The twenty-first century is a triumph of people’s minds and scientific progress. Humanity explores space and the bosom of the sea; however, the question about eating healthy is still open. Unfortunately, scientific progress has affected the food processing industry around the globe. With the development of Genetically Modified (GM) Products, growth hormones, synthetic fertilizers, and antibiotics, food has become a compressed chemical bomb. Considering that roughly 80 percent of all the packaged foods in the United States contain chemicals outlawed in other parts of the world, finding healthy food has turned into an arduous process (Ahn; “Healthy Foods Harder”). In 2014, 52% of Americans believe that “doing their taxes was easier than figuring …show more content…
Some understand and support Grant Gordon’s view that fast food is a camouflaged poison, which slowly kills the eater. Many others, who mostly come from rural, low-income neighborhoods, still consider this type of food to be cheap and comfy, and continue consuming it on an everyday basis. Due to this, greedy fast-food chains, such as McDonald’s, KFC, and Burger King, run advertising campaigns targeting children from groups “already more likely to suffer from obesity […]” (“The Disturbing Ways”). According to Rama Yousef, fast food chains continue opening more and more locations in low income neighborhoods, where people simply cannot afford to buy healthy food. Low income communities usually lack supermarkets and may “not provide adequate safety for exercise, [forcing some residents to] live unhealthy lifestyles” (Blythman; “Fast Food in low-income”). Due to these careless business practices, lawmakers around the country are trying to fight the exponential growth of fast food chains by restricting the opening of new locations in poor neighborhoods (Duncan). Although many assert that businesses should not be regulated by the government, lawmakers should ban the opening of new fast food locations in low income neighborhoods for two key reasons: first, junk food is high in cholesterol and fat and contributes to the development of obesity, heart diseases, and type two diabetes, conditions which cannot be solved without a healthy diet; and second, the economy will weaken as more people suffer from these dangerous diseases, quit their jobs, stop paying their bills, and ultimately find themselves on the
Almost everyone has eaten fast food at some point in their lives, but not everyone realizes the negative effects some fast food can have on our nutrition. My family especially is guilty of eating unhealthy fast food meals at least once a week because of our budget and very busy schedules. In Andrea Freeman’s article entitled, “Fast Food: Oppression through Poor Nutrition,” She argues that fast food has established itself as a main source of nutrition for families that live in average neighborhoods and have low-incomes. Freeman begins the article by explaining how the number of fast food outlets is beginning to grow in poor communities because of the cheap prices and quick service these restaurants are famous for. The overabundance of fast
Crouse, Janice Shaw. "The Fast-Food Industry Intentionally Markets Unhealthy Food to Children." Fast Food. Ed. Tracy Brown Collins. San Diego: Greenhaven Press, 2009. At Issue. Gale Opposing Viewpoints In Context. Web. 14 Apr. 2011.
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.
Whether you are rich or poor, fast food is bad for you (Alter and Eny 2005). The quantity of fast food one consumes is of course important, but the super-sized nature of these foods and relative ease at which one can buy a lot of fast food does not help the consumer (Stender 2007). But it is part of Americana. Fast food organizations plan where their franchises are built. McDonald’s explicitly stated that they wanted a McDonald’s “within a 3- to 4-minute trip for the average American” (Lubow 1998). An American Journal of Public Health study found fast-food restaurants to be fairly evenly dispersed across predominantly white and African-American neighborhoods (Morland 2002). There are many things wrong this anyone who makes arguments about fast-food based on this study. One, the United States is literally more than black and white. Two, that same study explicitly says “Our findings underscore the importance of including characteristics of individuals’ local food environments into future studies to gain a better understanding of barriers to healthy eating” (Moreland 2002). Indeed, even if one over simplifies the United States’ population to black and white, one cannot ignore other factors that might make these black citizens more susceptible to the increased fast food consumptions. These factors where laid out by Naa Oyo A. Kwate in 2006 – “money, power, prestige, and social connections” (Kwate 2006). He explains why these factors have
Food is an essential part of everyday life without it one could not survive. Every day we make choices on what we put in to our bodies. There are countless varieties of food to choose from to meet the diverse tastes of the increasing population. Almost all food requires a label explaining the ingredients and the nutritional value allowing consumers to make informed decisions on what they are consuming. However, many may not be considering where that food is coming from or how it has been produced. Unfortunately, there is more to food than meets the eye. Since 1992, “ the U.S. Food and Drug Administration ruled, based on woefully limited data, that genetically modified foods were ‘substantially equivalent’ to their non-GM counterparts” (Why to Support Labeling). GM food advocates have promised to create more nutritious food that will be able to grow in harsh climate conditions and eventually put an end to world hunger in anticipation of the growing population. There is very little evidence to support these claims and study after study has proven just the opposite. GM crops are not only unsafe to consume, but their growing practices are harmful to the environment, and multinational corporations are putting farmers out of business.
