Research: Theories of Weight Bias

It has become common today to dismiss the idea of personal responsibility, however, Radley Balko,  author of “What You Eat Is Your Business,” has not. The article, published on Monday 23, 2004,on the website Cato Institute, reminds us of the importance and significance of personal responsibility in dealing with obesity.  Additionally, he argues that  government’s  attempt to  restrict American diets and without consumers being  held accountable for their unhealthy lifestyles is useless .

Zinczencko complains that unlike many other hazardous items, fast food does not come with warnings on how terrible the food is for one’s health and its future effects. He emphasizes that even if the customers were able to obtain the nutritional facts, they are not palpable, but rather obscure. He points out that the fast-food companies make the nutrition labels vague and misleading; they calculate the calories for every separate part of the meal, and they make it so the consumer must pay attention to serving size as well. He observes that the fast-food industry can get away with confusing labels because there are not any Food and Drug Administration labeling requisites (Word Smart, p. 220) covering fast food. Zinczenko complains that there is not any sort of nutritional labeling on the menus at fast-food restaurants. Now, nine years later, there are some changes, but his point is still valid. McDonald’s menu now states the calories of each meal, but as Zinczenko points out, it is very difficult to

The question that has been debated for years is who is responsible for the children’s weight. In the articles that where researched during this paper the parents were responsible. The reason that they were responsible was because the decisions that parent make about their family and the lifestyle that they live affects their child’s health and it can also affect their health in the future. When you move out of your parent’s house you tend to mimic things that they did such as if they always bought Tide as their laundry soap when you got out on your own you probably bought Tide. Now when you were in a pinch one time you may have tried another brand because it was cheaper but for the most part you revert back to what you know. As a parent you should want your children to be as healthy as they can be a lot of parents that where talked to while researching the subject of childhood obesity seemed to just not have the knowledge about obesity.

They consistently advertise products that are appealing to certain age groups because of their sweetness, tang or whatever, and evidence suggests that children exposed to junk food advertising express greater preference for these types of food (Khullar 127). It’s no wonder that people struggle to think for themselves when it comes to eating. They have no room left for thought when they are constantly exposed to what the media and food companies want them to buy. Plus, when the food tastes good as advertised, there’s no need to try and bite the hand that feeds them. Unfortunately, by killing the need to decide their own diets, they are contributing to a country overrun by obesity. The processed foods being marketed are filled with ingredients the body isn’t meant to digest and as such the body barely can. And it’s not just that, but the large volume of foodstuffs available has given people the opportunity to over-consume. They no longer eat to sate hunger, but to continue gratifying their taste

Everyone cares about looks and fitness. Ironically the obese rate is ever increasing, but who is to blame? According to Inga Kiderra in her article “Obesity is Socially Contagious” believes that the people we associate ourselves with determine our overall health. However, David K. Li in his article “NJ Woman Attempting to be the Worlds Fattest” writes about a New Jersey woman whom is driven by fame in her effort to be the world’s heaviest women. Yet, David Zinczenko in his article “Don’t Blame the Eater” explains that it is fast food corporations that are making people obese. Being obese has many factors, but these ideas more closely relate to the majority of people. I agree that our social life, societal pressures, and social life paradigms influence the, obesity problem in the United States.

In Hans Taparia and Pamela Koch’s New York Times online article “A Seismic Shift in How People Eat,” posted on November 6, 2015, the current struggle that big food companies are experiencing in relation to increased consumer awareness is discussed. Prompting this article is the overwhelming movement to healthy eating by the general populace and the havoc it is wreaking on corporate companies. Highly popular among health enthusiasts of all ages, the topic of this paper appeals to a wide audience. Although easily missed at first due to the beautiful flow and structure of the paper, the opinions and claims by Taparia and Koch are primarily based in logos where facts and statistics are quoted, and a fair amount of pathos where vivid imagery is utilized to paint a picture of the scenario for the reader. Differing slightly from the normal presentation, the ethos of the paper is not so much enforced through personal titles or anecdotes, but rather through the combination of presenting the ideas and facts clearly and persuasively, all adding to the author’s credibility. When the paper comes to a conclusion, the reader is left with a solid understanding of how big food companies are finally being forced to share their dirty secrets and clean up their act in order to compete with the small scale, organic based companies and the jeopardy they are facing unless they change their ways drastically.

