Composition III - magz64

Government restrictions on food portions

Hook- Drinking chemicals and eating without seeking a source of nourishment has been a part of the normal everyday cycle, will a downsize help a little?

Background information- Fast-food restaurant chains have gone from big portions to enormous portions and it keeps increasing. Statistics show the average American calorie intake has gone 20 percent since 1970, which took it from 2,160 calories to 2,673 daily calories per person. Both plate sizes and portions sizes have increased, even the cups have supersized. Food is fuel for the body, and fast food is not necessarily bad but in most cases it is highly processed and contains large amounts of sugars, unhealthy fats, sodium and carbohydrates. Even though fast food is very high in calories, yet it serves little or no nutritional value. Diseases have increased greatly in number, approximately 10 percent of American adults were classified obese in the 1950’s and in 2012 the CDC reported an approximate 35 percent. The costs of obesity are currently estimated $190 billion per year, and that is more than what is spent on health care for smoking. Fast food is generally more affordable and faster to have and consume, but having high quality foods are more valuable for the body than portion size. Other problems that are associated with low quality food options are laziness, depression, high blood pressure, diabetes and many others.

Thesis- Governments should have restrictions on low nutrient foods and guide people and families to choose a variety of good food options to serve individuals and families. People should eat what energizes them, and not what makes them lazy or sleepy.

Claim 1 – (Growing up) Children do not always understand the health consequences of their eating habits and junk food may appear appetizing and appealing. When they are the choice to eat as much as they want of desserts or chips or candies, children tend to eat more junk food and less fruits and vegetables. They artificial sweeteners can maintain a craving for sweets. Children find the colors and logos of fast food restaurants interesting and easy to spot and remember in a public area, especially when there is an advertisement that is directly for children. However, children that regularly consume fattening fast food can get addicted and this habit could lead to diseases such as obesity, low-self esteem, chronic illness and depression. It can also affect their academic and physical performance.

Children learn eating habits from the family table.

Evidence (3) (Laziness) According to Women’s and Children Health Network, diet has an important effect on children’s study habits. Food options with higher level of sugar can lower the ability to concentrate for a longer period of time, which is needed in school. Physical activity is crucial for everyone and eating junk food on a regular basis does not provide the nutrients needed for sufficient energy level to engage and perform in physical activities. Lacking in physical activity can lower physical and mental performance and wellbeing.

Claim 2 – (Soda/Junk food) A UCLA psychology study provides evidence that being overweight makes people lazy. The study provided the evidence by placing 32 female rats on one of two diets for six months. The first diet was a standard rat’s diet, it consisted of unprocessed foods like ground corn, and the second diet was highly processed with lower quality and more sugar. After 3 months from the experiment, the scientists observed a huge difference in the rat’s weights and the rats with the second diet were noticeably fatter. They also took longer breaks from meals, and showed less energy.

Evidence (3) (No nutrition) Unlike fruits or vegetables, junk food has little or no fiber and lack hundreds of phytonutrients that are consumed when eating fruits and vegetables. Consuming big portions of fast food can increase the intake of trans fat, which raises the bad cholesterol in the body and lowers the good cholesterol levels in the body, and eating in larger amounts could increase the risk of developing heart disease and stroke. It also has a high risk of developing type 2 diabetes, which 29.1 million people are diagnosed with in The United States. Eating fast food once in a while would not affect health, but the diet only consisted of fast food then ending up with a vitamin deficiency might be a probability. Most restaurants are fast food restaurants, and having an alternative option seem quiet hard or costly. Fast food chains do not care about someone’s diet, and they ask if you would like to upsize, those meals do not provide with the necessary nutrients needed in a diet and they are mostly processed and even contain genetically modified ingredients.

Claim 3 – Candies/Dessert

Evidence (3) High sugar/fructose

Opposing View 1 – Fast metabolism

Refutation 1 not meant to consume junk

Opposing View 2 – Lots of calories to burn

Refutation 2 Laziness increases and obesity

Conclusion –

References

http://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10001424127887323741004578419031512580080

http://www.livestrong.com/article/383621-statistics-of-health-risks-from-eating-fast-food/

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/12/05/eating-healthy-vs-unhealthy_n_4383633.html

http://www.yourweightmatters.org/portion-sizes-changed-time/

http://greatist.com/health/should-government-regulate-portions-our-experts-weigh

http://www.fitday.com/fitness-articles/nutrition/healthy-eating/5-reasons-why-you-should-say-no-to-buying-soda.html

http://newsroom.ucla.edu/releases/does-a-junk-food-diet-make-you-lazy-ucla-psychology-study-offers-answer

http://healthyeating.sfgate.com/junk-food-affects-children-5985.html