Obesity+Essay

====America’s struggle with obesity has been a problem for years. During the past 40 years the obesity rate among preschoolers has doubled and children ages 6 to 11, it has tripled. This crisis doesn’t have only one to blame. Most think it’s the fast food companies and their unhealthy food, but whatever happened to the personal responsibility of us Americans? I will address the two sides to this issue and give my personal opinion on the matter.====

====Most of us will same that “fast food chains are targeting low-income minority communities.” Because fast foods are so cheap, people with less money don’t buy healthy foods. Instead, they go to the local, easy fast food restaurant and get more food for a less amount than fruits or vegetables. “Customers are paying for this industrial food system with their health.” These low-income customers only have access to the unhealthy fast foods while “the wealthy will always eat well” because they can afford it.====

====Along with making their products cheaper for poor and working people, fast-food companies also increase the portion sizes to appeal to their costumer without damaging their profits. “If you put more food in front of people, they eat more, as studies have constantly shown over the last decade.” Before many people were obese and before the serving sizes were increased, consumers said that the food wasn’t and healthier than it is now, but that they simply ate a lot less of it. Over time it’s shown that “cheap food induces people to eat more.”====

On the other side o the issue, people say that children's parents are the primary role models. "Nearly one-third (30 percent) of California's teenagers are overweight or obese." Well, where were their parents when all this food made them fat? Why didn't they're parents help their kids eat healthy? Research reminds us that "good dietary habits start at home". Parents behaviors can positively or negatively influence their children's health. If the parent is overweight or obese, the chances are great that their children will be too.

"The wonder of it all is not that 60% of Americans are overweight or obese, but rather that 40% of us are not." Us 40% have the common knowledge that fast-food is bad for our bodies and our health. While the other 60% don't care what they're putting into their bodies, as long as it tastes good and is easy to get. People who don't know what they are doing is bad for them, think that it's fast food companies fault for making them obesse, but in reality, it's their own.

In my opinion, I believe fast food companies should at least inform their consumers of what they are eating, but also the consumers that are about to eat something thy know nothing about, should know better than to put it into their body. This majority of Americans are becoming lazier and lazier and have not taken responsibility of their own health and well-being. I think it's common knowledge that fast-food is bad for you, but I still have it occasionally. Unlike those people who eat fast-food for almost every meal, I am not about to throw my life away on junk.

Obesity in America is increasing and the blame for this problem will stay undecided. While most of us blame fast-food companies for giving them unhealthy foods, others find its entirely all our faults.