Obesity rates in America are quickly rising, but researches can’t seem to figure out why. Many blame it on fast food, many blame it on at home lifestyles, but an answer has not yet been found. This research topic is important for the safety and the health of our country as a whole, and needs to be recognized as more than just an occurring issue. Obesity can create many health problems for children and adults, and lead to diseases such as diabetes, heart disease, and can create high blood pressure. Fast Food restaurants play a big toll on this issue, due to the amount of unhealthy foods they serve to the public. Everyone is guilty of eating Fast Food, and it's a very common thing. However, if we were given healthier options, it would be a start to decreasing our obesity rates. 

In the article “Why We’re So Fat: What’s Behind the Late Obesity Rates,” it discusses the relationship between money and obesity. Studies have shown that people who have lower income are more likely to become obese, instead of people with higher incomes. Anyone who has tried dieting on a budget can agree to that statement. Many grocery stores often create higher prices for the healthier foods. The organic section in a grocery store has more expensive brands and products than a regular isle. Organic foods are healthier than processed foods, however, grocery stores want to make money off of people attempting to live healthier lifestyles. This creates an issue when trying to eat healthy, because many can’t afford to spend a lot of money on healthier items. This same statement applies when going out to eat, a family who does not have a lot of money to spend on food, can easily go to a fast food restaurant and feed an entire family for twenty bucks. Fast Food restaurants advertise their food as being freshly cooked, but studies have shown that McDonalds hamburgers and chicken nuggets do not digest in your stomachs. Many fast food restaurants are now required to post the calorie count, however; for people who eat fast food on a regular basis, it’s easy to buy the cheapest option. Customers who have lower income have to buy the cheapest items, because they don’t have another option, not because it is their first choice. Fast food restaurants are quick to upsize drinks for under a dollar, and upsize a fry, but charge more for the healthier options, such as salads with no upsize option. For example, if you order a hamburger and fries, you can upsize the fry for only a few cents more, but if you order fruit, you are stuck with the serving size provided. If healthier food was not so expensive, then the obesity rates would not be so high. Families who have lower income would be able to feed their children healthier options for a lot cheaper than they can now. The root of the issue starts with the amount of unhealthy options available, and the lack of healthy options. 

The article “Food Choices and Diet Costs: and Economic Analysis,” backs up previous statements made about fast food restaurants providing affordable and easily accessible food, regardless of how healthy or unhealthy. “Added sugars and added fats are far more affordable than the recommended ‘healthful’ diets based on lean meats, whole grains, and fresh vegetables and fruit” (Darmon and Drewnowski). Darmond and Drewnowski wrote for the American Society for Nutritional Sciences, and discovered that fast-food restaurants are the stem of the problem with obesity. The article states that obesity is higher among those with lower income, proving that fast food restaurants are consumed more by people with less money to spend on food. Not only has the food served been recognized as an issue, but also the proportion size. Restaurants who advertise healthy food options, but then make discounts and combos for a cheap price contradict the nutritional options provided. Getting more “bang for your buck” is important to society. When fast-food restaurants give your more “bang for your buck” but with the unhealthy options, it defeats the purpose of serving items such as salads. This rising issue has caught the attention of many, and it has been discussed to limit the availability of fast food, and it has even come down to possibly imposing taxes on fast food to help lean away from consumption. “Enticement is cited because ‘supersized’ portions and selective advertising and marketing, especially to children, supposedly entice the consumer to overeat” (Darmon and Drewnowski).

