don t blame the eater essay

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Don't Blame the Eater

By David Zinczenko

• Nov. 23, 2002

If ever there were a newspaper headline custom-made for Jay Leno's monologue, this was it. Kids taking on McDonald's this week, suing the company for making them fat. Isn't that like middle-aged men suing Porsche for making them get speeding tickets? Whatever happened to personal responsibility?

I tend to sympathize with these portly fast-food patrons, though. Maybe that's because I used to be one of them.

I grew up as a typical mid-1980's latchkey kid. My parents were split up, my dad off trying to rebuild his life, my mom working long hours to make the monthly bills. Lunch and dinner, for me, was a daily choice between McDonald's, Taco Bell, Kentucky Fried Chicken or Pizza Hut. Then as now, these were the only available options for an American kid to get an affordable meal. By age 15, I had packed 212 pounds of torpid teenage tallow on my once lanky 5-foot-10 frame.

Then I got lucky. I went to college, joined the Navy Reserves and got involved with a health magazine. I learned how to manage my diet. But most of the teenagers who live, as I once did, on a fast-food diet won't turn their lives around: They've crossed under the golden arches to a likely fate of lifetime obesity. And the problem isn't just theirs -- it's all of ours.

Before 1994, diabetes in children was generally caused by a genetic disorder -- only about 5 percent of childhood cases were obesity-related, or Type 2, diabetes. Today, according to the National Institutes of Health, Type 2 diabetes accounts for at least 30 percent of all new childhood cases of diabetes in this country.

Not surprisingly, money spent to treat diabetes has skyrocketed, too. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimate that diabetes accounted for $2.6 billion in health care costs in 1969. Today's number is an unbelievable $100 billion a year.

Shouldn't we know better than to eat two meals a day in fast-food restaurants? That's one argument. But where, exactly, are consumers -- particularly teenagers -- supposed to find alternatives? Drive down any thoroughfare in America, and I guarantee you'll see one of our country's more than 13,000 McDonald's restaurants. Now, drive back up the block and try to find someplace to buy a grapefruit.

Complicating the lack of alternatives is the lack of information about what, exactly, we're consuming. There are no calorie information charts on fast-food packaging, the way there are on grocery items. Advertisements don't carry warning labels the way tobacco ads do. Prepared foods aren't covered under Food and Drug Administration labeling laws. Some fast-food purveyors will provide calorie information on request, but even that can be hard to understand.

For example, one company's Web site lists its chicken salad as containing 150 calories; the almonds and noodles that come with it (an additional 190 calories) are listed separately. Add a serving of the 280-calorie dressing, and you've got a healthy lunch alternative that comes in at 620 calories. But that's not all. Read the small print on the back of the dressing packet and you'll realize it actually contains 2.5 servings. If you pour what you've been served, you're suddenly up around 1,040 calories, which is half of the government's recommended daily calorie intake. And that doesn't take into account that 450-calorie super-size Coke.

Make fun if you will of these kids launching lawsuits against the fast-food industry, but don't be surprised if you're the next plaintiff. As with the tobacco industry, it may be only a matter of time before state governments begin to see a direct line between the $1 billion that McDonald's and Burger King spend each year on advertising and their own swelling health care costs.

And I'd say the industry is vulnerable. Fast-food companies are marketing to children a product with proven health hazards and no warning labels. They would do well to protect themselves, and their customers, by providing the nutrition information people need to make informed choices about their products. Without such warnings, we'll see more sick, obese children and more angry, litigious parents. I say, let the deep-fried chips fall where they may.

David Zinczenko: “Don’t Blame the Eater”

This essay will provide an analysis of David Zinczenko’s essay “Don’t Blame the Eater.” It will discuss Zinczenko’s argument about the fast-food industry’s role in the obesity epidemic, particularly among children. The piece will examine his viewpoints on food marketing, lack of healthy options, and the need for greater nutritional awareness and corporate responsibility. You can also find more related free essay samples at PapersOwl about Fast Food.

