Forks Over Knives

Ask any person on the street what is the one issue that consumes more than half of the nation and the answers will vary from cancer to the outcome of the 2016 presidential election. Most Americans are blind to the modern day plague that consumes even the nation's youth. What is this black death that promises health complications in the future, obesity affects more than two-thirds of American adults and one-third of American children. The term obesity is defined as the condition of being grossly fat or overweight. The “American diet” of processed foods is the root of the problem. The nation's health conditions have declined since the 1970’s and reached an all time low in the early 2000’s. The solution lies within the 18-27 year olds of the country

It has become impossible for low-income families to provide healthy meals for their families. Government, Farm policies and the food industry itself are main reasons as to why the cost of healthy foods has become harder for American families, especially low-income families, to provide the healthy foods needed to fight the obesity epidemic. With low- income families being the main focus point on the problem of

Why does America have an obesity problem? Do we blame it on ourselves, the government, or the supermarket? It is obviously and individual’s responsibility to keep one’s self healthy, but are there ways the government can strive for an overall healthier diet for Americans? Can we change the manipulative ways of Super Markets and persuade them to look past profit? The American government should put in effort to provide a better dietary path for American citizens by working on motivating individuals to make better choices in their diet, pushing Super markets and industries to work together to lower prices of healthier foods, and placing policies and banning unhealthy ingredients in junk foods. It may not be the governments fault, but obesity is such a big issue in American culture that we need to make some major changes and the government is the only one who can make that happen.

Americans today are no strangers to stretching every dollar earned in an attempt to live the American dream. Most people work long hours and eat on the fly with very little thought to what, or where, the food they have purchased came from. The reason food is so inexpensive has not been a concern to the average American, but the article written by Michael Pollan “The Food Movement Rising” attempts to convince the people that it is time to remove the blinders and take an accounting of the situation that America finds itself in. With obesity at epic proportions, and preventable diseases like

How would you feel if I told you that there is no one state with an obesity rate lower than 20%? Take this information and compare it to twenty years ago when every state had an obesity rate lower than 15%. Obesity has become not only the number one cause in death, but according to David Zinczenko, editor-in-chief of Men’s Health and author of “Don’t Blame the Eater”, it is the number one cost in health care with numbers rising well over 100 billion dollars a year (196). There are many people we could blame, such as the food industry or the government, but before we start pointing fingers elsewhere, individuals need to stand up and take personal responsibility for their own actions and health. Either way it is evident a

For the previous couple decades, Americans have been misled by the government and health professionals, who were implementing inaccurate dietary standards that led to the promotion of certain items as “healthy”, has actually resulted in a nationwide obesity epidemic of vast proportions. This unprecedented surge in obesity has affected everybody from children in elementary schools, to retired seniors, and has contributed to the single largest rise in diseases, the world has ever known. Obesity has actually reached the number two cause of preventable death in the United States (Healthaliciousness), thus created the first generation of children ever in history which is predicted to have a shorter lifespan than their parents. The documentaries Fed Up and Forks over Knives are both in support of creating a healthier America for all individuals. Although they both share a similar concept on how fast-food is extremely harmful, but both take quite different approaches to support their claim. In the documentary Fed Up, Stephanie Soechtig allows us to follow the lives of four families who are struggling with a childhood obesity problem. Throughout the film she has various “experts” express their opinions to help combat the epidemic, but their selection of “experts” is mainly through politicians, political leaders, and journalist, but not so much on nutritional scientist. On the other hand,

Obesity is a continuing problem in the American society. Obesity, occurs when, the amount of energy taken is more than the energy released (Abraham 237). The growing obesity rates could be slightly declined by the availability of more affordable, healthier foods and the decline of these temporary quick fit diets, many Americans put themselves on as a means to get fit. The opposing viewpoint may suggest that obesity can be fixed simply by shopping for better, healthier food choices in grocery stores and learning how to count calories to maintain a healthy weight; but that simple solution may not be an achievable solution for every American. Furthermore, the difference of cost between healthy compared to unhealthy foods is completely outrageous. Numberless people strive to go into a grocery store and select all of the healthy food options of their liking; however, healthy food options cost more and are seemingly unaffordable compared to junk food. The government should regulate the prices of junk and healthy food as a means to combat obesity in America, so that all persons can achieve good health.

Obesity is becoming one of the biggest problems in the country, but there has to be reasons for it. It can be the economy, society now, or people and companies. It’s time that our country starts to realize that we can’t live like this anymore. We need to see what is causing the sudden rise in obesity, and what we can do to fix it. Education of risks and solutions can be very helpful. Obesity is killing so many people, yet is still 100 percent avoidable. Our country is beginning to care less and really let themselves go. The fast food industry, supermarkets, and schools are the ones at fault for the spreading problem of obesity.