He begins his argument by commenting about kids suing McDonald’s for “making them fat” (Zinczenko 462). Zinczenko ponders the absurdity of this claim considering how food choices are based on personal responsibility. However, he then considers the overwhelming availability ratio of fast food to fresh food while sympathizing he was once obese himself (Zinczenko 462). Zinczenko uses the primary argument that fast food companies are deceiving consumers with misleading advertisement, hidden nutrition facts, and calorie risks. He believes companies are encouraging the public to eat their unhealthy foods by omitting alarming information and levying “good” deals. In consequence, fast food companies are increasing the chances of obesity and diabetes in consumers by stimulating poor eating
Repeatedly the news will highlight a story about the obesity epidemic sweeping the nation. Although the news and health experts bombard the common citizen with quick and easy ways to eat healthier and exercise more, the source of the issue is kept hidden behind closed doors. Before placing blame on the eating habits, it’s essential to take a closer look at what is being consumed. With rapid change in the food industry, progress must be met with caution because “The way we eat has changed more in the past fifty years than in the past 10,000” (Pollan and Schlosser). It is easy for the common man to provide the blanket statement of eating “better”, yet few actually proceed to do this. The average American has one of the worst diets in the world although opportunity and variety of options are overwhelming. Food industries are deceiving by masking the true process of how their food is produced. Not only does the eye not see how the food was made, but there is also a false sense of variety in the grocery market. The grossly unbalanced American diets and genetically modified organisms both coexist to create a greater problem than previously thought of.
Fast food restaurants such as Burger King and McDonald’s, create advertisements where it urges people to consume their product. For example Mcdonald’s created a product where you can get two items such as a mcdouble and a medium fries for three dollars. According to “The battle against fast food begins at home”, by Daniel Weintraub, it shows how companies are intriguing their customers. “ The center blames the problem on the increasing consumption of fast food and soft drinks, larger portion sizes in restaurants and the amount of available on school campuses”(1).For the most part, the Center for Public Health believes that fast food companies are the problem for health
The New York Times bestseller Fast Food Nation: The Dark Side of the All-American Meal is one of the most riveting books to come out about fast food restaurants to date (Schlosser, 2004). Fast food consumption has become a way of life for many in the United States as well as many other countries in the world. The author Eric Schlosser an investigative reporter whose impeccable researching and bold interviewing captures the true essence of the immense impact that fast food restaurants are having in America (2004). Beginning with McDonald’s, the first fast food restaurant, which opened on April 15, 1955 in Des Plaines, Illinois to current trends of making fast food a global realization McDonald’s has paved the way for many fast food restaurants following the same basic ideal that is tasty foods served fast at a minimal cost (2011). Schlosser explains how fast food restaurants have gained substantial market share of the consumers; he also shows that by marketing to children and offering less unhealthful fare, that are purchased from mega-companies which are often camouflaged with added ingredients and cooked unhealthful ways, that these companies are indeed causing irreparable harm to our country (2004).
