Fast Food Obesity Essay

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Fast Food and Obesity In the last century, advancements in medical treatments are making many diseases that were practically a death sentence in the past curable. However, there is currently an epidemic of a different sort: obesity. The image problem t has doesn’t help. After all, most would associate being fat with Santa Claus before associating it with disability and death (Duncan 1). And one of the biggest causes of the obesity epidemic, according to wholesome food supporters, is fast food. But fast food might not be the real culprit. There are several other issues that could be he cause of the obesity epidemic. For example, food availability has increased tremendously in the last century, and portion sizes are larger. In addition, attempts to add healthier choices to the menu are often not received well by the general public. And it is not like there are foods just as bad as they claim fast food to be that we eat just as much, if not more. Fast food is not the true cause behind the obesity epidemic considering that meals in general have gotten bigger and more filling, fast food has tried to become healthier, and that there are foods just a problematic as fast food is claimed to be. Evolution. The biological process that gradually changes species in ways that makes them better at survival. Humans undergo evolution just like any other living thing. And it is one of the traits we have evolved to have that might be just as obesity inducing as fast food is claimed to be. Emma Duncan states that, “It (Evolution) has designed mankind to cope with deprivation, not plenty.” Not that long ago in humanities past, agriculture was often balanced on a tightrope. One year it would be a good harvest, the next it would suffer... ... middle of paper ... ...industry that promoting healthy foods would either backfire or have no effect. And so fast food has settled for making the subtle changes, quietly making fast food healthier while being slandered by the wholesome food movement. In conclusion, fast food should not be held responsible for the obesity epidemic. Between the numerous other options that are just as unhealthy, the improvements the fast food industry is making, and our body’s adaptations that are backfiring; fast food may be part of the problem, but not the actual cause. And yet the fast food industry gets the blame. And attempts to change this image, like the McLean Deluxe, end in failure; forcing them to rely on subtle changes to their menu items. In the end, however, I doubt fast food could be forced to close by the wholesome food movement, there are too many who rely on fast food for a quick meal.

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