Obesity has rapidly evolved from a subsidiary concern to a national health epidemic. According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, about 33.8% of U.S. adults and 17% of children are obese, and this statistic does not include those who are merely overweight.
Most of the population is quick to place the blame on the growth of fast food restaurants in our country. It is very hard to ignore the fact that this year Americans will spend over $110 billion on fast food; more than they’ll spend on movies, books, magazines, newspapers, videos, and recorded music combined.
However, I still do not believe that fast food is the cause of obesity. Rather, I see it as a mechanism that leads to obesity. There are several true causes that directly lead people to eat more and eat fast food.
Instead of looking to blame someone or something immediately, Americans need to take a long look at themselves and see that they have the choice to eat at these establishments.
With obesity, it is very tough to pinpoint one, specific cause because there are so many. Therefore, it is more beneficial to look at all the various factors that lead to obesity.
Most of us would list fast food as the top cause of obesity, but I believe that this is a rather premature and ignorant judgment to make.
Fast food is not a cause; it is a secondary force that can lead to weight gain, meaning that other causes lead people to fast food, and ultimately obesity. There are some instances in which these causes lead straight to obesity and do not even involve food.
Therefore it is impossible to label fast food as a cause, because food is food, and we choose what enters our bodies and how we use the calories we take in.
I am in no way denying the fact that fast food is very unhealthy and certainly leads people to become obese. I am simply arguing that there are several causes that lead people to eat fast food.
No one forces us to eat fast food, but this is better said by Bonnie Modugno, McDonald’s Chief Nutritionist, who proclaimed that “there’s nobody at McDonald’s shoving fries in your mouth.”
For the most part, obesity is a direct result of personal choice. There are plenty of options out there, and in America we have the freedom to choose where we want to eat, therefore, we cannot blame the fast food establishment if we are the ones deciding to eat there.
Our free will allows us to make our own decisions day by day. Practically every cause of obesity points back to the individual and the life choices that they make. The rest of the causes are supplemental to the individual who is affected by them.
The freedom of the individual is what America is all about. It is also all about capitalism. Capitalism is a free market economy controlled by the consumers.
It is the job of the consumer to decide which business succeeds or fails based on their support and demand for the business or product.
You cannot blame fast food for obesity because the only reason they exist is because individuals in the population have approved and supported that particular fast food chain.
The government cannot control or shut down fast food, only we can. Therefore, the blame must be solely placed on all the Americans that faithfully support McDonalds and restaurants similar to it.
In these troubling economic times, it is natural for people to search for the cheapest foods possible. For the most part, this turns out to be fast food such as McDonalds. However, Subway offers a six-inch turkey sandwich with 280 calories and 3.5 grams of fat, for the same price as a Big Mac with 540 calories and 29 grams of fat.
This simple fact highlights the stupidity in blaming the prices of food for obesity and an individual’s choice in food.
McDonalds, Wendy’s, and practically every other fast food restaurant offer several salads and other healthy choices for their customers.
This once again only further reiterates my point that obesity is caused by an individual choice; because that person is choosing to eat unhealthy even though a healthy alternative is offered.
The rise of technology and its widening influence on our culture is another major cause of obesity in America.
According to businessweek.com, U.S. kids spend about 8 hours a day (on average) with media and technology.
If some of that time was spent exercising or playing sports, I believe the aforementioned statistics would be significantly lower.
Even an unhealthy and high caloric diet can be balanced out with a high calorie burning workout routine.
The lack of exercise and other activities to burn the calories consumed in a day is another major contributor to obesity. Once again, this is something that we can control, within the obvious limitations of injuries and disease that would prevent someone from exercising.
I understand that certain medical conditions prevent people from being able to maintain a healthy weight. Besides these rare occurrences, I believe it is impossible to blame fast food for our body weight.
As obesity continues to plague our country and its inhabitants, it is vital to pinpoint the true causes of this national epidemic.
Instead of blaming fast food for obesity, Americans need to look at the personal choices that they make on a daily basis and realize that they are the only who can turn the tables (no pun intended) on this national health trend.
Zach Heppner
Viewpoints Editor