Is Fast Food the New Tobacco?

In a 2003 court case, “Caesar Barber v. McDonald’s Corporation,” Barber claimed he was unaware of the nutritional and fat content of the fast food he ate on a near-daily basis for decades, and which he claimed caused his multiple illnesses (Daily Caller). The people of the court ruled that Barber’s choice of food was the cause of his many health issues, not the restaurants which supplied the fast food. In this case, the court held the consumer responsible for his selections. However, the court’s expectation of personal responsibility in food selection will most likely become anachronous. With many of these restaurants (etc. McDonalds, Burger King, Taco Bell) and more and the health issues it brings and do nothing to change their environments, it brings up this question: Is Fast Food the New Tobacco?

Anywhere we travel today, out of town, to a big city or a small village or anywhere in between, consumers are bound to see some sort of advertising for fast food. Many billboards display life-size pictures of steaming hot sandwiches, fresh-cut fries, or an ice cold beverage. The streets are lined with bright, golden arches, fluorescent bells, or a red-headed, smiling little kids. All of the modes of advertisement draw consumers in, whether they’re hungry or simply in a rush with no time to cook dinner at home and having to feed the family and is not up to go with the healthy-eating standards. 

One thing to point out is when having a dollar in our pockets for lunch, do you choose the side salad consisting of lettuce and a few vegetables, or just a warm and a juicy double cheeseburger? The burger would hold you off until dinner and usually it’s much more convenient for an employee and/or student on the go while salads have the tendency to leave us feeling unsatisfied and it’s true because most of us do like salad and some of us don’t. We are on the go all the time, with no time to stop and peel an orange or a slice an apple. What may not be noted is our “healthy” snack is probably packed in high calorie syrup and added sugar. The main point is to hinder people from making poor food choices. 

The government may not be the only responsible party for what is going on in America, many fast food corporations have grown into a part of everyday life. In the former First Lady Michelle Obama’s remarks from the NAACP convention, Obama states that “Now, right now in America, one in three children is overweight and obese.” This statistic provides some perspective in looking at the shocking numbers of childhood obesity. If someone said a lot of children are obese, people would have no idea how many children are obese and is it a big deal. With Obama stating one-third children in America are obese, it allows us, the audience to know just how many children are overweight and obese.

To conclude, just as David Zinczenko argued in his article “Don’t Blame the Eater,” most people would agree that the fast food industry contributes immensely in the escalation of obesity cases. Sadly, not all people can stop their eating habits abruptly because of the lack of self-control. It’s common in most foods rich in sugar. Such eating habits continue to be eaten even in situations where such individuals do not any desires to eat. Now and in the future, there will be a need for authorities in different countries as well to investigate the casual issues to the issue of fast foods.