Should Americans Be Discouraged or Even Prevented from Consuming Fast Food - Admission/Application Essay Example

Should Americans be discouraged or even prevented from consuming fast food? The preference for fast food among the American population is on high thus exposing citizens to various health risks. Fast foods are considered to contain higher levels of energy and glycemic loads that expose individuals to obesity or overweight in the United States. Evidence concerning the health effects of fast foods indicates that, there is a need to minimize the consumptions of such food and provide a menu selection that is healthier for the population. Since the fast food industry continues to exhibit a rampant growth domestically and internationally, there is a need for a critical review on health implications of fast food and implement policies that can discourage the population from the habit of overreliance on these convenient foods and embrace nutritious and healthy meals (Cutler, Glaeser & Shapiro 93). This paper examines how Americans can be discouraged from consuming unhealthy fast food. For a number of years now, health condition such as obesity presents a major health concern among policy makers within United States. In addition, obesity has been identified as a major contributor to the rise in healthcare costs. Obesity as a health condition is associated with other health problems that include certain cancers, diabetes type 2 and heart disease. Today, because of shift of roles where more women are joining career fields, there is little time to purchase and prepare a healthy meal back at home, and as a result, more families shift to fast food because of convenience reasons. In addition, when looking at a health condition such as obesity from a market perspective, the condition impacts negatively to the affected persons in terms of employment and wages earned. In essence, the wage of an obese person is affected in terms of increased costs for health insurance (Cawley 465). Despite fast food costing less, the long-term impact may end up being costly for the consumers since, such food consist of insufficient nutrients and the effect is more pronounced on adults compared to children or the youth such as teenagers. In essence, food plays an important role in terms of how individuals mind and body functions and no one single type of food can contain all the nutrients required to maintain a healthy body. As a result of fast food offering a limited diet, citizens are exposed to a number of serious health problems and in the past two decades, costs for treating obese or overweight in American hospitals is estimated at $35million(Cutler, Glaeser & Shapiro 96). On the other hand, teen obesity results in a number of problems that include social, psychological, fiscal and medical problems. In addition to the health conditions associated with fast food consumption, obesity or overweight may also result in serious psychiatric sequelae. Examples in this regard include problems with esteem and self-image because of the perceptions of overweight persons relative to the common societal norms. Social stigma is often associated with overweight especial in the American society and includes harassment form peers thus affecting a person psychologically (Cutler, Glaeser & Shapiro 110). In the American society, fast food is considered a lifestyle and by the 70s, there were already over 30,000 restaurants serving fast food in the United States and by 2001, the number has surged to over 222,000 (Therien). This poses a serious issue for policy makers concerning health concerns for the American population because of health risks associated with the consumption of fast food. In a survey conducted in 2010, averagely 36.9% of American citizens were diagnosed with heart disease and number as projected by the Heart Association in America could reach 40.5% by 2030. In another study, evidence indicated that American citizens of South Asian origin consuming fast food, increases their risk of dying from a heart attack. Further, as illustrated by the Health and Human Services Department, poor diet such as eating fast food and in addition to lacking adequate physical activity is associated with over 500,000 deaths in America annually. This is a shocking statistics compared to fatalities resulting from drug use or guns (Therein). The threat posed by a preference for fast food among the American population is a serious concern for policy makers in terms of maintaining a healthy nation. In an attempt to discourage citizens from consuming fast food, this may lead to another problem in terms of people employed in the industry losing their jobs. In addition, the fast food industry is a major business in the United States and contributes significantly revenue earnings and creating employment opportunity. However, in terms of a cost benefit analysis, it is vital for policy makers to compare the health care costs and revenue earnings from the industry in implementing a policy that either discourages or approves the consumption of fast food among the American population. In relation to the increased health risks cases associated with fast food, then it is important for policy makers to take an action that result in safeguarding the health of its population (Ashe, et al 1404). As a result of the potential health risks posed by consuming fast food in America, the excess consumption should be discouraged, and this is achievable through taking a number of measures. The introduction of the zoning laws that focuses on the sale of healthier food is a fast step among communities in the American society to reduce the consumption of fast food. In essence, zoning laws have worked effectively in reducing alcohol consumption and smoking in public. It is important to use the same law as a tool to keep a check on the excess consumption of junk food considered causing a number of health complications. It is possible to restrict outlets dealing with fast food as a way of combating health conditions such as obesity. Limiting the number of outlets dealing in fast food, is important in encouraging a preference for alternative food that is healthier and such alternatives can be improved by establishing more outlets that deal in groceries. This, would enable consumers to have access to healthier foods, and as an outcome, help reduced the prevalence rate associated with obesity (Ashe et al 1405). In reducing consumer’s access to fast food outlets, local authorities have a means of advocating for healthier eating patterns within their communities. Zoning as a restriction tool involves an action by the state or other forms of authority, and aimed at barring certain activities which, the community has to adhere. Such authorities can help discourage the consumption of