America is a developed, first world nation. The United States as a whole has had access to an ample supply of most healthy food staples since the end of rationing after World War II. ("World War II on the home front: Rationing") Since 1960, however, a health concern has taken a stronghold in America that is just as life-threatening as the food shortages of the 1930s and 40s: obesity. ("Publication of "Health, United States, 2002 With Chartbook on Trends in the Health of Americans"", p. 29) Americans are obese in greater numbers today than at any time in history. Access to food is greater than ever, yet, access to benefits like the federal government’s Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program and local food sources have done little to solve the problem. (McWilliams) With attention to overcoming food deserts in inner cities, availability of food

America has always been known as the country with the most powerful military in the world. Not only are we known for that, but we are also known to have the problem with obesity in the Unites States. Obesity is when an individual gains a lot of body fat and leads to other health problems. Individuals that gain a lot of body fat are due to unhealthy foods. Since the 1970’s many women had entered the workforce, this cause women to spend less time to prepare food for both the husband and kids. Food industry started to realize this was a good time to make money so they produce unhealthy foods. These products products were fill in with unhealthy chemicals. 70% of people in America are obese. The solution to solve this problem or to reduce the percentage rate of obesity in America is industries around the

Over the past 50 years, the way we eat has changed more than it had in the previous 10,000. Now, 60% of Americans over the age of 20 are overweight. The fast-food industry is highly responsible for today’s health epidemic. Some people choose to blame the government for not balancing individual rights, and the common good. However, the government is not forcing you to eat. You put yourself at risk of diet related health problems.

Our national food crisis largely stems from our lack of a national food policy. What is most alarming about that statement is that we are undoubtedly denying the austerity of this situation which is digging us deeper. This phenomenon is happening because this nation makes detrimental food easier to access, as opposed to healthy foods. We are uninformed about the damage we are doing to our bodies from the time we are young. The most critical problem that is making us obese and ill is our tendency to avoid problems until they are ours. This is what is making our condition worse and as “How a National Food Policy Could Save Millions of American Lives” says it, “ 100 years of progress in improving health and extending lifespan has been reversed.”

Doughy perfection, topped with spicy tomato sauce, covered in rich cheeses and other glorious meats and vegetables; drizzled with a little virgin olive oil to top it all off and baked to a heavenly perfection. Get the picture? America’s favorite comfort food is at its all time peak, creating more ways to distribute the masterpiece quicker and farther. It’s no doubt that America’s overweight statistics are moving quickly too. With the United States holding the astonishing number one lead in obesity around the globe, government officials have become severely concerned as to how the numbers have escalated in a short amount of time. In their efforts towards a solution, individuals, parents, the food industry, and the government have all been addressed as part of the issue. Ultimately, there should be less time spent trying to find who is to blame for the obesity across the nation and rather take collective responsibility for the part everyone took to get where the country is at today. Adjustments and brainstorming of possible strategies to tackle obesity have been in progress and thrown up in the air for thought. Along those suggestions, it is proposed that the government provide educational nutrition classes, limit junk food production, and impose extra small taxes to assist the demand of immediate action required.

Despite all the troubles this nation faces today, obesity has unanticipatedly made its way to an all time high in the United States. There has been a rapid increase of obesity since the 1970’s. The Centers For Disease Control and Prevention reports that 37 percent of adults are obese opposed to the 14 percent from the 70’s. This leaves Americans to ask only 1 question… are there too many obesogenic foods in modern America? Fast food has become a natural meal for many people, but they are not at fully culpable. Although a typical meal from In-N-Out is about 1500 calories, citizens in the United States must take more personal responsibility and realize this is too unhealthy to eat on a consistent basis. Fortunately, there are many ways that allows an individual to properly manage their diet. Parents also must play their part in raising kids into a healthy lifestyle. In order to further prevent the increasing rates of obesity and obesity related diseases, millennials and the fast food industries must take action.

Growing up in the United States, there are many things that I had just accepted as the norm. Eating a diet heavy in meat and dairy are staples in the diet of the average American that those who differ are considered strange. Interestingly, the United States is also referred to as one of the unhealthiest nations in the world. How could we be so unhealthy, when we are such a developed country that has access to the best medical care and information. The documentary “Forks Over Knives” focuses on exactly this point. It claims that there is a fundamental problem with the diet of Americans, particularly our heavy consumption of meat and dairy. This documentary asserts that the cure for all of our health related problems is to switch to a whole