Blaming Fast Food Restaurants for Obesity Let’s face it; everyone loves a Whopper every now and then. Yet we are all aware that one too many can bring on dangerous and life-threatening results. Obesity is a growing problem in the United States and more and more children are being affected. But do uneducated families have the right to put the blame on fast food restaurants for their health issues they could have easily prevented? I believe that we are taking it too far by blaming fast food restaurants for obesity and that it is an individual’s responsibility to take the blame.
Most children are not prone to these kinds of diseases until later in life, as adults. In a book, “Fast Food Nation” written, by Eric Schlosser he says "If you look at the rise of the obesity rate in the United States, it has grown pretty much in step with the rise of fast-food consumption... and now it's
The American heart society organization showed that obesity is increasing due to the increase in fast food restaurants. As a result of the absence of physical activities, the only way to lose weight is to reduce the number of calories being eaten and to increase the level of physical activity. Thus, another solution is to cut out junk foods and fast food restaurants and start eating healthy food plus start having a healthy life style. Parents must encourage their children to eat healthy and
Yatin Patel Noel English 101-132 December 2, 2010 The Future of America is Fat Childhood obesity is quickly becoming a major crisis for children across the nation and around the world. According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, “Approximately 300,000 deaths a year in this country are currently associated with overweight and obesity” (“Satcher”). Also, statistics from the article show that, “Obesity incidences among American children have dangerously climbed from 5% in the 1980s to 15.3% in 2000” (“Fighting”). Schools are partly to blame for childhood obesity because of the high-fat, high-calorie, and sugary food they serve. We have a crisis on our hands with childhood obesity on the rise.
The United States spends six to 10 percent of healthcare on costs caused by obesity compared to 2 to 3.5 percent in other western countries (Schwarz & Peterson, 2010). Schwarz and Peterson (2010) also explained that adolescent obesity affects the nation’s ability to serve and protect. This is because more than a quarter of 17 to 24 years olds are not fit enough to enroll in the armed services due to being overweight. Adolescence is a crucial stage for implementing and influencing health behaviors. Many of the habits formed during this timeframe will last well into adulthood (Schwarz & Peterson, 2010).
ENC 1101 09/23/11 Negative aspects of McDonald’s on Teenagers Fast foods have become increasingly popular among Americans, including teenagers. Due to increased advertising and the Americans' fast-paced lifestyle, fast food restaurants have raised exponentially, becoming multi-millionaire industries and harming the health of their consumers. A regular meal at McDonald's consists of a Big Mac, large fries, and a large Coca-Cola drink, all this combined goes up to 1,430 calories. A diet of approximately 2,000 calories is considered a healthy amount of calories for an entire day. This may vary depending on several factors such as age, weight, height, physical activity and gender.
Not only does it put them at risk when they are younger, obese children also tend to become obese when they are adults, causing them to have the same, if not more serious health problems. I think that eating healthy and a lot of physical activity is important for children to help them stay healthy. But one large factor that I feel gets over looked when it comes to childhood obesity is how unhealthy food is advertised, and how big of an effect what everyday children watch on the television really does have in the rising of obesity rates. I think that the fast food and advertising are at huge fault for childhood obesity. The fast food industry knows that putting a toy in their kids meals will make young children want to go to their restaurants, rather than restaurants where they go in and sit down and get no toys.
Mainly because it is fast, inexpensive and tastes good. The downside is that most fast foods tend to be high in fat, calories, sodium, cholesterol and sugar. More eat fast food today Eating away from home is becoming more common, particularly at fast food restaurants. Many adults rely on fast food daily for lunch because it is fast, predictable and inexpensive. As the pace of the American lifestyle increases there is less time to prepare a home-cooked meal, which leads many families to stop at the drive-thru on their way home.
Busy and cash-stapped families increasingly rely on take-out food for family dinners, and regular consumption of over-sized portions of fatty foods can lead to widespread obesity” (Murphy 1). When people buy fast food, it is usually because they are in a hurry and need a quick meal. With advertisements of fast food chains
The benefits of developing healthy eating habits include a life free of crippling diseases. Unfortunately, the lack of attention that has been paid to childhood obesity directly affected its continuing rise. There has been documented evidence of the continued rise in childhood obesity. "During the past three decades, the incidence of childhood and adolescent obesity has more than doubled in the United States, coupled with increases in the severity of pediatric obesity and the prevalence of illnesses associated with obesity among the pediatric population". But just like the evidence of the problem, there is also documentation that supports how it can be rectified.