However due to sales, deals, catchy slogans, and it’s simple convenience, we are forced into making the decision of getting fast food without realizing it thus displaying lack of personal responsibility. People who believe blame resides in companies often say the damage is near reversible, however this could not be more wrong. Fast food consumers must be more responsible when it comes to eating healthy. Simple things like looking at the calorie count on the Big Mac
Dara Pierre English 101-IN Why not blame the eater?? There is an inherent responsibility that each of us to undertake and making healthy food choices is one of them. In David Zinczenko’s article “Don’ Blame the Eater”, published in the New York Times, he argues that fast food vendors are responsible for the growth of obesity and diabetics in young adults. He contends that fast food vendors like McDonalds, Burger King, Taco Bells and Pizza Hut are really the only options for young adults that are affordable. Consumer’s are responsible for their selection in foods and if they chose to consue products that give no nutritional information that is on them.
In his essay, “Don’t Blame the Eater” (They Say / I Say, Third Edition, 2014), David Zinczenko claims that the lack of information and healthier food options in the fast food industry are causing an outbreak in childhood obesity in todays society. He uses his own personal experiences with fast food and he lays out certain statistics to cater his thesis. David grabs the audience right away within his first paragraph by using a counter argument and then begins to describe his personal experience with fast food as a child. He shares his childhood experience by saying that living in a single parent household steered him in the direction of fast food like McDonalds and Taco Bell because there was no healthier alternatives (241). David continues on by giving some statistical evidence that the incidents of childhood diabetes is quickly escalating as well as the cost of related health care in America.
If the many families of our societies and the government don’t start to control the situation, then it will always be a major problem within our households. It is true that fast food is promptly available it doesn’t mean the habit should be avoided. I believe the epidemic on child obesity with fast food consumption can be solved by first solving the problem with the parent. It will take time to eliminate the problem with the consumption of always eating fast food but it will be a start. Whether if the government decided to take action related to fast food for the cause of child obesity.
David Zinczenko believes that fast food companies are the only reason of children’s obesity. To tell you honestly, my feelings on this issue are mixed. I do support David’s Zinczenko position that we should blame fast food companies for children obesity. But on the other hand, I am not sure if only fast food companies are guilty. I agree with the author that there should be more information about negative side effects and warnings about the possible diseases, but also I have always believed that parents and teachers play a big role in children’s lives.
Children need guidance in developing social competency to meet need, deal with stress, accept themselves for their strengths and weaknesses, and recognize how the media and popular culture influence their decisions. Lawsuits have been made over the year against these fast food places blaming them for their children’s obesity. They suggest that if there were healthier food choices and food labels on the food then maybe the obesity rate wouldn’t be so high. While he has valid points, he overlooks the personal viewpoint of the parents and their own self responsibility. Zinczenko claims that “Many single parents claim that working long hours and having low income contributes to why their children eat the way they do” (153).
Prof. Neuman ENC 101 March 10, 2014 “Don’t Blame the Eater” Summary “Don’t Blame the Eater” by David Zinczenko points out how easy it is to go and buy unhealthy food. Due to the growing expense of the fast food industry, unhealthy food can be purchased at any fast food restaurant, but the numbers of nutritional restaurants are declining. If you drive down any street, you will find more than one fast food restaurant, but if you drive back up the block you will not find a place to buy healthy foods. As an obese child, David recalls the limited options of nutritional food in and outside of his household. Parents today are allowing their children to eat more fast food because it is fast, convenient and seemly affordable.
Essay responding to the articles of Radly Balko and David Zinczenko In the reading “ Don`t blame the eater “ David Zinczenko talks about obesity, growing as a result of fast food eating and he argues about whose responsibility this is . Is it the food company`s responsibility for not providing accurate nutrition information, or is the costumer`s responsibility, especially teenagers, for eating fast food meals on a daily basis ? David Zinczenko relates himself to these kids by telling about his personal experience and how the separation of his parents affected his lifestyle by making fast food his only available option to get affordable meals. Another reason that makes people become more addicted to fast food, other than
He recommends that in search of a better way to serve customers, the fast food industry has negatively infused its way into the American culture. Schlosser brings to light plenty of shocking facts like how the actual cost of a Happy Meal is determined and how it manipulates the children to persuade their parents to treat them out to McDonalds. A growing awareness of the connection between diets and disease is slowly but surely taking hold in the minds of consumers. Natural and organic foods are becoming more popular across the country. However, our government hasn’t taken the steps that most
Steven Betancourt Professor Rosenblithe English Composition I Section L16 Assignment (OC essay 2) September 10th, 2013 Don’t Blame the Eater In the article that David Zinczenko published in the New York Times, Don’t Blame the Eater, he is conveying his argument about the business of the fast food industry and how it has affected millions of Americans all over the United States. He begins to tell his story of his own challenges that he personally dealt with when he was a child and was consuming multiple loads of heavy calorie fast food on several occasions. When Mr. Zinczenko made the title Don’t Blame the Eater he did it because there is a reason why all these fast food restaurants became so successful, by only telling the consumers the things they wanted them to know. Some of the main points that he was making was that how low cost the food was, how easy it was to find a fast food restaurant compared to somewhere with a more healthier selection, and the amount of money that has only been spent on advertisement alone. The fast food industry spends more time trying to sell its products to people that they only spend time on the price and how it looks not the nutritional value or the health hazards that it brings to others.