The fast food industry is one of the largest sectors of the United States economy. Companies such as Burger King, Wendy's, Taco Bell, McDonalds and KFC have all become household names. Each of these companies operates under a similar mission statement: to serve a quick, filling meal for a very low cost. The primary marketing medium for these companies is television where via commercials, they can portray both their products and a lifestyle. Their intense advertising focus on minorities and children, however, has begun to exacerbate the epidemic of obesity that is sweeping our nation. Fast food's televised advertising is a significant contributor to obesity in today's minority youth. By promoting unhealthy tendencies and high-calorie foods as well as an attitude that promotes tolerance of diseases such as obesity, these companies are influencing people to such a degree that it is negatively affecting their health. This dangerous marketing method is not only sweeping America, but other countries as well. The emphasis on fast food companies' immoral marketing raises the question: Are people eating for hunger or because of an advertised, influenced habit? However, we must also address whether or not fast food companies are mainly responsible, or if the blame also covers their consumers.
Millions of American people buy fast food every day without thinking about where, how and why. The ramifications of fast food is impacting the American people both around the waist line and the community where they live at. “As the old saying goes: you are what you eat.” (Schlosser) The customer have made the choices to eat fast food or not. The industry doesn’t care about the customers; studies have shown that the fast food industry is the reason for the rise of American obesity. “Live fast and die young” (Moore); this could not be more true when looking at the impact of the fast food industry.
David Zinczenko states numbers and facts that open the eyes of his reader along with state his position of how fast food states no warnings that it could make someone obese or develop type 2 diabetes. His first statement is telling his readers a little background about how fast food affected his life and how he was once obese because he consumed such meals. Zinczenko explains how the increase in diabetes (specially type 2) were linked to the high consumption of fast food meals. He then goes on to address how much money is being spent to help take care of the mass amount of children with type 2 diabetes, showing how the price has gone up substantially over the past couple decades. The author then claims how the restaurants don’t give any healthy alternative and how its easier to find a McDonalds in American than an healthy alternative such as fruit. To wrap up the article he shares how he feels that obese kids who sue these fast food restaurants have good ground to do so since these places don’t put warnings on their foods; From Zinczenko himself “I say, let the deep fried chips fa...
The price needs not only to be affordable, but to be worth the time and effort that goes into preparing a meal. This is why fast food prices remain so low, and accessible to all social classes. Different groups have been impacted by the formation and rapid growth of the fast food industry- altering our ever-changing relationship to the things we eat. The industry places a disproportionate burden on poor and immigrant families, who are more likely to be working for minimum wage at fast food restaurants and cannot afford healthier prepared meals. This results is a disproportionate effect on the health of low-income people. Specific social groups that are affected include immigrants, women, and low-skilled workers (Talwar, 2002, 88). Poor families are also less likely to have the time to cook meals, as they will need to work longer hours, or even multiple jobs. For these reasons, fast food becomes a main dietary component rather than a treat or supplement when in a hurry. The convenience and low cost may appear to benefit the working class, but the health effects make it clear this isn’t so. “Becoming modern, it turns out, is not simply adding on new items of behavior, and when societies change, they rarely instruct those that are changing about the things they may be losing” (Wilk, 2006,
Just ask anyone if they’ve had fast food in their lifetime, their answer will most likely be yes. “Over 25 percent of Americans consume fast food every day.” (Palo Alto Medical Foundation 2) Unfortunately for some, this has affected their health negatively, for example obesity. “35% of adults aged 20 and over were overweight in 2008, and 11% were obese and more than 40 million under the age of five were overweight in 2011.” (World Health Organization 1). Seeing that a large majority of the population is overweight, and another large percentage is to the point of obesity, it is clear that the food being consumed is not doing their bodies justice, or allowing them to live a healthy life. The fast food industry is a major culprit in supplying the food that eventually destroys people’s health. Obesity is caused by intake of energy-dense foods that are high in fat, which is proven to be in fast food. “Junk food contains large amounts of fat and as fat accumulates in your body, you'll gain weight and could eventually become obese.” (Fit Day 4) People know that fast food is unhealthy for them, yet they continue to circle through the drive-through. That in itself is the essential problem. Knowing the ingredients in food isn’t enough for
As they always say HEALTH IS WEALTH! Your food selection today, makes you enjoy for the moment and affects your health tomorrow and in the future!