The different portion sizes and advertising are better explained through the video “Fast Food, Fat profits: Obesity in America.” The video shows the amount of fast food consumed by the average American, and also shows the impact it can have on your health. It states that two out of every three Americans are overweight (Jazeera). Obesity can come from the amount of fast-food consumed, but it also leads to diseases such as diabetes. While fast-food causes issues with weight, it also effects your overall health. Although it might not affect you immediately, the more you eat overtime will affect your body tremendously when it comes to diseases such as diabetes, high cholesterol, and heart disease. Diabetes is being discovered in children at a faster rate than it has before, and will continue to grow and become an issue if the fast-food industry does not start to make changes. One in three Americans were expected to have diabetes by 2015, and minorities are more likely to be effected. The problem started from having too much food available for consumption, which led to an increase in the proportion size served in restaurants (Jazeera). Serving sizes for soda has increased in convenient stores as well. These drinks contain many sugars in them, which leads to being at a greater risk for diabetes. The city of New York has identified soda and other sugar sweetened beverages as being one of the main causes of obesity, which explains why an increase in soda size, can lead to an increase in diabetes and obesity rates. These companies make money off of consumers, so any change to consumption of these beverages hurts the income and jobs of soda companies. The improvement in consumption of soda, hurts the workers for these companies. When the government tries to put a ban on soda, advertisement for these companies fight back, making it difficult to change anything and make improvements. 

With the discussion of diabetes coming from obesity, the article “Obesity in America: A Growing Concern,” discusses the recognition of obesity as a chronic disease. The article also discusses different issues that can come from it later in life. “Obesity has become a serious health problem in the United States (US): nearly 35% of Americans have obesity” (Gonzalez-Campoy, MD). The obesity rate is continuing to grow, and unless changes are made, it will become a bigger issue in years to come. Studies have shown that health care cost for those with obesity were about $1500 higher than those who were not overweight. It has been proven that obesity-related diseases could rise from $48 billion to $66 billion per year by 2030 (Gonzalez-Campoy, MD). Not only does obesity have an effect on health, but it creates more health care costs that are not usually needed. While the rising cost of health care matters, obesity could lead to an early death for most humans. Risking an earlier death and higher health care costs is not worth consuming unhealthy products. These statistics lead back to fast-food consumption, and the harm it is causing to America’s health. The consumption of a fast food burger could lead to diabetes, and an earlier death. Spending extra money to eat healthy is more beneficial, than spending thousands of dollars on health care costs later in life. Although fast food is easily obtained, it creates problems for the future. Obesity is now being seen as a bigger issue than it has in the past, which creates more recognition for healthier food choices. 

The National Institute of Health has researched the way that obesity is tested, and it has been discovered that testing BMI is not directly related to obesity. This could cause issues with the statistical information in America regarding obesity. If people are not being tested correctly, then we as a country are unsure of our actual obesity rates. Health Care workers of America are concerned with the rising rates, and only expect it to get worse from here on out. The article “America's Obesity Epidemic hits a New High,” discusses these issues of BMI testing and growing obesity rates. BMI is known as the body mass index, and it is a way to measure height to weight. Someone is considered to be overweight when they reach a BMI of 25. When your BMI reaches 30, you are considered obese (Fox). The article discusses obesity rates among different groups, Fox also states that those with a higher education are less likely to become obese. Those with higher education understand the risk of being obese, and know how it can affect them. Although there are many ways to try and prevent obesity, researches realize the problem starts with food industries. “Perhaps it is time for an entirely different approach, one that emphasizes collaboration with the food and restaurant industries that are in part responsible for putting food on our dinner tables” (Fox). Serving sizes in restaurants are bigger in America than any other country. Disregarding the fast-food industry, sit down restaurants are just as guilty when it comes to portion control. It is difficult for Americans to enjoy healthy meals in restaurants when the amount of food provided is excessive. 

