Sunday, February 20, 2011

Chapter 2: Her POint Is in They Say, I Say

Propose
There are many causes that contribute to the epidemic of obesity. Obesity statistics have doubled in today’s society throughout many children and adults. According to David Zinczeno’s article “Don’t Blame the Eater,” the industries have a huge contribution to why the statistics for obesity have doubled. David states that some causes of obesity are due to a lack of access to healthier foods, food management, expense, and not monitoring what is being consumed. He argues that children are left alone to eat at fast food restaurants because their single parents are not home to cook. He implies that industries are making a fortune trying to supply the needs of children; the only thing wrong with them providing for children is that their doing it in an unhealthy way.
I agree with David’s position because fast food industries should advertise the amount of calories that one consumes from eating their food. I would also recommend that industries could do is create a stand filled only with nutrition fact cards. By doing so, it is the costumer’s responsibility to find out what they are consuming, as long as the nutrition fact cards are being provided, lawsuits will no longer be applicable. Although, industries are trying to fulfill the empty void that the parents are too busy to fill, they could at least think of the effect that their products are doing to society. Being obese is life changing; those who are obese or on the verge of becoming obese are at risk for obtaining many diseases that could determine the outcome of their life. In order to help solve this epidemic, parents need to be more aware of what their children consume and industries need to be aware of what they are supplying to society.
Oppose
In the article, “Don’t Blame the Eater,” industries are subjected to playing a huge part in the obesity epidemic. The author David Zinczeno implies that industries are supplying unhealthy foods to those who are unfortunate to have cooked food at home. He indicates that it’s the industries responsibility to monitor what they supply to its customers. Industries have contributed to a large part of the obesity epidemic because the food is cheap; we have easier access to it, and quick service. Even though industries should supply information on what their serving, it is still the responsibility of the parent to monitor what their children eat.
I contradict David’s statement that industries should take on the responsibility on monitoring what they serve to the community. It is the parent’s responsibility to monitor what they children consume if they are going to have a say so in the outcome of their children. I understand that single parents have to work to provide for their family, but they still have children to look after which is an even larger responsibility. Even if the parent could not cook for their children, they should at least make sure the person or people looking after their children know the limitations on their child’s eating preferences. Parents should be more responsible and knowledgeable about the dangers that their children are exposed to. The dangers that are in society is not just being physical with others, but it is the little things, such as consuming fast foods more than twice a day, that could have a long term effect on a child especially as an adult. Things that a parent should consider, that most fail to do, is monitoring their children as well as themselves body mass index (BMI) to keep track of their weight. Doing so will not only help them keep track of their weight, but it will tell them where they are at on the obesity chart. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention states that this chart consists of four categories: underweight, healthy, obese, and overweight. Each has a specific range that you would fall into after calculating your BMI which is found by dividing your weight (lbs.) by your height (inch) squared and then multiplied by 703. I agree that industries play a huge part in the obesity epidemic but parents play an even larger responsibility in which their children are involved. Parents should not be abler to sure a restaurant when they are part of the supplier. If it wasn’t for the parents as well, then the children would not have a way to buy the food. I say, “Don’t blame the industry, blame the parents.”

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