Fast Food And Obesity In The United States

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Like McDonalds with products like the “happy meal”. According to the Federal Trade Commission, fast food restaurants spend nearly 700 million annually to market their food to children and teenagers. African American children see twice as many highly caloric and unhealthy fast food commercials then white children. Billboards and other methods of advertisement are 13 times more likely to be seen in African American neighborhoods than White neighborhoods. The American Journal of Public health did a national study on the correlation with fast food access and specific communities studying 21,976 US zip codes with 259,182 full service restaurants and 69,219 fast-food restaurants. The study indicated that the establishments were more prominent and …show more content…

Too often individuals of color and of middle or lower income are blamed for our obesity rates and hereditary diseases. But we are systematically targeted by fast food markets to make a profit. Huge retailers like Costco are only an option for you if you can drive a car. Too many African Americans are placed with the daily decision of long treks for healthier foods, or less healthy choices at their local food outlets. The fast food restaurants are strategically placed in our communities and the health food restaurant are out of reach and for many Americans over an hour away. So who is really to blame for this epidemic? Today more than 49 million Americans live in areas with high food insecurity with the nearest grocery store more than a mile away. Even though many use funds from SNAP (Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program), people in low income communities are not given the opportunity to enjoy the same quality of produce as those of upper class …show more content…

This inequality in food markets has caused inequalities in the qualities of life amongst many racial groups. African Americans are 1.5 Times more likely to become obese than White Adults. 47.8 percent of African Americans are obese compared to a mere 32.6 percent of whites. More than 75 percent of African Americans are overweight or obese compared to 67.2 percent of whites. Two out of every five African American adults suffer from obesity. This is the highest rate amongst any racial/ ethnic group in the U.S. Even amongst children the numbers differ as well. From 1999-2012 35.1 percent of African American children 2-19 were overweight compared to 14.3 percent of white children. Lower-incomes and poverty have a strong relation with obesity. A study of select communities concluded that only 8 percent of African Americans live in areas with one or more supermarkets compared to 31 percent of whites. Because of this food segregation and systematic racism the rates of deaths from strokes and heart disease continue to remain twice as higher among African Americans than whites. African Americans are two times more likely than white adults to be diagnosed with diabetes by a physician. A study conducted by the urban institute found that the differences in rates of Whites, African Americans and Latinos for preventable diseases like diabetes, heart disease,

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