Fast-food outlets and poor health in America - Essay Example

Fast-food outlets and poor health in America There has been an increase in the number of convenience and fast food stores across America. For this reason, many low income earners purchase their food from these stores as opposed to buying from grocery stores and supermarkets. This purchasing behavior has exposed millions of Americans to unhealthy foods. The number of obesity and other health related cases has been on the rise. This has sparked debate on whether these fast food stores should be blamed for this trend, or if the blame should lie squarely in the hands of the consumer. For instance, Brownlee, Cohen and Zinczenko argue that fast food outlets have played a big role in encouraging unhealthy consumption habits. This paper aims to contribute to this debate by arguing that fast food outlets have contributed to this problem significantly by encouraging and enticing consumers to buy from them. Fast-food outlets market their products to consumers, mainly children, foods that have health hazards without proper warnings and labels. In the essay by David Zinczenko, the author highlights how advertisements from fast-food outlets don’t come with warning labels. For example, an outlet may list its chicken salad as containing 150 calories, yet the dressing, almonds and noodles that come with it account for additional 470 calories. This argument clearly shows how these fast food outlets hide information from the consumers that would otherwise help the consumers make better choices. Considering that many of these consumers are children, it becomes difficult for them to understand exactly what they are consuming. Fast food outlets are thus driven by the need to sell and make profits and care less about the well being of the consumer. A study conducted by University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (2014) suggests that fast foods should not be blamed for increase in obesity cases among American children. According to the study, children who rely on fast foods lack proper parental guidance on healthy meals, and it is likely that they copy this behavior from parents. Unfortunately, this study fails to recognize that these parents or adults are victims of the poor labeling and marketing of these foods by the stores. As illustrated above, the lack of proper labeling and nutritional information leads one into buying unhealthy but well packaged and promoted foods. Regardless of the age of the consumer, the lack of proper labeling and full disclosure of the foods’ nutritional value makes the fast food stores major contributors to the problem. Most fast-food outlets encourage consumers to buy more of their food through cheap pricing. By offering their food at a reduced cost, these stores manipulate the consumers into buying and eating more. In the essay by Shannon Brownlee, the author argues that many of these outlets survive by relying on a group of ‘heavy users’, who in many cases are young and single males. In order to attract these groups, these stores price their foods at prices lower than those offered by their competitors. In order to illustrate this point, Brownlee discusses the strategy used by Taco Bell in 1983 under the stewardship of the then CEO John Martin. This outlet managed to attract many consumers through lower prices compared to what was being offered by the competitors at the time. It can therefore clear that when these fast food outlets price their foods at lower prices, they become appealing to majority of the low income consumers. For such consumers, anything that costs less will definitely be more appealing. Fast-food outlets are driven by the need to capture a wider market share and little attention is given to the nutritional value of these foods to the consumer. These observations are supported in Deborah Cohen’s article in the Washington Post (2007), in which she argued that fast-food outlets use marketing strategies and techniques that encourage us to buy and eat more. For them, this means more profits. If these stores were to price their products at similar prices offered by grocery stores and supermarkets, or higher, it is unlikely that consumers would opt for these foods. If this was to be done, the number of people queuing up in fast-food outlets will definitely reduce as these will not be seen as cheaper alternatives. The fact that most of the consumers in America are low income earners, the fast food stores make every effort to attract this group by offering cheaper alternatives. They will continue to attract the unsuspecting consumers who will in the end buy more and consume more. Many of the American fast-food stores serve large quantities of foods to their consumers compared to stores in other countries. These outlets mainly focus on the quantity of food offered to the consumers since many Americans place more emphasis on quantity and abundance. As a result, most of the consumers end up overeating thereby increasing cases of obesity and other related health risks. In an article by Paul Rozin and Andrew Geier (2007), the authors demonstrate this point by illustrating the difference between American and French eating habits. According to the authors, the French emphasize on moderation and quality. There are very few restaurants in France that allow consumers to eat as much as they need. On the country, American food outlets focus on the quantity of food, and consumers are allowed to eat as much as they wish. In addition, the quantity of foods sold in packets or containers is less in France than in America. This means that if American fast-food outlets were to reduce the volumes of foods served, the volume of calories intake would greatly reduce. According to Rozin and Geier’s article, people tend to consume less food when they are offered food in smaller portions. For this reason, food stores and outlets in America need to concentrate not only on the portion of the food served but also on the size of the serving instruments used. Such instruments include serving spoon, glass, plate among others. The reduced portions should not be sold at a lower price since this will end up encouraging bulk buying. This essay has demonstrated that the increased cases of obesity and other health risks in America is as a result of the poor marketing and low pricing strategies used by the fast-food outlets which allow consumers to buy and eat more. In addition, the manner in which these foods are marketed reveals little or no information regarding their nutritional value, and this makes consumers eat foods they would have otherwise not consumed. Furthermore, no attention is given on the quantity of food served at these outlets. This therefore calls for tough legislative measures that will ensure food stores provide full disclosure of the nutritional information, including the side effects of their foods if any. Although such legislation might be in place, there is need to ensure that it is fully implemented in order to protect the consumers and save the country billions of dollars spent on treating and managing obesity and related health problems. Works Cited Brownlee, Shannon. “We’re Fatter but Not Smarter.”A Casebook of Arguments on Americans’ Eating Habits." To the Point: Reading and Writing Short Arguments. Muller, Gilbert and Wiener, Harvey S (Auth)Longman, 2004. 430-34. Print Cohen, Deborah. "A Desired Epidemic: Obesity and the Food Industry." Washington Post. 20 February 2007. Web http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp- dyn/content/article/2007/02/20/AR2007022001336.html Rozin, Paul and Geier, Andrew. “Want Fewer Fries With That?”The American. 9 April 2007. < http://www.american.com/archive/2007/april-0407/want-fewer-fries-with-that> University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. "Fast food not the major cause of rising childhood obesity rates, study finds." ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 15 January 2014. . Zinczenko, David. “ Dont Blame the Eater.” The New York Times. 23 Novermber, 2002. < http://www.nytimes.com/2002/11/23/opinion/don-t-blame-the-eater.html > Read More