Controversy Over Eating Habits

Profit-oriented leaders of new diet fads surely would be infuriated while reading the words of Michael Pollan in his work, Unhappy Meals—not necessarily because of his aim to disprove diet fallacies but, rather, the possible ramifications of Pollan’s words on their bank accounts. Explained in the article, the world’s understanding of diets and their effects on the human body has improved steadily—if not exponentially—throughout recent history. Here, the advocates of new diets claim the changing world and its understanding of health requires changes in diet; the human body will adapt to the new times. To counter, Pollan argues that is definitely true, but we have to be open to the idea of the death that occurs during the process.

Arbetter, Sandra R. "Eating disorders: emotional foods fights." Current Health 2, a Weekly Reader publication Mar. 1989: 4+. Opposing Viewpoints in Context. Web. 29 Feb. 2016.

Ever since a young boy, I was known for my crazy eating habits. I had an abnormally large sweet tooth and stomach. There would be days I would eat a whole bag of candy and still have a taste for more sweets. I had a fairly thin physique with some muscle tone. Everybody told me that one day, I’ll become obese and regret all these “bad” decisions; I disregarded every comment and lived by the motto, “ As long as I don’t get fat, I’m fine.”

Julie Devaney’s essay discusses the fat shaming epidemic and its contribution to a culture of toxic shaming. Regardless of whether shaming works, she states that we all engage in some degree of compulsive behaviour. Devaney argues that people gain weight simply because they have restricted options and when they are manipulated into purchasing affordable, convenient foods that are designed to be fattening. She explains that these affordable, convenient foods not only contain additives that cause weight gain, but also make you addicted to their low cost and convenience. Moreover, Devaney continues on by saying that yo-yo dieting is a also a source for obesity. She says, prepackaged calorie-deficient weight loss-foods and magic herbal regimens

Whether or not a person wants a burger and french-fries’ or a salad from the salad bar, the decision should be up to him/her. Two articles share views on food, “What You Eat Is Your Business” by Radley Balko and “Junking Junk Food” by Judith Warner. These two authors wrote articles about how they felt about food and how it’s related to obesity. However, Radley Balko would not approve of Judith Warner’s views on food for the reason that the two authors have different viewpoints on the aspect of the government helping people to make better food choices. Warner and Balko also has different views on the ideas which are that eating is a psychological matter; and eating healthy should be a personal matter.

Improving the health conditions of the American population ensures the increased quality of life. People eat for various reasons with the fundamental reason being for survival purposes. However, the issue of eating to live and living to eat affects people in different manners as most people develop poor eating habits that affect the body’s nutritional intake and affects their health. Being healthy involves careful considerations of what one is eating and engaging in activities that contribute to better healthy lives that do not imply daily prescriptions or

Throughout the years in the United States, fast food has become the prominent diet of citizens. Many people do not realize the harmful effects of eating fast food on a daily basis. Many people in the United States are use to consuming foods that are processed with sugars and other chemicals, without being aware of eating a unhealthy diet can increase the risks of being obese ;as well as, having numerous health issues. Although people try their best to eat healthy and more productive they do not know what foods to eat or whether if it is healthy for them. In the articles “Don’t Blame the Eater by David Zincekino and “Escape from the Western Diet” by Michael Pollan. There were a number of similarities and differences in the details highlighted in these two articles.

History suggests that overeating is a choice, an addition similar to smoking cigarettes caused by lack of will power, boredom or simple gluttony. With new research, society is beginning to learn there is more behind obesity than just a choice or addition. For instance, a

If one continually eats unhealthy foods, they can quickly become overweight. Moreover, this has become such a recurring problem in America that according to the National Institutes of Health, compulsive eating has led to obesity for approximately 35.7% of Americans. This number represents over one-third of the entire U.S population and will continue to grow unless it is addressed. In addition, it is critical that Americans learn to moderate their junk food intake to prevent the contraction of serious health issues. Sweenie states that, “Food high in salt, sugar, fat or calories and low nutrient content...provide suboptimal nutrition with excessive fat, sugar, or sodium per kcal. Such poor diets can slow growth, promote obesity; sow the seeds of diseases like diabetes, hypertension, cardiac problems, and osteoporosis.” These are exceptionally serious diseases that can often result in a severely hindered lifestyle or even death. In order to avoid these exceptionally undesirable outcomes, one must always remain aware of their daily junk food consumption. In Kirkey’s article, Paul Kenny, an associate professor at the Scripps Research Institute in Florida, states that, "It's incumbent upon people to make sure that they're more respectful and aware of what they're eating. Just be aware that there are dangers and risks associated. Enjoy (high-fat) food, but make sure it's occasionally and

