Regulate Or Not To Regulate Essay

Obesity is becoming one of the major problems for society. All Americans have become vulnerable victims of their own products of food, also considered as their prosperity. Many health doctors believe that the key to the United States obesity problems lay in the not healthy(toxic) environment in which people work, live and spend their quality time. America is an environment where supersized portions are normal, and huge grocery stores fully stocked with snacks like cookies, frozen foods, and many sugary cereals as cinnamon toast crunch. Temptations to eat a high-calorie meals are everywhere. American children are exposed to delicious, savoring junk food on commercials every time they turn the TV. Especially in poor neighborhoods, it has become

It has become common today to dismiss the idea of personal responsibility, however, Radley Balko,  author of “What You Eat Is Your Business,” has not. The article, published on Monday 23, 2004,on the website Cato Institute, reminds us of the importance and significance of personal responsibility in dealing with obesity.  Additionally, he argues that  government’s  attempt to  restrict American diets and without consumers being  held accountable for their unhealthy lifestyles is useless .

Many children of today are faced with the undeniable issue of obesity and other severe health conditions rooted from unhealthy eating habits and lack of exercise. When analyzing children from the mid 1970’s to now a significant increase in child obesity can be detected. This statement conjures the question who is responsible for what children are consuming and the opportunities that are made available for them. Instinctively humans are given free will to make choices for themselves; however, at a young age parents are the one’s who are making the decisions. Many adults are appealed by cheap, fast, and accessible which perfectly describes junk food. Given the choice of a healthy dinner or a pizza, when comparing prices, majority of people would choose the latter of the two. In terms of aiding this obesity epidemic the government also needs to step up in supporting the community both financially and socially. The government has access to a wide range of resources that can contribute to inflating the

In Radley Balko’s essay “What You Eat Is Your Business,” Balko argues that what we put into our bodies is our business, not the government’s, and that personal responsibility should be primary in our nutrition choices. I agree wholeheartedly. However, while I do agree that personal responsibility is paramount, in the new age of the Affordable Care Act (which had not been implemented prior to Balko’s writing), it is becoming hard to say that the government should stay out of my business, when healthcare is now, by law, the government’s business. Critics of personal choice argue, like David Zinczenko does in his essay “Don’t Blame the Eater,”. These two authors both help me understand each other that the government must regulate the fast food industry similar to how they regulate the tobacco companies. How absurd it is that the government needs to regulate my waistline?

Obesity has been framed as a topic of personal responsibly for a long time. For many, the fundamental notion has always been that if you stop eating junk food and eat “healthy”, you will maintain a healthy weight. According to the U.S. Centers of Disease Control’s 2007-2008 Health and Nutrition Examination survey, it was found that 73.7% of all Americans 20 years old or older were overweight, obese, or extremely obese. That is a lot of fat people and it is hard to believe that fast food alone is responsible for 70% of adult Americans being overweight.

Obesity is a continuing problem in the American society. Obesity, occurs when, the amount of energy taken is more than the energy released (Abraham 237). The growing obesity rates could be slightly declined by the availability of more affordable, healthier foods and the decline of these temporary quick fit diets, many Americans put themselves on as a means to get fit. The opposing viewpoint may suggest that obesity can be fixed simply by shopping for better, healthier food choices in grocery stores and learning how to count calories to maintain a healthy weight; but that simple solution may not be an achievable solution for every American. Furthermore, the difference of cost between healthy compared to unhealthy foods is completely outrageous. Numberless people strive to go into a grocery store and select all of the healthy food options of their liking; however, healthy food options cost more and are seemingly unaffordable compared to junk food. The government should regulate the prices of junk and healthy food as a means to combat obesity in America, so that all persons can achieve good health.

Radley Balko, the once editor of the Huffington Post, argues in his essay “What You Eat Is Your Business,” that personal responsibility is necessary when it comes to the food you ingest and your health. Balko goes into detail about how the government should not have a hand in what consumers eat or where they eat by discussing initiatives the government has put in place. Anti-obesity initiatives such as the request for more food labels and the restriction of junk food in vending machines at schools are becoming more popular and causing the American population to not take responsibility for their own health choices. American’s well-being has become an issue of “public health” instead of being an individual concern.

In an article written by Radley Balko titled “what you eat is your business” published on May 23, 2004, Balko informs us that giving the government control of the food industry is not the correct way to fight obesity. He points out that a few of the things that the government is doing already to try to control what students eat at school, and some ideas that congress are considering to help reduce obesity. Something that Balko mentioned related to putting focus on individual duties as a person, to take care of themselves by monitoring personal food intake, instead of everyone else’s unhealthy choices. He says that by giving government control of it, takes away the personal responsibility. Balko thinks that because the government is not allowing private healthcare to increase

The government with all of its power is now trying to tell you what you can and cannot eat. It is true that America has an obesity problem but people’s freewill should be respected in regarding individual lifestyle choices. Americans should have the freedom to choose what food they eat and the lifestyles they choose regardless of the impact on their health.

