Food is a necessity in our lives; it provides us our basic biological needs; however, when it is misused it can be deadly. This is a problem faced in many western societies because the people of these societies prefer the processed fast food, over healthy foods. Over consumption of these fast foods can make consumers ill, obese, and can possibly shorten their lifespan. Many people in these societies believe the scapegoat is the diet itself, refusing to believe there are many other factors that contribute to the problem; however, there are many factors that come into play such as culture, personal responsibility, and a parsimonious food industries. Our cultures have the greatest influence over our eating behaviors; one’s environment and biology …show more content…
In order to live a healthy lifestyle we need skills such as self control and a good work ethic. In David Zinczenko’s article “Don’t Blame the Eater” he questions to the reasoning of the kids that sued Mcdonald’s and other fast food chains for making them gain weight (Zinczenko 391). Zinczenko believes that our society fails to assume any responsibility, instead we are quick to place the blame on others. If people in our society can take responsibility for their actions, I believe that it would go a long way in making many people have a positive healthy mindset. Having a positive mindset when dealing with these particular situations can help motivate the person to eat and live healthier. Another aspect of a healthy lifestyle is our work ethic, people who have a good work ethic can positively influence their lives through exercise, however; an inadequate work ethic can lead to a dramatic weight gain. For people who want to live healthy, they must know that it does not come easy, there will many obstacles and personal changes they must overcome to become and stay …show more content…
Zinczenko also states that, if you were to drive down any thoroughfare in America you are guaranteed to see a Mcdonald’s, but you are unlikely to find a place that sells any fresh fruits (Zinczenko 392). Zinczenko’s point is that the food industry’s unwillingness to promote more healthier foods is most likely the cause of the unhealthy diets of western societies. Another part of the problem is the pricing of healthier options, such as whole foods, fresh fruits, and low calorie snacks; all these foods are ridiculously overpriced compared to their unhealthy counterparts. One would think the food that is made to help prolong your life would be more accessible, instead it is the foods that are high on calories, fats and sugars that are cheap and available. Fast food companies go by the motto that cheaper is better, and it is how they compete with each other. Almost all fast food companies followed in McDonald 's footstep by creating a dollar menu, because they saw the drastic increase of McDonald 's revenue. When consumers see all these cheap meals for a dollar they readily buy their food from the dollar menus, rather than buying a single granola bar for the same price. In a society where most of the population is the working class, these dollar
Zinczenko explains, “Where are consumers supposed to find alternatives? Drive down any thoroughfare in America, and I guarantee you’ll see one of our country’s more than 13,000 McDonald’s restaurants.” He continues, “Now, drive back up the block and try to find someplace to buy a grapefruit.” (Zinczenko 463). What’s the chances of finding a fruit stand rather than a fast food restaurant? In addition, consumers are not being informed on what exactly they are taking in. There are no calorie charts posted on the food, nor are there warning labels connected to it. Thus, the purchaser is becoming unhealthy and eventually obese. Zinczenko stated fast food restaurants, “Would do well to protect themselves, and their consumers, by providing the nutrition information people need to make informed choices about their products.” Furthermore, without warnings, there will consequently be a higher number of ill and obese
Section 1: Typically, we need a well-balanced meal to give us the energy to do day-to-day tasks and sometimes we aren’t able to get home cooked meals that are healthy and nutritious on a daily basis, due to the reasons of perhaps low income or your mom not being able to have the time to cook. People rely on fast food, because it’s quicker and always very convenient for full-time workers or anyone in general who just want a quick meal. Eric Schlosser, author of Fast Food Nation argues that Americans should change their nutritional behaviors. In his book, Schlosser inspects the social and economic penalties of the processes of one specific section of the American food system: the fast food industry. Schlosser details the stages of the fast food production process, like the farms, the slaughterhouse and processing plant, and the fast food franchise itself. Schlosser uses his skill as a journalist to bring together appropriate historical developments and trends, illustrative statistics, and telling stories about the lives of industry participants. Schlosser is troubled by our nation’s fast-food habit and the reasons Schlosser sees fast food as a national plague have more to do with the pure presence of the stuff — the way it has penetrated almost every feature of our culture, altering “not only the American food, but also our landscape, economy, staff, and popular culture. This book is about fast food, the values it represents, and the world it has made," writes Eric Schlosser in the introduction of his book. His argument against fast food is based on the evidence that "the real price never appears on the menu." The "real price," according to Schlosser, varieties from destroying small business, scattering pathogenic germs, abusing wor...
