Is Fast Food the New Tobacco?
Should the obesity issue be government regulated or remain personal responsibility? 

Obesity is quite a complicated issue and, when it comes to similar problems, I always find it hard to give my opinion because there is always so much prejudice and preconception on those subjects. I grew up in a generation where we lift each other up and we are all about acceptance. For example, in the past few years there has been an incredible and informative movement of body positivity emerging throughout social media so, as I learn more about obesity and its diverseness now, I find it even more difficult to address it.

However, one thing I know is not right is to “glorify” obesity. Like Dr. Garth Davis states on the What The Health (2017) documentary, “this movement to be comfortable with our bodies has made us comfortable with being sick.” (9:48) Obesity puts people in high health risk, especially because it is related to chronic conditions, so it is never a good idea to set it as a long-term lifestyle and brush it off as something trivial.

Speaking of the “What the Health” documentary - it completely changed what I was going to write this blog about, and it also served as a wake-up call for me. When I say the government should act on spreading information and awareness, I visualize it to be something like this documentary. Well, now I might know the reason why they have yet to do that, but regardless, I think it would help the obesity issue immensely. “Our government ought to be working to foster a sense of responsibility in and ownership of our own health and well-being.” (Balko, 2004, p.396)

And I used to think that the obesity issue should remain in a balance between the government and individual responsibility, but now I might be gravitating more towards one of them… The fact that there are so many questions around the food industry and its weird agendas, (and the government taking part in that), we should all know that this is where personal responsibility must enter. We cannot rely only on unstable and rudimentary approaches by these institutions when it comes to our health; because, to be honest, they will probably maintain that stance for a very, very long time.  

On the other hand, learning how obesity is affected by many more things than just food choices, I can clearly see how difficult it can be to rely on personal responsibility. An article by CDC (2018) reveals that “in the United States, obesity is related to poverty, low individual income, and food-insecurity.” (para. 6)

It is getting harder and harder for people to head towards healthy diet choices when their financial situation gets in the way. Healthy food has become a “luxury”, and its availability is also in full contrast with fast food options. “Shouldn’t we know better than to eat two meals a day in fast-food restaurants? But where, exactly, are consumers supposed to find alternatives?” (p.392) – a point made by Zinczenko (2002), unfortunately still relevant 20 years later.

Even though the obesity issue exceeds personal responsibility, I believe that right now that is the best choice there is. However, I really hope that there will be powerful initiatives and campaigns which will support obese individuals in their fight against obesity. Whether it is documentaries such as “What The Health” that put things very bluntly, or other creative approaches, we will all do better when we are introduced to things just as they are.

References

Balko, R. (May 23, 2004). What you eat is your business. “They say/I say”: the moves that matter in academic writing: with readings / Graff, G., Birkenstein, C., Durst, R.  – 2^nd ed.

Kim, D., Wang, F., Arcan, C. (October 11, 2018). Geographic Association Between Income Inequality and Obesity Among Adults in New York State. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Retrieved from https://www.cdc.gov/pcd/issues/2018/18_0217.htm

Kip Andersen, Keegan Kuhn (Directors), & Kip Andersen, Keegan Kuhn (Writers). (2017). What the Health [Video file]. Retrieved from https://www.netflix.com

Zinczenco, D. (November 23, 2002). Don’t blame the eater. “They say/I say”: the moves that matter in academic writing: with readings / Graff, G. Birkenstein, C. Durst, R.  – 2^nd ed.