Who is responsible for the poor health of the overweight and those who consumer to much fast food items such as McDonalds, Burger King, Burgerville, and Jack in the Box and many more fast food chains? Are we to blame the restaurants, or the individuals who buy the unhealthy food? It raises the question that Shakespeare once wrote, “To be or Not to be” (fat) that is the question. On a percentage scale of one threw one hundred, companies are to be blamed forty percent, while the consumer is responsible for the remaining sixty percent.
Living in America, and many other free countries in the world, consumers have a choice to eat where they would like, what they like to eat, and however much as they like and if they would like to supersize their fries and soda for more food that equal more calories. Because of choice the rest gives us the power to be able to pick and choose what we want to eat, companies are in a constant battle to win over the consumer’s money, using various methods of advertisement which promise exclusive offers, promotions and giveaways. Today, at most fast food restaurants “healthy” options are available, but are not always the best choice.
And today’s law requires the restaurants to put up calories for each meal, but does that mean it still prompts people to pick the healthier food item on the menu? It is Pine 2 up to the consumer to investigate what is best for them, but almost seventy five percent of the customers will not even look at the menu, and many won’t even notice the new calorie listing’s on the menu. At McDonalds, a toy is offered with a child’s meal called the Happy Meal, which catches the child’s attention, who would want to order the meal because of the toy inside.
And most of the time the toy in the happy meal reflex’s off a new children’s movie and this makes the child want the happy meal more. Until recently, the Happy Meal offered a choice of a hamburger, cheeseburger and or chicken nuggets, including a small fries and a small drink. According to McDonalds Bag a meal, a Happy Meal consisting of a hamburger, small fries and a small drink is 600 calories, with a sodium level of 680 milligrams. For a child to eat this type of meal three times a day would add up to an estimated 1,800 calories per day, out of a total of 2,000 recommended daily calorie intake for twenty-four hours.
Today, parents are given a choice of substituting fries for Apple Dippers, and non-fat milk in place of the small soda, which is 390 calories, with a sodium level of 650 milligrams, making the daily calorie 1,170 out of the recommended daily intake of 2,000. Although you replace the apples for the fries they give out caramel to dip the apples into adding unnecessary calories to the healthier options. Giving parents this option of selecting healthier items such as apples and non- fat milk for their child’s meal is a great step towards fighting child obesity, and redirecting them to go for the healthier options when going to fast food.
Also at McDonalds, around the end of the year has a promotions giving away money, free food and other prizes that is offered when purchasing certain sizes of fries, sodas and certain meals such as the Big Mac meal, in which you collect the game Pine 3 pieces. Incorporated with Monopoly, a popular board game enjoyed both by children and adults. It creates a frenzy of customers who are constantly buying certain food items just to win a large lump sum of cash. And the times of the promotions many children will bypass the happy meal and go for a larger meal, so they can play the game also.
And statistics show that before the game expires, most McDonalds sell out the special food wrappers and cups that were made specifically for the promotion. The idea of winning something, especially money, is ideal to most people that I know of. Many fast food, and ‘junk food’ companies also are aware of this, many of their workers being low wage workers to begin with. The promise of fast, free, easy money or hot products such as shoes, shirts etc… makes many flock to buy a certain product. But what’s the chances of winning the money? Very slim but the chances of winning food items are higher than winning anything else on the prize list.
How many people, in today’s economic times, are going to buy something, especially , that cost more than $5 and throw it away? Not many will throw it away. Many consumers are aware of the side effects of eating too much fast food and junk food, but seem to ignore it because they love the taste of the food, until it is too late. In a article by Laura Bradford, in late 2002, two teens tried desperately to sue a fast food chain called McDonalds for making them overweight. The two teens stated they ate McDonalds three to four times a week from Egg McMuffins, to Big Mac meals.
They told the judge that they didn’t realize McDonald’s food was so unhealthily. Can anyone believe that? The case was thrown out, but the judge noted one thing not in favor of the company, “…‘Chicken Nuggets, rather than being merely chicken fried in a pan, are a Pine 4 McFrankenstein creation of various elements not utilized by the home cook,’ including ground chicken skin, hyrdrograted oils and dismethypolysiloane, an anit-foaming agent, and he questioned whether customer’s understood the risks of eating McDonald’s chicken over regular chicken. And he suggested to the company to ensure that the customers understood the real truth about the chicken nuggets.
In a well known documentary titled Super Size me, Morgan Spurlack binges on McDonald’s food for thirty days, eating if for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. During the thirty days, his health deteriorates, he gains twenty four pounds and had mood swings and he started having depression, which seemed to be cured when he ate McDonalds. After watching the movie I wondered and probably like many wondered who eats fast food three times a day, every day?
As my mind wondered, I started realizing many people that I know eat fast food daily and I myself did eat fast food when I was younger when I was on the go working 2 jobs. Many people eat at fast food restaurants on a day to day routine for various reasons, such as convenience and price not wanting to cook. With fast food restaurants being located within walking distances, and what seems to be on every street corner you turn down, it allows those that are too busy with work or large families to not stress out about with what everyone wants to eat for dinner.
Another reason, and the greatest of them all is price. With the cost of housing and groceries steadily on the rise, companies such as McDonalds, Burgerville, Del Taco, Burger King Jack-n-the Box etc… are offering value menus that have one dollar items targeted for those who cannot afford seven dollars on one meal. So are the fast food restraunts to blame for America and the rising health issues and obesity in the young children and adults or are the customers buying the unhealthy greasy food?
