Shame on You It seems that the average family is spending more time going out to fast food restaurants than eating at home. With more Americans eating out, obesity is at a new high. With the ever rising obesity problem in America, fast food chains are being pointed out as the ones to blame. Who’s at fault? Is it the consumers or the companies making the unhealthy food readily available? While eating out is becoming the easiest alternative to a sit down dinner at home, the effects of too much fast food can be harmful and sometimes deadly to one’s health. It is too easy to place the blame on the companies when the one making the decision to eat out is the consumers. Supply and demand is simple and easy to understand. Broken down it means this: supply is the product the companies have and demand is what the consumer wants. If the consumers thought that they shouldn’t be buying unhealthy foods they wouldn’t put any money into that product. Once that product stops making money, the companies reevaluate what the needs of the consumers are and then market a new product. Since fast food restaurants are still very much in business, the demands of their unhealthy products are still high. An important factor with Americans gaining more weight is that as they are eating more, they are exercising less. Some people can get away with eating McDonalds everyday because they work out everyday too. But, the majority of us don’t take that time out of our day to get rid of those extra calor...
Common sense seems to dictate that fast food is bad for you, however, many Americans consume fast food on a monthly, weekly, or even daily basis. In “Don’t Blame the Eater,” David Zinczenko argues that fast-food companies and the food industry are to blame for America’s obesity epidemic, essentially that it is not the individuals fault for becoming obese, and that in essence, fast-food companies ought to take responsibility for the health issues induced by consuming the food. He explains how bombarded you are with unhealthy, greasy, and fattening food everywhere you look; whereas it is much more difficult to access healthy alternatives. He describes the vicious cycle of purchasing cheap ailing meals, rather
“Today, more than 95% of all chronic disease is caused by food choice, toxic food ingredients, nutritional deficiencies and lack of physical exercise” Mike Adams (1967- present). People tend to believe our obesity epidemic is due to our high-calorie fast food restaurants. They are quick to blame others for their own mistakes and their willingness to change their eating habits. Fast food restaurants are not to blame for our obesity problem in our society but as a consumer, we are making that ultimate choice. We need to stop and think about what we are putting in our bodies and what they are doing to us. Yes, it’s true, it’s easier to find a McDonalds than a fruit or vegetable stand, but why not choose the salad with half the dressing at McDonalds
Fast foods have been around for a long time. Each day, more a more people turn to it for a quick meal, whether it is breakfast, lunch or dinner. As fast foods begin to progress and expand throughout the world, people, especially in the United States, have started to blame fast foods for their obesity and/or health problems. But is it really the fast food companies ' fault or the customers who consume their food? David Zinczenko wrote “Don’t Blame the Eater”, which states that fast food companies should be held responsible for giving all these people unhealthy food with them not really knowing what they are eating. I absolutely agree with this article, because these companies drag customers in by making the food fast, cheap, and a mystery. Fast food restaurants should be held accountable for
In the article, “Don’t Blame the Eater,” David Zinczenko discusses the damaging effects of fast-food restaurants on the young population. He uses factual evidence about the increase in Type 2 diabetes rates in children and adolescents who are obese. Zinczenko provides a refreshing and unique standpoint on the issue; most people blame consumers for choosing to eat fast food. He explains that it is not the fault of people for eating fast food, but it is the responsibility of fast-food restaurants to provide healthy alternatives and accurate nutrition information.
Obesity can be caused by a combination of fast food and the environment people live in today. Fast food contains foods that are high in fats, sugars, and starches. These ingredients have rarely any nutritional value to the human body. Most of the foods available at fast food restaurants like McDonalds, Burger King, and KFC contain concentrated salt and preservatives to enhance the flavor in them. Obesity has become the defining aspect of our nation by surrounding the people with fast food products. The freedom to choose what one wants, gives the fast food companies the right to give one unhealthy food. The consumption of fast food products regularly greatly increases one’s chance of having health disparities such as Coronary heart disease, type 2 diabetes, cancers, stroke, Hypertension, and Osteoarthritis. These negative effects are present with the daily eating of fast foods.
In “Don’t Blame the Eater,” David Zinzcenko illustrates a very valid argument. His conflict seems to be with the food industry and its horrible variety of products. The results have been staggering to the public’s health, especially teenagers. Fast food restaurants are Zinzcenko’s primary target for causing this epidemic. Zinzcenko stated, “lunch and dinner, for me, was a daily choice between McDonald’s, Taco Bell, Kentucky Fried Chicken or Pizza Hut. Then as now, these were the only available options for an American kid to get an affordable meal” (pg.241). This statement is very true and has been for a while. Fast food is very convenient, especially for teenagers. People are reaching obesity at a very early age and remain that way throughout their lives.
