The Government Policy and the Fast Food Stores - Research Paper Example

The Government Policy and the Fast Food Stores A fast food restaurant may be considered as a restaurant that is characterized by minimal customer table services and fast food cuisine. The first fast food restaurant was operated in the United States in the 1912 with A&W, and the second was operated in the year 1921 by White Castle. Today, the sweeping fast food restaurants in the United States include KFC and McDonald’s multinational operations that have numerous outlets all over the world. Notably, the fast food restaurants do vary in food service concept that may include catering trucks and fast casual restaurants. Food served in a fast food restaurant usually cater to what may be regarded as “meat-sweet-diet” that is often from a limited menu. Almost all foodstuffs offered in fast food restaurants are cooked in advance and kept. Some of such foods are packed in readiness for order and are usually made ready for take away although, seats may be provided for customers who intend to take or eat their food within the premise. The fast food restaurants are part of chain of restaurants or franchise operation that supply standardized ingredients or partially prepared or made foodstuffs and supply to other restaurants through managed and controlled supply chain. The United States citizens have raised concern on the increasing health problems have a result of fast food and junk food offered by the fast food restaurants. The government should not regard fast food and junk foods as the leading cause of some health problems in America especially when dealing with obesity but rather the government should enlighten citizens that such health problems may be due to their own contribution, as well as due to the combination of environmental factors and genetics. Despite the increasing media concern and coverage on obesity and overweight and the health problems that are associated with these two health problems, the citizens are not yet working the real cause. The obesity in the United States is a recent phenomenon, and yet the fast food restaurant started operating as long as 1912 (Christopher 111). However, the public are still forming their opinions of what might be the cause of such ill health problems. Some of The Americans are proposing that taxes should be increased on sugary of snacks with high fat content in order to reduce the escalating cases of obesity. However, this will not be the cure of obesity (Jay 270). American should wake up to the reality that junk and fast foods are just like any other foodstuffs that when consumed irresponsibly, they may lead to ill health or health problems like obesity. The current environment that Americans and their children are growing in is already a threat to their health. The lifestyles among the Americans have become boisterous, and nobody wants to be responsible for his or her own health. Instead of the government getting concern with the fast food and junk food, it should introduce and support exercises that are highly opposed by the current generation and their offspring (Teresa 511). Relating to the opinion of many Americans, the attitude towards fast and junk foods determines how belief and attitude affect policy changes that are in support of junk and fast foods. Most the Americans believe that junk food and fast food are the major cause of obesity. However, this may or may not be true. According to one side of argument, the concept of moral failure may be the major cause of obesity in that being obese may be a personal choice (Glanz et al. 31). Despite the fact that obesity affects an individual’s self-reliance, it may be a true reflection of laziness, lack of self-control, and indiscipline. Therefore, obesity is due to personal irresponsibility that may be justified by discrimination within self as opposed to consumption of fast food (Nicole et al 25). The Understanding that obesity results from individual or personal contribution or lack of individual motivation may render the government policy aimed at regulating fast food and junk food restaurants meaningless or irrelevant (Jay 269). If obesity in the United States is caused by eating stacks then laws, regulating the accessibility of snacks should be introduced. As had stated, obesity is a recent ill health phenomenon that has stricken United States; thus, initiating policies aimed at reduce intake or accessibility of sugary or high fat content snacks will help curb the situation (Teresa 521). In addition, the government should introduce or strengthen civil protection policies for people who are already obese and increase access and availability public open space for the exercise. However, the majority of Americans have never had the spirit of exercise for health reasons (Glanz et al. 131). Notably, either side of the argument ends up to one solid point that obesity and other related health problems are not factored in junk and fast food, but are because of personal responsibility maintaining one’s body through an exercise. Therefore, there is no need for the government to waste task payers’ money on enacting and implementing policies that will lose their meaning over a short period (Christopher 121). For example, in the year 2003, a family in a New York court sued the McDonald’s restaurant. The family claimed that the restaurant was responsible for obesity of their teenage daughter and other related health problems. They stated that the restaurant had manipulated the tastes of its food by adding sugar and fat contents. Moreover, this family noted to the court that the restaurant had intentionally directed its advertising to children; thus, purposefully misleading the public about its foodstuffs’ nutrient content and value (Jay 225). The judge who was proceeding over the case dismissed the suit. However, the government should enact policies that will regulate