Though America topped the charts at number one, this first place award isn’t exactly something to boast about. In a recent report it was discovered that the U.S. is the fattest country with 68% of Americans overweight. Not only is this issue concentrated on adults, but also on children today in the U.S.
After reading the article I couldn’t help but think about what I’m eating at the cafeteria. Personally, I go from section to section filling my plate with whatever catches my eye. What’s more is I usually have five meals a day, none of which are breakfast since I don’t wake up that early. Maybe this freshman fifteen is slowly creeping up on me, and others as well.
Some economists like Franco Sassi, blame the continued increase of obesity on lower food prices. Food that for the most part is not healthy by any stretch of the imagination. I agree with Sassi’s claim in light of various TV commercials. Think of how many times a day you see a Taco Bell, Burger King, or McDonald’s advertisement rejoicing over the fact they have a new 99¢ meal. Not only do the prices and meals vary, but also fast food places are remaining opened at all hours of the day. Clearly there is a market if more fast-food places are opting to stay “opened til late”, as Taco Bell says. The lower food prices in conjunction with late hours, suit the American market since people are always in a rush to get somewhere.
Unhealthy habits are trickling down to younger generations causing an increase in childhood obesity. Childhood obesity cannot only scar a child due to bullying, but also increases the child’s health risks. In my view, parents are to blame for childhood obesity. As mentioned earlier, many adults are too busy to make a home-cooked meal and thereby become fast-food addicts. Children then find fast-food an appropriate meal to settle for. On the other side of the spectrum technology hinders youth’s physical activity forcing children to choose playing video games and therefore be less active.
Check out both the article and the photos to see other countries that topped the charts. Have any opinions on this growing trouble that is affecting younger generations at a steady rate?
I think this is disgusting. And quite frankly just sad. How have we let ourselves as a society grow so out of shape? I'm not saying that everybody should be stick thin, but people should at least be able to be somewhat physically fit. The thing that bothers me the most is that parents are allowing their children to get this way. Parents are the ones that give their children the food they eat. And they are the reason many children think its okay to eat the way they do.
ReplyDeleteI think that we justify our out of control eating by saying that we are to busy to sit down and eat a healthy meal, in contrast to grabbing quick greasy food. Yet, I think we should all have a balance on what with eat and do it for our own physical health. Obesity in the united states has been an issue for quite a while now, but nothing really seems to change. We still love McDonald's and Chik-fill-a.
ReplyDeletePortion control is the main issue with American eating habits. We are so used to being served an entire plate of food and forcing ourselves to finish it when we are no longer hungry. Our society can't get enough of all-you-can-eat buffets. We have grown accustom to eating until we are too full to eat any more. The problem starts at an early age and only progresses as we get older and our metabolism slows down. Our generation can be the one to change this. By one day teaching our children to adopt healthy eating habits, this obesity epidemic can be stopped.
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