I wanted pizza, so I went to look for it. I found it, but I didn’t find a plate. Ashamed from standing around without a direction, I quickly sat back down. I looked around at my fellow classmate’s meals and felt contemptuous. My classmates, that never had to mind what they ate, were pigging out on plates stacked with burgers, fried chicken, and fries. Their food portions next to their other greasy empty plates, signaled large quantities of their consumption. It made me sick. They’ve not struggled through the same problem I’ve endured. I wanted to be free of regret from what I chose to eat; I was tired of being obese. I went back to the buffet and got a cup of lemonade to sip on. That was all I had because I didn’t want to eat just because others were eating. It felt great not feeling guilty since I didn’t eat. Learning to control my food consumption was the first real step. That summer I started to eat salads daily along with pears and plenty of water. I learned to love eating healthy and didn’t need to force myself

Pollan starkly contrasts American eating habits with those of other cultures, particularly the French. He performs this because, while countless Americans alter their diets to match current recommendations by scientists, a large amount of the U.S. population remains obese, and more and more of the population is growing obese. Those of other countries, however, decide what to eat simply on the basis of what they want to eat yet still remain “...healthier and happier in their eating than we are,” (Pollan, 3).

Shaming children and parents into losing weight is unlikely to be an effective strategy. It increases stigma on those already struggling with the psychosocial consequences of being overweight, and shifts the focus of obesity control efforts to personal responsibility at a time when, for many individuals, options for improving eating habits may be limited. (Khullar 128)

Individuals with Anorexia are often motivated to restrict by a distorted body image and desire to achieve a thin ideal (Thomsen, McCoy, & Williams, 2001). They experience ruminative thoughts that are centered on control of eating, weight, and body shape (Startup et al., 2013). While this rumination has shown to produce and maintain the destructive behaviors of eating disorders (Deyo, Wilson, Ong, & Koopman, 2009), mindfulness meditation may prevent or terminate these behaviors. Actively practicing mindfulness is the cognitive opposite of passive rumination; therefore, it prompts significant reductions in rumination (Deyo et. al, 2009; Jain et. al, 2007; Lee et. al, 2007). Additionally, research indicates that mindfulness-based treatments are successful in motivating patients to directly challenge self-criticism with self-acceptance, especially in regards to body image (Ingvarsson, Nordén, & Norlander, 2014). For example, participants in a mindfulness-based eating disorder intervention reported learning to distinguish appetite regulation cues from emotions, thoughts, and behavioral urges (Wolever & Best, 2009). In other words, the non-judgment element of mindfulness replaced self-criticism with self-perception, and allowed patients to distinguish when their hunger (or lack thereof) was triggered by natural biology from when it was triggered by disordered eating

Many people today eat when their emotionally such as because the person is bored, sad, anger or even happy. Obesity can be caused by things like stress or depression and can cause a number of different health implications. For example a person that is obese is more likely to have diabetes later in life and also suffer heart problems. Over 30% of today’s population seek treatment for weight problems and this is all caused through binge eating. Binge eating is when someone eats large amount of food while feeling they can’t control how much they are eating, people who seriously binge and a very obese develop a disorder call binge eating disorder. The people with this kind of eating disorder find it difficult to lose weight and also find it difficult to control how much they are eating. Many people may need serious help for example counselling or medication or even operation to

This article gives a basic definition of bulimia, which states that it is the act of binge eating and then purging in a n effort to prevent weight gain. It also says that the physiological thinking behind this disorder has yet to be discovered. Over al the article and its context seem to be reliable it often refers to research and experiments that have been