Fast Food: Is it Really The One to Blame For Obesity?
Obesity in children goes up in huge numbers every year, and in just 2002, twenty six percent of schoolchildren were said to be overweight. Fast food restaurants, such as McDonald’s, were being blamed and sued by parents for the epidemic of obesity. Parents make the claim that fast food is the reason their children are overweight, but is fast food really the reason for the increase in the quantity of obese children? Fast food eateries are not the ones that should have to carry the blame. Fast food has become an every meal and everyday fixation for many families, but fast food should only be a treat!
Daniel Weintraub, author of the article, “The Battle Against Fast Food Begins in the Home”, states his argument agreeing that the fast food restaurants are not the ones at fault. Weintraub believes that the number one reason for the increase in the obesity flare-up is parents. Parents control about 95% of what their children consume, so why are they blaming fast food restaurants for simply giving them the food they ordered for their kids? Fast food places aren’t shoving their food down the children’s throat, or for that matter, anybody’s throat! The parents are the ones who buy the fast food for their kids – no body is forcing them. If parents just took the time to cook healthy, proportional meals at home, their kids would be a lot healthier and in better shape. Every meal of everyday should not be a McDonald’s burger, fries, and drink super sized. As I have said once before, fast food should be a treat.
The director of youth marketing at McDonald’s, Karlin Linhardt, says in an article interview, “we talk about offering carrot sticks instead of french fries, and we have parents come in and say, “We offer them carrot sticks at home. When we come to McDonald’s we want a treat. French fries.” This quote from Ms. Linhardt is good evidence that parents do not choose the healthier choices fast food offer for their children. Why? Fast food is meant to be a treat, and carrot sticks is not a treat! In my opinion, parents shouldn’t be able to blame fast food for their child’s weight problem when they are the
ones that take their kids out to eat too often and reject the healthier food options. Another reason parents shouldn’t be able to hold fast food responsible for obesity in children is portion sizes. If parents cut down the portion sizes, and instead of getting the meals super sized, asked for the smaller sizes, children’s weight would decrease. Once again, fast food should be a treat.
From my own personal experience, I know it doesn’t take a lot of time, money, or effort for parents to cook healthy, proportional meals at home for their family. I understand that money is tight right now, and I understand why parents think that fast food is best because it’s so cheap. Fast food is NOT the cheapest meal for a family! Presently, my family is living off of one income, and trying to feed, house, clothe, and educate five people. We live plainly from paycheck to paycheck and I understand what it’s like to live cheap, but just because you don’t have a great deal of money doesn’t mean you can’t afford healthy foods for your family. My mom can go to the grocery store and literally spend thirty dollars on dinners for the whole week for the whole family of five, without going to a fast food restaurant once! She’ll buy flour, beans, cheese, tomatoes, and lettuce and make burritos that last us four to five days easy. I’d say ninety percent of parents can afford that five bucks a day for meals for their families, but are led to think that fast food is better and cheaper.
One of my personal favorite arguments made by parents is, “Seventy percent of moms work and don’t have time to cook dinner every night”. My mom works during the day, and goes to school at night. She has about a half hour period to make dinner for everyone. She prepares the night before so all she has to do is cook the next night. We never see my mom and can never find any food in the house, but somehow she finds the time and money to feed her family. My moms ‘motto’ is, “If you don’t have time, make time”.
In conclusion to my argument agreeing with Daniel Weintraub’s view on the epidemic of obesity, fast food restaurants are not the ones we should be blaming for our chubby little kids. The patrons should accept the burden they place upon themselves when resorting to every meal being a “happy”
meal, because in the end, those many “happy” meals he or she may have consumed turn out being not so happy after all.
