Is Fast Food the New Tobacco? Ashley Pohlod

    Is obesity a topic that should be regulated by the government or by personal responsibility? 

    I think the majority must come from personal responsibility and own desire to want to live a healthy lifestyle. In regards to the government I think it is important that we place emphasis on limiting unhealthy additives while making natural foods more accessible and affordable. 

    When reading Don't Blame the Eater By David Zinczenko he brings up the topic of fast food restaurants and the easy accessibility and how many Americans rely on the fast food industry. I would have to say that overall in America we value speed over quality and that is shown by the abundance of fast food restaurants we have. This leads so many people to obesity because it is the cheapest, quickest, and easiest choice that is provided in our country. It wouldn't be extremely strenuous to supply less processed food but it would take more time, effort, cost, and care and that is something America doesn't want to invest in. 

    We do have protection with the FDA and our government sets standards so that the general public is protected from harmful chemicals and additives but it seems like the bare minimum. Instead of educating society and supplying them with knowledge to understand how to live a healthy lifestyle we are supplied with a list of things on what shouldn't be done. We are taught what is bad for us but we still have no idea what is beneficial for our bodies. Radley Balko includes this idea in his article What you Eat is Your Business. Balko describes how the government isn't properly educating America with information leading them to feel encouraged to have good health. 

    Even when the effort is made to grocery shop and avoid the fast food restaurants we still find challenge  in creating healthy meals. The grocery store contains aisles upon aisles of food loaded with GMOs and additives approved by the FDA but still potentially harmful and can be an introduction to obesity. 

    Then when looking at meals that are homemade and include products like eggs, dairy, and meat which are animal products and also get approved by an organization called USDA. There is speculation within the What The Health Documentary about animal products and how they could be effecting the body negatively. If creating meals from scratch is a poor option as well it doesn't leave much for finding nutritious meals. Many of the statements that describe harm in consuming animal products have been clarified and have been reported to not be of extreme concern. 

    In considering how the government is related to obesity I think it is inevitable to say that it is not. The government has approved and supported many restaurants and food supplies that aren't overall generous on the body.  In other words I think America has made it easy to become obese with the options that are provided. 

    In my response I said that I think majority of the responsibility falls onto the individual and they ultimately decide their own lifestyle. In mentioning all of the flaws I see in Americas attempt in regulating diet I was only trying to depict how common and easy it is when that is all that is put onto display. 

    A healthy lifestyle is not only determined by what you eat. Many factors play into having a healthy body some including exercise, hygiene, and general functional health. Being active and maintaining your hygiene are two sensible things that can support a healthy lifestyle and counteract obesity. I think that is where the personal responsibility portion comes in and deciding to invest time into these is just as important as what you are putting into your body. 

    When a person becomes obese and avoids any opportunity or resource to support themselves better with hygiene and exercise I think that is a choice. The responsibility ultimately falls onto the individual and the choice is theirs to either make changes or continue living that lifestyle.