Cause of Childhood Obesity

In the article “Don’t Blame the Eater”, David Zinczenko, speaks on recent lawsuits filed against fast food companies for causing childhood obesity. He argues that children should not be blamed for their own weight gain. He feels that it’s necessary to sue these fast foods franchises for not informing consumers of health hazards. Why should these companies be held responsible? Zinczenko related his personal childhood experiences to these situations. He expressed that fast food is the cause of diabetes, obesity, and poor eating habits. Why should we blame these fast food companies for what our children consume? After analyzing Zinczenko opinion on these matters, I concluded that his argument was ineffective and did not provide any statistically prove of a cause.

At the beginning of the article, Zinczenko elaborates on his childhood eating choices. He states that his mother worked long hours to provide for their family and pay bills. Every day she would purchase fast food during lunch and dinner for Zinczenko. These were the only choices for an affordable and quick meal. Over time, he gained over two hundred pounds (462). He sympathizes for children who have lawsuits against fast food restaurants, he feels that lawsuits are necessary. Personally, I believe that parents are responsible for what their children consume. Regardless of having busy schedules, it’s significant to prioritize your children’s health. There are plenty of food choices that are more affordable besides fast food restaurants. For instance, meal planning is a great way to prepare home cooked meals for your families. You can prepare healthy meals for an entire week ahead. I understand that fast food is the quickest meal to obtain, but it is important to prevent any health conflicts.

Throughout the article, Zinczenko attempts to persuade his audience of the cause of obesity. Zinczenko found that before 1994, children with diabetes were caused by a genetic disorder. In today’s National Institutes of Health, states that children with Type 2 diabetes are accountable for thirty percent of all child cases in America (463). This statistical information displays an increase in the percentage of children with diabetes. There isn’t any specified statistic for obese children with diabetes. There are endless factors that may contribute to children having diabetes. For instance, poor eating habits could potentially be the cause, such as sugary items like candy and desserts. The amount of sugar intake could affect an individual’s glucose levels that can lead to having glucose issues. This doesn’t indicate that children with diabetes are obese. It is directed towards all children with diabetes. Which signifies that this information does not provide effective evidence.

Furthermore, he states that The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention health costs has tremendously risen since 1969. It has reached over 100 billion dollars for patient care for diabetes today. This statistic doesn’t inform readers of obese children with diabetes. This number only signify people of all ages with diabetes. To persuade your audience, you have to give specific evidence of the topic. Zinczenko also mentioned that a fast food restaurant does not provide warning labels on their products being served. I agree that it would be informative to have calories intake labeled on the product’s container. However, individuals can research valid product information online and have knowledge of risk factors. Fast food is known to have foods that aren’t the best for our health, but we still choose to eat it. Fast food isn’t all to blame for the price of health cost increase. For instance, frozen dinners and products with preservatives can result in individuals to have weight gain and diabetes.

Zinczenko states that the food industry is defenseless and marketing products to young children that consist of health hazards (464). Also, he believes that there will be more sick children with angry parents due to the fast food restaurants. How could the parents be upset when they’re condoning their child’s poor eating habits? If parents are taking their children to these restaurants and not being cautious of what the health risk, how can parents be upset with these companies? These companies are focused on making sales and providing delicious foods for the customers. Health hazards may not be a priority for some companies. That is why it is the parent responsibility to protect their children from these foods. Personally, I feel that it is alright to eat fast food occasionally but not daily.

After reviewing David Zinczenko perspective on the cause of obesity, I’d concluded that his argument is ineffective. There isn't enough information to prove that fast foods cause weight gain and childhood obesity. His statistical information wasn’t directed towards childhood obesity. His evidence was referring to everyone with obesity or diabetes. Overall, fast food could be a cause of obese and make children gain weight. However, fast food companies should not be sued for their customer's choices of foods. These companies do not force anyone to consume their products served. It’s the customer choice to eat any food options provided.

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