Maintaining a healthy weight is without a question the result of individual behavior. However, the “eat right, stay fit” mantra has used for decades with little concrete results to show for it. This message has been ignored in contrast to unhealthy societal tendencies we have come to accept. We need to encourage the government to address the larger context of how we live, not just what we eat. Aside from school lunch options, there is much more that our government should be doing. Every branch of government, from Washington D.C. to local mayors hold the power to, and should use it to, aid in eliminating obesity in the American populous. State policies and programs, where existent, remain weak. Federal policy lacks leadership and majority …show more content…
Fast food is shoved into our conscious every day. McDonald’s, Domino’s, Wendy’s, Burger King; no matter where we turn, we are smothered. These foods are presented to us as quick solutions to our daily-accelerated life styles that demand speed and functionality. Fast food is considered acceptable in moderation, but it becomes a problem when it is the only form of nutrition a person intakes. With the U.S. Population doubling its obesity rate, this means that people are not only becoming significantly oversized but also increasingly close to disease. Obesity risks with it a number of diseases: hypertension, osteoarthritis, diabetes, coronary heart disease, stroke, gallbladder disease, sleep apnea and respiratory problems as well as cancer. Additional factors also come into effect, such as genes and family history. The probability of obesity increases if one parent is obese. Genes also affect the amount and location of fat you store in your body. If families eat unhealthy and lead sedentary lifestyles, the children of these families will be conditioned to do the same. Hormone deficiencies can also be inherited, causing individuals with slower metabolisms or underactive thyroid to have increased difficulties maintaining healthy weights. Certain medicines may can influence the body’s biology, further complicating attempts at weight loss. Without adequate countermeasures (exercise, monitoring of diet) this can lead to obesity. Emotional factors can also factor into
America is known for being one of the most obese countries in the world. Once you step foot in America, people can quickly find out why; everywhere you look there are a ton of fast food chains on nearly every block. Fast food to Americans is a quick, easy, and affordable way to get food. In the past Forty years, more than 160,000 fast food restaurants have opened in America (Pirello). This cheap and quick meal comes at a cost; according to the Centers for Disease control and Prevention (CDCP), more than 66 percent of Americans are overweight and obese. To make things worse, the CDCP notes that one third of children and adolescents are obese. David Zinczenko, the editor-in- chief of Men’s Health
Fast food has a harmful effect on society because it can cause obesity. The American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry believes obesity “Overweight children are much more likely to become overweight adults unless they adopt and maintain healthier patterns of eating and exercise.” (parag. 1).The causing and treating of obesity is complex but it is the most recognizable disease. Consistently eating fast food and a poor can lead to obesity in anyone. The risks of obesity include an increased risk of high blood pressure, diabetes, and heart disease. According to the American Heart Association, fast food “Studies have shown that over the past four decades, consumption of food eaten away from home has also risen alarmingly” (parag. 8). This means that fast food is high in fat, sugar, salt, carbs, calories, saturated and trans fats. This type of eating leads to a higher body mass index or gained weight. Children and adolescents are at a
Many would argue that unlike smoking, obesity is genetically predetermined and cannot be prevented or controlled. Genetics do play a major role in one’s height, size, and weight, but this does not mean it cannot be regulated with a healthy diet and exercise. The rate of metabolism is a factor that is inherited and is directly related to stored fat. A slow metabolism allows for more calories to be stored as fat consequently leading to obesity. Eating the right foods, eating multiple small meals, and exercising regularly boost your metabolism allowing you to maintain a healthy weight without storing extra fat. For many, the dieting and exercising would be enough to decrease excess body fat enough to escape from the obesity range. Some people are not capable of getting out of that range no matter how much dieting and working out they do, however this has no reflection of their all-around health. A person considered overweight that exercises regularly and sticks to a good diet can still be healthy and prevent the development of many
In the 21 century, people are suffering from all kinds of diseases and over 85% of them are caused by, an unhealthy, diet. In the United States, 25% of Americans eat fast food every day, which can cause heart disease, hypertension and diabetes, starting with overweight. McDonalds, Taco Bell, Wendy’s, and Burger King are very popular, fast food restaurant selling their burgers and fries in the airport, street shop, next to Wal-Mart and college.
Indeed, Obesity in America is a huge problem that continues to escalate due to fast food chains. Fast food places are everywhere and close range from one another. I don’t even have to walk more than a mile to get to a fast food place. According to Mandal, “Fast foods reduce the quality of diet and provide
Obesity has been framed as a topic of personal responsibly for a long time. For many, the fundamental notion has always been that if you stop eating junk food and eat “healthy”, you will maintain a healthy weight. According to the U.S. Centers of Disease Control’s 2007-2008 Health and Nutrition Examination survey, it was found that 73.7% of all Americans 20 years old or older were overweight, obese, or extremely obese. That is a lot of fat people and it is hard to believe that fast food alone is responsible for 70% of adult Americans being overweight.