How it works

In ‘Don’t Blame the Eater,’ the editor-in-chief of Men’s Health magazine David Zinczenko, discusses the recent lawsuits against fast-food chains. David Zinczenko believes the fast food industry is responsible for America’s obese children and also believes fast food should come with a warning label. He shares a personal story of how he used to eat fast food twice a day and how he learned to manage his diet. Zinczenko states that before 1994, diabetes in children was provided generally caused by a genetic disorder and has increased to 30 percent today (2002).

Although the percentage of diabetes has increased in children, I disagree with fast-food restaurants being mainly responsible. He seems to form a good argument as to why fast-food chains are to blame but I believe parents hold the most responsibility for their child’s health.

Zinczenko is right about the fact that there is no calorie information or warning labels but if one wanted to know the number of calories an item has they could always ask. Just because calorie intake is not included in the menu does not mean you do not have the right to ask about it. People should take responsibility for their health and diet and should control their children too. People should know when to limit their kid’s or their sugar intake to avoid any future health problems. In the essay he takes the side of the children saying, he tends to sympathize with the portly fast-food patrons, because he used to be one of them (Zinczenko 2002). The parents are the ones that are responsible for their children’s well-being and what is consumed by them. Their health and what they eat should be prioritized by their parents. Parents may find it easier and quicker to just stop and buy their kithemds fast food instead of having to cook. To avoid obesity and reduce health problems, people should take interest in what they are putting in their bodies and especially their children’s bodies.

Maintaining a healthy lifestyle is an important factor in a person’s balanced diet and well-being. A balanced diet provides an intake of a decent amount of energy and nutrients. Ashley Welch from CBS News states that the problem is that many Americans are just eating too much and not exercising enough (2015). Besides focusing on healthy diet choices, some type of physical activity is needed at least 3 or 4 times a week. Today, many parents do not pay enough attention to what they are feeding their kids and turn to fast food as an easy option. Kids nowadays are stuck inside playing video games or watching tv instead of going outside every day for at least 30 minutes. In parents forced their kids to go outside and play for a short amount of time, it will allow them to stay in shape and reduce the chance of obesity. Fast food does not entirely have to be avoided but the amount consumed should be limited. Keeping a healthy eating habit can prevent or reduce future health problems.

Starting a balanced diet at an early age can help strengthen your immune system, making it difficult for one to be affected by diseases or even pain. Eating healthy and exercising can benefit you both physically and mentally. Everyone is different when it comes to providing your body with the right food to help you have energy, lose weight and live healthily. While eating healthy you need to have the correct proportions of the food from each of the six food groups. Proportions vary for every individual due to everyone having a different metabolic rate. “Fast food, soft drinks, and candy are often painted as the driving forces behind America’s obesity epidemic, but new research suggests there’s more to it than that” (Welch 2015). Foods high in saturated fatty acids and the amount of sugar we consume from food such as sweets and fizzy drinks should be reduced. Instead of snacking on a chocolate bar or candy, you can replace it with a fruit or vegetable. Fruit and vegetables are full of vitamins, minerals, and fiber. Instead of giving your kid a can of soda, you can replace it with water. Drinking water is also an important factor for the human body. Water can also help flush out one’s system by drinking at least 8 cups a day. Water helps regulate temperature and maintain other bodily functions.

Zinczenko argues fast-food restaurants are vulnerable. He states “fast-food companies are marketing to children a product with proven health hazards and no warning labels” (Zinczenko 2002). Given children are more vulnerable to commercials that include their favorite toy they tend to beg their parents to go out and buy them the food they saw on tv. Fast food is associated with higher body mass index, less successful weight-loss maintenance, and weight gain (Mandal 2018). Fast food tends to lack nutrients and is high in calories, sugar, and fat. Although there are studies that show fast food has an impact on one’s health issues, parents could limit the amount of fast-food consumed and lower their child’s risk of being obese.

