Tate Roll Period 2 10/9/09 In the article “The Battle Against Fast Food Begins in the Home” by Daniel Wientraub the author states that childhood obesity has been declared as a state of emergency. The Author believes that it is parents, not children, who are to blame for childhood obesity. I agree with the author's statement that parents are to blame for childhood obesity because I have witnessed it within my own family. The article states that teenagers have been filing law suits blaming McDonald's for their health problems. But what these kids do not know is that their parents are actually the ones to blame.
As many people would recognize, there is a rising obesity problem in America and there are many influences that could contribute to this. Fast food is not the healthiest choice but, they should not be to blame for making children obese. In David Zinczenko’s “Don’t Blame the Eater” he talks about how the obese population is blaming fast food companies for their health situations. He begins his argument with what he observes as a ridiculous headline, which is that kids are suing McDonalds for being fat. David starts by teasing these overweight individuals that are bring a lawsuit against McDonalds, but then later admits that he used to be overweight as a child and was able to change his life around.
Obesity has become a serious problem in America, including children. But who is to blame? Is it the kids, fast food, or the advertisements you see on television? Daniel Weintraub, author of “The Battle Against Fast Food Begins in the Home”, states his opinion that it is the parents’ fault. I completely agree with Weintraub and believe that they should take more responsibility.
MODEL CRITIQUE* Critique of Greg Critser’s “Too Much of a Good Thing” Citing statistics on the alarming increase in the rates of childhood obesity, especially in the industrialized West, Greg Critser (L.A. Times Op-Ed, 22 July 2001) argues that parents can help avert obesity in their own homes by more closely supervising the diets of their children, serving reasonably sized portions, and limiting snacks. Critser, who has extensively researched obesity in his book Fat Land: How Americans Become the Fattest People in the World (Houghton Mifflin 2003), argues that through education we can create a leaner cultural norm, much as the French did earlier in the century when faced with a similar problem. The stakes for maintaining a healthy body weight
The article “Junking Junk Food”, by Judith Warner, is one that explains two sides to the national obesity problem in the United States. She starts her article by talking about Sarah Palin's objections to the “Obama nanny state” which she believes is out to infringe upon the peoples right to eat whatever they please (401). Glenn Beck is also cited in her paper as objecting to the idea of government regulation. His anger over the issue includes reports of government health inspectors shutting down a 7 year old's lemonade stand (401). With about two-thirds of Americans being obese, the Obama administration has been fighting hard to help Americans with the issue of obesity.
Personal Responsibility This article is titled “Don’t Blame the Eater” and is written by David Zinczenko. He writes about how the fast food industry takes advantage of the younger generations because of their ignorance and their lack of parental supervision. He talks about how he can sympathize with the fat people who are suing the fast food industries because he himself was obese as a child. He writes “By the age of 15, I had packed 212 pounds of torpid teenaged tallow on my once lanky 5-foot-10 frame.” He blames the fast food industry for the weight he obtained while he was young complaining about the lack of choices he had. He argues that kids, especially teenagers, have no other alternative claiming
I believe that David Zinczenko in his article submitted to the New York Times “Don’t Blame The Eater” makes a good case for how society should be concerned about a generation facing a lifetime of childhood obesity, Type 2 diabetes, heart diseases and other related health complications. However I find that I feel personal responsibility should be the governing factor in this matter. Mr. Zinczenko asks in his article “ Shouldn’t we know better than to eat two or more meals a day in a fast food restaurant? ” Yes we should because although specific warning labels aren’t found on fast food packaging we’ve known for years that fast food consumption on a daily basis is hazardous to your health. There’s information readily available about childhood obesity as stated in Zinczenko’s article where he notes that “Before 1994, diabetes in children was generally caused by genetic disorder-only about 5 percent of childhood cases were obesity-related, or Type 2 diabetes.
While some argued that it is the fault of food industries, and for some, fault of consumers, it can easily be resolved with two words: self-responsibility. Therefore, consumers are definitely the ones responsible for the current epidemic in this country. The first reason why consumers are responsible for America’s obesity epidemic is because consumers are the ones that choose what to eat and feed their children. There are many alternatives to fast food but most people rather not take their time to prepare for a healthier meal. In “The Battle against Fast Food Begins in Home”, author Daniel Weibtraub tries to convince parents to take a stand and fend off obesity in their homes.
Summary: What You Eat Is Your Business In What You Eat is Your Business; Radley Balko argues that the government is employing multiple means to combat obesity, such as using the media to promote an anti-obesity campaign; using health initiatives to ban junk food in schools, applying tax dollars to create more sidewalks and bike trails, demand more labeling from food companies, and pushing that same industry to be more accountable. As David pointed out all this action is “bringing [the] government between you and your waistline”. David explains that politicians have already clung to the idea. President Bush allocated millions of dollars in the federal budget for that very campaign. Schools across the country have already begun to make changes to the health options they offer on the schools campuses.
Daisy Corona Mrs.Montgomerey English 4 20 August 2012 Fast Food: Who’s to blame? Daniel Weintraub’s the author of “The Battle against Fast Food Begins in the Home” implies that American children with in the years have gained unnecessary pounds due to fast food and the only ones responsible to that concept are the parents. He affirms that the parents are in the best position to fight the epidemic of overweight children. I agree that Parents are responsible for teaching healthy eating and exercise habits. It is time to get parents to take the same responsibility to protect their children from unhealthy foods and lack of exercise.