Obesity in America: Fast Food Restaurants are NOT the Problem

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With the continued growth of fast food restaurants, low priced food, and fast friendly service, these restaurants have become very appealing to the average consumer. With this increase in popularity, there has come many problems for these companies associated with the fast food industry. These stores are being blamed for the rise of obesity and other health issues in America; leading to many wanting a ban or probation on these fast food restaurants. The Government has stepped in on this issue and is trying to coming up with solutions for this so called “epidemic”. “One ordinance has passed by the Los Angeles City Council that bans the issuance of permits relating to the construction of any new fast food restaurants in South Los Angeles, California to promote healthy eating choices” (Creighton, 2009, p. 249). This law stops fast food restaurants from building any new stores in South Los Angeles. This law tells people that the “government is better at making choices for people than the people are for themselves” (Creighton, 2009, p. 249). It is like the government is treating their citizens like children making decisions for them, because they do not know better. Fast food restaurants should not be blamed for the consumers’ health problems, because it is the consumers’ choice to eat there, and these restaurants are not as bad as anti-fast food activists make them out to be.
Webster’s dictionary defines fast food as “food designed for ready availability, use, or consumption and with little consideration given to quality or significance” (2014, p. 1). This definition states that the food served at these restaurants might not be as delicious as the food in a sit down service restaurant that is deemed as high quality and better for yo...

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References
Austin, C. (2012, November 11). THE BILLIONAIRES' CLUB: Only 36 Companies Have $1,000 Million-Plus Ad Budgets. Retrieved from Business Insider: http://www.businessinsider.com/the-35-companies-that-spent-1-billion-on-ads-in-2011-2012-11
Creighton, R. (2009, November 11). Cheeseburgers, Race, and Paternalism. Legal Medicine, 249-267. Retrieved from Business Insider: http://www.businessinsider.com/the-35-companies-that-spent-1-billion-on-ads-in-2011-2012-11
Freedman, D. H. (2013). How Junk Food Can End Obesity. Atlantic Monthly, 68-89.
Philpott, T. (2010, November 10). The fast-food industry’s $4.2 billion marketing blitz. Retrieved from GRIST: http://grist.org/article/food-2010-11-09-the-fast-food-industrys-4-2-billion-marketing-blitz/
Webster, M. (2014). Fast Food. Retrieved from Merriam-Webster: http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fast%20food

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