Data regarding the tremendous financial expenditure involved in the promotion of certain types of food, in order to persuade the public to eat these, was initially presented. This was exemplified by a study on advertising that showed: out of thousands of ads, not one advocated eating fruits and vegetables (Mostly Magic, 2009). Through this, I surmise the public is being conditioned into accepting what a normal American diet is, thus, strengthening corporate market share and profiteering at the expense of life’s

The government presently has programs in place that are meant to urge people to deal with their weight. Cities generally have parks which supply free exercise-related areas to the public. While the government offers resources for people to challenge obesity, the government should “let each [person] take responsibility for [their] diet and lifestyle.”(Balko) An individual, not the government, pays the consequences of obesity in their value of life. In fact, the government should not pay for any backlash of obesity, because it removes a person’s own accountability, but “we’re likely to make better decisions when someone else isn’t paying for the consequences.” (Balko). Obesity does not occur in a day or a week, but through a sequence of choices and routines, which form a lifestyle. A law highlights a problem and provides a solution, this procedure is often efficient in dealing with the problem. But as for the growing problem of obesity, solutions suggested are usually short term regulations which cannot always connect a multi-generational problem. Instead of taking away temptations, such as fast food chains or unhealthy foods, the government should continue encouraging people to live a healthy life. The benefit of healthy living is that it is not limited to today, if prioritized, healthy living can become a long-lasting

More often than not, obesity is blamed upon the individual. If they would only eat better and exercise they would lose the extra weight. However, there is a fair argument to be made for complicity on the part of an industry that preys upon the nation’s sugar addiction and a government that relies on outdated practices and

These powerful alliances requires the consumer to navigate through the confusing food environment and to pay close attention to nutritional facts, labels, and to carefully and consciously be mindful of advertisement of all sorts of media. For farmers, its a crippling business system that destroys their profession. For consumers, who do not make a conscious effort where they shop and what they eat subjects themselves to a lifestyle that can progressively lead to obesity and many other life threatening diseases. The politics of obesity and disease within the food industry is a public health concern.

Morality among individuals has depleted over time due to the art of manipulation. Thoughts of high aspirations dwindle inside many bright minds and soon desire overpowers that which is still free from the narcissistic actions that soon follow. Said actions make up a vast majority of marketing methods within the food industry. Innocent consumers become naïve and convince themselves that those in the food industry have integrity, yet one common misconception diverts from manipulation. “Dear American Consumers: Please Don’t Start Eating Healthfully Sincerely, The Food Industry” by Patrick Mustain, satirically illuminates the enraging ideas behind the food industries objectives through the perspective of a producer. The online article titled “Lies

This research was supported by National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowships (Lick, Hunger) as well as a Clara Mayo Grant from the Society for the Psychological Study of Social Issues (Lick). Correspondence should be addressed to David Lick, UCLA Department of Psychology, 1285 Franz Hall, Box 951563, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1563 or via email to david.lick@ucla.edu.

The age old saying, “You are what you eat” still rings true today. Fresh fruit and vegetables have been replaced by french-fries and hamburgers. Children today do not know how to eat healthy. We, as a nation, spend hours and hours bombarding children with fast food commercials, sugary cereal commercials and cavity causing drink commercials. We than spend a fraction of that time telling kids these things are healthy only in moderation.

Eating is indisputably one of the greatest pleasures that there is in the world. Most of the tastiest foods, however, are the ones that also bring great risks as well as flavor. The food industry has jeopardized the well-being of the public with toxic foods that lead to eating disorders and addiction. These effects as a result can lead to disastrous health problems such as obesity and cardiovascular issues. Adults run great risks but it is the youth who cause the most concern. There has been a major epidemic concerning teenagers and their nutritional income. Greater options such as educational classes must be introduced to the public to encourage healthier eating among today’s youth and bring awareness to the threats that come with eating low-quality foods.

Although reliable evidence suggests that body weight is affected by some biological and environmental factors, there are perceptions that obese individuals are alone responsible and that the gain or loss of weight is under their personal control. It is also a misconception that all obese individuals are seen as lazy and lack the value of self-control. This may then reinforce beliefs that the cause of obesity is a result of out-of-control behaviour and impulses (Puhl & Brownell 2003). However, this is not a real reflection of reality as obese individuals are not they only people who are unhealthy, has an