Pay particular attention to your argument's structure and flow, what we will call "coherence" in class. Also, indicate the structure of that argument using the various methods of transition we will discuss in class on Wednesday.
Please post by Thursday at 5 PM to allow all of us to check out your writing and make useful comments in class.
At the heart of The United States’ battle on obesity, and subsequently diabetes is the fast-food industry. Still, fast-food consumption has been increasing over the last three decades. Furthermore, people that ate at a fast-food restaurant more than twice a week “gained an extra ten pounds,” and “had a two-fold increase in insulin resistance.” In spite of these bothersome statistics, no one will claim responsibility (society or fast-food corporations). Society as a whole believes they can consume anything without consequence. Believing that only harms society, especially the children within. Throughout the world, McDonald’s Golden Arches are more recognized by children than the Christian Cross. Those children are being brainwashed by multi-billion dollar fast-food corporations at an early age. They are then transformed into repeat customers as an adult. If that trend continues, millions of Americans will end up obese with diabetes. The most coherent solution would be to pressure the corporations and the government into acting more socially responsible. However, even if this could be accomplished, Americans would be more willing to be fat than give up their fast food.
ReplyDeleteOne of the biggest groups at fault for the rampant spread of fast food in America is the advertisers for the fast food companies. These advertising groups are extremely devious in how they send their message, meaning they gloss over the dirty facts of poor health due to fast food and do their best to appeal to the kids of America. The advertisers for the fast food companies don’t care at all about what is best for the general health of Americans, they only care about the profits of the fast food companies, because they are positively related to their own profits. I believe that these advertising groups should be legally obligated to send more cautionary messages and make the unhealthy aspects of fast food more obvious to America. However, they are not legally bound to be more transparent In sending their message, meaning they invariably manipulate the minds of Americans with their advertising campaigns. That being said, as long as advertising groups continue to send their foul and misleading messages to the unwitting masses about fast food, the unhealthy alternative of eating will continue to be a nationwide epidemic.
ReplyDeleteThe availability of healthy alternatives to fast food is a main argument in whether or not fast food causes obesity. Regardless of the options that fast food restaurants have, they are not to blame for anyone’s obesity. There are plenty of healthy and convenient options for meals. In his essay, David Zinczenko claims that healthy food is difficult to find, but grocery stores, which are even called convenience stores, are also extremely common. Furthermore, one trip to the local Wal-Mart can supply someone with days and weeks of food. That makes going to a grocery store, which has healthy options, more efficient than eating fast food. Zinczenko also states that healthy options at fast food locations are not truly healthy when the “450-calorie super-size Coke” is accounted for. First of all, a super-size Coke should not be part of a healthy alternative. Also, someone pursuing better nutrition at a fast food restaurant should be ready to take special measures to be fit. According to helpguide.org, it can make fast food eating healthier by placing a special order, drinking water, and “undressing” the food. Healthy alternatives are available, consumer simply need to put effort and desire into being healthy.
ReplyDeleteAn argument I hear about a lot is whether or not fast food restaurants provide enough healthy alternatives to choose from. Many people say that the fast food industry doesn't provide a decent amount of options, causing people to choose unhealthy and become more obese. However, the only person that can be blamed for a person's obesity is themselves. David Zinczenko states that people find it hard to find healthier foods, but in reality, people are just looking in the wrong places. Going to McDonald's for a salad is like saying you're allowed to eat ice cream because you are drinking a Diet Coke. Even though it is called a salad, coming from McDonald's there is still going to be unhealthy aspects about it. Going to the grocery store and buying the needed ingredients to make a salad is a much better choice. It may be more expensive at first, but buying a head of lettuce can make you four to six bowls of salad, where if you go to McDonald's you only get one. According to the USDA, a head of romaine lettuce costs $1.95, while at McDonald's a cobb salad costs $4.79. The other ingredients of a homemade salad will cost more, but you also get more meals out of making the salads yourself.
ReplyDeleteThe blame for health issues caused by fast food falls more so on the people who eat it than it does the companies who sell it. In his essay, David Zinczenko states that the only available options for an American kid to get an affordable meal are McDonalds, Taco Bell, Kentucky Fried Chicken, and Pizza Hut. However, there are other ways that a parent could put together a cheap meal for their children that is healthier than fast food. For example, two loafs of bread at UDF costs only $2.00. A jar of peanut butter costing around $3.00 can also be purchased. Then a quick run to a market, grocery store, or convenient store can provide you with a pound of bananas for under $1.00. With spending only $6.00, a mom and three children could eat peanut butter sandwiches and a banana instead of spending $8.00 for each of them to get a hamburger and fries off the dollar menu. There would be plenty of bread and peanut butter left over for future meals, and the $2.00 difference could be used to buy a pound of carrots to add vegetables to the meal. If used right, the same $8.00 spent at McDonald’s could be used to purchase a meal that contains grains, protein, starch and vegetables.
ReplyDeleteFast food is not solely to blame for the obesity epidemic in American. The high cost of healthy food, lack of exercise, and lack of education on nutrition and wellness in schools is also to blame. In What You Eat is Your Own Business Radley Balko stresses that it is the individual’s responsibility to take control of their health and make healthy choices, but in reality if the resources aren’t available to the people, or if the costs of healthy foods continue to soar, then they cannot make well-informed decisions. If fruits and vegetables were low cost, and if fast food places offered more healthy options besides salads and apple slices, then it would truly be the individual’s responsibility to make healthy choices and avoid gaining weight.
