Obesity On the Rise
The world has let itself go and has gained a belly due to the significant increase of obesity. Unfortunately, throughout the years, the cumulative average of people who have been considered obese has been on the rise. Within the last few decades, Americans have not obtained the knowledge of the foods that has been consumed on a daily basis and how unhealthy these foods can be to the body. In the past, most families did not really have the options of fast food that they have today. Now, instead of having a home cooked meals for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, it is more convenient and easier for families to go get fast food. As women began to enter the working environment, they seeked out new ways for quicker and easier preparation which began the rise of the fast food industry. Society is seeking out the industries for blame but the consumer is to blame also. So who is at fault? Now it is time for the new generation to make a change. In
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In Don’t Blame the Eater, David Zinczenko, elaborates how it is up to the person themselves to make a decision after being informed of the nutritional information(10).This statement reveals that once people have knowledge of the effects, they could make a change to either benefit or harm one’s health. As human beings it is our job to keep our bodies healthy and taken care of. To help with the start of resolving this epidemic people should be taught to eat in moderation. When indulging in a fast food establishment, an individual should not eat excessively and not settle for every bargain offered. Since people these days rely on technology more than ever before, they can ultimately use it to their advantage. Society can utilize apps on their phones to update them with exercise goals and contains a device that keeps track of healthy calorie intake. Ultimately, consumers are not alone when sharing the blame with fast food
In David Zinczenko’s article “Don’t Blame the Eater” he focuses on the fast food industry and their role in the increasing health and obesity issues of our nation’s children, as well as these issues potentially becoming a serious problem that we will all have to deal with if we collectively don’t do something about it now. When it comes to the topic of fast food, most of us can agree that it is not the best source of nutrition. It is unhealthy and can be the cause of many serious health issues with our children such as obesity related Type 2 diabetes, stomach ulcers and even heart disease, high cholesterol, sleep apnea or even cancer. We can even agree that fast-food diets are a major contributing factor to
With the increase of fast food consumption and the growing rate of obesity, Americans are arguing if those who consume fast food products have only themselves to blame or the fast food companies for the growing rate of obesity and its health problems. The health of Americans has changed for the worse since the 70’s. The size of the food portions has increased and Americans are exercising less. This is evident in Americans 18-26 years old. These are the college kids who are away from home, working on their higher education and possibly a job at the same time, these college kids are too busy with all the work that needs to get done that these young adults don’t have time to cook themselves a home-cooked meal so they end up eating fast food meals. These
In today’s society a huge issue is that we constantly hear about the food industry in America. We often hear in the news that obesity rates have increased, or that Americans have many diseases that contribute to being obese. “What You Eat is Your Business” by Radley Balko expresses that people are at fault for making such unhealthy food choices. Others argue that the food industry is to blame for being so unhealthy. According to David Zinczenko in “Don’t Blame the Eater” he blames the fast food industry as well as the consumer. Zinczenko asks “shouldn’t we know better than to eat two meals a day in fast food restaurant’s?” (392). So, who is to blame for American’s eating so much unhealthy food? Should it be the consumers’ burden or the fast food companies? On one hand, as consumers we continue to purchase foods that we know are making us overweight. On the other hand, fast food companies continue to offer high in calories foods.
In the past forty years, the average American’s weight has skyrocketed. This can be traced to the introduction of fast food into our everyday lives. Fatty cheeseburgers and grease laden French fries have replaced fresh fish and crisp vegetables. Americans have come to value convenience more highly than personal health and consequently we are paying for what we consume.
America is one of the fattest countries in the world and is getting fatter by the second. Fast food used to be simple, small portions, less calories, and even simple menus. Now wherever you turn, there is a restaurant just right around the corner. Just in the past ten years the range of food choices has emerged. Fast food is the reason why health problems have become a major health issue in the United States. Although fast food has made it easier on Americans, Americans are at risk of preventable health issues, like obesity, heart disease, and diabetes; therefore, fast food has impacted Americans in a negative way.
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
The United States has seen a rapid increase in the number of obese adults. More precisely, the late 1970’s marks a point in which the percentage of obese adults started to jump. Within a twenty year period, the percentage of obese adults had risen almost twenty percent. Today, we sit at sixty-eight percent of the population obese or overweight and the numbers only continue to rise. With a boom in the popularity of fast food restaurants in the mid 1900’s, society had easy access to food, fast. Still today, we rely on fast food to feed us, fast and cheap. However, most fast food is not only easy to access, contributing to over eating, but is also very unhealthy. I see this as a major contributor to the issue of obesity.
