Is Fast Food the New Tabacco?
Jasmine Reese
Title: Is Fast Food the New Tabacco?
Professor Rosen
Contemporary Literacies
2/16/23
There has been a grueling search for a resolution in tackling obesity. In this case the topic of fast food being the new Tobacco is very controversial. This topic exemplifies the fact that fast food can not only be addicting but also a major money source. There were many factors revealed in the possible cause and effect of obesity such as fast-food restaurants, and the government which played a role as well. In the article What You Eat is Your Business by Radley Balko, stated some interesting points in which my group members and I selected and examined. Within the article there were some arguable ideas as well as agreeable ones. For example, in the article it stated that as a resolution "Congress is considering forcing restaurants to send their menus for review to labs to make sure they aren't serving unhealthy food choices." My group members and I came to the conclusion that this would arguably be an issue that wouldn't benefit the aspect of fighting obesity. This idea would cause restaurants to be negatively impacted financially because consumers would no longer be interested in buying something else in replacement for what they actually want to eat. In addition to that, restaurants who refuse to send in their menus would face the repercussions of going out of business due to their menus not being accepted.
Next, the article also stated that "If policymakers want to fight obesity, they'll halt the creeping socialization of medicine, and move to return individual Americans' ownership of their health and well-being back to induvial Americans. I can concur with the ideas and points my group members also made that no one should be nervous in trying to better their lives. The public should not fear that they may not be able to afford healthcare in seeking medical attention. The government does not take accountability in what they are advertising and promoting which consist of unhealthy foods. Although obesity is not completely the government's fault, they have a major role in obesity and its cause and effect. For example, this is revealed in the documentary called What the Health. This documentary reveals how health organizations as well as pharmaceutical industries are actually the ones benefiting financially from franchises that cause these major health issues such as fast-food restaurants. As a result, this idea distributes the truth of the government's influence on obesity and many other diseases.
On the contrary, in the article Don't Blame the Eater revolves around consumers taking responsibility for their bad eating habits. For example, it stated that " Kids taking on McDonald's this week, suing the company for making them fat. Isn't that like middled aged men suing Porche for making them get speeding tickets? Whatever happened to personal responsibility?" I can partially agree with the fact of self-accountability. However, CEOs and major franchises seek to bring in or generate as much money as possible, even if that means false advertising. For example, all of the fast-food restaurants promote delicious foods, and happy meals for kids, but not revealing the unhealthiness within these products. With that being said, I believe that obesity should be government regulated as well as self-accountability. If we all work toward better alternatives and lifestyles it would benefit society financially, emotionally, physically, and mentally.
Documentary (What The Health)
Well done, good use of the resources.
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