Who Is To Blame? Daniel Weintraub’s article, “The Battle Against Fast Food Begins in the Home,” argues “26 percent of school children (in California) are overweight.” (42) So who’s to blame for this epidemic? According to Weintraub, “It’s the fault of parents who let their kids eat unhealthy food and sit in front of the television or computer for hours at a time,” (42) Many of our country’s people blame the fast food industry for over-advertising, selling unhealthy food, and selling oversized portions. However, others such as Weintraub argue that obesity is a matter of parent responsibility. I do agree with him at a certain degree that parents are the ones to blame instead of fast food companies.
According to the American Heart Association the bad fats that many children eat in early childhood may lead to coronary heart disease which is number 1 cause of death among americans (Clay Mcnight). All frozen or pre-heated foods that are served to kids, indeed has advertised by using recognizable symbols such as the two golden arches from McDonald's. A survey of american schoolchildren found that 96 percent of children could identify Ronald Mcdonald (Clay Mcnight). The website “Processed Kids” notes that “one fast food meal can include hundreds of chemical additives”. The food children will eat is not what you will find in an average cookbook.
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. He made a point to show health concerns with being obese and eating fast food regularly, such as type two diabetes which has risen about twenty-five percent since 1994. This raise in diabetes also requires much funding for the United States to spend to try to find a cure. David explains how there is very few alternatives for the youth of America because those health alternatives are more expensive and harder to find. False advertising is also another unpleasant practice that fast food companies use to lure in costumers.
When they see that it makes them want high and fatty foods. Some even cry for it. Parents don’t realize that they are hurting their children when they give them the lots of junk food. Some just don’t want to hear their children mouth. For each extra hour children spend watching TV children gained more than two extra pounds of body fat.
Childhood Obesity Majority of children in today’s society are decreasing the time spent in physical activities as they are spending more time playing video games and watching TV. Due to their sedentary behavior they are increasing the level of excessive body fat to their weight (Whitker, Robert). This issue of childhood obesity has become an epidemic in America. The Colorado University research shows that within last couple of decades the obesity level among children and adolescent has doubled (P. Kendall). The increase in excessive body fat leads to serious health problems such as high blood pressure, type two diabetes, and other serious health risks (Estarbrooks, Paul).
Statistics show that a child with two obese parents has an eighty percent risk of becoming overweight, and a child with normal size parents has only a forty percent chance of becoming overweight. Another risk factor is meal patterns, shipping breakfast slows the metabolism down which slows down the process of digestion. Eating too much fast food is the highest risk to take for meal a choice. Watching television or playing video games instead of playing outside or exercising is a bad choice. Childhood obesity is often the result of genetics and environmental factors.
Obviously our kids are becoming overweight with all of the unhealthy choices they have to choose from. Childhood obesity in the United States has grown at a phenomenal rate in the last few years. You would think this is an easy condition to treat but unfortunately it’s not, it is actually quite difficult. Kids are becoming less active and their eating habits are virtually non-existent. The annual cost to treat obesity is nearly two billion dollars.
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.
With many children experiencing obesity, the economy markets are affected because the way children are forced to change the way they eat. Some companies will benefit from the change whereas others will suffer a loss. When the demand for a certain product rises because obese children have to change his or her way of eating it affects the market of supply. Affecting the market of supply lowers the consumption of certain products and raises the demand for healthier food items. This also causes a change in the sales of clothes as children losses more weight, affecting more than one demand and supply
Childhood Obesity in Minorities and the Efficacy of WIC Childhood Obesity in the United States is an escalating problem, especially amongst minorities in the underclass of American society. There are many factors which influence this epidemic, such as diet, exercise, and access to healthy foods which are all directly correlated to the socioeconomic status of minority children. Texas WIC (Women, Infants and Children) is a nutritional program that assists pregnant women, new mothers and young children by helping them eat well to stay healthy. WIC is designed to provide nutritional education, counseling and nutritious foods to low-income women, infants and children (Texas WIC 2010). While WIC has been, overall, considered effective by research,