fast food among American citizens by introducing zoning laws that limit the number of restaurants dealing in fast food by regulating the use of buildings and land. In this regard, the government has control on how fast food outlets are supposed to operate and also encourage other alternatives such as retail market for healthier foods. In order to use the Zoning laws efficiently, the responsible authorities need to adapt to the changes and the needs by the community that they serve. In relation to modern zoning, ordinances are often defined from a narrow perspective such as medium or for a large-scale commercial use (Ashe et al 1407). Thus, in the event that a community wants to restrict the development of outlets dealing with fast food, but allow space for supermarkets, they could establish a zone. Such a zone might entail a definition that permits supermarket, but prohibits fast food restaurants. Other zoning techniques that could help discourage the consumption of fast food include conditional zoning where, responsible authorities such as the municipalities designate the use of a particular site on condition of providing only the approved services. As such, this technique would assist in limiting the mushrooming of fast food outlet and reduce their consumption among communities. The other technique involves an incentive zoning that permits the provision of certain amenities that can benefit the population. Theoretically, the incentive zoning can be used to establish food outlets that provide healthier alternatives by providing incentives to developers who decide to construct stores for selling healthier food alternatives (Ashe et al 1408). On another note, fast food restaurant needs to be restricted against increased adverts for fast food that targets children. Children watching television are often attracted to the persuasive information often provided in such adverts. As a result, more children are tempted to buy new or latest snacks advertised on television. In essence, to discourage the advertising of fast food directly to teenagers and children may require an effort that restricts the exposure of preschoolers to fast food. Further, fast food restaurant should be talked out from targeting children between the ages of 12-14 who are mostly attracted to fast food. This will help to stop marketing fast food that is unhealthy and may damage their health (“Fast Food Facts”). Like other businesses, corporations dealing in fast food often cut costs so as to attract more customers and as a measure to minimize consumption the government needs to increase taxes on such product. This will force fast food companies to increase their prices and as a result, the number of consumers purchasing fast food products will reduce because of the high costs. Another strategy that can help discourage the consumption of junk or fast food involves implementing school policies that advocates for healthier food and minimizes accessibility to unhealthy food such as candy or soda. In addition, the government needs to consider limiting public subsidies for fast food companies by cutting incentives for fast food outlets and ensure that fast food companies that receive incentives engage in the production of healthier food products (Currie, et al 45). As a measure to discourage the consumption of fast food products, the government should enact laws that subject fast food companies to post information related to calorie on menus. Further, the community can take a collective responsibility by engaging in providing information to fellow citizens on how to make or embrace healthier food alternatives (Currie et al 57). In addition, the community can play an active role in terms of encouraging fast food companies to consider designing healthier products. Additional measures that can help in discouraging Americans from fast food products include limiting the marketing of fast food in public buildings, hospitals and the countries transit system. Furthermore, it is important for the responsible authorities to halt the issuance of free toys by fast food companies to children as a way of enticing them to eat unhealthy food products. It is also necessary to encourage state attorneys and the FTC to increase their efforts in terms of protecting children from fast food companies that rely on deception to attract more customers to buy their products. On the same note, the government needs to encourage the media to implement policies or standards that regulate that nature of advertisement targeting children and organize campaigns geared at pressuring fast food companies to stop advertising unhealthy products to children and the youth (Pettigrew et al 609). In conclusion, fast food in the American society has become a lifestyle and discouraging a learned behavior where the citizens prefer consuming fast food products is not easy. Fast food has become part of the working population who do not have time to prepare a meal at home because of a tedious work schedule. As a result, fast food provides a convenient means and is cheaper considered to preparing a healthy meal at home. Further, the industry employs many Americans and discouraging the consumption of fast food would have an economic impact on persons working in the industry. As a result, while the need to discourage unhealthy fast food products is important in protecting the health of citizens, the government needs to come up with measures that protect employees in the fast food industry. This may involve providing incentives or subsidies to the industry while ensuring that fast food companies engage in designing healthy fast food products. Works Cited Ashe, Marice et al. Land use planning and the control of alcohol, tobacco, firearms, and fast food restaurants. American Journal of Public Health 93.9 (2003):pp.1404-1408.Print. Cawley, John. The Impact of Obesity on Wages. Journal of Human Resources 39.2 (2004):pp. 451–474. Print. Currie, Janet., Della, Stefano., Moretti, Enrico. & Pathania, Vikram. The Effect of Fast Food Restaurants on Obesity and Weight Gain. American Economic Journal 2 (2010): pp.32-63.Print Cutler, David., Glaeser, Edward. & Shapiro, Jesse. Why have Americans become more obese? Journal of Economic Perspectives, 2003, pp. 93–118. Print. “Fast Food Facts”. Fast food marketing.org, N.p, 15 Nov, 2013. Web. 15 Nov, 2013. < http://www.fastfoodmarketing.org/media/FastFoodFACTS_Report_Summary.pdf> Pettigrew, Simone.et al. Public support for restrictions on fast food company sponsorship of community events. Asia Pac J Clin Nutr 21.4(2012): pp: 609-617.Print. Therien, Sharon. “Statistics of Health Risks from Eating Fast Food”. Living strong.org, 16 Feb, 2011. Web. 15Nov, 2013. < http://www.livestrong.com/article/383621-statistics-of-health-risks-from-eating-fast-food/>. . Read More