Discover Do Fast Food Restaurants Contribute To Obesity (Essay Sample)

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Fast food restaurants and obesity
The number of obese individuals and those suffering from obesity-related illnesses is on the rise United States of America. The statistics are alarming and children between the ages of 6 years and 19 years have experienced a three-fold surge in the number of overweight persons since 1970s. In the 1970s, the number of American children that were overweight or obese was 5%. However, as for now, the number has risen to 17%, and it is expected to increase with time. The same applies to the adults since the number of obese American adults has grown from half to two thirds. Within the same period, America has experienced a twofold rise in the number of fast food restaurants (Maddock 137).
Therefore, debates are arising on the contributions of the fast food restaurants towards the occurrence of the obesity in the United States. Besides, some people are of the opinion that it is a personal choice and not all the blame should be placed in the fast food restaurants (Kwon 204). Consequently, the paper is trying to answer whether too much blame is placed on the fast food restaurants on the occurrence of obesity in America. Moreover, the paper is attempting at addressing the circumstances when the blame should be placed on an individual or in the fast food restaurants.
Despite the fact that both occurrences of obesity and the number of fast food restaurants have increased over the last four decades, it is not right to blame them solely for the rise of the obesity in America. First, those who go to eat at the fast food restaurants decide on their own. It is their personal choice to eat at the fast food restaurants. They are not compelled. Moreover, Americans also choose to eat healthily or unhealthily. Second, people are aware of the risk factors associated with eating unhealthily. They know that too much eating of fast food without exercise can lead to overweight or obesity (Currie & Dellavigna 44).
Consequently, it is their responsibility of ensuring that they engage in exercise as a way of preventing accumulation of the too much fats. Third, being obese is not only about eating fast food, but it also goes beyond to the overall lifestyle of an individual. Millions of Americans eat at fast food restaurant but still have healthy body weight. On the other hand, some obese people do not overeat fast food but again, find themselves overweight. Fourth, not all food found in the fast food restaurants are high caloric food. Some fast food restaurants such as McDonald's also sell healthy and low-calorie diet as an option. It means that it is up to the customers to decide to eat healthily or unhealthily (Ingleby 12).
Fifth, it is all about business. The fast-food restaurants exist because of high demand for the fast food in the market. The fact that fast food is cheap, yummy, quick to prepare and eat makes it appealing to the consumers. Therefore, too much blame is placed on the fast food restaurant for the alarming rise of the obesity. Consequently, people should stop putting too much blame on the fast food restaurants and take individual responsibilities for the choices that they make (Kwon, 2016). However, there are circumstances when the blame for the high prevalence of obesity is placed on the fast food restaurants. First, these restaurants are ideally and conveniently located nearly in all the streets of the American towns and cities. It means that they make themselves available and irresistible to the consumers (Maddock 139).
Second, the fast food restaurants sell their food very cheaply. It makes it possible for very many people to buy their products in large volumes. It is imperative to note that fast food is very addictive since the more an individual eats, the more they want. Therefore, based on their prices, the fast food restaurants want their customers to get addicted so that they can consume their products in large amounts on a regular basis. The consumption of the fast food in large quantities and on a regular basis without continuous exercise can undoubtedly result in obesity. Furthermore, the fast food restaurants have an option of reducing the number of calories of the food ...