I understand where Zinczenko is coming from and the arguments he points out but I still believe the parents have the most responsibility when it comes to feeding their kids. Eating healthy has many positive benefits which will greatly affect you in the long run. It not only controls your weight and keeps you more energized but it helps prevent health problems such as heart disease, strokes, and high blood pressure. Regular physical activity and a healthy diet can also help prevent other diseases such as diabetes and arthritis. Unhealthy eating may lead to obesity increasing the rate of health problems if not treated instantly. It is never too late to change the eating habits of your kids. If all they are used to is eating fast food every day, try introducing them to fruits and vegetables. You could also take the time to cook at home as a change.

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David Zinczenko: “Don't Blame the Eater”. (2022, May 04). Retrieved from https://papersowl.com/examples/david-zinczenko-dont-blame-the-eater/

"David Zinczenko: “Don't Blame the Eater”." PapersOwl.com , 4 May 2022, https://papersowl.com/examples/david-zinczenko-dont-blame-the-eater/

PapersOwl.com. (2022). David Zinczenko: “Don't Blame the Eater” . [Online]. Available at: https://papersowl.com/examples/david-zinczenko-dont-blame-the-eater/ [Accessed: 7 Jun. 2024]

"David Zinczenko: “Don't Blame the Eater”." PapersOwl.com, May 04, 2022. Accessed June 7, 2024. https://papersowl.com/examples/david-zinczenko-dont-blame-the-eater/

"David Zinczenko: “Don't Blame the Eater”," PapersOwl.com , 04-May-2022. [Online]. Available: https://papersowl.com/examples/david-zinczenko-dont-blame-the-eater/. [Accessed: 7-Jun-2024]

PapersOwl.com. (2022). David Zinczenko: “Don't Blame the Eater” . [Online]. Available at: https://papersowl.com/examples/david-zinczenko-dont-blame-the-eater/ [Accessed: 7-Jun-2024]

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A Reflection on the Article "Don't Blame The Eater"

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Writing Methods in by Zinczenko’s Article “Don’t Blame the Eater” Coursework

• To find inspiration for your paper and overcome writer’s block
• As a source of information (ensure proper referencing)
• As a template for you assignment

Introduction

Unique writing methods, author’s individual position.

The article “Don’t Blame the Eater” by David Zinczenko is not an academic work in which the author conducts in-depth research and describes a specific problem with an open mind but rather a social appeal. The raised topic of the dangers of fast food and severe health outcomes in the case of addiction to such high-calorie meals is revealed through vivid speech turns and emotional language. Numerical statistics are supplemented by personal reasoning, which indicates the author’s concern about the existing problem. The main writing methods that make the article under consideration relevant and acute are include using set lexical expressions and original comparisons designed to increase the impact on the reader.

Set lexical expressions designed to reinforce the author’s key message emotionally are powerful writing techniques. For instance, when discussing the inevitability of overweight in children addicted to fast food, Zinczenko notes that many of them have already “crossed under the golden arches to a likely fate of lifetime obesity.” Such pretentious language is intended to draw the attention of the audience to the problem under consideration. In addition, writing manner indicates an unambiguous position: the attachment to high-calorie food poses a severe threat to the health of the younger generation, and for many, the way back is difficult.

Another approach implies comparing specific aspects of the issue in question with other examples from life in an absurd and, at the same time, effective form. For instance, when Zinczenko mentions lawsuits against McDonald’s, he notes ironically that such a position is tantamount to complaining about a vehicle for speeding. By resorting to this technique, the author strives to show that the responsibility for personal health lies with people themselves, who deliberately aggravate their well-being while ignoring all possible recommendations. Another example is evaluating the availability of fast food compared to other, healthier products.

Zinczenko states that the McDonald’s chain is so vast that a child is likely to buy a junk lunch that contains the daily calorie intake than find a grapefruit at the nearest store. All these comparisons have the same and uniquely expressed goal. Zinczenko wants to develop in people a sense of responsibility for their future and draw attention to the urgency of the problem of obesity as one of the likely outcomes of fast food addiction.