One out of every three Americans is obese and the majority of these obese people in the United States have eaten regularly at fast food restaurants. As the obesity rate increases, the number of fast food restaurants goes up as well. Although it is not certain, many believe that obesity in the United States is correlated to eating fast food. Since the United States has the highest obesity rate out of any country, it is important for Americans to monitor the fast food industry that may be causing obesity. With the pressure to get things done in a timely manner, fast food became a big necessity. However, when creating fast food restaurants, the industries were not thinking about the negative effects such as obesity. Other than obesity, other harmful effects exist as well. Fast food restaurants serve unhealthy products such as greasy foods and artificial meat that lead to dietary health issues in many adults and children. A recent study showed that “Young children who are fed processed, nutrient-poor foods are likely to become unhealthy teenagers, and eventually unhealthy adults. Now twenty-three percent of teens in the U.S. are pre-diabetic or diabetic, 22% have high or borderline high LDL cholesterol levels, and 14% have hypertension or prehypertension” (May, Kuklina, Yoon). The food that they provide is made to be eaten quickly, causing problems for the digestive system. Also, the health problems lead to the use for health insurance, which adds to the costs of Medicare. Health care costs will only worsen an already failing economy. Therefore, the government should regulate fast food restaurants in the United States in order to repair the deteriorating health and economy in America.
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.
It is no question to anyone that fast food is a major factor in the obesity epidemic that is currently sweeping through America. However, the question as to who is truly to blame – the servers or the consumers – remains relatively unanswered. If you ask David Zinczenko, author of the article “Don’t Blame the Eater,” the answer is clear. The blame of teen and childhood obesity belongs to the fast food industry. The industry takes advantage of young people with no other way to feed themselves, and fails to provide adequate nutrition facts to tell people exactly how much calories they are taking in. Children and teenagers with working or single parents are presented with an easy alternative to preparing their own meals, and parents don’t have to worry about the kid burning down the house trying to make themselves dinner while the parents are at work.
Every month, at least ninety percent of Americans visit a fast food restaurant and about forty- five percent of them make it a weekly occurrence. These statistics make it safe to say Americans are obsessed with fast food, but why are Americans addicted to these restaurants? Is it the low prices, quick service or the taste of the food? According to Eric Schlosser, the author of Fast Food Nation: The Dark Side off the All-American Meal, he believes “It’s easy, it's filling, and it's convenient and inexpensive.” Therefore, the consumption of fast food is now directly correlated to the obesity epidemic in America. Consequently, the recent obesity increase in the United States has labeled America the fattest country.
“For someone not to know that a big mac is unhealthy is ignorance, and ignorance is not the responsibility of the fast food industry,” (Daniel Speiser). The amount of fast food joints has largely increased which has become a problem for many people throughout the United States. Several people place the blame for the rising obesity among children on the rising fast food industries due to its convenience, price, advertising, and somewhat un-nutritional content. Some people even take it as far as court to place blame on the fast food industries and for those industries to make changes to their restaurants. The high percentage of obese children in the United States is not caused by the fast food industry. The obesity epidemic has other outside influences, the fast food industries have changed dramatically, and people should take responsibility for their own consumptions. It is time for people to stop placing the blame on others and take responsibility for themselves and their actions.
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.
It has become common today to dismiss the topic of obesity due to the fast food diets. In discussions about obesity, one controversial issue has been the effect fast food restaurants have on health. Many people today do not want to realize how badly fast food affects the human body. They also do not want to accept the fact that obesity has become such a major problem in today’s world. “Today, one in three adults is considered clinically obese, along with one in five kids, and 24 million Americans are afflicted by type 2 diabetes, often caused by poor diet”(Moss 477). On the other hand, companies president 's argue that it’s not their fault that people are becoming obese and developing other health issues due to their products. These companies
One thing almost any American can relate to is fast food. Statistics show that every day, 1 in 4 people eat fast food. Also, over the past thirty years, the prevalence of obesity and obesity-related diseases in the U.S. has risen sharply. Some consider that doing taxes is easier than eating healthy. Why is that? Has fast food taken over the health of America? Is the convenience of a McDonald’s restaurant on practically every street to blame? U.S. citizens should recognize what they are feeding themselves is hardly nutritious.
Obesity is a big social issue in America. Due to the popularity of fast food and other unhealthy foods, more and more Americans are developing health diseases and disorders. We should be getting the correct daily nutrition amount, but because of our fast paced lifestyles we sometimes do not have enough time. Fast food restaurants make it possible to grab a meal and go. We often do not pay attention to the nutrition amount, but are simply looking for a quick bite to eat that will fulfill our hunger. Fast food is assisting in the increase of obesity in America (“Phrase” par.2).