They say that fast food chains are contributing to health hazards by making people fat. They too say that restaurants like MacDonald’s increase the risks of obesity, which has been evidenced by the recent rise of lawsuits against fast food restaurants. In the essay, Don’t Blame the Eater, David Zinczenko states that a lot of young people fail to find alternatives to healthy foods giants (241). Additionally, lack of sufficient regulations about nutrition information that should be placed in fast food packages has led to misinformation when making food decisions.
David complains that fast food restaurants are the most affordable and convenient alternatives. They partly contribute to obesity due to lack of relevant nutrition information to help make purchase decisions. On the contrary, I say that while fast food restaurants should be more responsible, young people are obese because they love fast foods regardless of cost or convenience.
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"Blame the Eater".
I say that people are overweight, not because of the availability of fast foods but because they love McDonald’s. The definition of obesity cannot be limited to medical terms only. It has a cultural dimension and should be described in terms of stereotypes and poor lifestyle. David agrees that the bad habit is culturally glued to young Americas (242). While not defending fast food restaurants, maintaining a healthy lifestyle is a personal responsibility. It is true that the fast food industry is vulnerable and is not doing enough to help with the problem of obesity. McDonald is marketing foods with known health effects and no warning information.
Without such warnings, consumers are more likely to make wrong decisions and risk being obese (Posse 4). They can do well by placing warning information and telling young people about dangers of fast foods. However, lack of sufficient labels and other details does not make people think fast foods are healthy. It is known that too much of anything is poisonous. Consumers of fast foods are fully aware of the health risks such food poses to their health and make purchase decisions without caring.
There are a lot of affordable and convenient food options at groceries that are nutritious. Contrary to what David argues, these groceries and stores are available everywhere and offer healthy alternatives like fruits and vegetables. David states that people are fat since they are forced to consume unhealthy foods from the likes of McDonald’s since they are the most convenient options. Families decide to use these foods because of the surplus of the chains and the absence of healthy options (Posse 3).
For instance, one of the convenient and healthy foods available in most, if not all groceries is an apple. The population is in love with fast foods, not because they are affordable or convenient, but because eaters love the foods. It is a culturally embraced lifestyle that is embedded in the lives of young people. It is common knowledge that people should eat at most two meals per day in a fast food restaurant. Even if there are few alternatives to McDonald’s in America, it is an individual responsibility to practice good health.
David Zinczenko has blamed the affordability and negligence of fast food restaurants like McDonald to the rising cases of obesity in the US. He complains that fast foods are affordable and convenient compared to healthy products. He also notes that bad eating habits of young Americas have encouraged preference of healthy foods to fast foods. However, the menace of obesity should be blamed to a culture of eating fast food. The love for fast foods is deeply rooted in American society. People are overweight because they choose to consume unhealthy products, not because fast foods are affordable or convenient.