The article is written in the first person and is not an observer analysis but rather a call. Zinczenko brings an individual experience of fast food addiction and cites his childhood eating preferences. At the same time, the author’s background allows him to reason about the problem objectively, and calls to change the existing practices of control over the policy of selling junk food fill the article. Zinchenko expresses individual requirements unambiguously: to oblige McDonald’s and similar companies to label their products accordingly, tighten state control over the activities of such companies, and expand people’s knowledge of potential threats. As a result, all the aforementioned writing techniques make “Don’t Blame the Eater” an article that puts the idea of ​​impact above that of enlightenment.

As the main writing methods utilized in the article by Zinczenko, one can highlight set lexical expressions and vivid comparisons. In addition, the author applies to individual experiences when describing the issue of fast food threats, which is another technique. Zinczenko’s position is clear regarding the need to tighten control measures against McDonald’s and other similar companies to improve public health and, in particular, minimize the threats of childhood obesity and related health issues.

Zinczenko, David. “ Don’t Blame the Eater. ” The New York Times . 2002. Web.

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IvyPanda. (2022, September 18). Writing Methods in by Zinczenko’s Article “Don’t Blame the Eater”. https://ivypanda.com/essays/writing-methods-in-by-zinczenkos-article-dont-blame-the-eater/

"Writing Methods in by Zinczenko’s Article “Don’t Blame the Eater”." IvyPanda , 18 Sept. 2022, ivypanda.com/essays/writing-methods-in-by-zinczenkos-article-dont-blame-the-eater/.

IvyPanda . (2022) 'Writing Methods in by Zinczenko’s Article “Don’t Blame the Eater”'. 18 September.

IvyPanda . 2022. "Writing Methods in by Zinczenko’s Article “Don’t Blame the Eater”." September 18, 2022. https://ivypanda.com/essays/writing-methods-in-by-zinczenkos-article-dont-blame-the-eater/.

1. IvyPanda . "Writing Methods in by Zinczenko’s Article “Don’t Blame the Eater”." September 18, 2022. https://ivypanda.com/essays/writing-methods-in-by-zinczenkos-article-dont-blame-the-eater/.

Bibliography

IvyPanda . "Writing Methods in by Zinczenko’s Article “Don’t Blame the Eater”." September 18, 2022. https://ivypanda.com/essays/writing-methods-in-by-zinczenkos-article-dont-blame-the-eater/.

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My Position Regarding The Article 'Don’t Blame The Eater'

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Published: Dec 16, 2021

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SUNY Geneseo Department of Computer Science

Summarizing

Tuesday, February 18

Intd 105 13 , Spring 2014 Prof. Doug Baldwin

Return to List of Lectures

Reading re summary from They Say, I Say

Summary needs to accurately reflect source, while focusing on elements pertinent to your argument. Beware of “list summaries” that catalog source’s statements with no evident purpose. Choose verbs to capture feeling of source as well as content.

• Should draw in more interesting points vis a vis what “They say” vs “I say,” where I’m going from summary
• Should mentions tips for paraphrase w/o plagiarizing (but are these really in the reading being summarized? If not they belong somewhere else)
• Stay neutral
• It’s a list summary. Yuck.
• No overall reason or context for summary

Summary exercise 2 (write summaries of “Don’t Blame the Eater” example that could either (a) be used in an essay arguing that healthy food is cheaply and easily available, or (b) be used in an essay arguing that obesity is a cultural construct rather than a medical condition)

Zinczenko argues that fast food options are the main cause of the rising rates of child obesity. Because the alternatives to fast food are too expensive for adolescents to afford, a large portion of the younger generation turns to eating unhealthily. However, though healthier foods may be more expensive, eating healthily is more cost beneficial for the long term. Zinczenko makes a point that fast food companies are misleading because nutrition information is not readily available for consumers. This makes it difficult for children to make informed decisions about the food they eat. In addition, Zinczenko reminds us that many American families are also dealing with obesity, though often they are preoccupied with financial problems.

