Who's To Blame American Food

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 article “Don’t Blame the Eater”, author David Zinczenko, the editor -in-chief of Men’s Health magazine comments on the lawsuit against McDonald’s which is initiated by the overweight children’s parents. He claims that fast-food industry should accept full responsibility for a serious public problem: leading American kids to obesity. Zinczenko supports his claim with his personal experience to show how the fast-food chains marketing on them with low price. He also said it is not easy for those obese kids to turn their lives back. He believes this should be considered as a public health problem because their obesity causes the society huge public health losses. Zinczenko insists that if fast-food industry doesn’t take actions quickly, it is only a matter of time for them to become the next tobacco industry.

Throughout the articles, each one discussed the author’s perspective on food industries. Two articles argued whether the food companies should be blamed for the health epidemics or it should be a personal responsibility for consumers. While others discussed how food industries manipulate consumers into buying more of their food. Along the same lines, all the articles mentioned how the health epidemic is increasing and who must be fault for the growth. As well as finding a solution and who should help. Although the articles emphasize how obesity rate has grown, the public seems to blame food companies for manipulating consumers and others insist it is a consumer’s personal responsibility.

After reading chapters 15 and 21 in our Current Issues and Enduring Questions book and viewing Forks Over Knives, I am afraid I do not see this worrisome food issue in America improving in the near future. Obesity is a known epidemic and it is widespread throughout the entire country. According to the documentary film, Forks Over Knives, “We spend $2.2 trillion a year on healthcare: over five times more than the defense budget.” This quote reveals the issue regarding the state of health and by maintaining a healthier diet not only do people benefit, but the government does as well. The current relationship between food and health industries brings an uncertainty that should be seen as a critical concern to the eyes of the public. Too many people

Hospital food is not known to be delicious, until McDonald’s becomes that food; that’s right, hospitals contain some of the thousands of McDonald’s franchises found worldwide. This is a prime factor to why the United States has become the fattest country in the world. Consumers are quick to blame the government or perhaps their own self-control with food, but they are overlooking who is perhaps the biggest culprit in the obesity epidemic: processed food franchise owners. Franchise owners are at fault for causing the epidemic because of the excessive alteration of their food, their “food education” diplomacy that has normalized eating out multiple times a week, and its effect on public opinion using lobbyists.

McDonaldization is viewed to be one of the reasons behind obesity. This is due to people

•In the recent times McDonalds has been blamed for the high fat content in its products and many consumers perceive that the food served at their outlets is not healthy. Also, the consumers are becoming increasingly health conscious these days. McDonalds

Throughout the tens of years, many people have been suffering from obesity, usually prior to eating food served from fast food restaurants. One of these restaurants is McDonald's, a massive food industry. Continuing from that, your must be shocked how McDonald's was constantly sued for a rumor of how the food they served caused the obesity of many children and teens. However,Morgan Spurlock, an American documentary filmmaker, decided to film an experiment so he would be able to answer a common question, “is fast food really all that bad?.”

In 2014 the World Health Organization estimated that about 41 million children of toddler age were obese (Obesity and Overweight para.1), in other words they have about 5 years living on Earth and already are dying. Obesity and who’s really responsible for the cause of it has been a back and forth argument between customers, fast food companies, and government health agencies. For years many have tried to blame and even sue Mcdonalds, Burger King, and many other fast food companies, claiming that it is their fault for their overweight health condition, but I believe this is the opposite. The reality to this issue is that the physical company does not play a role in this issue since they do not force their food into our mouths, but their food does play a role in obesity. Each individual in our society is responsible for their own health and needs, therefore, there is no need to blame companies when we realize that our decisions have caught up to us. These companies are trying their best to provide alternatives, but if we do not take them than they are not to blame for our future death. Having medical researchers label obesity as a health disease is not helping the situation anymore, than people not taking responsibility, because now it allows them to obtain an excuse for their choices.

Lots of people may believe it's the fast food industry's fault why America's obesity rate is rising. You can’t just focus on one situation that's causing the problem. They’re many more causes of obesity. It all depends on the individual and how they want to live life. Nobody is forcing them to enter McDonalds and order a Big Mac. The consumers made the decisions and brought it upon themselves.

60 percent of Americans are obese and that’s not McDonald's fault. McDonald’s is one of the most successful fast food chain restaurants in the world, and I am sure everyone can see why. Sure McDonald’s has fatty food and huge portions but Americans have the freedom to choose healthier foods on McDonald’s menu, or just not eat there at all. Instead of getting a Big Mac get a salad, instead of getting a sugar filled soda get a nice refreshing water.

Did you know that America is the fattest nation in the world? ¼ Americans eat Mcdonald’s a day. That’s only one fast food restaurant! The company is only there to make money, they don’t care if it makes you obese. Do to the people, obesity in the last 20-25 years has doubled. The company isn’t hurting the people, the people are hurting themselves.

Millions of people eat McDonald’s food and become obese everyday but you could have a family member that’s obese or your obese. One can say McDonald’s is responsible but it isn’t. Keep reading because you going to agree with me after you read that McDonald’s is not to blame in this case. McDonald’s shouldn’t be responsible for their consumers health issues because customers choose to eat there. There are no laws against selling unhealthy foods and there are other factors that contribute to people becoming obese.

Did you know that the Queen of England owns a McDonalds near Buckingham Palace (Badkar)? McDonalds is all around the world, of course they aren’t the only ones. The fast food industry started in America with A&W in 1919 and White Castle in 1921. But with the growth of the fast food franchise comes with great responsibility. The problem that comes to the surface is that there is an epidemic of obesity running wild in the United States and the leading cause is the amount of sugars and fats a person consumes (Bureau). It is common knowledge that the fast food products are pact full of sugars and fats. However, it should fall into the hands of the people themselves not the franchise. There are numerous claims that the fast food companies should be held accountable for the problem in the United States “This is the wrong way to fight obesity (Graff).” On the other hand, the fast food franchises create a great number of jobs in the U.S. that it has become the leading franchise business in employment (Bureau). The fast food industry is only producing a response to the wants and needs of the consumers. Furthermore, the consumers of fast food should have a moral and ethical obligation to themselves and their families to have the knowledge about what they are putting into their bodies and how it will affect them.

Have you been to McDonald’s lately? Every day, close to one in four Americans eat fast food, with McDonald’s serving close to seventy million people daily (Sorensen). They are a growing, popular food chain, and with that comes many positive and negative effects. McDonald’s has created many new jobs which has helped to decrease America’s unemployment rate, they provide a low cost meal for those who can afford nothing else, and they also participate in raising money for charities. Yes, all these things are great; however, McDonald’s, along with other fast food restaurants, are the leading cause of rising obesity rates (Owens 31, 33).