Is the fast food industry or the fast food consumers to

blame for obesity?

Cara GreenwaldPeter Doyle

&Nicholas Dackiw

5 Facts about fast food vs. obesity:• "Last year, Americans spent about $115 billion on fast food,

more than on higher education or personal computers or new cars” (Martindale).

• "Fast food tends to be highly processed and contain too much sodium, sugar and preservatives; these ingredients help with quick preparation and immediate serving” (Bayly).

• "People who consume fast foods are less likely to eat fruits, vegetables, milk etc. This change in eating habits can easily lead to obesity” (ADMIN).

5 Facts Continued…• "Every day, nearly one-third of U.S. children aged 4 to 19

eat fast food, which likely packs on about six extra pounds per child per year and increases the risk of obesity, a study of 6,212 youngsters found” (Associated Press).

• "Fast-food restaurants target kids with toy promotions and Happy Meals. Once kids are hooked, they keep going back-thinking it's the only affordable quick-food choice” (Holliday).

3 Opinions about fast food vs. obesity:

• Don Thompson, Chief operating officer, McDonald's USA: “I eat at McDonald's quite often, and I don’t consider myself to be the same thing. As McDonald's, we’re not the cause of obesity” (Phillips).

• "The researchers found that “the causal link between the consumption of fast foods and obesity is minimal at best.” It argued that a tax on high-calorie food, as proposed by many health campaigners in the United States and Britain, may therefore not be an effective way for governments to tackle the problem” (IFT).

• Question: Even though customers at the King County restaurants had a full year to digest the calorie content of their orders, they didn't seem to start more healthful choices. Why do you think that is?

Response: “The fact that it was zero change was a little surprising. This information just doesn't change their behavior. I think fast-food customers who are busy and interested in having a nice meal are just not that interested in the calorie posting. I think super healthy people just don't go to Taco Time” (Harmon).

Reasoned Opinion:

Based on our research, our group’s consensus about this issue is that it is

the consumers fault for causing obesity, not the fast food restaurants.

References:• Admin. (2008, November 27). How does fast food cause obesity. fitness.ygoy.com. Retrieved from

http://fitness.ygoy.com/2008/11/27/how-does-fast-food-cause-obesity/ • Associated Press. (2009). Fast food linked to child obesity. Retrieved from

http://www.cbsnews.com/2100-204_162-591325.html • Bayly, F. (2011, August 11). How fast foods are causing obesity in America. Livestrong.com. Retrieved from

http://www.livestrong.com/article/136189-how-fast-foods-are-causing-obesity-america/ • Harmon, K. (2011). Does Calorie-Labeling at Restaurants Lead to Healthier Eating? ScientificAmerica.com.

Retrieved from http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=calorie-labeling-menus

• Holliday, H. (2003, Mar 07). Supersized nation: Are fast-food restaurants responsible for teens‘ obesity? Scholastic Scope, 51(14), 22-22. Retrieved from

http://search.proquest.com/docview/212899181?accountid=27927 • IFT. (2010). Fast food restaurants ‘not to blame’ for American obesity. IFT.org. Retrieved from

http://www.ift.org/food-technology/daily-news/2010/october/27/fast-food-restaurants-not-to-blame-for-american-obesity.aspx

• Martindale, D. (2011, June). Tree. Retrieved from http://www.organicconsumers.org/foodsafety/fastfood032103.cfm

• Phillips, S. (2006). Who's to blame for the U.S. obesity epidemic? MSN.com.Retrieved from http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/14415766/ns/dateline nbc-food_fight/t/whos-blame-us-obesity-epidemic/