Obesity In America

In discussion of Obesity in America, one controversial issue has been that fast-food has been causing obesity in America. On one hand, Radley Balko author of “What You Eat Is Your Business” argues that the government shouldn’t have any say so on what people choose to eat no matter how fattening it is to the people. On the other hand David Zinczenko author of “Don’t Blame the Eater” contends that it isn’t the people fault that there are become obese, but it is the fast food corporation’s fault that people are becoming fat due to the small amount of healthy restaurants in big cities. Lastly John H. Banzhaf III author of “Lawsuits Against Fast-Food Restaurants Are an Effective Way to Combat Obesity” argues that although it is the fast food fault that people are becoming obese it is also the people fault that they are becoming obese because they know what they are eating and whether it’s healthy or not. My own view is that the government shouldn’t decide on what should and should not eat; it should be your own personal business on what you decide to eat whether if it’s healthy or not. We also shouldn’t blame the fast food corporations for the obesity problem in America because the people should know what to eat and what not to eat on a regularly basis.

Obesity in America has been a huge controversy for years; each article has something to do with how obesity has affected the lives of many Americans. Some authors believe that it is the fast food corporations fault, some believe that it is your own fault and you have to decide whether you want to eat more healthy or not, and others are in the middle of the argument.. Having someone to tell you what you can and cannot eat is un-American, the whole reason why people from countries where they don’t have voice, move to America to be able to voice their opinion and have freedom. If America was to take that freedom away then were no better than those countries that doesn’t have that freedom of speech, even if it is as small as what we decide to eat, freedom is freedom.

The first article “What You Eat Is Your Business” by Radley Balko talks about how the government is cracking down on the food industry and attempting to control on what the Americans eat. Balko also mentions that “President Bush earmarked $200 million in his budget for anti-obesity measures” (158). Balko contends that measure by saying “This is the wrong way to fight obesity. 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 ownership of our own health and well-being. (158) Balko ends the article by saying that we are much more responsible for others health than our own which isn’t helping the problem at all. I firmly believe we can make better choices about our own diet if we can stop worrying about everyone else’s diet so I completely agree with what Balko is stating. Balko’s article seems to be disagreeing with Zinczenko’s argument. Balko is saying that the government should keep their noses completely out of the American people’s food plate and that if we constantly worry about others people health we can possible focus on our own health.

The second article “Don’t Blame the Eater” by David Zinczenko talks about how we shouldn’t blame American’s for being fat because of the lack of healthy alternatives in fast food restaurants. Zinczenko talks about how teen youth doesn’t have many options to choose from other than fast food, “Shouldn’t we know better than

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