tips such as exercise, and even implementing gyms in places like community centers. Another suggestion is to reduce cost of healthy foods using some of the tax money. As a result of the healthy habits of the population, Medicare and Medicaid may be less stressed resulting in less expenses. This could lead to less government debt as well as a healthier population. The percentage of obese adults doubled in the last thirty years, and obesity in children tripled. The cost of obesity annually is 100 billion dollars due to medical issued.

In modern day America there is a strong focus on changing how people have been eating. A lot of people are putting into consideration if eating that bag of chips or drinking that can of soda is the right step to engage into. Diets have evolved the eating habits of many americans mainly because they are fighting diseases that run in the family, or even personal goals to beat obesity and look and feel healthy. I myself am on a diet that I turned into a lifestyle for me, because I was extremely obese, to the point where my doctor predicted my death from a heart attack in the next ten years. A well adjusted healthy diet can impact your life with aiding you to lose weight or gain clean weight, it is necessary to keep you healthy and to make sure you live a longer life than what you might have lived too with an unhealthy lifestyle. Our President should put a full functional act on having every citizen on a diet according to there bod fat percentages.

Obesity rates are rising steadily and aren’t dropping anytime soon unless someone takes a stand and puts a stop to it. That is what the government is attempting. The weight of a person depends on a person’s own opinion, but not many people are caring about themselves. The reason behind this epidemic are all the sugary drinks, all the unhealthy foods, and the rising prices on healthy foods. Taxing sugary drinks would be a good step to a first attempt at preventing obesity. Think about all the people who would second guess buying the unhealthy drinks, making it better to prevent the purchase of sugary, unhealthy drinks.

The fat tax would encourage a healthier diet. Due to the rising price of unhealthy food, people would rather choose a healthier diet. This would lead to better health and reduce food related diseases. The fat tax would also encourage people to get food that are lower in sugar and fat. Fast food places would also give more of a wider range of food options.

Other people believe fat tax should in fact be a new taxation, it is believed that if this taxation is established the obese will motivate themselves to exercise and live a healthier lifestyle. By taxing the obese there will be a reduced obesity rate in the United States, however they need to change their aspect in their life and it starts by eating healthy and exercising. Also the government could use the money as an aid and use it to fight against obesity and make programs that fight against obesity, and make special programs that could reduce obesity in

Most Americans today are unhealthy because of their eating habits. We’re all individually responsible for ourselves, but the government should take role to help us out.