advertising on certain products especially advertisements targeting young children (Nicole et al 27). Taking the case at hand and any other regulation that might be introduce to regulate the fast food and junk food stores, all other subsequent cases may be a waste of time and resources. The dismissal of the case to the 2004 “Cheeseburger Bill” that was passed by United States House of Representatives and was later stalled in the United States Senate. The same law was reintroduced the year that followed and met the same fate. The law was targeted lawsuits that were against fast food chains of suppliers (Christopher 71). The law was enacted with claims that eating from fast food stores increased obesity in the country or United States. However, after the law had bounced the walls of enactment into law, the initiators distanced themselves with the blame that was associated with obesity and its related health problems. This failure of this law to be enacted into law after two attempts is a clear indication that no law or policy will be effective in regulating the activities of the fast food and junk food stores (Fitzgerald & Moon 69). Currently, The United States is experiencing economic recession and introducing policies any that will regulate such food stores will worsen the economic situation in the country (Jay 245). One should think of the economic effects of the on the introduction of any law or policy affecting the productivity or the sales of products from fast food stores. It should be noted with serious concern that imposing policies or regulations on these stores will reduce their profitability; thus, leading to further deterioration of the national economy. For instance, imposing heavy taxation on the fat containing foodstuffs or sugary junk will increase the production cost of such foodstuffs not only in the United States but also to different outlets all over the world leading to reduction in sales (Christopher 187). The reduction in sales will mean low profit, and for these stores to maintain their production and remain in the market for long, they shall be forced to reduce their workforce (Beamon 163). What does this mean? Therefore, it means that, many Americans will lose their jobs; thus, increasing the rate of unemployment in the United States and other countries that the fast food and junk food stores have their outlets (Jay 225). However, the fast food stores should as well ensure that the foodstuffs they produce for public consumption are not posing health problems to the consumers. Notably, there is a wide public outcry on the children obesity based on the consumption of the fast and junk foods (Christopher 190). These store managements should as well advocate for healthy school lunches that will translate to healthier education among the school-going children. Other than, that school curriculum should incorporate or increase the significance of physical education among students as well as educating parents on the significance of exercise and healthy eating among children and towards themselves (Fitzgerald & Moon 73). Conclusion The government should instead regulate the media especially the advertisement sector. The media should stop promoting or luring children towards using unhealthy foodstuffs. There should be regulation on advertising foodstuffs like chips, soft drinks, and candy; the list herein is not entirely what the fast food stores offer. Instead, the media showed embark on programs that are oriented towards physical education as well as emphasis on the importance of daily exercise. Furthermore, the media are in a good position of creating awareness to the public that the modern maladies are due to prolonged exposure to both toxic, environmental factors and negative lifestyle that when combined with fast and junk food and malnutrition leads to ill health. Other factors that the public should consider as the cause of ill health to majority include prolonged use of antibiotics, pesticides, chemical pollution of foodstuffs, elongated use of microwaves, chemical pollution of water and air, lack of exercise as well as chronic stress. Thus, if an individual can evade long or total exposure to these factors he or she will live a life free from fighting fast food stores. Once more, it has been proven that the regulations that might be initiated as a measure to regulate food related health problems will be a waste of time if citizens do not regulate their health. Finally, each sector’s contribution towards the concern of a healthy nation will help reduce food related health problems in the United States. However, the government should take the initiative of preventing the cause of these health problem issues instead of dealing with the aftermath. In other words, the government should ensure every sector of economy within the United States is providing products and services towards a healthy nation right from production levels. Works Cited Beamon B. "Performance Measures in Supply Chain Management," Volume 55, Issue 3, New York, NY: Troy, (1996), p.163. Print Christopher M. “Logistics and Supply Chain Management”, New York Publications, NY: (1994), p. 111-190. Print Fitzgerald L, Moon P. “Performance Measurement in Service Industries: Making it Work”, CIMA, London, (1996), p.73. Print Glanz K et al. “How Major Restaurant Chains Plan Their Menus: The Role of Profit, Demand, and Health”, American Journal of Preventive Medicine, (2007), p.131. Print Jay M. “The Relationship between Obesity and the Prevalence of Fast Food Restaurants: State-Level Analysis”, American Journal of Health Promotion, (2001), p.269-270. Print Nicole et al D. et al. “Increased Portion Size Leads to Increased Energy Intake in a Restaurant Meal,” Journal of Obesity Research. Volume: 8, Issue: 6, (2004), p.27. Print Teresa P. “Process Development of Food and Beverages”, Oxford University Press, (2003), p. 506-522. Print Read More