We all know that fast food is bad for you. It's chock full of fat and sodium and calories, but damn, it's delicious. It is also fast becoming a controversial thing.
The health problems of our fast-food culture are getting worse. Whose responsibility is it to regulate fast food, if anyones? The courts will not do it; I love the quote from the New York City judge who threw out a case brought by an obese man who "didn't know" that eating fast food daily would have negative health impacts. He said
It is not the responsibility of the court to protect people from the consequences of their own excesses.
I agree for the most part. But the fast-food industry is out of control. Burger King has recently introduced the BK Stacker: a pile of meat and cheese with no produce on it whatsoever. It's loaded with fat and calories and sodium, and it's being aggressively promoted. Should we put a stop to this? Fast food is beginning to affect public health. It's causing obesity, cardiac problems, and malnutrition. It is a menace to our health.
But is it better to have it widely regulated? Part of me thinks that if wewere to regulate the industry it would collapse, because consumers want high-fat, high-sodium food that will kill them. Should we let them have it, or should we put on the brakes?
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It is a persons own choice to eat fast food. During the summer i was workign at Kroger and only got 30 minutes for lunch which only allowed me enough time to go to a fast food place. I gained a lot of weight during that summer. But when i quit working there i also stopped eating at those places. If obesity and other problems grow any larger maybe we should spend more time on actually telling people about what will happen if they eat these foods on a regular basis.
Then again, though I haven't seen it as rigorous now, Wendy's makes the argument that you can get a SIDE SALAD with your meal instead of fries. They promote their alternative healthy choices.
I'm not sure how I feel... on one hand, it might be beneficial, on the other, it's imposing regulations on things that the majority doesn't want regulated. We're perfectly content eating unhealthy food cause it gives us instant gratitude...
~C
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I swear to whatever authority you hold dear that I will leave this country and go live in a nice unregulated S. American pseudo democracy if this country bans fast food.
That's so incredibly over the line.
Res ipsa loquitur.
memor mori, mahalo.
yeah totally agreed this is ludicrous idea and if ever passed would be the result of corporate greed against competitor.
Cigarettes, alcohol, CHEMICALS, gas, soooo many other things should be in priority over fast food's claimed unhealthyness
I don't think a lot of people like to be told that they are wrong for eating what they eat and its not healthy for them... it takes away our freedoms as america... its an idea though so good post
I so agree with you. People know what they are eating, and it is no one's place to ban fast food. I might as well move to the same country as you when they ban it. I buy fast food 3 times a week.
I Want to add something against what Bridge said about regulating food and frozen such... Subway's stuff is almost 100% frozen when it gets to the store. The steak, bread, chicken, cookies, etc are all frozen when they get it....
point is that its cheaper that way... it is PROVEN that we have healthy choices. Natural foods, shoes not made in sweat shops, etc.... but they cost more because they cost more to make by not comprimising.... people won't spend more just to eat or appear healthy even though another unhealthy item tastes better... its apart of our economy so to speak...
anyways just wanted to add that! (PS: i saw this video of people talking against a store being built in their town b/c its foods were too expensive.. they were healthy, natural foods but cost more... interesting to see different reactions)
thanks! good post b/c it brings in good argument
I'll be sure to tell you where/when I move.
Res ipsa loquitur.
memor mori, mahalo.
thanks babe!!!!!
It may be all down to choice, but I wouldn't mind if there were certain limits on fast food. Like say, only a certain amount of fat allowed per sandwich or whatever. Why not put to use some cooking techniques that eradicate much of that unnecessary fat, instead of microwaving pre-formed food shipped to the restaurants everyday.
I agree that it is the consumer's choice whether to eat fast food or not, but I agree with you on the fact that the fast food chains should have limitations on their food content/make-up.
I also like how Wendy's offers the option to change out the sides, though I rarely eat there.
All I know is that I feel way more satisfied when I actually take the time to go grocery shopping and plan out what I am going to eat (and I'm no health nut). Fast food just leaves me feeling "blah" if I eat it too much - and then my conscience comes into play to regulate how much I do eat. But then you could possibly argue that that has to do with the way I was raised - how my parents taught us kids to make smarter choices when it came to foods we eat.
Fast food will never completely go away though - Americans would riot! :oP
*Melanonia*
I think a more powerful move against fast food would be the spread of education on health. I find that the more I learn about what is going in to my body, the more I am driven to never eat fast food again... Which is the quickest way to put an industry out of business.
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