Is Fast Food the New Tobacco?

                                                       Is Fast Food the New Tobacco? 

        By term, addiction is defined as "a chronic, relapsing disorder characterized by compulsive usage of any substance,  behavior, or activity." Although treatable, some people who suffer from any type of addiction tend to have problems admitting they have one to begin with. Then you have the remaining group of addicts; who don't show much remorse because their treatment is being paid for. On estimate, one out of three Americans are considered obese; linking to major health concerns. Despite existing solutions such as diet and exercise, obesity continues to be a nationwide problem because the idea of a healthy diet gets out of control when we don't really know what exactly we are putting into our bodies. A Netflix documentary titled, "What The Health" contributes to the major questions and conflicts that evolve around overweight Americans. Throughout the documentary, Kip Anderson explains to his audience how the standard American diet is too high in animal products, leading to heart disease, diabetes, and cancer. Various meats and diary products that we are told is a "healthier" option are accompanied by added chemicals and cholesterol, which debunks the concept of a "perfect" product for consumption. 

        Countries, in general, run and are equipped by the assistance of money. The government has openly advocated for programs used to help chronic diseases such as diabetes and cancer, but in order for those programs to continue its effect, what must be done? More health related cases. According to Anderson's documentary, the government and health organizations promote animal products because the power of meat and diary companies have contributed funding and sponsorship dollars to these health corporations. Working as a duo, it's important to note that "the meat and dairy industry spends at least $557 million annually to get the government to promote their products" and "...spends at least $138 million lobbying congress to influence food and health laws." While this elevates the country economically, the main question remains if obesity issue should be government regulated or remain personal responsibility?

        Author Radley Balko's "What You Eat is Your Business" is a comprehensive article that discusses the manner of blaming the "wrong doer" for the consumption of fast food. The simple response for what causes obesity would be factors such as genetics; but Balko adverts to the idea that our personal choices effect our lifestyle and relationship with food. He goes about how the government interferes with this agitation and instead of having the individual consumer reverberated, they punish a vast majority when it comes to the health care system. Throughout the reading, I agreed with his proposal that, “Instead of manipulating or intervening in the array of food options available to American consumers, our government ought to be working to foster a sense of responsibility in and ownership of our own health and well being.” (Balko 396) While fast food has been made an easy access to its consumers because it’s simple to obtain, it’s fair to note the responsibility to those who consume fast food at an unhealthy rate and not those who gradually live a different lifestyle in terms of diet. Overall, the author favors sole responsibility to those who clog their arteries by choice and that the government should limit their involvement when it comes to situations of personal choice. 

        David Zinczenko's article "Don't Blame the Eater" begins with a nostalgic backstory of being overweight himself during his adolescent years. From his perspective; taking his past into consideration, Zinczenko agrees with the commend that, "There are no calorie information charts on fast food packaging, the way there are on grocery items." (Zinczenko 392) He goes slightly about his idea that there should be labels for those who don't know much about nutrition. Maybe with warning labels, food consumers would be able to make better food choices. But that comes to us does it not?

        To answer the placement of this health dispute, obesity should remain a personal responsibility. It's unfair to punish society as a whole, as they are the ones paying for the treatment of those at fault. When acting upon personal choice in these types of scenarios, it's important to comprehend the saying, "let food be the medicine and medicine be the food".            

Kip Anderson's Netflix Documentary "What The Health"

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Obesity Rate Trend in the U.S