It is clear to many people that the combined eating habits of a majority of Americans are lacking in better judgement. The overall health of the country has become, and continues to be, a deep issue in which people are beginning to take a stand against. In Mark Bittmans ' article "Bad food? Tax it, and subsidize vegetables," he makes the argument that it is the governments duty to the people to look out for their well-being by taxing "bad food," such as chips, sodas and other fatty foods, and with the extra money generated, create a program that benefits the American diet. Many people may disagree, this is a stance in which I side with due to many reasons.
Although this is not happening, the benefits clearly outweigh the "damages" that people think will occur. People may argue that increasing the price would be "unfair" to the poor population, which it may seem like at first since maybe all they can afford is the cheap fatty foods. In the long run though, with the more money that is generated from the taxes, the expensive, healthier foods will eventually lower in price, therefore benefitting the poor financially and physically. Other people may "resent" this idea
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The fact that this will also not just be a "blanket tax" across all junk food but rather calculated by experts about which foods should be taxed and exactly how much the tax would be should be a comforting thought to those who fear this will put a burden on buying their favorite snacks. However all the experts are busy with more "pressing" matters such as "ethanol subsidies." I believe that the people who are against this proposal are the one who are not struggling financially but are just saddened that they wont be able to go out for a cheap midnight snack with their
In his article Are You Responsible For Your Own Weight?, policy analyst Radley Balko argues that the Government has no business interfering with what individuals eat. Kelly Brownell, a Yale Chairman, and Marion Nestle a New York University professor state otherwise by arguing that the Government should intervene to create conditions that lead to healthy eating. Balko has a strong argument led with in depth examples, logical support, and credentials to support his tone along with minor fallacies. Kelly Brownell and Marion Nestle fail to go more in depth about her argument, but rely heavily on trying to counter the claims given by the opposing side. The lack of rhetorical devices in her article and inadequate organization weakens her tone as well as the appeal to their audience.
In David Freedman’s essay How Junk food Can End Obesity, Freedman makes the claim to policy arguing that instead of demonizing processed foods, Americans should instead support the idea and production of healthier processed and junk foods. He calls on the public to recognize that while many products on the market these days are labeled as “wholesome” and “healthy”, consumers should learn to become aware of the fat and calorie content in these products because many times they have the same- if not more- fat and calorie contents as that of a typical Big Mac or Whopper. In his essay, Freedman primarily places blame on the media and the wholesome food movement for the condemnation of the fast and processed food industries saying, “An enormous amount of media space has been dedicated to promoting the notion that all processed food, and only processed food, us making us sickly and overweight” (Freedman), he further expresses that this portrayal of the
In America, there are many things that are kept in the dark, which sometimes doesn’t come to the light, unless it is exposed. Michael Pollan and Jim Hightower both expose the truths that aren’t always too apparent in the eye of the beholder, which in this case, is Americans. They both unveil lies and tell truths, which in the end, is more than beneficial to the American society. In a letter to the future President of the United States, Michael Pollan acknowledges the troublesome in food in our society.
It is important for writers or anyone who makes a claim to provide reliable supporting details because it will make their claim effective and trustworthy. There are times where writers make try to make claim and it ends up lacking credibility which is what happened to an author named Michael Pollan when he tried to make a claim during an interview. Michael Pollan believes that it is best to take the organic route when it comes to food instead of eating food that is processed and he expresses this while in his interview on NPR’s Science Friday with Ira Flatow. In the interview he uses effective claims that have support, which include where he explains how Americans need to spend more time and money on food. Although he makes another claim that is not well supported where he explains how people should eat based on their past traditions.
It would only change what is at school. Students aren't going to change their whole diet because one meal is changed. changing the school food to become healthier will not have much of an impact. It could lead to students to stop buying lunches. students would start to pack lunches that can be much more unhealthy than what the school lunches originally were.
