Obese America

Is it inadvertently the fault of the people or the corporations regarding the rise in obesity in the past 30 years? It is debatable depending on who you are defending: the health of America or large corporations. Obesity and Anorexia are both serious health conditions that are on the rise (Anorexia Nervosa and Related Eating Disorders). The only solutions yet known for these conditions are the inevitable rehabilitations, and drastic gastric bypass surgeries. Obesity is a massive money maker for various industries such as, food, government, healthcare, diet and fitness, media all make money as a result of unhealthy food consumption (Olfman).

Media keeps spinning "Be thin" with scrawny models, then turns around, and says "EAT" with food advertisements. The outcome: the obesity epidemic surges on (The Eating Disorder Sourcebook). The effect of the media's mixed messages is loss of self image, especially in adolescents. Low self esteem can lead anorexia and drug use and sometimes both (The Eating Disorder Sourcebook). There are more places to eat at than schools, hospitals, and playgrounds. Everywhere there are advertisements, for mostly un-healthy foods. (Spurlak, 2004)

One must look and see if there is a bigger preventable measure that is not being taken. The epidemic leaves us wondering why our government allows this to occur. While other countries' governments have placed limits on foods and advertisements, the U.S. government has lobbyists that push for pro-fat food laws in legislature (Olfman). Smoking and unhealthy eating are equally dangerous to health (Spurlak, 2004). In contrast the U.S government has put strong taxation on cigarettes, making a clear message: if you want to smoke, you will have to pay for it. (The American Lung Association). Wouldn't it make sense in light of the obesity rate, and correlation in Super Size Me that the U.S. government is not doing enough to help its citizens? In 2004 the legislation imposed the Hamburger Bill that stopped any law suits that could have brought change to major food corporations in America (Spurlak, 2004).

It is fathomable if the government imposed higher taxes on both food corporations and the people who consume them that the epidemic would decrease. This could go across the board: supermarkets, restaurants,