Don't Blame the Eater
“Don’t Blame the Eater”
In David Zinczenko’s article “Don’t Blame the Eater” he focuses on the fast food industry and their role in the increasing health and obesity issues of our nation’s children, as well as these issues potentially becoming a serious problem that we will all have to deal with if we collectively don’t do something about it now. When it comes to the topic of fast food, most of us can agree that it is not the best source of nutrition. It is unhealthy and can be the cause of many serious health issues with our children such as obesity related Type 2 diabetes, stomach ulcers and even heart disease, high cholesterol, sleep apnea or even cancer. We can even agree that fast-food diets are a major contributing factor to the increasing rise in health care costs. Where the agreement usually ends, however, is on the question of whose responsibility it is to keep us well informed of the contents of these foods and of their potential health hazards. Whereas, some are convinced it is the responsibility of the fast food industry and our government, and even as I sympathize with these fast food eaters, I maintain it is the responsibility of the parent to teach their children to eat healthy and provide the ways and means to do so. In this society of fast-pace, easy access to almost everything and growing numbers of single-parent households it is too easy to fall into the traps of the deceitful advertising of fast food companies, not the mention their presence being on every other corner in our neighborhoods. Where are the alternatives for our children? As Zinczenko mentions, “Drive down any thoroughfare in America and…you’ll see one of our country’s more than 13,000 McDonald’s restaurants. Now, drive back up the block and try to find someplace to buy a grapefruit.” It is true; eating healthy can be a challenge and very expensive. In this economy who can afford to shop at Whole Foods or even buy a bag of oranges at Dominick’s? And yes, while the
In David Zinczenko’s article “Don’t Blame the Eater” he focuses on the fast food industry and their role in the increasing health and obesity issues of our nation’s children, as well as these issues potentially becoming a serious problem that we will all have to deal with if we collectively don’t do something about it now. When it comes to the topic of fast food, most of us can agree that it is not the best source of nutrition. It is unhealthy and can be the cause of many serious health issues with our children such as obesity related Type 2 diabetes, stomach ulcers and even heart disease, high cholesterol, sleep apnea or even cancer. We can even agree that fast-food diets are a major contributing factor to the increasing rise in health care costs. Where the agreement usually ends, however, is on the question of whose responsibility it is to keep us well informed of the contents of these foods and of their potential health hazards. Whereas, some are convinced it is the responsibility of the fast food industry and our government, and even as I sympathize with these fast food eaters, I maintain it is the responsibility of the parent to teach their children to eat healthy and provide the ways and means to do so. In this society of fast-pace, easy access to almost everything and growing numbers of single-parent households it is too easy to fall into the traps of the deceitful advertising of fast food companies, not the mention their presence being on every other corner in our neighborhoods. Where are the alternatives for our children? As Zinczenko mentions, “Drive down any thoroughfare in America and…you’ll see one of our country’s more than 13,000 McDonald’s restaurants. Now, drive back up the block and try to find someplace to buy a grapefruit.” It is true; eating healthy can be a challenge and very expensive. In this economy who can afford to shop at Whole Foods or even buy a bag of oranges at Dominick’s? And yes, while the