Americas Obesity Essay

The McDonald’s Corporation wants to be everywhere that children are. The number of obese children has more than doubled since 1980. Many people blame the fast food industry for making the people of America fat. Most of the people in America blames the companies for selling their unhealthy food, advertising and promoting their food to young children, and creating super sized servings. Having said that, there are people who believe that it is the person’s fault for being an unhealthy and obese person. Weintraub’s article â€Å"The Battle Against Fast Food Begins in the Home†, argues that America shouldn’t be blaming the fast food industry or the government, but instead the parents. Weintraub explains how it’s the parent’s responsibility for their own child’s health and I agree with him. I, personally blame consumers but in this case the parents are the one to be blamed since their children are not old enough to understand how fast food affects our health. People are able to make their own decisions in life and every decision should help us in a positive matter. Before we are able to make right choices, its our parents responsibility to teach us. Parents should be able to teach their children on how to make wise choices. Everyone chooses for themselves and the choices we make should reflect on our life style and well being. In Weintraubs article, he states how he treats his kids in his own home and the strict rules he has set for his children to follow. His home is a fast food , free zone or shrine to physical fitness. Weintraubs family tries to cook meals at home as much as possible. They limit television time and he encourages his boys to get out of the house, to either participate in school sports or other outside activities. Weintraub recommends having health care foundations â€Å"encourage these kinds of simple policies in the home† and maybe we might just see a slight change in America’s obesity problem. Clearly fast food companies promote their food to children because they are easier to persuade and manipulate. Many children see McDonald’s advertisements while watching television and they immediately react to it by telling their parents they want to buy this or that. Som etimes parents aren’t able to cook a home cook meal so they turn to fast food. Most of the time their children wanted that in the first place. There are many situations where fast food is the only choice parents have because it’s fast and affordable. In our economy affordable is what everyone wants. Fast food locations are everywhere and anywhere. Weintraubs loaded gun analogy, â€Å"We have laws against parents leaving a loaded weapon where their children can find it and use it to hurt themselves or others. But no one seems to want to tell parents that they need to protect their children from unhealthy foods and sloth.† I agree with what he is trying to portray. In my family, my mother works seven days a week, barely has time to cook a mea. but she still forbids us to eat out or buy fast food. She knows how unhealthy fast food is for people because she has worked at McDonald’s in the past and that could be the result of not wanting us to always eat fast food. It just really all depends on what your parents want you to do. It is the parent’s job to take the initiative for their kids health. Diabe tes accounts for $100 billion a year in health care costs today. The center for Public Health Advocacy took data and the center said, 26 percent of school children are overweight. More boys (32 percent) than girls (21 percent) were overweight. The center blamed the increasing consumption of fast food and drinks, larger portion sizes, availability of junk food on campus, advertising junk food, and the lack of consistent physical education programs in schools. The outcome of that was authors recommending the state enforce an existing law requiring an average of at least 20 minutes per day of physical education, nutritional standards for schools, and working water fountains. Out of all 20 recommendations, only one focused on parents. Authors suggest that schools be required to provide parents with fitness test results on their children and information about the importance of daily physical activity for learning and lifelong health. Weintraub states in his conclusion, â€Å"Before we start talking about banning fast food, let’s do more to encourage personal responsibility.† I have the same opinion and agree with Weintraub. We aren’t forced to eat fast food, we just choose to. Parents should teach their kids at an early age that there are alternatives and other ways to prevent obesity. It is the child’s parents who is accountable for their choices. More organizations should inform parents that they need to influence better exercise and keep track of their child’s eating habits.