Fast food, in today’s society, has become a major part of individuals’ lives. For it’s easy, quick and cheap food. While any meal with low preparation time can be considered to be fast food, typically it is referred to as low quality, prepackaged foods that have little preparation time. Through further research of fast food restaurants and their role in the obesity epidemic in America, it lead to further conclusions on the need for changes that must be done in order to combat obesity. There are, however, multiple individuals who feel that the fast food industry is simply taking a toll on Americans and their health. For instance, the article “Don’t blame the Eater” explains the battle of fast food chains in America, and the major causes of this epidemic. Obesity in America, costs the United States about 147 billion dollars annually. In a recent article, Author Eric Finkelstein, a researcher for Triangle Park conducted a study in which explains the multiple causes and affects of fast food chains and its role in creating an unhealthy society. Considerably, “The Effect of Fast food Restaurants on Obesity”, an in depth article written by authors Janet Currie, Stefano DellaVigna, Enrico Moretti and Vikram Pathania, share their studies and findings on how fast food chains are indeed a major player in obesity across the country, as well as a leading player in the up rise in health related illnesses. There is a connection between neighborhood scarcity and fast food industries.
Obesity has grown into a rampant issue all over the United States, over the past few decades. Fast foods also have increased their outlets in the nation, in turn, depicting a success in the business venture. It is clear that fast foods have become quite cheap in comparison to healthy, homemade meals. Subsequently, people have turned to eat fast foods for economic reasons. Convenience is yet another reason behind people’s high indulgence in eating fast foods other than healthy, homemade meals. One does not need to prepare meals when dealing with fast foods; it is just a matter of walking into a fast food restaurant. However, the rampant feeding on fast foods in America has adverse effects that seem to affect even
When someone thinks of various fast food restaurants, they often think of quick and easy way to obtain food. However they do not stop to think about how it is affecting their health. Fast Food Nation by Eric Schlosser exposes to the public that various fast food restaurants, such as McDonalds, are detrimental for your health. He does this by showing the reader how unhealthy the food is to the public, as well as showing us how they make their food more desirable to buy to the general population. The one problem that arisen from fast food restaurants is the increase of childhood obesity since the beginning of fast food.
Around 160,000 fast food franchises have been opened all over America. America is the most obese country in this world. Healthy food is supplement rich, yet fast food has a tendency to be poor in nutrients and high in calories. Know that fast food can satisfy our day by day calories requirements; not only it gives us calories, but it also harms our health with other ingredients. For instance, fast food is high in soaked fats and trans fats. In addition, it has additives, chemicals, and artificial flavors. Fast food impacts our health and causes infections, for example, heart disease, diabetes, high blood sugar and high blood pressure. On the other hand, healthy food provides the best nutrients and protects our body from sickness, since it contains vitamins, proteins, and minerals. Fast food is addictive and unhealthy. (Obesity in America) (Chronic
"We don 't walk. We overeat because we 've made it easy to overeat. We have fast-food joints on every corner. By the way, the 'we ' is all of us. It 's not the government. It 's all of us doing this together.”(Mehmet Oz). Fast food has been affecting Americans lives since the 1919’s and 1920’s where the first fast food restaurant originated. They were called A&W in 1919 and White Castle in 1921. More than 3 million cases of obesity in America happen a year. Over time the frequency of fast food restaurants increased and became more common in people’s lives. Big fast food franchises such as McDonalds, Burger King, Wendy 's, and Pizza Hut have changed the world and not in a great way. Over 3 million cases of diabetes happen in a year and an estimated 17.5 million people died from CVDs in 2012, representing 31% of all global deaths. Diabetes is a metabolic disease in which the body’s inability to produce any or enough insulin causes elevated levels of glucose in the blood. Fast food is food that can be prepared quickly. It is easily and quickly sold in restaurants and snack bars as a quick meal or to be taken home. Obesity is the condition of being grossly fat or overweight. Cardiovascular conditions are a group of disorders of the heart and blood vessels. Many people suffer from these diseases and it becomes a negative impact in their lives. Fast food causes diabetes, obesity, and cardiovascular conditions.
“If and when the public chooses to use government power to offset the factors that promote obesity, we can do so. A day may come when we decide to limit advertising of unhealthy food, strengthen lifestyle teaching in schools, and create stronger financial incentives to adhere to lifestyle recommendations. The more eager we the people are to fight the obesogenic environment, the more responsive and effective our governments will become” (Medscape General Medicine, vol. 9, no. 4, 2007).
As the fast food world spread across the nation, obesity was shortly following in its footsteps. According to, “The History of the Fast Food Industry,” Since 1970 the amount of fast food restaurants have doubled, which equates to roughly 300,000 establishments in the United States. Ironically, 33.8% of the U.S. population is affected by obesity and 19% of children and young adults are also affected.
The fast food industry provides quick, cheap, and easy access to foods that in the customers opinion, is very delicious, and affordable, however this food which millions of people around the world are constantly consuming, could actually cause major health problems, and weight gain in the long run. Major fast food companies throughout the world know what they are doing when it comes to marketing towards all types of people. Some people will find numerous different things to blame for the epidemic of fast food making individuals overweight. In recent research on, or discussions of the fast food industry having an effect on people's health, a controversial issue has been raised, and that is the fact that this problem affects not only
Several studies have shown that the increase in fast food restaurants over the past few decades has resulted in a negative impact on the already outrageous obesity rate.According to the National Bureau of Economic Research, the number of fast food restaurants over the past thirty years has tripled, which equates to about three hundred thousand establishments in the United States alone. During this time the number of children, ages six to nineteen classified as obese, has risen from five percent to seventeen percent. The percentage of adults classified as obese has risen from half to two-thirds the population. Although fast food restaurants may be a contributing factor to the increasing obesity rate in the United States, people are