America's Obesity Epidemic

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The government plays an important part in our safety, but many people think they take it too far. Recently, people have thought more and more about how much involvement the government should have when it comes to food regulations. Some people think the government's involvement in regulating food would greatly help obesity rates, and others think the country's obesity rates would show little to no improvement. Although no one cause of obesity exists, and no government regulations will likely alter someone’s lifestyle choices, the government should implement some regulations by implementing programs to educate and encourage citizens to lead a healthier life and by requiring companies to list a full disclosure of ingredients on their products. Because obesity has many causes, people do not think the government implementing regulations on food will influence healthy decisions. In Charles Baum's article, “In Fight With Obesity, a Bigger Government is the Wrong Weapon,” he tells reasons why the government would not help obesity rates go down by making regulations on food. In the article, he states, “Obesity is the result of overconsumption of calories. And as our research demonstrated, people find a variety of ways to do this” (Baum). Baum says that other causes of obesity like people quitting smoking and lacking regular exercise will keep obesity rates high even if the government puts regulations on food. However, having easier, healthy food and exercise choices could increase people’s healthy behaviors. In the article, “The Experts: What Role Should Government Play in Combating Obesity?” many experts discuss their thoughts on how much involvement the government should have in fighting obesity. Cassella states that the government sho... ... middle of paper ... ...lf. Although citizens themselves have to make the choice to have a healthier life, the government could give them the push they need to start living a healthy life. Since most healthy foods seem to cost more, some people do not feel they can afford them. If the government makes it easier for everyday people to get the healthy food they need, it could possibly reduce obesity rates. Also, many people do not have everyday access to exercise. The government cannot expect to see a low obesity rate if they do nothing to help fix it. Works Cited Baum, Charles L. “In Fight With Obesity, a Bigger Government is the Wrong Weapon.” Union Leader (Manchester). 6 Jul 2012. A.1. SIRS Issues Researcher. Web. 10 Nov 2013. “The Experts: What Role Should Government Play in Combatting Obesity?” Wall Street Journal Online. 21 Apr 2013: n.p. SIRS Issues Researcher. Web. 7 Nov 2013.

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