Why Do Americans Consume so Much?

Investigative Research Essay

Alec Bush

English 12

Messer 3

12 March 2017

Why is obesity such a large issue in America? Purchasing fast food has become cheap

and easy, and extremely convenient while healthy food is expensive and tedious work. While
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healthy food tends to be more expensive, and requires a lot more effort and attention to prepare

than fast food. Farmers work hard to raise their crops, they put in many hours of manual labor to

make a profit, this causes the price of these crops to be very expensive in order for these farmers

to make a living. Fast food takes the easier route, although many claim to use fresh products it's

impossible to believe they do when the price is so cheap. For example, a pound of apples can

cost $2.60 while a Double Cheeseburger is sitting on the dollar menu at McDonalds (Food).

Most people are not looking to spend all their hard earned money on some expensive fruit and

vegetables when they can get a quick and cheap bite at any fast-food chain of their choice. Fast

food is easily accessible allowing Americans to make daily unhealthy food choices.
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Obesity rates have more than doubled in adults and children since the 1970s...obesity is

widespread and continues to be a leading public health problem in the U.S. (Food). Obesity

continues to overrun our country and more than just the caucasian race; the hispanic and african-

americans tend to have more obese people than whites. Extreme obesity continues to be higher

among women at 8.3 percent compared to men at 4.4 percent, especially among black women

who have more than double the rates of extreme obesity as white and hispanic women. Black

women are at 16.4 percent with white women at 7.4 percent and hispanic at 7.6 percent (Ogden

et al., 2014). (Food). Being born into an obese family also does not help the issue, a child relies

almost completely on its parents and if the parents eat fast-food for every meal the child will

grow up eating junk and their health may not be their fault. Whether it is a persons choice or not,

obesity is a large problem in America and will only continue to grow if more awareness is not

brought to the problem.

Eating unhealthy starts from the young stages of life, Children are born with taste

preferences for foods that are sweet or salty. Though many young children are capable of limited

regulation of their food intake, when presented with large quantities of appealing foods, they are

unable to resist. Finally, restricting food choices or denying certain foods to children often results
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in overeating when the forbidden food is available and the parent is not around to act as a

control. (Eating). So starting from even the young days we are more open to unhealthy food

making it seem fine to grow up eating poorly. People usually tend to eat unhealthy because they

become depressed, they do not get enough sleep, or it is just the easiest and fastest way to access

food. From stress eaters to penny pinchers, people always have a reason to choose bad food.

Sometimes the mind does not think it is full so one continues to consume more and more food till

they are sick to their stomach. Majority of poor people are the ones who are more obese than the

higher class people in society. People with less money lean towards cheaper foods and the

opposite goes for higher class people (Obesity). The majority of people in America are on the

middle/poor side of class, so they buy cheaper food.

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(Image)

Nearly two-thirds of Americans are overweight or obese. The count in obesity has doubled over
the past four decades. (Obesity) The more we eat unhealthy foods and gain weight lessen the
probability that we go out for a run or exercise at all. Today, we see many commercials and
advertisements that promote eating healthy and exercising, but the overwhelming amount of fast-
food available still cause people overweight andmake up the majority of the population in
America. Americas past has set genetics that naturally store fat when food is scarce, but with
food becoming so accessible now, fat just adds on top of fat. So this added fat is not used up and
continues to accumulate through the years. We no longer have to stalk and capture our dinner; we
can use the drive-through. (Obesity). Even though people may exercise, those who do normally
already eat healthy and are not the ones who need the exercise.. Food is available everywhere,
and most of it unhealthy. People are bombarded with food ads and it requires a lot of strength not
to fall victim to the temptation of a fast-food chain. Will power and focus are the two things you
need most in order to avoid poor eating choices. Be the thirty percent that is not overweight and
stop making unhealthy choices, and over consuming food.
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Works Cited

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Cheeseburgers | McDonald's. Web. 15 Mar. 2017.

Carey, Kathy. "Changing Nutrition Standards: Eating In America." Montessori Life 17.2

(2005): 36-39. OmniFile Full Text Select (H.W. Wilson). Web. 15 Mar. 2017.

"Here's How Obesity Relates To Gender, Race And Income In The US [Charts]."

International Business Times. 13 Nov. 2013. Web. 15 Mar. 2017.

"Obesity and Socioeconomic Status in Adults: United States, 20052008." Centers for

Disease Control and Prevention. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 14 Dec.

2010. Web. 15 Mar. 2017.

Marks, Jennifer B. "Clinical Diabetes." Obesity in America: It's Getting Worse. American

Diabetes Association, 1 Feb. 2009. Web. 15 Mar. 2017.

"Overweight and Obesity in the U.S. Food Research & Action Center." Food Research

Action Center Overweight and Obesity in the US Comments. (FRAC) N.p., n.d. Web. 15

Mar. 2017