It positively affects those services because it is requiring that all restaurants which include fast-food chains and vending machines to display total calories of food items and have nutritional information in writing. This is a major step forward in improving the nation’s health. By giving people the option to see how “healthy” and “unhealthy” the food they are consuming is, people may now be prone to making better choices rather than having negative health effects down the road. The major groups that support this policy are Registered Dietitians and Dietetic Technician’s. This group is seeing preventive steps occurring that support obesity and cardiovascular disease which therefore can hopefully improve the health of this nation.
In Mark Bittman’s talk, entitled What’s wrong with what we eat, he discusses all the food we waste and how to reduce our food waste. Due to all the meat we eat, “livestock is the second-highest contributor to atmosphere-altering gases and produces more greenhouse gases than transportation” (Bittman). Livestock also contributes to land degradation, air and water pollution, water shortages, and loss of biodiversity. However, Bittman is quick to point out that the problem isn’t the cattle, but how we use them. We are producing cattle simply to eat and much of the meat they produce is simply thrown away if it is not purchased by a certain date.
The amount of unhealthy food consumed in America goes well beyond McDonalds. In fact, you have to go no farther than your local grocery store to find equally as terrible food choices. For example, in recent years the government has put out warnings against eating fat in excess, which lead many big food companies, from yogurt to Wheat Thins, to send out new products with “less fat”. However, products with “less fat” actually have nearly twice as much sugar. Many studies have shown that sugar in excess is much worse than fat.
In “What You Eat Is Your Business,” Radley Balko tackles the issue of who is responsible for fighting obesity. Balko argues that the controversy of obesity should make the individual consumers culpable for their own health and not the government (467). As health insurers refrain from increasing premiums for obese and overweight patients, there is a decrease in motivation to keep a healthy lifestyle (Balko 467). As a result, Balko claims these manipulations make the public accountable for everyone else 's health rather than their own (467). Balko continues to discuss the ways to fix the issue such as insurance companies penalizing consumers who make unhealthy food choices and rewarding good ones (468).
Americans today are well-known for their eating habits. With all the options the food industry gives us it makes it hard to go to the grocery store and resist picking up that bag of barbeque-flavored chips or blueberry flavored candy. Due to these processed foods obesity is a growing epidemic in our country and who is to blame for it? In an article entitled “What You Eat is Your Business” by Radley Balko, Balko argues for less government intervention. Balko believes is it our responsibility to take care of ourselves and make it a priority.
Junk food is responsible for the growing rate of obesity. This is outlined by David freedman in his article of “How junk food can end obesity.” David Freedman has credited the “health-food” motion, and followers of it along with Michel Pollan. Freedman claims that if the America desires to stop the obesity epidemic, or at least reduce its effects, they must shift to the fast meals and processed meals enterprise for assist, now not the “health-food” movement.
In both David Zinczenko’s “Don’t Blame The Eater” and “ Radley Balko’s “What You Eat is Your Business”, the argument of obesity in America is present and clear from opposing viewpoints. Both articles were written in the early 2000’s, when the popular political topic of the time was obesity and how it would be dealt by our nation in the future. While Zinczenko argues that unhealthy junk food is an unavoidable cultural factor, Balko presents the thought that the government should have no say in it’s citizens diet or eating habits. Zinczenko’s article was written with the rhetorical stratedgy of pathos in mind.
Today life is on the fast track. People are always on the go and don’t have time to properly take care of themselves or their families. For most Americans, fast food and junk food are ready to grab for a snack or a quick dinner. They don’t slow down to think about how the foods they are eating effect their long term health. Fewer and fewer families take the time to prepare a nutritious meal and are passing down bad habits to their children.
According to a recent study a junk food tax is aimed to reduce the number of people that addicted to eat junk food. Unfortunately, The disadvantages of junk food tax that people going to pay for eating a junk food which can consider as a wasting of the money for some people, but it will be an advantage point at the same time because that eventually will lead to
People need to take initiative to stop eating food that’s not healthy for them because at the end of the day it’s all up to you to stay healthy. Our country become less responsible for their own health and start to blame everyone else for their own health but look at us not eating right and wondering why they are not feeling good, you’re not doing the right thing. This world is full of