Portion sizes is one reason why it is difficult for Americans to control their weight. The article “Understanding the American Obesity Epidemic” goes more in depth regarding the issue of portion size in America. “Dining out is a challenge for anyone, even the most disciplined portion-controller. The average restaurant meal is four times larger than in the 1950’s, with sugary drinks increasing the most—from 7 ounces on average in the 1950’s to 42 ounces today” (American Heart Association, AHA). Not only are the portion sizes in restaurants larger than they should be, the food served at restaurants are not always healthy options. Many restaurants serve food with unhealthy fats, red meats, and refined grains. All of these foods combined, and taking bigger portion sizes into consideration, is not healthy for the average American. Restaurants have leaned away from serving fruits and vegetables, and began serving meals with more calories. As mentioned before, being obese creates more health care costs than the average health care plan. The medical expenses that are created from being obese take up a total cost of around $190 billion a year. This amount comes from the different medical bills and procedures required for someone who is obese (AHA). Overall, if food in grocery stores and restaurants were not as expensive, the amount of money that comes from obesity health costs could be decreased, along with the obesity rates. The food served in the fast-food industry is also to blame for the rising obesity rates and high disease cost. The American Heart Association thinks the problem starts with Americans, and provides solutions to fight obesity within households. However, if obesity has been quickly rising for years and nothing has changed, it’s time to count on the restaurant industries to make a difference. Families will continue to go out to eat, and buy unhealthy food in grocery stores, as long as it remains the cheaper option. Decreasing the price of organic and healthy foods in grocery stores, and forcing restaurants and fast-food chains to provide healthier options is the only option if America wants to see a difference. 

Although there is plenty of evidence to show fast food is a major cause of rising obesity rates, many researches disagree with the central claim. Researchers believe that the issue starts with households, and parents who do not prepare healthy meals for their children. However, many parents can’t afford to provide a well-cooked, healthy meal for their family due to lack of income. Often times parents run through a drive through to feed their children for cheap. The food is not always nutritious, but it is quick and inexpensive. If fast-food restaurants provided healthier options for the same discounted price they offer for unhealthier options, then it could be a start to lowering rates. “Eating fast foods is just one behavior that results from those bad habits. Just because children who eat more fast food are the most likely to become obese does not prove that calories from fast foods bear the brunt of the blame” (Popkin). While this statement has some accuracy too it, even families who don’t eat fast food often, and choose to cook, are still experiencing difficulties buying healthy food for lower prices. Regardless of the food you eat, the healthier option is always more expensive. Fast food industries are not the only reason why America’s obesity rate is so high, but it is a major component. The major issue is those who rely on fast food as their meal, due to lack of time or money to provide a more nutritious option (Popkin). 

Time is of the essence when it comes to everyday life, but money is a very important aspect of American lifestyles as well. Money, or lack thereof, plays a big role in everyday lives, and the article “Calories and Cents” discusses the relationship between money, fast food, and obesity. There are many different attempted government regulations on fast food restaurants, but none of them seem to stick. Fast food restaurants have begun to put calorie counts on their menu, and advertise healthier choices, but contradict the movement by putting discounts on supersized items and upsizing meals for under a dollar. “Although marketers claim they are offering healthier choices and supporting the fight against obesity, our analysis reveals common industry strategies, including value pricing, psychological pricing, quantity discounts, and combo deals that undermine healthy food choices” (Gertner, Araujo, et al.). It is difficult for a consumer to make a decision at a fast food restaurant when they advertise healthy foods but create combo deals for options like burgers, chicken nuggets, and other processed foods. The article states that if we want to make differences then it is up to fast food restaurants to change their products and their approach to customer value (Gertner, Araujo, et al.). 

The fast food industry as a whole makes millions of dollars each year from consumers. Corporations thrive off of these fast food consumers because it brings income, however; it is putting them at a health risk. If America wants to see changes in the obesity rates, and become a healthier country, then it starts with fast food restaurants. The portion sizes provided and the food that is served is unhealthy. The food served should be more fresh, and the portion sizes should be smaller. The first step to lowering our obesity rates starts with fast food restaurants. Not only should fast food restaurants be the main change, but grocery stores should lower the price of healthier items. It is easier to feed a family unhealthier foods because the prices are cheaper. If grocery stores worked to make a difference and lowered prices of healthier items, those with lower incomes would be able to feed their families healthy food for less. Those families on the go would be able to feed their families healthier foods if fast food restaurants made a movement to serve healthier foods for less.
