“Super-size me” is a simple request that can lead to less than simple consequences. Heart disease, diabetes, cancer, infertility, mood swings, poor health and more. After watching the video ‘Super Size Me’ in my ‘Anthropology of Food' class I could not help but feel enraged and thankful at the same time. Thankful that I haven’t eaten fast food in years, and infuriated because I know that there are still people who choose to eat fast food on a daily basis. To watch a video like that with all the facts laid out in black and white and still continue to eat processed “meat” (if you can really even call it that) is a form of ignorance and idiocy that one can only blame themselves for.
(Image from Google Images)
Watching the deterioration of Morgan Spurlock made me feel ill to my stomach. He started out with outstanding health and ended up with a failing liver that looked as though he were a dying alcoholic, massive weight gain and more. I cannot imagine what millions of Americans must be suffering from just because of their food choices. America is now the most obese country and is on its way to becoming the least intelligent as well. The school systems are lacking, not only by educational standards but by food standards as well.
It is not always practical to eat a home-cooked meal every single day, three times a day in this fast paced world. There are places to go and people to see, but is it really THAT difficult to make healthier choices when you do need to pick up a meal on the go? Is it really that impossible to make lunch healthy for the children so they can learn to live a healthy life with good food choices? The truth is that it’s not. There are organizations like ‘Natural Oven’ that offer healthy food options at the same price as the unhealthy pizza and snack loving companies that most schools pay for. People know that these options exist, so why aren’t they going for them? Does America want to get fat?
It is not impossible to eat a healthy meal on the go. Nothing is impossible, especially when it comes to food. American groceries are stocked full with endless amounts of possibilities, and there are healthier restaurant alternatives, not to mention a persons self-control and portion control. As a freshman living in a college dorm I see the choices that people make. Going for a doughnut for breakfast instead of a bowl of cereal. Choosing the large food they are serving without a side of veggies over a salad. I hear the excuses as to why they could not make it to the gym or why they’re choosing the elevator instead of going up that one flight of stairs. Don’t get me wrong, I’ve taken the elevator and I’ve had the chocolates, but I also choose the gym over television and a salad over fries. It all comes down to personal choices.
There is no one source to blame. A lack of self-control is a huge contributor and a persons lack of motivation is part of the problem as well. However when 10,000 commercials are aired a day telling you that you REALLY want that big mac with fries, it’s hard to ignore it. The restaurants understand advertising and they have it down to a tee. The food they serve is horrendous and the companies along with the consumers know that toxins are going into the food and the horrific effects they have on ones body. However, with neither party willing to change, what hope is there for a healthier America?
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