Obesity isn't the Government's Problem

When it comes to hot topics obesity isn't one of that readily rises to the top. However, obesity is a topic being debated in America today. The government thinks obesity, an over weight person, is a big problem in the Unites States today. The government say's that obesity should be stopped and that schools and restaurants should start serving healthy food. However, when someone becomes obese it's not the restaurants fault. Jeffry Axelrad, in the article "Ad Restrictions diminish kids Rights to Freedom of choice," states "Kids should have the choice to choose what they want to eat whether it is healthy or not." All men have been given the freedom to choose. One of the few choices kids get to make is what they want to eat. In Nebraska the legal adult age is 19 years old. Until kids turn 19, their parent's have control over them. Deciding what they like is one of the few freedoms they do have. Also Axelrad states that "Attempting to change kids' eating habits through restrictions on their exposure to food marketing efforts is a thoroughly distasteful, puritanical crusade." Even as FDA is trying to stop obesity the people do not want to change their eating habits though they know that the meals have high calories. People choose to go to restaurants and they choose to order high calorie foods. It's not right for the government to make restaurants and schools stop serving foods that sell just because the kids are making unhealthy food choices. If the government legislates this they are taking away customers and profit from the restaurants. According to the NPD group, 73% of adults 18 years and older did worry about the calories they were eating. Even so, fried food sales just keep growing (Policy Pros, Marketers Question FDA's Anti-Obesity Report). Chief Officer of Link Incorporation states that "There's no way in hell consumers will change their habits now," (Policy Pros, Marketers Question FDA's Anti-Obesity Report). Bad habits are hard to break and with the way the economy is going right now it is unwise to try and change the way people eat. So many businesses are going under that we should be trying to avoid anything that could throw the United States economy into the Great Depression II. American's these day's, especially teens, are stubborn as molasses and refuse to eat anything they don't like. It is a waste of time and money to try and fix obesity now when the economy is so bad. Coen of Coen company in Pacific Palisades, California states that "food companies have to make every marketing dollar work in their competitive battle, and there is no question that most chains are better off when they offer people what they want and advertise that fact to them." (Policy Pros, Marketers Question FDA's Anti-Obesity Report). Now businesses need to do what they can to stay on the top. They do whatever they can and sell whatever they need to too keep their costumers coming back again. In the United States the people are free to make the choice on what they want to eat. It is wrong for the government to take control of the American peoples eating habits at restaurants and schools when the people in America were promised freedom.

Lil BK

Works Cited

Axelrad, Jeffrey. "Ad Restrictions Diminish Kids' Right to Freedom of Choice." Sirs. 24 Feb. 2005. 14 Jan. 2009 .

Cebrzynski, Gregg. "Policy Pros, Marketers Question FDA's Anti-Obesity Report." Sirs. 12 June 2006. 14 Jan. 2009 .