Food Synthesis Essay Example

Over the course of three decades, obesity rates in the United States have reached epidemic proportions. As the rate of obesity and obesity-related illnesses skyrocketed among both children and adults, society has begun to analyze the contributing factors in an effort to combat this crisis. Despite growing recognition of this problem, the U.S obesity epidemic continues to increase due to certain forces outside of people’s awareness or direct control. Although individuals have the responsibility and free will needed to improve their health, many struggle to maintain a healthy lifestyle due to limited income, quality of physical education or food in schools, or the processed foods industry’s influence on society.

Obesity is a risk for all groups of Americans, but what is often left unsaid is the special vulnerability of certain minorities, such as those living in low-income areas. Although people may be aware of how poor diets affect their health, the socio-economic state of an individual can greatly influence the dietary choices they make. Those who make less money or live close to poverty are forced to budget much of their money on living expenses, such as purchasing food for themselves or for their family. According to the USDA in source 5, the average monthly cost of food on the cheapest thrifty plan in 2019 was about $647.00 per family of four, or $21 per day. With costs like that, individuals with limited resources to buy enough food may try to stretch their food budgets by purchasing cheap, energy-dense foods that are filling. Unfortunately, healthier foods are generally more expensive than unhealthy foods, causing many to choose processed or high-calorie foods over fruits and lean meats in an effort to save money. According to source 2, the price of fruits and vegetables in the has “increased by nearly 75 percent between 1989 and 2005 while the price of fatty foods dropped by more than 26 percent.” Source 2 supports Source 5’s main claim by providing more evidence of how low-income individuals are unable to afford healthy food and therefore purchase cheaper but unhealthier foods. Despite having the free will to choose healthier groceries, an individual's income compelled them to purchase a low-cost diet that relies on energy-dense, but nutrient-poor foods. 

In addition to an individual's income, schools also play an important part in the national effort to prevent childhood obesity. Because children spend a large portion of their day in school, many of their lifestyle and behavior choices are influenced by the public school system. Both the food the school serves and the amount of physical activity spent at school impacts a child’s overall physical activity and health. Students eat lunch, snacks, and often breakfast during school hours, and the majority of the food they consume can be purchased at schools. However, schools may fail to promote healthy eating or don’t provide kids with good, nutritious food choices, further contributing to the US obesity rates. For example, despite promoting new school lunch health standards in 2012, the Healthy Hunger-free Kids Act of 2010 led by Michelle Obama continues to deliver inadequate nutrition by serving students foods that are high in calories and fat. In source 6, students took photos of their school lunches under the hashtag #thanksmichelleobama. These “healthy” lunches were primarily composed of carbohydrates and mystery proteins but lacked a substantial amount of fruits and vegetables. One student displayed the poor quality of their meal in caption “had a very #healthylunch today. The apple definitely made up for the mystery mush.” In another student's picture, no fruits, dairy or vegetables could be seen in their meal. Physical activity is another important factor in reducing obesity, but schools may also influence how much daily exercise an individual gets. While Source 6 addresses the quality of foods schools provide, Source 3 emphasizes how much of those unhealthy calories goes unburned during their school day. Instead of promoting a healthier lifestyle by giving kids multiple opportunities to move around, schools fail to help children meet even a fraction of their recommended activity level. Instead, schools require students to sit at desks for long stretches of time with little opportunities to move about. In source 3, an article from the online publication HealthDay reported that kids spend only 4.8 percent of their time at school being physically active. By keeping students confined to a sedentary lifestyle, schools are forcing children to make unhealthier decisions. Furthermore. walking and bike-riding are good ways to achieve a healthy amount of exercise, but the distance from schools to a home causes many students to take cars or trains to school instead of walking. According to the same source, the proportion of kids who walk to school has “dropped from 40 percent a few decades ago to 15 percent today.” If the education system were to provide more opportunities for students to exercise and build schools closer to home, then individuals would be able to make better lifestyle choices and also reduce their weight.

The food industry also greatly contributes to obesity in America, as many individuals are unaware and unable to control what manufacturers put into their foods. Manufacturers often put an excess of salt, sugar and fat into their products, making it both tastier and more addictive to the consumer. It’s also true that companies use many different marketing strategies that can influence a consumer's expectations of the sensory and non-sensory benefits of the food. For example, according to General Mills CEO Stephen Sanger (1), because of yogurt’s well-tended image as a wholesome snack, “sales of Yoplait were soaring, with annual revenue topping $500 million.” Originally sold as a healthy, low-fat product yogurt, Yoplait now has “twice as much sugar per serving as General Mills’ marshmallow cereal Lucky Charms.” Food companies even use advertisements and marketing techniques to endorse unhealthy products. For instance, Yoplait's popular “Go-Gurt” were a huge hit with parents and children alike due to the fact that no spoon or scissors were necessary. However, despite being both delicious and convenient, the yogurt is a verifiable dessert.” An individual will need to make healthier choices in order to avoid becoming obese, but the food industry could make a significant contribution to reduce obesity by cutting back on sugary or fattening products and offering less addictive choices.

Even if an individual takes on the responsibility to make healthier lifestyle choices in an effort to combat obesity, there are still some influential factors that are outside of their direct control. By helping low-income families make nutritious food choices, promoting healthier lifestyles in schools, and by demarketing the food industry, the US obesity epidemic may begin to decrease.