Friday, October 29, 2010
The Fight for Obesity
The amount of obesity in America is quite alarming. I find it quite amusing what the government is trying to do to stop this. Yeah sure these days school cafeterias are going for the "Gold Standard" for food. Some schools have reported removing soda vending machines. This is good for the kids, and a Big step for the government. Also restaurants and fast food places or any food place has to provide a a nutrition menu for people to see. Another big step. Especially Supersize Me has made a huge help. But is this really helping stop obesity? It may be slowing down the rate of obesity, but it won't eliminate the problem. Why? Cause look at all of the fast food resturant. Most are open 24 hours a day. So people can still go and buy burgers at 3 in the morning. Its all over their ads "Open 24 hours". The Government should be able to stop this. But i think that its just a waste of time. You can't stop people from eating good food. If the government places policies on like Mc Donalds and Bugerking and stuff like that then its going to hurt the economy. Big Time. But you see. We'll be healthier. So whats more important. Economy or Obesity?
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ReplyDeleteIn Jonathan N.’s blog, The Fight for Obesity, he argues who Obesity is becoming an issue in America. He brings out good points where certain places are changing the way how food is presented to the public such as school lunches, the removal of soda vending machines, and restaurants providing nutrition facts about their dishes. But are these minor changes really enough to fight against obesity though?
ReplyDeleteFor someone like me who works as a nurse and sees patients day in and day out with these long term complications, it's sad to see that most of these health problems were completely preventable if treated in the early stages. I agree that the government should step in and try to implement something to help control this scary phenomenon. Did you know that a small order of fries here in America is considered a LARGE order or fries in France? ZOMG! I’m never eating anything fast food or fries every again! It’s no wonder the Europeans are so thin and healthy. I’m pretty sure their public transportation system could also be another contribution to their healthy lives.
As Jonathan said what it boils down to is “economy or obesity?” Eventually, there comes a point where insane amount of profits will eventually return with a big slap to the face. The quality of life starts looking better rather than making profit at the expense of people’s lives. I believe by regulating portion controls and providing healthier fast food options, this will in return keep our citizens happy, slim, and most of all healthier! On top of being healthier, the need for insurance coverage and health care cost would dramatically decrease, and all of our tax dollars could be used for something of better use rather than paying for someone’s horrible eating habits and poor health conditions that could have been easily fixed by a simple regulation.
Thank to Jonathan Dao !!
ReplyDeleteI have learned that the US economy is the largest economy in the world, with one of the highest Gross Cosmetic Product per Capital. But, despite its position as the most powerful economy, it now faces many serious economic problems. I also have known that the obesity is definitely an epidemic of mammoth proportion in the United States. However, I had not known that the obesity problems have significant economic impact on America since I read “The fight for Obesity” by Jonathan Dao. He mentioned how the US Government is trying to fix the obesity’s problem by taking some “Big Steps”. He said that those “Big Steps” which are the “Golden Standard” in school’s cafeterias, the nutrition menu in the restaurant, and the “Supersize Me” video, have made a huge help. However, Jonathan said those big steps maybe slowing down the rate of the obesity, not eliminate the fat’s problem.
I agreed with Jonathan that those steps never can stop the obesity’s problem while there are so many fast food restaurants and most of them are open 24hours. The Obesity is more than just a personal health problem and the costs of obesity go far beyond individual costs. According to the “nutristrategy”, “Overweight and obesity costs total $147 billion in the United States. Direct costs include the cost of physicians and other professionals, hospital and nursing home services, the cost of medications, home health care and other medical durables. Indirect costs include lost productivity that results from illness and death”.
I think that the US Government never can force their peoples to stop eating fast foods and try to keep healthy eating habits. From my point of view, the US Government can start teaching prevention today and start guiding our populations into healthy lifestyles that avoid obesity, or the US stand to suffer a global financial crisis as result of out-of-control health care costs. Moreover, I believe that each person should know and control what they are eating by themselves.
In Jonathan Ninh's post, "The Fight for Obesity", he does a short, yet solid analysis of obesity today in America. Americans have tried to address the problem, but it is too late for this generation. Eating habits are formed as people grow up. In all honesty, it should not be up to our government, it is up to the families that make up our society to teach their children healthy eating habits. The only way our government can try and help the issue is by either requiring elementary schools to offer health courses or to include it in the physical education courses they already offer. Otherwise, the American public is in charge of its own eating habits.
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