My Fast-Food Meal by Pollan: the Chances of Associated Health Conditions - Essay Example

CRITICAL ANALYSIS There are various articles that explore nutritional concerns among the citizens of the nation and the article My Fast-Food Meal by Pollan is an example of such. The article generally questions the societal over dependence to fast food and the dangers attached to fast foods that the public including the speaker’s family may not be aware of. Pollan is a reputable author in the field of nutritional research and this makes his work appealing to the general public. The fast foods are not healthy to our bodies in the long run and despite the public opinion about them, they should be avoided. The author uses the account of his family experience, various nutritional literatures and the public opinion on dietetics to shape on his arguments on fast food. In a nutshell, the author warns about the concerns of increasingly depending on the fast food by the society. One can agree that food chain plays an important role “Every food chain ends in a meal” (Pollan, 97). The argument provided Pollan is based on the assumption that eating habits are very addictive and many individuals fall prey to them without knowing. To many, fast food is the most common quick-service nourishment. “Fast food has a flavor all its own” (Pollan, 100). To the contemporary society, fast food is delicious, quick and convenient. It plays a significant role in our lives so perfectly placed out for them. As the author argues the question? To many individuals, fast food is in fact the solution to all of societal problems. Pollan adds that in the public domain fast food is good in all possible way. “Although few might refute the consequences of these foods, many individuals at the back of their minds are aware of a steep health price to pay” (Pollan, 108). Individuals in our society fall prey to over dependency on fast foods probably due to ignorance or lack of dietetic information. In fact the many feel that eating fast food is the right thing to do since many individuals today rarely cook at home. “Somehow it seemed like the thing to do” (Pollan, 97) The author insinuates that everyone should give a second thought to eat fast food before deciding to it. He added that there are many health risks associated with eating food that is prepared within just a few seconds. The author argues that some of these foods can never be traced to where the food is originally come from say a given plant or animal. “By the time it reaches us, industrial food has been processed so much it no longer seem like something made from plants and animals” (Pollan 102). Through critical analysis, the author echoes the fact that even though fast food seems easy and cheap to buy, it has a lot of the health risks and the health risk according to many nutritional experts outweigh the five minutes of human satisfaction that are characterized by fast food. Thus, individuals should take care and worry about what they eat. My opinion concurs with that of Pollan that, it is time we free the entire world of fast food since, not only are fast food adding the level of cruelty to many animals while draining money out of pockets of the society, theyre likewise taking excessive risk of the health of millions of individuals around the globe. AS evident from various research released in recent days day by the World Health Organization (WHO), many individuals are increasingly depending and feeding on fast food. “One in three America Kids eat fast food every single day” (Pollan, 92). Through critical analysis, the health risks that are rooted from excessive feeding on fast foods so much are life-threatening. Obesity for instance can originate from feeding on fast food that is excessively. This is based on the fact that fast food is prepared from a various saturated fats in high concentration and calories. If these individuals don’t exercise frequently or go to the gym which is normally the case, they become obese. In reality one can agree with the author that even a small quantity of these foods carry high calories and fat. The foods often carry less value of vegetables and roughages that are the needed ingredients for proper growth and nutritional value. “Corn –based food offers cheap calories….” (Pollan, 104) Furthermore, people are misled by the quantity and the prices and thus tend to eat more. In the long run, without realizing, these individuals consume a lot of calories. To them it a life time experience every time they take fast foods. “…..it a treat” (Pollan, 97). Such are the prime example of the family of the speaker in the article particularly the son who could consume so many calories, and without even realizing. These health dangers are all tired to the fact that individuals fail to take their time to investigate the content of fat. “The health risks are not only tied to obesity”( Pollan, 103). There are various health dangers that are associated with these fast foods. Heart diseases are a classical example. The article by Pollan is very relevant in addressing nutritional concerns and largely contributes to the large spectrum and the understanding of the dangers that results in fast foods. Likewise the article serves as a reference for the previous studies conducted in the subject. The article offers a thoughtful critic to the contemporary challenges the society is going through in their over dependence in fast foods. For instance, despite the health risks associated with most fast-food companies have refuse to lower the amount of fattening food ingredients in their food products. Likewise, even though fast food and health fatalities have been on the rise over the decades, many individuals and the fast-food companies still question whether the fast food companies are to blame for this global epidemic. Through critical analysis the questions that have been asked in the past is whether consumers themselves should be held liable for their diet choices because many of them are educated and are capable of making their own dietary decisions. Furthermore, the article uniquely addresses all the target groups that the fast foods. The children for instance as a group are today targeted by various fast food companies and this possess a great risk to the future. The fast food companies targeting and appealing children through various advertising, fast-food chains result to even greater health risks targeting specific socioeconomic as well as demographic households. For instance, fast-food industry target children in higher socioeconomic status through selling their products in public schools and hospitals. However, the unbalanced diet subsequent from the consumption of fast food raise the chances of associated health conditions. Nonetheless, the article of Pollan can be criticized in many ways. One issue that can be pointed out is that his work is kind of subjective and this makes the author to look at only one side of the coin and ignores the other. The author has succeeded to a large extent in addressing the dangers that are associated with fast food products. The article likewise addresses the increasing societal dependency on fast food and the future risks. However, the article fails to address the dilemma that faces these fast food companies who are obviously in business thus in business to maximize profit. Where do they go for instance? What about the many workers they have? Subjectivity limits article. As a conclusion and as exemplified in the article, the article My Fast-Food Meal by Pollan addresses various nutritional concerns that have been contentious in recent times. The concern over the increasing over dependency on fast food is a concern since there are various health risks such as obesity and heart diseases that are associated with such foods. Despite the limitations of subjectivity, the article is very relevant in addressing this crucial subject. Read More