Have you ever see a legal dispute on TV of a teenager suing a major fast food company over the food that has made them obese? Many people have and began to think that it is the teenagers fault for eating the fast food in the first place. This could have all been avoided if the consumer had decided not to eat at that particular fast food restaurant at all. While this is true another question is asked. What other place is there to get a quick bite of food for an affordable price? That is the argument that is brought up in “Don’t Blame the Eater” by David Zinczenko. Zinczenko wrote an article stating that he takes sides with the consumer in saying that they should not be held accountable the way the fast food affects their bodies. Of course they
In David Zinczenko's article “Don't Blame the Eater”, argues that the reason behind individuals turning to fast-food for affordable meals is because there are a lack of alternatives to browse for a healthier way of life. He also raises the question "Where, exactly, are consumers - particularly teenagers – supposed to find alternatives?" David also claims that there are big number of fast-food restaurant all over the country illustrating by giving the example of McDonald’s restaurants. So fast-food is easily available food at any place. David also argues that the fast-food restaurants are the least expensive and most convenient nutrition option we have. David also blames fast-food restaurants for not giving calorie information charts on packages. On the basis of David’s point of view clearly
Most of the time when we think about fast food restaurants, we think how delicious they are yet unhealthy at the same time. We blame fast food restaurants for the causes of obesity as well as diabetes. “Don’t Blame the Eater” by David Zinczenko, talks about how his entire childhood he was obese. He mentions how he was just an average kid trying to make a living out of everything he had. Zinczenko mentions how easy, cheap and delicious was to buy junk food, but when it comes to going back into the healthy eating pattern; it was almost impossible. Zinczenko stated that no matter where you were driving through you would always see a McDonald’s or Wendy’s, in every corner, but driving back you barely see fruit markets. The essay “Don’t Blame the Eater, by David Zinczenko leaves me wondering; Why would people choose fast food restaurants knowing that it is unhealthy? My research leads me to conclude that Low income family are most likely to only buy junk food because of the cheap price. People can eat more and spend less; however, we need to keep
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
This concedes that now America is creating health issues from consuming unhealthy foods. According to, “The battle against fast food beings in the home”, by Daniel Weintraub, “Kids eat unhealthy food and sit in front of the television or computer for hours at a time”. The article states that now obesity has affected many kids in America. Due to obesity affecting many kids in America the argument here is that, parents are not thinking about their child’s health and how it affects their body. Their main worry if the food is cheap and that it’s reasonable to buy for their family; which is understandable. Thus, many kids health are in danger from the lack of a nutritious diet. At the same time, fast food companies believe that it’s not their fault. According to Daniels Weintraub’s article, it states that “ It’s the parents, not the government, not the fast food companies who are responsible for teaching kids unhealthy habits” (Weintraub 1). The argument here is that parents need to try to feed their kids much healthier diets such as vegetables. Feeding them fast food is going to wreck their health. For this reason, fast food companies should try to sell healthier food for a reasonable price. Having produce companies sell more affordable fruits and vegetables will clear this problem. This will allow people who don’t have much money be able to provide a healthy dish
By this I mean when we choose to eat out and eat bad food, we forget to make healthy choices. At one point in the article, Zinczenko mentions that he was once unhealthy and overweight as a result of his poor eating habits. He goes on to explain that once he joined the Navy Reserves, he learned how to manage his diet (463). He makes the point to say, “But most of the teenagers who live, as I once did, on a fast-food diet won’t turn their lives around (Zinczenko, 463).” Teens go through life eating unhealthy food with no sense of consequence. We must realize that everything should be done with a sense of balance in mind. For example, if we choose to eat a double cheeseburger meal two times a day, we should also choose to go on a run or take the time to work out afterwards. That being said having healthy habits is important regardless of what you eat in order to stay in shape, but more importantly if you have unhealthy habits it is your responsibility to enforce these healthy habits to counteract those unhealthy choices. Personally, I feel we shouldn’t blame companies for our health problems when there are other things that we can do in order to make ourselves healthier every day.