Throughout this book, I took note about how the writers used a critical tone to reject large fast-food companies for their deceptive techniques which aim to lure more customers. The authors go on to state how “most fast-food meals are…the perfect meals for making you unhealthy” because they are “low in nutrients…and high in calories” (261). To add on the author also presents the effects of fast-food on consumers by saying how “the rise of suburbia, changes in the American workplace, and the triumph of the automobile have made it easier to grow obese” (259). Here we can see that advancements in technology have led to a more sedentary lifestyle which leads to weight gain. Today, obesity is a growing issue in the US because it can turn into a genetic problem and there are also many social stigmas associated with being obese in cultures all around the world. I eat fast-food about once or twice a week and I have already learned that food in this industry is made to be craved. Because I have time for exercise, I am able to stay healthy. In contrast, I know some who are limited on time and are unable to exercise. Unfortunately, these are the people who fall into the trap and soon become lazy due to the convenience of
We live in a world that is in a continuous process of transformation, considering that progress manages to control all the aspects of individual's life. Being part of a society which is always changing makes it essential for people have to adapt to all these aspects. One of the biggest problems for the American society is that it has no time to eat, since it is always on the run. Fast food came as the greatest solution for this problem. Since the process of modernization of the American society is accelerated day by day, the fast food industry has gained its place on the market. Even if individuals are well aware of the problems they can and will encounter if they eat fast food, they are forced by the circumstances to fall back on it.
In today's society, fast food has become a large part of many American's lives. With the rising numbers of obese people, it is hard not to draw a correlation between the increase in fast food and obesity. Most obese people don’t want to be obese and wish they could lose weight, yet they continue to struggle with their fast food intake and obesity. This is due to the advertising done on the consumers, the highly addictive food itself, and most importantly, how advertising and addiction combine with children to form habits that are kept once they become adults. These factors are the reasons that fast food restaurants are to blame for the rising obesity and health risks across America. The government needs to step in and place regulations on
In today’s world, convenience is a necessity and as a result fast food joints are around every corner. In addition to fast food being easily available, it is promoted everywhere on media which is only encouraging our youth to eat more fast food, when they should be eating healthier. Instead of promoting fast food, a much more convenient option, the government and schools should be promoting healthier foods and healthier eating habits, which can be achieved through making fast food less accessible. In her article, “Attacking the Obesity Epidemic by First Figuring Out Its Cause,” Jane E. Brody talks about how in the past, junk food was less accessible compared to the present day, “When I was growing up in the 1940s and ‘50s, I had to walk or bike many blocks to buy an ice cream
Obesity has become an epidemic in today’s society. Today around 50% of America is now considered to be over weight. Fast-food consumption has been a major contributor to the debate of the twenty-first century. Chapter thirteen, titled “Is Fast-Food the New Tobacco,” in the They Say I Say book, consists of authors discussing the debate of fast-food’s link to obesity. Authors debate the government’s effects on the fast-food industry, along with whether or not the fast-food industry is to blame for the rise in obesity throughout America. While some people blame the fast food industry for the rise in obesity, others believe it is a matter of personal responsibility to watch what someone eats and make sure they get the proper exercise.
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
Every day while sitting on the couch eat a burger, and soon many people learn what the obesity hype is all about. Fast food companies are advertising more food for less money with fast service. The media tends to change images for their target customers, to make the food more appealing to those that are watching. Laziness is one of the main causes of obesity in our country. Obesity in the United States is at a high due to the increasing fast food chains, media influence, and a lack of exercise. The idea of having a meal made for them in less than five minutes is somewhat exciting to the view of many individuals.” fast food firms introduced these alternative meals in response to changing consumer tastes”(Buchholz). Many fast food stores offer the customer fast service, and a great tasting meal. They provide their service with a smile and a meal that can cost less than 10 dollars. When people mix poor diet with poor
Since fast food first emerged in the United States it has become a large and successful industry, netting billions of dollars every year. This rapid expansion of fast food has put a fast food establishment within reach of almost every American. In Adam Chandler’s “What if Consumers Just Want to Buy Junk Food” he claims that although a majority of Americans believe they eat healthier today than in the 1970’s, but in fact studies show the very opposite. Chandler associates this to the consumers preference of unhealthy foods, but there is strong evidence that this rise in unhealthy consumption in American society can be attributed to the marketing and business tactics of fast food corporations, the availability and ease of access to fast food, and their socioeconomic status.