1) Zinczenko’s essay Don’t Blame the Eater offers a sympathetic viewpoint towards the youth affected by the fast food crisis in America. This response comes in light of a recent lawsuit by teenagers against McDonalds for “making them fat.” Although he believes in personal accountability, he relates to them based on his own childhood experience in which fast food seemed to be the only option available. Zinczenko argues that in America it is easier to find a fast food meal than it is to find a grapefruit. In addition, he complains about the difficulty in finding out the exact nutritional information of fast food menu options.

2) Obesity in America has been a growing problem; this can be strongly correlated to fast food restaurant growth in the country. However, there are alternatives to a daily meal at McDonald’s or Burger King. An example of one is to easily go to a grocery store after planning a week of meals. Following the purchase, it is easy to prepare all of the food prior to the week so that meals are easily cooked on the days. Most people argue that grocery store food is much more expensive but the truth is that buying in bulk and preparing these meals is actually a cheaper and healthier option to the typical Big Mac. Another inexpensive option is to have an at-home garden so it is easy to go to the backyard and pick up vegetables. This saves a lot of money when it comes to buying vegetables like carrots, tomatoes and peppers.

3) Obesity is definitely a growing medical problem in the country today. It is not that obesity itself is the problem but all that it leads to. Examples of this include diabetes, heart disease, immobility and many others. Though diabetes may not be as common of a disease among obese patients, there are still several other problems that are proven to be a result of obesity. The area of medicine in the United States, has slowly transitioned to help the several patients that suffer from obesity. On the contrary, it can be deduced that obesity is a result of our ongoing stereotype as Americans go to McDonalds for dinner casually. Our culture through past generations have turned to fast food chains as a result of advertisements and the pure simplicity of picking up a quick meal. Over the years, that has developed into our cultural stereotype. In conclusion, it is not just one over another but the fact that cultural stereotypes and the medical problems with obesity are tied together in a way.

In his essay “Don’t Blame the Eater” Zinczenko argues that obesity is not the fault of the people eating but in fact a product of misinformation and lack of alternatives. When this essay was written, there wasn’t adequate labeling on the fast food people were consuming. However, now all food must be labeled and the obesity epidemic is still continuing. According to Zinczenko, in 1994 only 5% of all cases of diabetes were Type 2 caused by obesity, but in the recent years this number has gone up to 30% and is continuing to grow. Additionally, although he argues that there aren’t many places to buy healthy foods, walk into any grocery store and there is an abundance of produce that isn’t all that expensive. Healthy food isn’t terribly difficult to come by, it’s simply a personal choice that needs to be made.

Zinczenko stresses that blame for obesity should not be placed on the obese public but rather on the fast food industry. Fast food is becoming increasingly cheap and available as compared to healthier options. Twenty years ago type two diabetes represented five percent of all childhood diabetes cases, now it represents at least thirty percent. Zinczenko not only blames the availability of fast food for this epidemic, but also the lack of warnings and health information presented at these restaurants. While people are aware that fast food is unhealthy, many are not aware of the true magnitude of the choices they are making, according to Zinczenko.

David Zinczenko argues in “Don’t Blame the Eater” that the fast food industries are to blame for the increasing obesity problem facing children. These restaurants are ubiquitous and hard for individuals, especially those in a pinch for time, to avoid. It is expected that an individual would know better than to eat two meals at a fast-food restaurant, because of the increasing health problems emerging. Yet, because one may see a fast-food restaurant, it does not necessarily mean he or she should immediately purchase food from the restaurant. Healthy and inexpensive opportunities exist, but it means that the consumer must search actively, instead of eating at the first restaurant they see. Although the food labeling and nutritional information may be hard to interpret, it is possible, and should provide more of a reason to search for alternatives. If healthy alternatives didn’t exist, fast-food restaurants would have less of a reason to advertise and promote their products. It is important to recognize that individuals who feel they can sue the fast-food industry, may not be being active in their search for healthy alternatives.

• Generally easy to tell which kind of essay each summary was written for, i.e., these summaries generally do choose what to say and how to say it according to their purpose
• Be careful that summary of someone else’s position doesn’t turn into a miniature statement of, or argument for, your own
• These do show signs of using some of They Say, I Say ’s templates and language. Those are good places to start.

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