In the Article “Don’t Blame the Eater”, the author, David Zinczenko discounts many details while adverting his notion that Fast Food Corporations are at fault for obesity in adolescents. Zinczenko uses rhetoric, and personal experience to divert the reader’s attention to the emotional aspects of the above mentioned argument instead of showing genuine refutable actualities. At the start of his article Zinczenko complicates matters when he writes “And the problem isn’t just theirs- it’s all of ours.”, implying that we contribute to obesity misfortunes among children. However, his personal account about being a teen who acquired a large quantity of weight because of an assiduous mother, and lack of food alternatives contradicts the statement
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...
Nevertheless, some people insist that fast foods, such as chips, hamburgers and fizzy drinks, that are so cheap and tasty, are not a consequence of the health problems. However, I strongly disagree that fast food has no bad impact on people’s health. I believe that fast food has a negative impact on society and, therefore, people must take care of themselves and lead a healthy lifestyle if they do not want to face serious problems with their
Fast food is the source of obesity in America and causes health and environmental problems throughout the world. Global influences of the fast food industry are shown in the health problems in society today. The cheap production of meat and grains for the fast food industry cause harm to the environment, humans, and animals. The fast food that is consumed is not only bad for the health of people but also for the environment. The fast food industry’s extensive advertising through television, radio, newspapers, billboards, and sponsoring reach all people in a strategy to convince consumers that their food is healthy and available to everyone. Fast food menu’s are based on meat which comes from slaughtered animals that are bred solely for the fast food industry. These animals provide unhealthy, calorie filled, and chemically conditioned contents. Meat is the majority of all food poisoning incidents due to the cheap production methods to get the food to the food to the public at low prices and large portions. The fast food industry causes people to consume large portions of unhealthy food that effects all aspects of life including health and environmental issues that arise from the availability of fast food.
We are facing a big problem that will make our life more miserable. We are eating junk food constantly that is bad for our health. Many people eat junk food because they think it’s cheap and faster or some people do not like to cook their own food. “Don’t Blame the Eater” by David Zinczenko. This article is talking about how fast food is making us eat bad because of their fast service and cheap prices. People tends to choose fast food instead of cooking a healthy meal. It is easy for teenagers to gain weight by eating fast food meals. Zinczenko also argues about the absence of nutrition information about the food. I agree with Zinczenko. However, Zinczenko could also have examined the issue of fast food advertisements, mention some benefits
It became so clear that junk foods lead to a punch of catastrophic diseases like obesity, type two diabetes, vascular diseases and cardiac disorders. Those kinds of diseases cost more than $150 billion annually, just to diagnose, treat people who suffer from them. That disease is chronic and leads to many health-related issues, for example, obesity considers a risk factor for type two diabetes, and high blood pressure, joint disorders and many others (The Denver Post 2012). The key of preventing many chronic problems is nutrition. Low income plays an important role of limiting most people to buy and eat a healthy diet and in the other hand, it is easy for people budgets to purchase junk foods. So controlling the prices of healthy foods to be suitable for all people make good nutrition available for everyone. Adequate diets mean decreasing the epidemic of those serious diseases, and stopping the spread and break the bad sequences that may happen. Long-term exposure to junk foods that are full with chemicals like additives, preservatives have led to chronic illnesses difficult to treat. Also, the chemical added to junk foods are tasted unique and made millions of people becoming addicted to them and are available everywhere for example in restaurants, cafes, lunchrooms (The Denver Post
One of the chief causes is unhealthy diets. On one hand, there are high-calorie foods in daily diets like chocolates, sugar, cheese and butter. Teenagers eat more and more high-fat burgers and pizza in fast food restaurants. For example, according to Altman and Leitch (2012), in Mexico, students drink cola rather than water due to the short of hygienic drinking water. Coca cola made agreements with many schools that they would exclusively sell Coca cola inside the schools. Therefore, Mexicans are considering being the most obese country which will have 70% overweight people including 30% obsess in the future. (Altman and Leitch,2012). The foods most commonly eaten by over 80% of kids are white bread, savoury snacks, chips, biscuits and chocolate confectionery. Besides, almost 20% kids do not eat any fruit at all. In general, kids eat about half the recommended five portions of fruit and vegetables a day. On the other hand, some people judge traditional food healthier; however, some traditional foods are extremely oily as well. For example, Chinese pay attention to use oil to heat the ingredients quickly. This makes the food fairly oily and high-fat. Furthermore, diets today are changing according to ...