ReplyDeleteThe large corporations and giant chains like McDonald’s are sadly to blame for America’s obesity epidemic. A major reason that Americans are getting fatter and dealing with more health related issues from over indulging in fattening McDonald’s food is that the corporations are increasing marketing. Marketing is a huge business for McDonald’s, according to David Zinczenko in his article “Don’t Blame the Eater” McDonald’s and Burger King spend $1 billion dollars on advertising costs. The blaringly persuasive commercials then begin to contaminate people’s minds especially the young and impressionable. For instance, Yves Engler in her article “Obesity: Much of the Responsibility Lies with Corporations” cites a survey that even as long ago as in 1998 that out of 10,000 children asked whether they recognized Ronald McDonald in the US 100% said they knew who he was, 98% of Japanese children recognized him, and the United Kingdom had a still high 93% recognition rate. Thus, it is easy to see why the US population is growing fatter as McDonald’s infects children’s minds with commercials they will want the fatty and unhealthy food again and again. And this ‘infection’ can lead to Type 2 diabetes which according to the National Institute of Health in 2002 accounted for 30% of all new childhood diabetes cases compared to the 5% in 1994 it used to account for. Furthermore, those children eventually grow up and have to get medications or surgery to deal with the effects of a lifetime of bad eating habits. McDonald’s knows that advertising works, which is it why in 2003 when Engler’s article was published McDonald’s spent 40% of its advertising budget on advertisements targeted to children. Therefore the growing obesity epidemic is caused by the big corporations such as McDonald’s and not the fault of individuals when their only choice is to consume the fattening food as the commercials tell you.
ReplyDeleteFast food is not the main reason America is fat. The news won’t tell us that because that’s not what we want to hear; we rather blame someone. However, we need to take personal responsibility. We are not forced to eat at McDonalds; we can pack a healthier and cheaper sandwich from the store, which is more convenient. If we don’t have time for the store than we should still choose the right food off the menu. Furthermore, if a kid doesn’t know what’s healthy on the menu and goes for what he saw on the hundreds of commercials, well that is also due to the poor responsibility of the parent. For example, Zincenko’s parents were always away but that is no longer an excuse because parents have more remote control today to supervise their kid’s habits. A parent’s responsibility is to make sure their kid exercises and doesn’t spend too much time watching television.
ReplyDeleteThe Fast Food enterprises that control most of what some individuals eat should not be held solely responsible for the obesity epidemic, some of the blame should go to the individuals who eat the unhealthy food. Those who buy unhealthy food are not forced to eat it. The one reason that does keep people coming back for the unhealthy food is the low cost and time commitment. If all food was able to be produced similarly, there would be plenty of other healthy alternatives that a regular fast food customer would be able to buy. As of today, they would have to spend more time planning meals and saving more money to afford the new healthier lifestyle. The economic situation as it is now will not be able to support the increase of healthy food consumption.
ReplyDeleteThe fast food companies are to blame for the rampant obesity problem in America, because of their decision to mislead the masses. Across America we have people who are pigeon holed into going to fast food restaurants and despite their lack of options try to make good choices. But these people are the ones who are gaining the most weight. Because when they stick their fork into that salad they think they’re making a healthy choice, when in reality that salad is just as unhealthy as a cheeseburger. But because of the misleading advertising, and nutrition facts that these chains provide this under privileged population suffers. If the Fast food chains were held to higher standards on how they have to display nutritional information about the food they sell, making healthier choices would be easier.
ReplyDeleteFast food is one of the number one causes of severe health problems in America. According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), eating fast good more than twice per week is associated with more weight gain and insulin resistance in otherwise healthy young adults. This also increases the risk of type 2 diabetes. Diabetes is also a major risk factor for heart disease. All of these health problems have been traced back to the excessive intake of fast food. The NIH has also stated that fast-food consumption has increased in the United States over the past three decades. This statement also explains why certain health risks have increased over the past three decades. The NIH has suggested to keep portion sizes small, and ask that high-fat sauces and condiments be “on the side” to reduce calories and to be ultimately more healthy.
ReplyDeleteI feel the consumers are to blame for the health care problems relating to fast food. What we eat is our decision. I feel it is unfair to blame anyone or anything other than ourselves for our own decisions. Advertisers, one might even call them manipulators, do in fact play a part. However, you cannot blame them for successfully selling their product. Furthermore, the fact that the public sector gets so involved with health care only makes the situation worse. This is because bad food eating decisions are only reinforced by someone else paying the price. For example tax payers and the government pay for the health care of someone who has had too much fast food and now has a heart condition. Hence, there are many factors that influence a consumer’s decision to eat fast food. However in the end of the day it is the consumer’s decision and he alone is responsible for his actions!
ReplyDeleteThe responsibility for the health issues associated with fast food lies solely in the hands of the consumer. While some may argue that companies' methods of advertising and lack of conspicuous nutritional information have great influence over consumers, the fact is, no one is being forced to eat it. In fact, it is widely known that fast food is unhealthy, and yet, millions of people continue to consume it every day. Sure, one could argue that he only has time for fast food, but the alternative must also be considered. Without the convenience of fast food restaurants, the person with "no time" would simply have to fit cooking into his schedule, or go hungry. Fast food restaurants, like any other business, run on the principle of supply and demand. That being said, it is ultimately the consumer's responsibility to determine what goes into his or her body.
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