Are Fast Food Restaurants to Blame for the Nation’s Obesity Rate?
Nowadays, high obesity rates among Americans are one of the most pressing problems. Obesity is dangerous because it does not only affect people’s appearance and chances to find love, but it also has negative consequences for the human health. The latter include diabetes, heart disease, asthma, osteoarthritis, stroke, and even some types of cancer. All these health issues do not only have a negative effect on people’s quality of life, but also suggest that it will be shorter. Moreover, high obesity rates among children are extremely alarming. Many people believe that the existence of this problem is connected with a big number of fast food restaurants in America, but blaming these places is illogical and not helpful.
First, making fast food restaurants take responsibility for the nation’s obesity rate is not democratic. As a country that always guarantees people’s rights, America cannot interfere with someone’s business affairs, especially considering that it is legal. Such actions can turn the country into the authoritarian one for several reasons. Firstly, legal companies have the right to operate freely. Many corporations choose to operate in America and pay taxes in this country because they are sure that nobody will prevent them from working. If the authorities decide that the USA is not a place for fast food chains, it is likely that fewer companies will enter the American market in the future, which will result in the loss of tax revenues. Secondly, in a democratic country, the authorities cannot tell people what to eat. Thus, forbidding fast food chains can affect Americans’ freedoms.
It is wrong to blame fast food chains for their vast network because it exists only because of huge demand. They operate like any other company. If there is an increase in the demand for smartphones, firms produce more devices to meet it. Thus, there are so many fast food restaurants only because people often go there to spend their money. Therefore, individuals can control the number of such places by choosing to attend or not attend them. If so many people think that fast food restaurants cause any harm to their health, they can choose not to spend their money there, but it does not happen for some reason. Maybe competitors of such places are interested in their closure more than the average consumer is.
Fast food restaurants cannot be responsible for the rise in obesity cases because many other companies produce goods that are dangerous to people’s health as well. Yet, the authorities have not forbidden these products so far. Even if fast food chains cease to be present at the American market, there is a variety of other ways, using which people can harm their health, for example, through drinking soda. Usually, this beverage contains much sugar, food additives and food grade dye. However, few people refuse from consuming soda. Potato chips are also harmful to human health. This product is high in calories, and people who are fond of them are likely to gain weight. Everyone knows that these products are not safe and consumes such because it is his or her choice. Moreover, attending fast food restaurants is one’s personal choice as well.
People will not stop consuming unhealthy food even if the authorities do not only forbid fast food restaurants, but also other harmful products, such as soda and chips. In fact, it is possible to cook everything delicious but dangerous at home. Many people love eating pastry even though these products contain more calories than a person should consume per day. People who do not have a sweet tooth prefer greasy pasta, homemade pizza with much filling, or very nutrient lasagna. Thus, they will eat more than they should, disregarding the existence of fast food chains.
Fast food restaurants cannot make the nation healthier even if they are closed, but they can try to participate in the fight against obesity. For example, they can add the number of calories to their menus. This contribution is unlikely to change the overall picture largely, but it may prevent some individuals from falling off their diets. A person who is unaware of the exact number of calories that he or she should intake may not pay attention to them in a menu. However, the one with the experience of keeping any diet will get scared when he or she notices how many calories a cheeseburger contains. As a result, this person may refuse from eating it or may eat half of it. Anyway, adding calories to menus is not difficult, but it is worth trying.
Obesity among Americans is a complex issue, and many factors contribute to its existence and rise in particular. Overeating and eating unhealthy food is only one factor. Besides it, Americans’ lifestyle has become less active, and it is connected to many issues. For example, people move less because of the addiction to the Internet. Instead of going out more frequently, they prefer staying at home closer to their personal computer. The fact that the Internet is present in smartphones does not make people more active as well. Americans’ lives have also become more stressful. Because of constant depression, people are more apathetic and reluctant to take care of their appearance and health. Eating one burger per month is not enough for becoming obese. The problem is that people refuse to limit themselves. Moreover, they are not in charge of their lives, and fast food chains are not at fault of their indifference.
Fast food restaurants are not responsible for people’s poor parenting. Although many persons blame fast food chains for childhood obesity, their employees do not catch children who pass by and make them eat their food. Parents take their offspring to these places. It is not surprising that children get used to eating junk food. Taking into account that many of them spend most of their day surfing the Internet nowadays, they start having weight problems since childhood.
Some people argue that fast food chains should be banned because they offer food that is not only delicious, but also cheap. Therefore, even if people realize that this food is unhealthy, they choose to eat it because they cannot afford a healthier alternative. On the one hand, this argument seems sound. On the other hand, it is related to economic problems, but not to particular enterprises. High unemployment rates and tuition fees make the nation consume junk food, and fast food restaurants are not related to it. Therefore, instead of thinking how to prohibit fast food chains, the authorities should consider improving living standards.
To conclude, it is easy for people to accuse fast food restaurants of everything bad that happens to them. However, it does not necessarily mean that it is right. Banning fast food restaurants will not reduce the nation’s obesity rates. Thus, instead of wasting time to prove the fault of these places, people should look for a way to make the nation think healthier. When people do this, they will start to eat healthier food, become more active, and manage to fight against their depression. It is a real solution to high obesity rates.
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