They consistently advertise products that are appealing to certain age groups because of their sweetness, tang or whatever, and evidence suggests that children exposed to junk food advertising express greater preference for these types of food (Khullar 127). It’s no wonder that people struggle to think for themselves when it comes to eating. They have no room left for thought when they are constantly exposed to what the media and food companies want them to buy. Plus, when the food tastes good as advertised, there’s no need to try and bite the hand that feeds them. Unfortunately, by killing the need to decide their own diets, they are contributing to a country overrun by obesity. The processed foods being marketed are filled with ingredients the body isn’t meant to digest and as such the body barely can. And it’s not just that, but the large volume of foodstuffs available has given people the opportunity to over-consume. They no longer eat to sate hunger, but to continue gratifying their taste

We live in a world where we acquire the necessities we need through simple means. One of the main things that we need, food, can be acquired through groceries and food markets. They present us with options that comply with almost every preference that customers are willing to buy. With the variety that they present, may it be organic, naturally grown, or processed the problem of obesity comes along. Abundancy of food has taken a toll on the weight of humans, especially Americans. It affects one – third of the adult population in the United States, the numbers are about 78.6 million Americans who are affected by obesity (Obesity Society). Obesity can be caused by a number of reasons not only because of the food that we intake (National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute) and it has also affected and continues to affect the health of numbers of people (Center of Disease Control and Prevention). There are times that we fail to take notice that it is a problem that needs solving. When is the right time to make a change? Are the changes that we have already implemented enough for Americans to take it seriously? What are the ways in which we can prevent this from happening to children? There are always going to be a bunch of questions that we

The environment in which people live in plays a huge role in the choices people make when it comes to food and activities. The subliminal marketing and the easy accessibility of junk food makes America a toxic place to live. It’s tough for individuals to make the right choices when bad influences are woven into the fabric of society. What can we do to fix this widespread epidemic that is affecting the country? Small changes in a person’s lifestyle can have a drastic effect on their health. Weight gain is closely linked to “a high intake of potato chips, potatoes, [and] sugar-sweetened beverages” (“Obesity in America”). So a change in a person’s diet to a healthier one can be very beneficial. Also, exercise and physical activity can help protect against sudden weight gain. Another culprit for obesity is TV, it is one of the biggest enemies of exercise and the friend of snacking. Under the protection of the First Amendment, manufacturers have the right to promote their products freely, regardless of the negative effects it has (“Pounding Away”). Thus, many people are overly exposed and tempted by many junk or fast food products that are heavily advertised. Putting down the remote and exchanging hours of surfing the net for leisure exercise can significantly change a person’s well

The United States government brainwashes society with the idea that they know what is best for them, but according to obesity rates in America, they are wrong, and in most cases, with some knowledge, only one’s self knows what is best. With a government that is struggling to fix their economy, the reason the government recommends certain foods is just like anything else, and that is money. A twenty piece chicken Mcnugget at Mcdonalds is five dollars, and a large fountain drink is a dollar-fifty. Compared to pricey vegetables and other produce, that is clearly the easiest, and affordable lunch. Even though the USDA (United States Department of Agriculture) tells society to stay away from junk food, they simultaneously make ingredients for the

"Health is like money, we never have a true idea of its value until we lose it" (Josh Billings, 1865). A healthy lifestyle is dependent on the choices of an individual 's diet. Junk food will fulfill the desire of one for a short period of time. However, a healthy and maintained body will fulfill the need throughout one 's entire life. Therefore, is maintaining an unhealthy diet full of sugar and life-threatening junk the perceptive decision? As perceived, healthy food habits are not something that should be averted, thinking it is petty. In fact, it is a serious matter that destroys many lives and thoughtful actions must be conveyed immediately. Hence, it must be mandatory for YRDSB schools to ban junk food as it will reduce the high chances of obesity, cause students to stay concentrated during class and require students to stay active.

What if tomorrow’s news headline read, “U.S. GOVERNMENT BANS THE SALE OF KRISPY KREME DOUGHNUTS?” How would the country react? According to a study released by the National Center for Health Statistics (2008), “32.7% of American adults were overweight…an additional 34.3% were obese, and that 5.9% were extremely obese” (McGuinness 43). Americans are overweight and obesity is the cause of tens of thousands of preventable deaths in the nation each year (McGuinness 42). The nation is suffering a public health crisis due to overconsumption of nutritionally void food and beverages where “unhealthy eating and sedentary living has become the societal norm” (McGuinness 46). Some believe that the government should intervene by regulating American’s diets; however, others maintain that government intervention would set a dangerous precedent by undermining individual freedoms. Allowing the government to intervene is a slippery slope and could potentially lead to more intrusive actions (“Slippery Slope” 1). Instead of abrogating personal choice the government should re-evaluate the support it gives to institutions that contribute to the obesity epidemic.